Pleurocoelus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Pleurocoelus Pleurocoelus (PLOOR-oh-SEEL-us; “Hollow-sided” or “Side Cavity”) is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 113 to 100 million years ago. Fossils that have been assigned to Pleurocoelus were discovered in North America, with notable finds in Maryland and Texas. The name Pleurocoelus […]
Pleuropeltus Pleuropeltus (PLOOR-oh-PEL-tus; “Rib Shield”) is a genus of nodosaurid ankylosaurian dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 76 to 75 million years ago. Fossils of this armored dinosaur were discovered in the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada. The name Pleuropeltus comes from Greek words meaning “rib shield” or “side shield,” referring
Pneumatoraptor: The Agile ‘Air Thief’ of Late Cretaceous Europe Pneumatoraptor Pneumatoraptor (NEWM-ah-toh-RAP-tor; “Air Thief”) is a genus of small paravian theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, specifically the Santonian stage, about 85 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in the Csehbánya Formation in the Bakony Mountains of western Hungary. The genus
Podokesaurus Podokesaurus (poe-DOKE-ee-SAWR-us; “swift-footed lizard of Holyoke”) Podokesaurus is a genus of small carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic period, approximately 200 to 190 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in Massachusetts, USA. The name refers to its agile build and the location near Mount Holyoke College where it was found.
Poekilopleuron: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Poekilopleuron Poekilopleuron (POH-ee-KILL-oh-PLOOR-on; “varied rib”) is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived during the Middle Jurassic period, approximately 168 to 166 million years ago (Bathonian stage), in what is now Normandy, France. The name, given by paleontologist Jacques Amand Eudes-Deslongchamps in 1838, refers to the different shapes
Polacanthus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Polacanthus Polacanthus (POL-uh-KAN-thus; “Many Spines”) is a genus of armored ornithischian dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 130 to 125 million years ago. Its fossils have primarily been discovered in England, particularly on the Isle of Wight, with some possible findings in Spain. The name Polacanthus
Polyonax: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Polyonax Polyonax (POL-ee-oh-nax; “master of many”) is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 68 to 66 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in what is now Colorado, in the United States. The name Polyonax was given by the famous American paleontologist
Ponerosteus: Profile of an Enigmatic Archosaur Ponerosteus Ponerosteus (POH-neh-ROSS-tee-us; “Worthless Bone”) Ponerosteus is a genus of archosaur, potentially a dinosaur, known from the Late Cretaceous period, specifically the Cenomanian stage (about 99 to 94 million years ago). Its fossils were found in what is now the Czech Republic. The name Ponerosteus was given by paleontologist
Poposaurus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Poposaurus Poposaurus (POP-oh-SAWR-us; “Popo Agie lizard”) was a fascinating archosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, about 230 to 210 million years ago, in what is now North America. The name refers to the Popo Agie Formation in Wyoming, where its fossils were first discovered. Although Poposaurus walked
Portellsaurus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Portellsaurus Portellsaurus (por-TEL-lih-SAWR-us; “Portell lizard”) is a genus of styracosternan ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, specifically the late Barremian age, about 127 to 126 million years ago, in what is now Spain. The name Portellsaurus honors the town of Portell de Morella in the Castellón
