Lagerpeton

By Tas 

Etymology: Rabbit Reptile 

First Described By: Romer, 1971 

Classification: Biota, Archaea, Proteoarchaeota, Asgardarchaeota, Eukaryota, Neokaryota, Scotokaryota Opimoda, Podiata, Amorphea, Obazoa, Opisthokonta, Holozoa, Filozoa, Choanozoa, Animalia, Eumetazoa, Parahoxozoa, Bilateria, Nephrozoa, Deuterostomia, Chordata, Olfactores, Vertebrata, Craniata, Gnathostomata, Eugnathostomata, Osteichthyes, Sarcopterygii, Rhipidistia, Tetrapodomorpha, Eotetrapodiformes, Elpistostegalia, Stegocephalia, Tetrapoda, Reptiliomorpha, Amniota, Sauropsida, Eureptilia, Romeriida, Diapsida, Neodiapsida, Sauria, Archosauromorpha, Crocopoda, Archosauriformes, Eucrocopoda, Crurotarsi, Archosauria, Avemetarsalia, Ornithodira, Dinosauromorpha, Lagerpetidae 

Referred Species: L. chanarensis 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: About 235 to 234 million years ago, in the Carnian of the Late Triassic 

Lagerpeton is known from the Chañares Formation in La Rioja, Argentina 

Physical Description: Lagerpeton was named as the Rabbit Reptile, and for good reason – in a lot of ways, it represents a decent attempt by reptiles in trying to do the whole hoppy-hop thing. You might think that it resembles Scleromochlus in that way, and you’d be right! Scleromochlus and Lagerpeton are close cousins, but one is on the line towards Pterosaurs – Scleromochlus – and the other is on the line towards dinosaurs – Lagerpeton. So, hopping around was an early feature that all Ornithodirans (Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, and those closest to them) shared. Lagerpeton itself was about 70 centimeters in length, with most of that length represented as tail; it was slender and lithe, built for moving quickly through its environment. It had a small head, a long neck, and a thin body. While it had long legs, it also had somewhat long arms, and while it may have been able to walk on all fours it also would have been able to walk on two legs alone. It was digitigrade, walking only on its toes, making it an even faster animal. Its back was angled to help it in hopping and running through its environment, and its small pelvis gave it more force during hip extension while jumping. In addition to all of this, it basically only really rested its weight on two toes – giving it even more hopping ability! As a small early bird-line reptile, it would have been covered in primitive feathers all over its body (protofeathers), though what form they took we do not know. 

By Scott Reid 

Diet: As an early dinosaur relative, it’s more likely than not that Lagerpeton was an omnivore, though this is uncertain as its head and teeth are not known at this time. 

Behavior: Lagerpeton would have been a very skittish animal, being so small in an environment of so many kinds of animals – and as such, that hopping and fast movement ability would have aided it in escaping and moving around its environment, avoiding predators and reaching new sources of food (and, potentially, chasing after smaller food itself). Lagerpeton may have also been somewhat social, moving in small groups, potentially families, to escape the predators and chase after prey together, given its common nature in its environment. As an archosaur, Lagerpeton was more likely than not to take care of its young, though we don’t know how or to what extent. The feathers it had would have been primarily thermoregulatory, and as such, they would have helped it maintain a constant body temperature – making it a very active, lithe animal. 

By José Carlos Cortés 

Ecosystem: Lagerpeton lived in the Chañares environment, a diverse and fascinating environment coming right after the transition from the Middle to Late Triassic epochs. Given that the first true dinosaurs are probably from the start of the Late Triassic, this makes it a hotbed for understanding the environments that the earliest dinosaurs evolved in. Since Lagerpeton is a close dinosaur relative, this helps contextualize its place within its evolutionary history. This environment was a floodplain, filled with lakes that would regularly flood depending on the season. There were many seed ferns, ferns, conifers, and horsetails. Many different animals lived here with Lagerpeton, including other Dinosauromorphs like the Silesaurid Lewisuchus/Pseudolagosuchus and the Dinosauriform Marasuchus/Lagosuchus. There were crocodilian relatives as well, such as the early suchian Gracilisuchus and the Rauisuchid Luperosuchus. There were also quite a few Proterochampsids, such as Tarjadia, Tropidosuchus, Gualosuchus, and Chanaresuchus. Synapsids also put in a good show, with the Dicynodonts Jachaleria and Dinodontosaurus, as well as Cynodonts like Probainognathus and Chiniquodon, and the herbivorous Massetognathus. Luperosuchus would have definitely been a predator Lagerpeton would have wanted to get away from – fast! 

By Ripley Cook 

Other: Lagerpeton is one of our earliest derived Dinosauromorphs, showing some of the earliest distinctions the dinosaur-line had compared to other archosaurs. Lagerpeton was already digitigrade – an important feature of Dinosaurs – as shown by its tracks, called Prorotodactylus. These tracks also showcase that dinosaur relatives were around as early as the Early Triassic – and that their evolution, and the rapid diversification of archosauromorphs in general, was a direct result of the end-Permian extinction. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut  

Saturnalia tupiniquim

By Ripley Cook

Etymology: Named for the Roman festival of Saturn 

First Described By: Langer et al., 1999 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Sauropodomorpha, Saturnaliidae 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: 233.23 million years ago, in the Carnian of the Late Triassic 

Saturnalia is known from the Alemoa Member of the Santa Maria Formation – it is also possibly known from Zimbabwe, but this assignment is dubious 

Physical Description: Saturnalia was probably a very early Prosauropod – aka, those dinosaurs that were more closely related to the large and famous Sauropods than any other kind of dinosaur (the official name for these dinosaurs being Sauropodomorphs). As an early Prosauropod, then, Saturnalia didn’t look very much different from other early dinosaurs – it was small, fluffy, squat, and bipedal. It was so much like other dinosaurs that it is often classified outside of Sauropodomorpha proper – and that continues to be a source of debate for these dinosaurs. In fact, according to some, it’s an early theropod!! More work is clearly needed, but regardless, Saturnalia was about 1.5 meters long and no more than a meter tall. It had a somewhat long neck – but no longer than other early dinosaurs, certainly not proper sauropodomorph length – and a small head. It had short arms, somewhat short legs, and a short tail as well. It was very slight, and had a skull like that of prosauropods, though its legs were more like those of theropods. Overall – a very average looking early dinosaur, and certainly very similar to the early Sauropodomorphs and the early Theropods of the time. 

