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Drepanosauromorph
Drepanosaurs (members of the clade Drepanosauromorpha) are a group of extinct reptiles that lived between the Carnian and Rhaetian stages of the late Triassic Period, approximately between 230 and 210 million years ago. The various species of drepanosaurid were characterized by specialized grasping limbs and often prehensile tails, adaptions for arboreal (tree-dwelling) and fossorial (digging) lifestyles, with some having also been suggested to be aquatic. Fossils of drepanosaurs have been found in Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, Utah, England, and northern Italy. The name is taken from the family's namesake genus ''Drepanosaurus'', which means "sickle lizard," a reference to their strongly curved claws. Description Drepanosaurs are notable for their distinctive, triangular skulls, which resemble the skulls of birds. Some drepanosaurs, such as '' Avicranium,'' had pointed, toothless, bird-like beaks. This similarity to birds may have led to the misattribution of what may be a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drepanosaurus
''Drepanosaurus'' (; "sickle lizard") is a genus of arboreal (tree-dwelling) reptile that lived during the Triassic Period. It is a member of the Drepanosauridae, a group of diapsid reptiles known for their prehensile tails. ''Drepanosaurus'' was probably an insectivore, and lived in a coastal environment in what is now modern day Italy, as well as in a streamside environment in the midwestern United States. Description ''Drepanosaurus'' is known to have a huge claw on the "index finger" (digit II) of each hand along with the tail claw. The skull of ''Drepanosaurus'' has never been found and is still unknown; however, the skull of ''Drepanosaurus'' was likely similar to other drepanosaurs, such as ''Megalancosaurus''. ''Megalancosaurus skull was approximately the same size as its enlarged claws, and had a bird-like jaw and head shape. The forelimb of ''Drepanosaurus'' is highly modified compared to other vertebrates. Its ulna was modified into a robust, crescent-shaped site f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avicranium
''Avicranium'' is a genus of extinct drepanosaur reptile known from the Chinle Formation of the late Triassic. The type species of ''Avicranium'' is ''Avicranium renestoi''. "''Avicranium''" is Latin for "bird cranium", in reference to its unusual bird-like skull, while "''renestoi''" references Silvio Renesto, a paleontologist known for studies of Italian drepanosaurs. Discovery The holotype and only known specimen of ''Avicranium'' is AMNH FARB 30834, a disarticulated skull attached to a few cervical (neck) vertebrae. This specimen hails from the ''Coelophysis'' (or Whitaker) quarry at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, USA. This quarry belongs to the 'siltstone member' of the Chinle formation, which corresponds to the late Norian to early Rhaetian stages of the Triassic. Various unprepared blocks from this locality were excavated by American Museum of Natural History field parties during the 1940s. Long believed to only contain multiple specimens of the early dinosaur ''Coelophysis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vallesaurus
''Vallesaurus'' is an extinct genus of Late Triassic elyurosaur drepanosauromorph. First found in Northern Italy in 1975, it is one of the most primitive drepanosaurs. ''V. cenenis'' is the type species, which was first mentioned in 1991 but only formally described in 2006. A second species, ''V. zorzinensis'', was named in 2010. Discovery The first specimen of ''Vallesaurus cenensis'', MCSNB 4751, was found in 1975 by the staff of the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali of Bergamo, Italy. The genus was named in respect of professor Valle, the former director of the museum. The species, on the other hand, was named after a local municipality called Cene, which was neighboring the site where the fossil was excavated. The specimen was given to palaeontologist Rupert Wild to study at the Staatliches Museum of Stuttgart, Germany. Wild briefly mentioned "Vallesaurus cenensis" in 1991, but without describing it formally or identifying the holotype specimen. Pinna (1993) listed the nam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ancistronychus
''Ancistronychus'' is an extinct genus of drepanosaur from the Late Triassic Petrified Forest National Park in the Chinle Formation of Arizona. The type and only known species is ''Ancistronychus paradoxus'', from Ancient Greek to mean "unexpected fishhook claw" due to its characteristic hooked shape. ''Ancistorhynchus'' is only known from a collection of isolated large claws from its second fingers, a distinctive trait of other derived drepanosaurs. ''Ancistorhynchus'' is characteristic amongst drepanosaurs by the strongly hooked shape of its claw, which is shorter in height and broader than those of ''Drepanosaurus'', and is flat at its tip. The claw is also cleft at its tip, a trait found in living animals that use their claws for digging, such as moles and pangolins Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (, from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός – "clad in scales"). