Mark P. Witton
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Did the horned dinosaur <i>Protoceratops</i> inspire the griffin? Open
Among the most widely promoted examples of fossil folklore is a supposed link between the Central Asian horned dinosaur Protoceratops and the griffin, a gold-guarding mythical creature combining features of lions and birds. First proposed …
Theropod dinosaur facial reconstruction and the importance of soft tissues in paleobiology Open
Large theropod dinosaurs are often reconstructed with their marginal dentition exposed because of the enormous size of their teeth and their phylogenetic association to crocodylians. We tested this hypothesis using a multiproxy approach. R…
Evidence for the Cretaceous shark <i>Cretoxyrhina mantelli</i> feeding on the pterosaur <i>Pteranodon</i> from the Niobrara Formation Open
A cervical vertebra of the large, pelagic pterodactyloid pterosaur Pteranodon sp. from the Late Cretaceous Niobrara Formation of Kansas, USA is significant for its association with a tooth from the large lamniform shark, Cretoxyrhina mante…
New perspectives on pterosaur palaeobiology Open
Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight and occupied the skies of the Mesozoic for 160 million years. They occurred on every continent, evolved their incredible proportions and anatomy into well over 100 species, and…
Glide analysis and bone strength tests indicate powered flight capabilities in hatchling pterosaurs Open
Pterosaur embryos and ‘hatchling’ specimens show a surprising level of skeletal development including well-ossified skeletons and large wings. This has prompted interpretations of pterosaurs as being flight-capable from the earliest ontoge…
Glide analysis and bone strength tests indicate powered flight capabilities in hatchling pterosaurs Open
Pterosaur embryos and ‘hatchling’ specimens show a surprising level of skeletal development including well-ossified skeletons and large wings. This has prompted interpretations of pterosaurs as being flight-capable from the earliest ontoge…
Neck biomechanics indicate that giant Transylvanian azhdarchid pterosaurs were short-necked arch predators Open
Azhdarchid pterosaurs include the largest animals to ever take to the skies with some species exceeding 10 metres in wingspan and 220 kg in mass. Associated skeletons show that azhdarchids were long-necked, long-jawed predators that combin…
A small azhdarchoid pterosaur from the latest Cretaceous, the age of flying giants Open
Pterosaur fossils from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of North America have been reported from the continental interior, but few have been described from the west coast. The first pterosaur from the Campanian Northumberland Formation (Nanaimo…