Diet: Saturnalia probably was an omnivore, feeding on both meat and plant food, at low levels of vegetation and mainly focusing on very small animals. Though it is also possible that it was a carnivore. 

By Rex Chen

Behavior: Saturnalia, regardless of its affinity, would have been a very skittish animal – avoiding predators in its environment at all costs, and running about on its tip-toes in order to avoid danger. It was probably at least somewhat social, given multiple skeletons have been found of it, though of course we cannot be certain of such. Regardless, it would have spent a large portion of its day foraging on food, looking around for leaves to strip from branches and small animals to catch in its mouth. It would have probably taken care of its young, and may have formed family groups to do so. The long-ish neck of Saturnalia would have allowed it to reach deeper into the plantlife in order to grab food out of reach. 

Ecosystem: The Santa Maria Formation is a hotspot of early dinosaur diversity, showcasing especially the initial explosion of Sauropodomorphs after dinosaurs first appeared. This was an extensive floodplain environment, filled with seed ferns and conifers, giving Saturnalia good amounts of cover to protect it from other creatures. This was important, because Saturnalia was far from alone in its home. Here, there were predatory dinosaurs, such as the Herrerasaurid Staurikosaurus and the prosauropod Buriolestes; mystery dinosaurs like Nhandumirim; other early prosauropods like Pampadromaeus and Bagualosaurus; the Lagerpetid Ixalerpeton; the weird Aphanosaur Spondylosoma; large Loricatan predators like Rauisuchus, Procerosuchus, Prestosuchus, Decuriasuchus, and Dagasuchus; large herbivorous Aetosaurs such as Aetobarbakinoides, Aetosauroides, and Polesinesuchus; rhynchosaurs like Hyperodapedon and Brasinorhynchus; mystery reptiles like Barberenasuchus; Proterochampsids like Cerritosaurus, Chanaresuchus, Proterochampsa, and Rhadinosuchus; Erpetosuchids like Pagosvnator; and plenty of synapsids such s Chiniquodon, Candelariodon, Exaeretodon, Protuberum, Santacruzodon, and Trucidocynodon. In short – an extremely diverse and flourishing environment, showcasing the true weirdness that was the Triassic period. 

By Nobu Tamura, CC BY-SA 4.0

Other: Was Saturnalia a theropod or a prosauropod? The jury is still out. Its back half looks much like that of a theropod, but its head? Similar to prosauropods. The most recent analysis has it as a sauropodomorph – probably – but people still debate, and arguments continue to go on. It is often considered a part of a bigger group of dinosaurs including animals like Guaibasaurus, but some of these animals in recent studies have been found as prosauropods, and some as theropods, breaking up the group. So, the scientists continue to debate, and the exact nature of Saturnalia remains a mystery – but, for now, we can probably still call it a Sauropodomorph, along with Pampadromaeus. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Pisanosaurus mertii

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: Pisano’s Reptile 

First Described By: Casamiquela, 1967 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Silesauridae? 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: 231.4 million years ago, in the Carnian of the Late Triassic 

Pisanosaurus is known from the Cancha de Bochas Member of the Ischigualasto Formation in San Juan Argentina. 

Physical Description: If a Silesaurid – as is currently thought – Pisanosaurus would have been a small, slender, and quadrupedal animal, only about 1 meter in length. It had an open hip socket, like dinosaurs, which may point to a very interesting phylogenetic position (see the Other section below). It had very elongated bones in its hands, and its upper hips were weirdly wide as well. Beyond that, we don’t know much about with Pisanosaurus may have looked like. It seems logical to suppose it would have had a small head with a little beak in the front of the mouth – as both Silesaurids and early Ornithischians (the other hypothesis for the type of creature Pisanosaurus was) have such structures for snipping off plant material. Given its small size, Pisanosaurus – like all other early members of the group of reptiles that would later include birds (Avemetatarsalia) – would have been covered with fluff all over its body. If Pisanosaurus was an early Ornithischian and not a Silesaurid, it would have been bipedal, with short forelimbs not used in locomotion. 

Diet: Either way, Pisanosaurus would have been an herbivore, eating low-lying vegetation in its densely forested home. 

Behavior: As a small, lithe herbivore, Pisanosaurus would have been very skittish – running at the slightest sign of danger, making sure to avoid the many large predators it shared a home with. It probably wouldn’t have been very social – given it wasn’t very abundant! – but it may have foraged in large groups of mixed herbivores, sticking together to rely on each other in the event of danger. This reliance would have allowed bulkier herbivores to notice and react to danger quicker (since the small lithe ones like Pisanosaurus would have already been running away) – and the smaller ones would have had large, bulky roadblocks to stop the approach of predators. As an early dinosaur, it most likely partook in some sort of care of its young, though of course, we do not know what. 

(As an Ornithischian) by Michael B. H., CC BY-SA 3.0

Ecosystem: The Ischigualasto Environment is one of the more famous ecosystems of the Late Triassic – due to it being a hotbed of early dinosaur discoveries, including some of the earliest potential members of the group. In fact, it is such an important environment that today the rock formation is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was an extensive series of rivers channeling through a large floodplain, erring towards the wetter side of the scale – mud was the name of the game, and there was a wide variety of plant material present, including a dense conifer forest, ferns, and horsetails. It did experience seasonal rainfall, with possible times of extremely heavy precipitation. Occasionally, everything would be buried in volcanic ash – leading to the beautiful preservation of the environment. 

