2014 Paleontology Recap

4 min read

Deviation Actions

Dennonyx's avatar
By
Published:
22.1K Views
It hasn't been a bad year. It can be said that, unlike in 2013, there were more significant revaluation studies rather than institutions of new species.


Stand out among all two new aspects of historical theropods: Deinocheirus and Spinosaurus. Curiously, it has been noted as an incredible coincidence as both the two giants show several homoplasies and similar ecological adaptations the one with the other.
Noteworthy are also studies of anatomical and phylogenetic reassessment carried out on vulcanodontid Antetonitrus and camarasaurids Lourinhasaurus and Aragosaurus, plus an thorough study about Manidens toothing and Heterodontosaurus postcranium, which together constitute a great source of retail knowledge on the heterodontosaurids skeleton.
Two other notable items that unfortunately aren't exploded in the pop web as they should have been are the one reporting the discovery of a juvenile specimen of Megaraptor and the one about the classification of "Saurornitholestes ROBUSTUS" as a troodontid (and so not a dromeosaurid, instead).
Furthermore, Arrhinoceratops is now considered a valid genus, more derived than Anchiceratops but less than the node Triceratopsini (Eotriceratops+Ojoceratops+(Triceratops+Torosaurus)).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talking about new species, there are definitely some of which I've been madly in love.

First of all, Aquilops. Damn, what a fucking beautiful name, maybe more beautiful than the poor "Syntarsus" replaced by that shit of name that is Megapnosaurus.
Aquilops is the cutest and most interesting ceratopsian to date. So small and particular, with that horned beak... When I'll end the dino-alphabeat I will definitley make a portrait of it. For sure.

Then we have Anzu!  Anzu ! by Dennonyx
You know, every day an unnamed oviraptorid receive a true name and a true study, is a wonderful day for everyone of us.

Another new genus that I've restored is the hadrosauroid Zhanghenglong.
Zhanghenglong by Dennonyx

Am I the only one thinking that it's not just the umpteenth chinese ornithopod to be snubbed?
Thinking about hadrosaurians, I'd like to report your attenction to the new genera Gongpoquanosaurus, Plesiohadros, Rhinorex and Adelolophus (we could've had 'em all rolling in the deep) [LOL]. 

Surely, none of you snubbed the tyrannosaurinae Nanuqsaurus, known by skull fragments... 
Nanuqsaurus by Dennonyx
...but still significant for its paleogeographic implications.

Another tyrannosaurid erected this year is the alioramin Qianzhousaurus
Alioramini by Dennonyx
Even if being Alioramini a unresolved trichotomy, we can't say that Qianzhousaurus is taxonomically valid since it's not more or less different from Alioramus remotus rather than A. altai.

I adored Gobivenator. Its specimen is one of the best among advanced troodontids.
Gobivenator by Dennonyx
Not the umpteenth eastern "deinonychosaurian", even if not so marvelous as the new microraptorine Changyuraptor.

The last of the new species that I've restored is the futalognkosaurian sauropod Quetecsaurus, known by not-so-few elements.

Quetecsaurus by Dennonyx
I think I was the only one who cared about him. 

Another sauropod you may see among my restoration is the enormous Dreadnoughtus (see the letter D of the dinosaur-alphabet proyect). Very close to Quetecsaurus, but also very different anatomically. The weight valued for Dreadnoughtus is a number that makes me go in a headache just thinking about it: 65 Short Tons!
Other new forms that deserve to be known are the new species of Allosaurus (A. lucasi), ceratosaurids Camarillasaurus and Fosterovenator, mamenchisaurid Huangshanglong, chasmosaurin Mercuriceratops, coelophysoid Panguraptor, (z)ankylosaurids Zaarapelta and Ziapelta, diplodocid Leinkupai and of course the fuzzy neornithischian Kulindadromeus, now featured on the letter K of my dinosaur alphabeat.

Let's hope for a stunning new year! Wishes!
© 2014 - 2024 Dennonyx
Comments17
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
9Weegee's avatar
No. It's that Every fucking year they say it sucks. for example, they said 2016 was shit, and now they're saying this year is shit.