Protorosaurus: Profile of a Permian Reptile Protorosaurus Protorosaurus (PRO-toh-roh-SAWR-us; “first lizard”) is a genus of early archosauromorph reptile that lived during the Late Permian period, approximately 260 to 252 million years ago. Fossils of this ancient reptile have been discovered in what is now Germany and England. The name Protorosaurus, meaning “first lizard,” was given […]
Psittacosaurus: Profile of the Early Cretaceous Parrot Lizard Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus (sih-TACK-oh-SAWR-us; “Parrot lizard”) is a genus of small, ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 126 to 101 million years ago. Its fossils have been discovered across Asia, primarily in China, Mongolia, Russia, and Thailand. The name Psittacosaurus, given by American paleontologist
Pteropelyx Pteropelyx (TEHR-oh-PEE-liks; “Winged pelvis”) is a genus of hadrosaurid, or duck-billed, dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 76 to 75 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in what is now Montana, USA. The name Pteropelyx was given by the famous paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope in 1889. He named it for
Pterospondylus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Pterospondylus Pterospondylus (TEH-roh-SPON-dih-lus; “winged vertebra”) is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 228 to 208 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in what is now Transylvania, Romania. The name Pterospondylus was given by paleontologist Franz Nopcsa in 1923, based on a
Puertasaurus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Puertasaurus Puertasaurus (PWER-tah-SAWR-us; “Puerta’s lizard”) is a genus of giant titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago, in what is now Patagonia, Argentina. The name honors Pablo Puerta and Santiago Reuil, who discovered the fossils in Santa Cruz Province in 2001.
Pukyongosaurus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Pukyongosaurus Pukyongosaurus (POO-kyong-oh-SAWR-us; “Pukyong National University lizard”) is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 125 to 100 million years ago, in what is now South Korea. The name honors Pukyong National University, where one of its discoverers was based. Pukyongosaurus was first
Pycnonemosaurus Pycnonemosaurus (PIK-no-NEE-mo-SAWR-us; “Dense woodland lizard”) is a genus of large abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that roamed South America during the Late Cretaceous period, about 70 to 66 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in Brazil, and the name refers to the dense forests that characterize the Mato Grosso region today. Pycnonemosaurus was first named
Pyroraptor: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Pyroraptor Pyroraptor (PIE-roe-RAP-tor; “Fire Thief”) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago, in what is now southern France. Its name means “fire thief” because the first fossils were discovered in 1992 after a forest fire in the
Qantassaurus Qantassaurus (KWAN-tah-SAWR-us; “Qantas lizard”) is a genus of small herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, about 115 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in Victoria, Australia. The name Qantassaurus honors Qantas, the Australian airline, for its support in transporting fossils and promoting Australian science. This dinosaur was first named
Qianzhousaurus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Qianzhousaurus Qianzhousaurus (CHYEN-joh-SAWR-us; “Qianzhou lizard”) is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 72 to 66 million years ago, in what is now southern China. The name refers to Qianzhou, an old name for the city of Ganzhou near where its fossils