Pisanosaurus wasn’t the only Silesaurid here – there was also Ignotosaurus, the slender and small Silesaurid. There were also famous early dinosaurs such as Eoraptor – the small, bipedal early Saurischian(?), Herrerasaurus and Sanjuansaurus, the large taxonomically-confusing predators, and Chromogisaurus, one of the earliest known “prosauropods.” Of course, this being the Triassic, dinosaurs were only a small part of the ecosystem. The Ischigualasto – like most places of the time period – was absolutely lousy with other archosauriformes! Non-Dinosaurian Archosauriformes were extensively diverse at this time, making up a large chunk of the “large charismatic land animal” roles. There was Aetosauroides, an Aetosaur (sort of like a cross between an ankylosaur, an ant-eater, and a crocodile), Proterochampsa and Pseudochampsa – crocodilian-like creatures that were actually equally closely related to crocodiles and dinosaurs – both frequented the rivers of the environment. Saurosuchus, a large and bulky stem-croc, would have been a huge pain in the rear for herbivores like Pisanosaurus. Sillosuchus was a weird stem-croc, bipedal and strangely dinosaur like – with even, potentially, a beak – but utterly scaly, and bulky in stature! There was also Venaticosuchus, an Ornithosuchid (one of the most basal groups of stem-crocs), and Trialestes – a fast moving stem-croc, and one of the earliest Crocodylomorphs (the group of crocodilians and their closest relatives). 

(Without Feathers) by Nobu Tamura, CC BY-SA 4.0

It being the Triassic, this wasn’t an environment free of non-reptiles! Temnospondyls – large carnivorous amphibians – were crawling about; as were a variety of Synapsids. Small, carnivorous dog-shaped cynodonts like Chiniquodon would have directly competed with the local dinosaurs; they even grew to be quite large and fast, like in Diegocanis and Ecteninion. They also came in large, bulky herbivorous forms, like Exaeretodon. Dicynodonts were present too, with their strange pig-like appearance: Ischigualastia was a common synapsid on the floodplains of Pisanosaurus’ home. In short, Pisanosaurus was surrounded with a cast of characters showcasing some – but certainly not all – of the weirdness that the Triassic  had to offer. 

Other: What Is Pisanosaurus? Back in the day, Pisanosaurus was a famous creature for being one of the earliest “Ornithischian” dinosaurs – one of two major groups of dinosaurs, famous for including such later iconic members as Stegosaurus and Triceratops. In fact, for the longest time, Pisanosaurus was… the only Ornithischian known from the Triassic. This is odd, to say the least – there are dozens of Triassic dinosaurs known, they’re just all from the other group, the Saurischians (containing such iconic later forms as Apatosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, and… all birds). So, for the longest time, Pisanosaurus stood as a focal point of dinosaur research – an important piece of the puzzle of the origin of this elusive, but important group. 

By Nix

Except it isn’t an Ornithischian. Lately, studies have shown time and time again that Pisanosaurus actually more closely resembles the Silesaurids – a group of almost dinosaurs that were quadrupedal, active herbivores living around the world at the time of the Triassic, before going extinct at the end-Triassic extinction. This would make its appearance much different than what a “basal Ornithischian” would suggest – and, of course, the fact that Pisanosaurus is known from only a single fragmented skeleton does not make solving this problem much easier. Weirdly enough, there are some hypotheses which suggest that Silesaurids are… the earliest Ornithischians, (as per Pisanosaurus having an open hip-socket), representing a weird side-branch of the group from the Triassic. As this hypothesis gains traction, it may become increasingly true that Pisanosaurus was a Silesaurid – it was just also an early Ornithischian. Only time will tell in the solving of this mystery – for now, we must wait for more evidence. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Daemonosaurus chauliodus

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: Demon Reptile 

First Described By: Sues et al., 2011 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Between 205 and 202 million years ago, in the Rhaetian of the Late Triassic 

Daemonosaurus is known from the Siltstone Member of the Chinle Formation in New Mexico 

Physical Description: Daemonosaurus is an interestingly little dinosaur, and an enigmatic one, with its placement within the dinosaur family tree holding significant importance for how dinosaurs organize themselves in their initial diversification. This was a small, bipedal dinosaur, only about 1.5 meters long and weighing no more than 22 kilograms. While its body was relatively normal of a dinosaur at that time – longer legs than arms, arms built for grasping, long tail and stout torso – its head was downright bizarre. The skull was very short and box-like, rather than long and narrow or long and rectangular like other predatory dinosaurs of the time. Daemonosaurus also featured very long and large teeth in the upper jaw, and teeth that projected forward out of the mouth from both jaws – in short, it looked fairly buck-toothed. It also had a slight notch in its jaws, which could have been used to grab hold of struggling food and trap it there. It also might be an example of paedomorphy – while the head seems fairly juvenile (including rather big eyes), the rest of the body has the fused bones of an adult. As a small dinosaur, Daemonosaurus would have been covered in fluffy protofeathers for thermoregulation. 

Diet: Daemonosaurus would have primarily eaten small animals like early mammals and smaller reptiles, though baby dinosaurs from other species wouldn’t have been off the menu. 

By Michael B. H., CC BY-SA 3.0

Behavior: Daemonosaurus, being a smaller theropod, wouldn’t have been a very bold predator. Instead, it probably waited in the shadows and undergrowth a lot, looking for a moment to strike at its prey. Hiding in the bushes, it was able to stay safe from larger predators, which frequented the environment. It probably would use its hands and mouth to grab struggling prey, and also defend itself from danger. With its very large eyes, it’s even possible it was somewhat nocturnal, and did most of its hunting in the safety of night. It probably took care of its young, though of course without fossil evidence of such it is hard to tell; and it would have been a fairly active, intelligent animal in its habitat. 

Ecosystem: Daemonosaurus lived in the Siltstone Environment of the Chinle Formation, a famous ecosystem showcasing the rise of dinosaurs within North America at the end of the Triassic Period. Daemonosaurus is known from one of the later ecosystems of that formation, which makes its position as a fairly basal theropod somewhat surprising. This was a seasonally arid floodplain, with trivers that would occasionally flood and alternate between that and drying up completely. As such, the plantlife around the floodplain was mostly hardy ferns, ginkgoes, horsetails, and cycads – as well as a fairly dense forest of pine and other coniferous trees. Here Daemonosaurus shared its environment with many other Triassic weirdos, such as the Drepanosaur (lizard-monkey thing) Avicranium, ray-finned fish such as Hemicalypterus and Lophionotus, the phytosaur Redondasaurus, the small Aetosaur Stenomyti; and other Dinosauromorphs. There was the Silesaurid Eucoelophysis, the Lagerpetid Dromomeron, and another theropod dinosaur, Ceolophysis. 