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: '' Mani ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is the third and final epoch (geology), epoch of the Triassic geologic time scale, Period in the geologic time scale, spanning the time between annum, Ma and Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the Middle Triassic Epoch and followed by the Early Jurassic Epoch. The corresponding series (stratigraphy), series of rock beds is known as the Upper Triassic. The Late Triassic is divided into the Carnian, Norian and Rhaetian Geologic time scale, Ages. Many of the first dinosaurs evolved during the Late Triassic, including ''Plateosaurus'', ''Coelophysis'', and ''Eoraptor''. The Triassic–Jurassic extinction event began during this epoch and is one of the five major mass extinction events of the Earth. Etymology The Triassic was named in 1834 by Friedrich August von Namoh, Friedrich von Alberti, after a succession of three distinct rock layers (Greek meaning 'triad') that are widespread in southern Germany: the lower Buntsandstein (colourful sandstone'')'', t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital city, capital and List of largest cities, largest city is Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Four Corners region with Utah to the north, Colorado to the northeast, and New Mexico to the east; its other neighboring states are Nevada to the northwest, California to the west and the List of states of Mexico, Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California (state), Baja California to the south and southwest. Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous United States, contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, achieving statehood on February 14, 1912. Historically part of the territory of in New Spain, it became part of independent Mexico in 1821. After being defeated in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Mexico
) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English language, English, Spanish language, Spanish (New Mexican Spanish, New Mexican), Navajo language, Navajo, Keres language, Keres, Zuni language, Zuni , Governor = , Lieutenant Governor = , Legislature = New Mexico Legislature , Upperhouse = New Mexico Senate, Senate , Lowerhouse = New Mexico House of Representatives, House of Representatives , Judiciary = New Mexico Supreme Court , Senators = * * , Representative = * * * , postal_code = NM , TradAbbreviation = N.M., N.Mex. , area_rank = 5th , area_total_sq_mi = 121,591 , area_total_km2 = 314,915 , area_land_sq_mi = 121,298 , area_land_km2 = 314,161 , area_water_sq_mi = 292 , area_water_km2 = 757 , area_water_percent = 0.24 , ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania; and on the southwest by Delaware Bay and the state of Delaware. At , New Jersey is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, fifth-smallest state in land area; but with close to 9.3 million residents, it ranks List of U.S. states and territories by population, 11th in population and List of U.S. states and territories by population density, first in population density. The state capital is Trenton, New Jersey, Trenton, and the most populous city is Newark, New Jersey, Newark. With the exception of Warren County, New Jersey, Warren County, all of the state's 21 counties lie within the combined statistical areas of New York City or Delaw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its west by Nevada. Utah also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast. Of the fifty U.S. states, Utah is the 13th-largest by area; with a population over three million, it is the 30th-most-populous and 11th-least-densely populated. Urban development is mostly concentrated in two areas: the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, which is home to roughly two-thirds of the population and includes the capital city, Salt Lake City; and Washington County in the southwest, with more than 180,000 residents. Most of the western half of Utah lies in the Great Basin. Utah has been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous groups such as the ancient Puebloans, Navajo and Ute. The Spanish were the first Europ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight. The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic period, but takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe deriving its name from the Anglia peninsula, who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century. The English language, the Anglican Church, and Eng ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prehensile
Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term ''prehendere'', meaning "to grasp". The ability to grasp is likely derived from a number of different origins. The most common are tree-climbing and the need to manipulate food. Examples Appendages that can become prehensile include: Uses Prehensility affords animals a great natural advantage in manipulating their environment for feeding, climbing, digging, and defense. It enables many animals, such as primates, to use tools to complete tasks that would otherwise be impossible without highly specialized anatomy. For example, chimpanzees have the ability to use sticks to obtain termites and grubs in a manner similar to human fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
