Discovery of rare new #fossil sheds light on #NewZealand's extinct dolphin-like reptiles https://phys.org/news/2025-01-discovery-rare-fossil-zealand-extinct.html

A platypterygiid #ichthyosaur from the #Cenomanian of central New Zealand https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2024.2408391

"This #discovery is particularly exciting because the specimen is about 98 million years old. This is about four million years before the final #extinction of #ichthyosaurs, which makes it one of the youngest semi-complete ichthyosaur skeletons known."

Discovery of rare new fossil sheds light on New Zealand's extinct dolphin-like reptiles

Ichthyosaurs were reptiles that swam in the seas during the time of the dinosaurs. They evolved separately around 250 million years ago, possibly from a crocodile-like ancestor, to resemble fish and modern dolphins.

Phys.org

A newly discovered dinosaur may have spent part of its life underground
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/19/nx-s1-5046257/dinosaur-new-discovered-science-burrow

A new semi-fossorial thescelosaurine dinosaur from the Cenomanian-age Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25505

"Fona herzogae was a small-framed, plant-eating #dinosaur that lived in the #Cenomanian age — about 100-66 million years ago... this new dino was a burrowing species, spending at least part of its life underground."

Life underground suited newly discovered dinosaur
https://phys.org/news/2024-07-life-underground-newly-dinosaur.html

A new semi-fossorial thescelosaurine #dinosaur from the #Cenomanian-age Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25505

"We now know that dinosaur diversity ran the gamut from tiny arboreal gliders and nocturnal hunters, to sloth-like grazers, and yes, even subterranean shelterers."

Life underground suited newly discovered dinosaur, study finds

The age of dinosaurs wasn't conducted solely above ground. A newly discovered ancestor of Thescelosaurus shows evidence that these animals spent at least part of their time in underground burrows. The new species contributes to a fuller understanding of life during the mid-Cretaceous—both above and below ground.

Phys.org

#GlobalWarming caused widespread ocean #anoxia 93 million years ago, #DeepSea sediments research suggests
https://phys.org/news/2024-01-global-widespread-ocean-anoxia-million.html

#Warming drove the expansion of #MarineAnoxia in the equatorial #Atlantic during the #Cenomanian leading up to Oceanic #Anoxic Event 2 https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/19/2569/2023/

"During such scenarios, organic matter is buried at an elevated rate, producing distinctive layers of black #shale in the #geological record, which are depleted in the isotopically-heavier #carbon-13"

Global warming caused widespread ocean anoxia 93 million years ago, deep-sea sediments research suggests

Marine anoxia is characterized by the oceans being severely depleted in dissolved oxygen, making them toxic and thus having devastating impacts on the organisms inhabiting them. One such event, known as Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2), occurred ~93.5 million years ago across the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary of the Upper Cretaceous and lasted for up to 700,000 years.

Phys.org

#NewSpecies of #Sauropod #Dinosaur Discovered in Argentina
https://www.sci.news/paleontology/sidersaura-marae-12594.html

The last of the oldies: a basal rebbachisaurid (#Sauropoda, Diplodocoidea) from the early Late #Cretaceous (#Cenomanian#Turonian) of #Patagonia, #Argentina https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2023.2297914

"The presence of an early species at Cenomanian-Turonian times, so close to the #extinction of the group, implies that the evolutionary history of #Rebbachisauridae was more complex than previously thought"

New Species of Sauropod Dinosaur Discovered in Argentina | Sci.News

Paleontologists in Argentina have found fossil fragments from a new genus and species of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur that walked the Earth more than 90 million years ago.

Sci.News: Breaking Science News

#NewSpecies of Ornithopod Dinosaur Identified in #Texas https://www.sci.news/paleontology/ampelognathus-coheni-12381.html

The first small-bodied ornithopod dinosaur from the #Lewisville Formation (middle #Cenomanian) of Texas https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2023.2257238

“The #LewisvilleFormation preserves the most diverse terrestrial #fossil assemblage known from #Appalachia, but remains of small #ornithischian #dinosaurs had been conspicuously absent from it. Ampelognathus coheni is the first small-bodied #ornithopod #dinosaur discovered there"