By Scott Reid

Other: Is Daemonosaurus a theropod? Probably. But its head is so weird – and its whole body, too – that the position of Daemonosaurus is a question within the early diversification of dinosaur group. Indeed, Daemonosaurus often changes how a phylogenetic tree turns out. This weirdness is something to keep an eye on for now, because the jury is still out – though basal theropod seems likely. And what a weird theropod lineage it represents! 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Thecodontosaurus antiquus

By Scott Reid

Etymology: Reptile with Teeth in Sockets 

First Described By: Lydekker, 1890

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Sauropodomorpha, Bagualosauria 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: Between 208 and 201 million years ago, in the Rhaetian age of the Late Triassic 

Thecodontosaurus is known from the Magnesian Conglomerate Formation, the Microlestes Quarry, and the Tytherington Quarry of Southwestern England 

Physical Description: Thecodontosaurus was a small “prosauropod” – the informal group of the dinosaurs more closely related to sauropods than to other dinosaurs, but aren’t sauropods themselves. These dinosaurs, while rather plain on the outside, are notable in a few ways – the biggest ones being that they are the most common dinosaurs of the Triassic, and that they show the evolutionary path from “generic dinosaur” to “giant behemoth sauropod”. Thecodontosaurus falls on the earlier end of that scale, being a small, bipedal, lightweight animal. It was only about two meters long, and less than a meter high at the hips. It had a fairly short neck with a larger head on the end than is seen in later sauropodomorphs (where necks got longer, but heads got smaller); it had many small, leaf-shaped teeth in its mouth, and large eyes in its skull. It had long and narrow hands, with very short front limbs and longer hind limbs; its tail was especially long, longer than the rest of the body put together. Some individuals were smaller than others, probably because they lived on a separate island and experienced insular dwarfism. Given its extremely small size – only weighing 11 kilograms – it was covered in fluffy protofeathers to aid in thermoregulation. 

By Slate Weasel

Diet: With the serrated leaf-shaped teeth, Thecodontosaurus was definitely an herbivore, and a low browser at that. This is significant, because Prosauropods started out as Carnivores, and then transitioned to herbivory; Thecodontosaurus was, thus, well into that transition. 

Behavior: Thecodontosaurus was probably a fairly social animal, having been found in decent numbers in concentrated locations. As such, small flocks of these dinosaurs would probably have roamed the coastline and scrub-caves. They would have probably had to be at least somewhat skittish, really only having their own speed to get away from predators. They also would have been quite active and warm-blooded. Thecodontosaurus would probably have spent most of its time eating, but it also probably took care of its own young and brought food back to the babies. 

By José Carlos Cortés

Ecosystem: Thecodontosaurus lived during an interesting time in Earth’s History – the Rhaetian Age, though right before the Triassic extinction and probably the best time to look at how the unique life of the Jurassic managed to slip through said event, is not well-represented in the fossil record. Thus, Thecodontosaurus and its environs are, while sparse, uniquely important in terms of understanding the transition of Mesozoic life. This was a series of small islands called the Mendip Archipelago, filled with mosses, cycads, and algae, with frequent caves lining the environment. As such, many kinds of fish were especially common here, including the weird Palaeonisciforms, sharks, and more ray-finned fish. Some early almost-mammals were also present, such as Kuehneotherium and Thomasia, as well as Eozostorodon. There were many other reptiles as well, though very few were dinosaurs; many were just lizardy-things. There was the mysterious Palaeosaurus, the phytosaur Rileya, and the Rhynchocephalian Diphydontosaurus. As for other dinosaurs, there may have been theropods to prey on Thecodontosaurus, but its only major dinosaur neighbor seems to have been another prosauropod, Asylosaurus. 

By Ripley Cook

Other: Thecodontosaurus, in addition to being an important step in the sequence from basic dinosaurs to the sauropods, is a notable discovery for being one of the first dinosaurs found. It was actually the fifth (non-avian) dinosaur named, after Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, Streptospondylus, and Hylaeosaurus. It has, thus, been used as the name of many dinosaurs around the world, but very few of these finds are actually Thecodontosaurus. 

~ By Meig Dickson 

Sources under the Cut 

Euskelosaurus browni

By Jack Wood

Etymology: Good Leg Reptile

First Described By: Huxley, 1866

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Sauropodomorpha, Bagualosauria, Plateosauria, Plateosauridae

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Around 210 to 205 million years ago, from the Norian to the Rhaetian ages of the Late Triassic 

Euskelosaurus is known from the lower Elliot Formation of South Africa 

Physical Description: Euskelosaurus would have been a somewhat large, robust early sauropodomorph, possibly ten meters in length. It probably would have had long arms with long claws on the fingers, but they wouldn’t have had long enough arms to reach the ground. Euskelosaurus would have also had robust legs and  a long tail. Its neck would have been long, ending in a small head. It might have been covered in some sort of fluffy covering, though we can’t be sure. It probably would have been quite heavy in general.

Diet: Euskelosaurus would have probably been an herbivore, most likely a mid-level browser.

Behavior: It is difficult to say exactly what the behavior of Euskelosaurus would have been, given it’s known from kind of poor remains. However, we can guess some things. Based on relatives like Massospondylus and the dinosaur family tree in general, it probably took care of its young. Based on other prosauropods, it probably lived in herding groups. And, given its size, it probably spent most of its time eating plant food. It also would have been active and warm-blooded, but not very fast. It’s claws could have been used to strip leaves off of branches, and its small head would have been able to weave in between dense foliage. 

By Scott Reid

Ecosystem: Euskelosaurus lived in the Elliot Formation, a famous fossil ecosystem of Triassic to Early jurassic age animals showcasing how life evolved around the Triassic-Jurassic extinction and how dinosaurs began to explode into new forms right after the extinction. Unfortunately, Euskelosaurus hails from the early part of that ecosystem – the more poorly known Triassic member, where dinosaurs are few and far between, as are other animals. This makes Euskelosaurus important, being one of few dinosaurs known from this ecosystem, but also explains its poor condition. This was a semi-arid floodplain and lake system, with very long dry seasons and flash-in-the-pan wet seasons. It was primarily filled with conifers, as well as some horsetails and cycads.

It’s difficult to say exactly what animals Euskelosaurus lived with, given that the organization of the formation is murky and there are animals that are actually in the Upper Elliot Formation that were originally said to be in the Lower. However, Euskelosaurus probably lived alongside other Sauropodomorphs, including Eucnemesaurus, Plateosauravus, Blikanasaurus, and maybe others. There would have also been cynodonts, weird crocodile relatives, and even predatory dinosaurs. Until more is sorted out, however, it’s difficult to say.

Other: Euskelosaurus was a prosauropod, a type of dinosaur from which the larger sauropods would evolve at the end of the Triassic. It seems to be closely related to the better known Plateosaurus.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Lagosuchus talampayensis

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: Rabbit Crocodile

First Described By: Romer, 1971

Classification: Dinosauromorpha

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: About 238 million years ago, in the Ladinian age of the Middle Triassic 

Lagosuchus is found in the Chañares Formation of Argentina 

Physical Description: Lagosuchus was an early Dinosauromorph, aka the group that includes dinosaurs and all their closest relatives. Thus, Lagosuchus is one of many early archosaurs that showcase the origins of all dinosaurs! Lagosuchus isn’t known from particularly good remains, but it does show it was a lightly built, agile animal, which was probably bipedal and spent most of its times on its toes. At about 30 centimeters in length, it was around the size of a ferret. Its legs were amazingly long, and its toes were too, giving it good speed. It had an almost-erect posture – without the open hip sockets of dinosaurs proper, it couldn’t hold its legs directly underneath its body, but it almost could. Its forelimbs are a bit more murky, though it seems likely that Lagosuchus moved on all fours most of the time, switching to two legs when it needed to move quickly from place to place. Being an early dinosauromorph, it would have had some covering of protofeathers, though how much is a bit of question.

Diet: Lagosuchus was probably an omnivore, given the fact that early dinosaurs probably came from omnivorous origins

Behavior: Lagosuchus would have been a moderately active animal – close to a warm-blooded metabolism but not quite. As such, it probably would have spent most of its time on the move, hunting for food or searching for grubs and possibly plants it could have eaten. Lagosuchus could have used its speed to run away from predators, which were very common in its environment; and, of course, running after its own food!

It is uncertain if Lagosuchus was a social animal, or if it took care of its young; but it seems likely for the latter at least.  

By Ripley Cook

Ecosystem: The Chañares Formation was a middle triassic microcosm of the explosion of evolution occurring in the Triassic, showcasing a wide variety of animals evolving in the aftermath of the Permian mass extinction. This was a low lying lake system, filled with horsetails, ferns, and some nearby conifer trees. It was also very warm, though not as warm as locations closer to the equator. There were many kinds of animals – large predatory pseudosuchians that would have hunted Lagosuchus such as Gracilisuchus, Luperosuchus, and Tarjadia; other Avemetatarsalians such as Marasuchus, Pseudolagosuchus, Lewisuchus, and Lagerpeton; the carnivorous almost-mammals Probainoganthus and Chiniquodon; the herbivorous almost-mammal Massetognathus; giant Dicynodont herbivores like Dinodontosaurus and Jachaleria; and finally the vaguely-crocodile-like Proterochampsids Gualosuchus, Chanaresuchus, and Tropidosuchus. A fascinating community indeed!

Other: Lagosuchus isn’t a particularly well known dinosauromorph; fossils assigned to it at one point that are well known, Marasuchus, have been given their own genus. It is possible that Lagosuchus is, thus, closer to dinosaurs in relationship than we think just on its own without evidence from Marasuchus. More studying of these fossils is necessary to come to better conclusions.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Liliensternus liliensterni

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: For Hugo Rühle von Lilienstern

First Described By: Welles, 1984

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Liliensternus lived between 227 and 202 million years ago, from the Norian to the Rhaetian ages of the Late Triassic 

Liliensternus is known from the Löwenstein Formation of Aargau Switzerland and Baden-Württemberg Germany, and both the Feuerletten and Knollenmergel Members of the Trossingen Formation in Bayern, Thuringia, and Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany 

Physical Description: Liliensternus was an early theropod, so a fairly slender, long animal, built for quick movements in its environment. Liliensternus was about 5.15 meters long, making it very large for a theropod dinosaur at its time. It was actually very similar to the slightly later Dilophosaurus, something of an intermediate between the later Dilophosaurus and the earlier Coelophysis. It was transitional also in having five fingers, like early theropods, but the fourth and fifth fingers were somewhat reduced, as a transition to the three finger state of most later theropods.

Liliensternus had, like other early theropods, long proportions for its whole body – long legs and arms, a long tail, elongate body, long neck, and thin and narrow head. The hands were good for grasping, and the legs for running, with the tail at least somewhat used for balance. The elongate head was also good for grabbing a variety of different foods out of the environment. Liliensternus had different muscle attachments in its back and hips than other early theropods, though what this meant for lifestyle is uncertain.

As a smaller, early theropod, Liliensternus was probably covered in primitive feathers to aid in maintaining body temperature. It probably was warm blooded and active in its environment. It’s possible that it had a crest on its head, like many contemporary theropods and the later Dilophosaurus, however the skull is not well known in Liliensternus so this is not definite. If Liliensternus had a crest, it would have been used in display.

Diet: Liliensternus primarily fed upon meat, especially meat that needed to be caught.  

Behavior: As an active, bipedal predator, Liliensternus would have probably spent most of its time on its own, hunting prey in its environment, especially fast prey. Thus, though it lived alongside Plateosaurus, it probably didn’t feed upon it and other larger herbivores much, rather than smaller animals like cynodonts and little reptiles.

Liliensternus, if it had a crest, would have used it for display to other members of the species, either a sexual display or a threat display, or possibly both. It would have turned its head back and forth to keep the crest in clear view, using its bright colors to attract the attention from other members of the species. It probably would have used quick, if violent, movements with each other to express intent, as well as hissing sounds. 

By Ripley Cook

As a dinosaur, Liliensternus probably took care of its young, though it is unclear whether or not it would have done so as pairs or in any other sort of family group. Liliensternus was common in its environment, but rarely found together, so we can’t be sure whether or not it was solitary or social. However, given that other early theropods appear to have been at least somewhat social, it seems likely that Liliensternus would have been as well.

Ecosystem: Liliensternus was a very common member of the late Triassic of Europe, found in most of the ecosystems of the central part of the sub-continent. These environments were fairly muddy, humid, and forested, filled with a variety of conifers and horsetails around extensive rivers and lakes in the floodplains. It was extremely muddy and sandy, depending on the location.

The earlier of the two environments was the Löwenstein Formation, and Liliensternus was rarer at this point and probably first evolving. It lived alongside a variety of other animals, including the prosauropods Thecodontosaurus and Plateosaurus. There was also the smaller theropod Procompsognathus, and potential larger theropods. There was a Rauisuchian in the environment, which would have been a danger for Liliensternus, while Liliensternus itself probably mainly fed on Thecodontosaurus and non-dinosaurs like fish, turtles, and cynodonts. There was the turtle Proganochelys in the environment, as well as Aetosaurus the ankylosaur-like crocodile relative. Plus, there was Saltoposuchus, an animal actually closer to crocodiles than Rauisuchians were – a small creature, light on its feet, that would have been another source of food for Liliensternus. There were lungfish, ray-finned fish, and sharks as well, indicating at least ample amounts of freshwater, if not saltwater in the ecosystem.

The Trossingen Formation was the environment where Liliensternus really came into its stride, being very common and a staple of the region. At Feuerletten, it lived alongside a Rauisuchian again, as well as the turtle Proganochelys and the large prosauropod Plateosaurus.

In Knollenmergel, there were a wide variety of creatures – invertebrates included decapods, bivalves, gastropods, crustaceans and beetles; there were a lot of fish and amphibians like Plagiosaurus, Hercynosaurus, Eoraetia, Acrodus, Colobuds, Hypsocormus, Hemiprichisaurus, Cyclotosaurus, Suarischiocomes, Gerrothorax, and a Metopodsaurid. There was Plateosaurus again, and a smaller sauropod Ruehleia, which would have been good food for Liliensternus. There was another potential theropod, Halticosaurus, but it’s poorly known, as was Pterospondylus, a Coelophysid, that would have been in direct competition with Liliensternus. The turtle Proganochelys was there again, as well as a placodont, and phytosaurus such as Mystriosuchus. There was the archosauromorph Elachistosuchus, and the early marine reptiles Plesiosaurus and a Nothosaur. There might have also been Tanystropheus, the extremely long necked reptile, but that’s unconfirmed. There was also a cynodont there, one close to mammals, but it is poorly studied as well. Liliensternus was found with Ruehleia, so it is extremely likely that Liliensternus was the main predator of this dinosaur.

Other: Liliensternus is on a coat of arms for the region of Germany it is from.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources

Butler, P. M., G. T. Macintyre. 1994. Review of the British Haramiyidae (? Mammalia, Allotheria), their molar occlusion and relationships. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences 345(1314):433-458

Cimerman, F. 1963. Ob dinozavrovem grobu [On a dinosaur graveyard]. Proteus 25(4-5):116-119

Cuny, G., P. M. Galton. 1993. Revision of the Airel theropod dinosaur from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary (Normandy, France). Neues Jharbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 187 (3): 261 – 288.

Dixon, D. 2015. The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. London: Hermes House.

Ezcurra, M. D., G. Cuny. 2007. The coelophysoid Lophostropheus airelensis gen. Nov.: a review of the systematics of “Liliensternus” airelensis from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary outcrops of Normandy (France). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27 (1): 73 – 86.

Fraas, E. 1913. Die neuesten Dinosaurierfunde in der schwäbischen Trias [The newest dinosaur finds in the Swabian Trias]. Naturwissenschaften 1(45):1097-1100

Gaffney, E. S., L. J. Meeker. 1983. Skull morphology of the oldest turtles: a preliminary description of Proganochelys quenstedti. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 3(1):25-28

Galton, P. M. 1986. Prosauropod dinosaur Plateosaurus (= Gresslyosaurus) (Saurischia: Sauropodomorpha) from the Upper Triassic of Switzerland. Geologica et Palaeontologica 20:167-183  

Galton, P. M. 2001. Prosauropod dinosaurs from the Upper Triassic of Germany. Actas de Las I Jornadas Internacionales Sobre Paleontología de Dinosaurios y Su Entorno, Salas de Los Infantes, Burgos, Spain, September 1999. Colectivo Arqueológico-Paleontológico de Salas, C.A.S. 25-92

Galton, P. M. 2001. The prosauropod dinosaur Plateosaurus Meyer, 1837 (Saurischia: Sauropodomorpha; Upper Triassic). II. Notes on the referred species. Revue Paléobiologie, Genève 20(2):435-502

Hendrickx, C., S. A. Hartman, O. Mateus. 2015. An Overview of Non-Avian Theropod Discoveries and Classification. PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 12 (1): 1- 73.

Hofmann, R., P. M. Sander. 2014. The first juvenile specimens of Plateosaurus engelhardti from Frick, Switzerland: isolated neural arches and their implications for developmental plasticity in a basal sauropodomorph. PeerJ 2:e458

Huene, F. v. 1934. Ein neuer Coelurosaurier in der thüringischen Trias [A new coelurosaur in the Thuringian Trias]. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 16(3/4):145-170

Jaekel, O. 1910. Die Fussstellung und Lebensweise der grossen Dinosaurier [The foot posture and way of life of the large dinosaurs]. Zeitschrift der Deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft 62:270-277

Jaekel, O. 1914. Über die Wirbeltierfunde in der oberen Trias von Halberstadt [On the vertebrate remains in the Upper Triassic of Halberstadt]. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 1(1):155-215

Janensch, W. 1949. Ein neues Reptil aus dem Keuper con Halberstadt [A new reptile from the Keuper of Halberstadt]. Neues Jahrbuch fär Minerologie, Geologie und Paläontologie 8:225-242

Kuhn, O. 1939. Beiträge zur Keuperfauna von Halberstadt [Contributions to the Keuper fauna of Halberstadt]. Palaeontologische Zeitschrift 21:258-286

Matzke, A. T., M. W. Maisch. 2011. The first aetosaurid archosaur from the Trossingen Plateosaurus Quarry (Upper Triassic, Germany). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 262:354-357

Meyer, C.A., B. Thüring. 2003. Dinosaurs of Switzerland. Comptes Rendus Palevol 2:103-117

Meyer, H. v. 1837. Mittheilungen, an Professor Bronn gerichtet [Communications, sent to Professor Bronn]. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geognosie, Geologie und Petrefaktenkunde 1837:314-317

Mortimer, M. 2012. Coelophysoidea.

Moser, 2003. Plateosaurus engelhardti (Meyer, 1837) (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) aus dem Feuerletten (Mittelkeuper; Obertrias) von Bayern. Zitteliana B 24: 3 – 186.

Mudroch, A., U. Richter, M. Reich. 2006. The dinosaur digs in the Keuper of Halberstadt: a second reconnaissance. 9th International Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota, Abstracts and Proceedings Volume 93-95

Paul, G. S. 1988. Predatory Dinosaurs of the World. Simon & Schuster: 267.

Rauhut, O.M.W., A. Hungerbuhler. 1998. A review of European Triassic theropods. Gaia 15. 75-88.

Rauhut, O. M. W. 2000. The interrelationships and evolution of basal theorpods (Dinosauria, Saurischia). PhD Dissertation, University of Bristol.

Sander, P. M. 1992. The Norian Plateosaurus bonebeds of central Europe and their taphonomy. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 93:255-296

Schoch, R. R., R. Werneburg. 1999. The Triassic labyrinthodonts from Germany. Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie Teil I 7-8:629-650

Welles, S. P. 1984. Dilophosaurus wetherilli (Dinosauria, Theropoda): osteology and comparisons. Palaeontographica Abteilung A 185: 85 – 180.

Alwalkeria maleriensis

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: For Alick Walker

First Described By: Chatterjee, 1987

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Alwalkeria lived about 228 million years ago, in the Carnian age of the Late Triassic 

Alwalkeria is known from the Lower member of the Maleri Formation of Andhra Pradesh, India 

Physical Description: Alwalkeria is one of the earliest known dinosaurs, so it – like other early dinosaurs – showcases the basic dinosaur body plan: small bipedal runner. It had teeth and a skull very similar to its close cousin, Eoraptor, which had slightly different shapes depending on the position within the jaw and a somewhat small, elongate head. It had straight, slender front teeth, and backwards curved teeth in the back of the jaw, with no serrations. Little more is known about its external appearance, given the lack of remains; however, it probably would have had a long tail, short neck, and long legs and arms. Alwalkeria would probably have been only about a meter long, making it one of the smaller dinosaurs known.

Given its small size and early position on the dinosaur tree, Alwalkeria would most likely have been covered in very primitive protofeathers, but without further fossil evidence this cannot be said for certain.

Diet: Alwalkeria has teeth adapted both for feeding on meat and for feeding on plants, so it was probably an omnivore with a highly variable diet.

Behavior: Alwalkeria would have been a fairly skittish sort of animal, as early dinosaurs such as it were not very big nor very common in their ecosystems. As such, it would have used speed to get away from predators, of which there were many. It would have been curious, as well, due to being an omnivore, and a generalist one at that – so more of an opportunist than anything, looking for sources of food wherever it could. 

By Ashley Patch

Since it was a dinosaur, like other dinosaurs it would have been a fairly active animal, with a warm-blooded metabolism. It also probably took care of its young.

Ecosystem: Alwalkeria lived near a large lake environment, with mainly ferns present in the region, but also some conifers and horsetails. In the Lower Maleri environment, Alwalkeria lived alongside many other kinds of animals, though no other dinosaurs have been definitively named – only one possible prosauropod. Instead, there were the Cynodonts Exaeretodon, the Phytosaur Parasuchus, the Rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon, the Protorosaur Malerisaurus, the large temnospondyl amphibian Koskinodon, the lungfish Ceratodus, and the freshwater shark Xenacanthus. There may have also been an aetosaur of some sort. Alwalkeria probably mainly fed on small animals such as insects and reptiles not yet found in the fossil record, and it probably mainly had to look out for Koskinodon and Parasuchus in terms of predators.

Other: The original fossils described as Alwalkeria are actually a chimera, with many parts assigned to the genus actually belonging to some sort of early crocodile relative. However, there is an early dinosaur in there too, and that dinosaur seems to primarily resemble Eoraptor, though it hasn’t been thoroughly studied in a phylogenetic analysis. So, that’s what we call Alwalkeria now, even though originally there was more considered to be preserved.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources 

Angolin, F. L. 2017. Estudio de los Dinosauromorpha (Reptilia, Archosauria) de la Formación Chañares (Triásico Superior), Provincia de la Rioja, Argentina. Sus implicancias en el origen de los Dinosaurios. D. Phil. Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo.

Bharadwaj, D. C., S. C. Srivastava, B. V. Ramanamurty, N. Jha. 1986. Palynology of Kamthi Formation from Ramagundam-Mantheni Area, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh, India. The Palaeobotanist 35 (3): 318 – 330.

Chatterjee, S. 1974. A rhynchosaur from the Upper Triassic Maleri Formation of India. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, Biological Sciences 267(884):209-261

Chatterjee, S. 1978. A primitive parasuchid (Phytosaur) reptile from the Upper Triassic Maleri Formation of India. Palaeontology 21(1):83-127

Chatterjee, S. 1980. Malerisaurus, A New Eosuchian Reptile from the Late Triassic of India. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 291:163-200

Chatterjee, S. 1982. A new cynodont reptile from the Triassic of India. Journal of Paleontology 56:203-214

Chatterjee, S., B. Creisler. 1994. Alwalkeria (Theropoda) and Morturneria (Plesiosauria), new names for preoccupied Walkeria Chatterjee, 1987 and Turneria Chatterjee and Small, 1989. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 14(1):142

Chowdhury, T. R. 1965. A new metoposaurid amphibian from the Upper Triassic Maleri Formation of central India.  250(761):1-52

Jain, S. L. 1980. Freshwater xenacanthid (= pleuracanth) shark fossils from the Upper Triassic Maleri Formation, India.  21:39-47

Langer, M. C. 2004. Basal Saurischia. In: Weishampel, D. B., P. Dodson, H. Osmolska (ed.). The Dinosauria (2nd Edition). Berkeley: University of California Press: 25 – 46.

Lydekker, R. 1885. The Reptilia & Amphibia of the Maleria & Denwa Groups.  1(5):1-38

Holtz, T. R., L. V. Rey. 2007. Dinosaurs: the most complete, up-to-date encyclopedia for dinosaur lovers of all ages. New York: Random House.

Remes, K., O. W. M. Rauhut. 2005. The oldest Indian Dinosaur Alwalkeria maleriensis Chatterjee revised: a chimera including remains of a basal Saurischian. In Kellner,A. W. A., D. D. R. Henriques, T. Rodrigues (ed.). II Congresso Latino-Americano de Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Boletim de Resumos. Museo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. 218.

 

Campephaga

Purple-Throated Cuckooshrike by Nigel Voaden, CC BY-SA 2.0

Etymology: Feeds on Caterpillars

First Described By: Vieillot, 1816

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Corvides, Campephagidae

Referred Species: C. flava (Black Cuckooshrike), C. petiti (Petit’s Cuckooshrike), C. phoenicea (Red-Shouldered Cuckooshrike), C. quiscalina (Purple-Throated Cuckooshrike)

Status: Extant, Least Concern

Time and Place: Within the last 10,000 years, in the Holocene of the Quaternary

Campephaga is known from a variety of locations in sub-Saharan Africa 

Physical Description: Campephaga is a genus of Cuckooshrikes, a group of small songbirds that specialize in feeding on caterpillars. This particular genus of Cuckooshrike ranges from 19 to 22 centimeters in length, with most species in the genus being exactly 20 centimeters long, about the same length as a Cardinal or similar passerine. They have very ovular bodies, with relatively short tails, and triangular beaks. The males of this genus are black throughout their bodies, wings, and tails; and usually sport a little yellow on the backs of their beaks, and one species having a pop of red or yellow color on the wing. The females are usually brown to yellow, with two species being extremely bright yellow and olive throughout the body. They have stripes across their faces as well, though it’s less noticeable in the males. The juveniles are usually similar to the females, but more dull in color. 

Female Black Cuckooshrike by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

Diet: These birds primarily feed on caterpillars, as their name would suggest; but they also eat other insects such as bugs, wasps, grasshophpers, locusts, termites, and even spiders.

Behavior: These birds flit around in the tree canopy and along the canopy’s edge, as well as in the undergrowth and bushes. They forage quietly, flying low between branches looking for their preferred food sources, and usually do not form large groups to do so. They’ll even forage along the ground. Usually they are solitary or in pairs; though occasionally some species will join mixed-species flocks to forage.

While they do make a variety of chirping songs and calls, this genus is mostly silent; using song only in moments of fright or flock calling rather than consistently throughout the day as other songbirds do. They also are known to whistle, though again, not particularly often compared to other songbirds.

Only a few of these birds are known to migrate, mainly due to rain patterns – the Red-Shouldered Cuckooshrike will migrate across its range due to the rain before returning to the forest’s edge. The Black Cuckooshrike will sometimes migrate as well, moving from higher to lower altitudes depending on the breeding season. 

Female Petit’s Cuckooshrike by Dick Daniels, CC BY-SA 3.0

They mainly breed during the rainy season, primarily between December to May or from October to January depending on where exactly they live. These are primarily monogamous and, furthermore, territorial birds; defending their nesting and feeding range fairly fiercely. The females will build the nests out of lichens, moss, and spider webs, secured to branches a fair height off of the ground. They tend to have fairly small clutch sizes, up to three, and the eggs are mainly incubated by the females. The males will help defend the area, and both parents will feed the chicks upon hatching.

Ecosystem: These birds live in woodland and dry forest habitat, as well as on the edges of evergreen forests and more moist forest habitats. They are usually found in higher elevation, though they can be found at sea level, and some species are associated with woodland patches and forest edges rather than the full forest environment. Habitat preference varies based on species and subspecies local populations. 

Red-Shouldered Cuckooshrike by Lizars, in the Public Domain

Other: All of these birds are extremely widespread and common in their habitats; though some are less well known than others, no population appears to be particularly threatened, though forest destruction has hurt some groups.

Species Differences: These species primarily differ based on coloration in the female. The Black Cuckooshrike has very darkly colored females, with black stripes across their bellies. Petit’s Cuckooshrike has bright yellow females, with dull colored heads. The Red-Shouldered Cuckooshrike female has yellow patches on their stomach, and the males have red or yellow shoulder patches. Finally, the Pruple-Throated Cuckooshrike has bright yellow females, with slightly grey heads.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources 

Jobling, J. A. 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. Christopher Helm Publishing, A&C Black Publishers Ltd, London.  

Taylor, B. (2019). Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Taylor, B. (2019). Petit’s Cuckooshrike (Campephaga petiti). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Taylor, B. (2019). Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (Campephaga quiscalina). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Taylor, B. (2019). Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike (Campephaga phoenicea). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.