Dr. Nicholas R. Longrich

Senior Lecturer

Department of Biology and Biochemistry

University of Bath

Claverton Down

Bath BA2 7AY

United Kingdom


nicholas.longrich @bath.ac.uk

+44 (0) 7474 49 3239


Employment

 

Senior Lecturer, University of Bath 2013 - now

Donnelley Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University   2009-2012


Education

 

University of Calgary 2003-2008

PhD, Biological Sciences,                        

University of Chicago 1998-2000

MSc, Organismal Biology and Anatomy,    

Princeton University 1994-1998      

BA, summa cum laude, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,                                            

 

Research

 

As a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, I use fossils to understand the evolution of life on Earth over geologic timescales, emphasizing macroevolution. I’m interested in the origins of complex adaptations, large-scale changes in the ecosystem, and the role of low-frequency, high-impact events like asteroid impact and oceanic dispersal in shaping evolution. I don’t buy the classic view that macroevolution is just “lots of microevolution”- on large enough scales, processes come into play that aren’t visible on smaller scales.

I work on diverse problems- how mass extinctions shaped life’s history,  evolution of complex adaptations like bird flight and the snake body plan, the role of dispersal in biogeography. My research is driven by questions and not specific groups of organisms, so I work on a range of organisms- dinosaurs, birds, pterosaurs, lizards, snakes, humans, occasionally delving into invertebrates and microbes.

I think intelligence exists elsewhere in the universe, but is too far away to talk to.


Publications

 

Research papers include 77 peer-reviewed publications, including 13 high-impact papers published in Nature (2), Science (1), PNAS (3), Nature Communications (1), PLoS Biology (1), eLife(1), Current Biology (1) and  Proceedings B (3).3354 citations, H-index  = 33, i10-index = 54 

2024

  1. Longrich, N.R., Velasco, A.A.R., Kirkland, J., Torres, A.E.B., Serrano-Brañas, C.I., 2024. Coahuilasaurus lipani, a New Kritosaurin Hadrosaurid from the Upper Campanian Cerro Del Pueblo Formation, Northern Mexico. MDPI Diversity 16.

  2. Longrich, N.R.; Polcyn, M.J.; Jalil, N.-E.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Bardet, N. A bizarre new plioplatecarpine mosasaurid from the Maastrichtian of Morocco. Cretaceous Research 2024, 105870.

  3. Longrich, N.R.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Bardet, N.; Jalil, N.-E. A new small duckbilled dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from Morocco and dinosaur diversity in the late Maastrichtian of North Africa. Scientific Reports 2024, 14, 3665.

  4. Dalman, S.G., Loewen, M.A., Pyron, R.A., Jasinski, S.E., Malinzak, D.E., Lucas, S.G., Fiorillo, A.R., Currie, P.J., Longrich, N.R., 2023. A giant tyrannosaur from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of southern North America and the evolution of tyrannosaurid gigantism. Scientific Reports 13, 22124.

  5. Longrich, N.R., Saitta, E.T., 2024. Taxonomic status of Nanotyrannus lancensis (Dinosauria: Tyrannosauroidea)—a distinct taxon of small-bodied tyrannosaur. Fossil Studies 2, 1-65.

2023

  1. Rivera-Sylva, H.E., Longrich, N.R., Padilla-Gutierrez, J.M., Guzmán-Gutiérrez, J.R., Escalante-Hernández, V.M., González-Ávila, J.G., 2024. A new species of Yaguarasaurus (Mosasauridae: Plioplatecarpinae) from the Agua Nueva Formation (Upper Turonian–? Lower Coniacian) of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 133, 104694.

  2. Longrich, N.R., Isasmendi, E., Pereda-Suberbiola, X., Jalil, N.-E., 2023. New fossils of Abelisauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the upper Maastrichtian of Morocco, North Africa. Cretaceous Research 152, 105677.

  3. Longrich, N.R., Martill, D.M., Munt, M., Green, M., Penn, M., Smith, S., 2023. Vectidromeus insularis, a new hypsilophodontid dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, England. Cretaceous Research, 105707.

  4. Shaker, A.A., Longrich, N.R., Strougo, A., Asan, A., Bardet, N., Mousa, M.K., Tantawy, A.A., El-Kheir, G.A.A., 2023. A new species of Halisaurus (Mosasauridae: Halisaurinae) from the lower Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of the Western Desert, Egypt. Cretaceous Research, 105719.

  5. El-Kheir, G.A., Shaker, A.A., Street, H.P., Longrich, N.R., Strougo, A., Asan, A., Gawad, M.A., 2023. A prognathodontin mosasaur from the Maastrichtian of the Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Fossil Studies.

  6. Smith, R.E., Martill, D.M., Longrich, N. R., Unwin, D.M., Ibrahim, N., Zouhri, S., 2023. Comparative taphonomy of Kem Kem Group (Cretaceous) pterosaurs of southeast Morocco. Evolving Earth, 100006.

  7. Smith R.E., Ibrahim N., Longrich N.R., Unwin D.M., Jacobs M.L., Williams C.J., Zouhri S., and Martill D.M. 2023. The pterosaurs of the Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco. PalZ:1-50.

  8. Longrich, N.R., Jalil, N.-E., Pereda-Suberbiola, X., Bardet, N., 2023. Stelladens mysteriosus: A Strange New Mosasaurid (Squamata) from the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of Morocco. Fossil Studies 1, 2-14.

2022

  1. Longrich, N. R., Jalil, N.-E., Khaldoune, F., Yazami, O.K., Pereda-Suberbiola, X., Bardet, N., 2022. Thalassotitan atrox, a giant predatory mosasaurid (Squamata) from the Upper Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco. Cretaceous Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105315

  2. Bunker, G., Martill, D.M., Smith, R., Zourhi, S., Longrich, N., 2022. Plesiosaurs from the fluvial Kem Kem Group (mid-Cretaceous) of eastern Morocco and a review of non-marine plesiosaurs. Cretaceous Research, 105310.

  3. Longrich, N.R., Martill, D.M., Jacobs, M.L., 2021. A new dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Wessex Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Barremian) of the Isle of Wight, and implications for European palaeobiogeography. Cretaceous Research.

2021

  1. Dalman, S.G., Lucas, S.G., Jasinski, S.E., Longrich, N.R., 2021. Sierraceratops turneri, a new chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the Hall Lake Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of south-central New Mexico. Cretaceous Research.

  2. Klein, C.G., Pisani, D., Field, D.J., Lakin, R., Wills, M.A., Longrich, N.R., 2021. Evolution and dispersal of snakes across the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. Nature Communications.

  3. Pluridens serpentis, a new mosasaurid (Mosasauridae: Halisaurinae) from the Maastrichtian of Morocco and implications for mosasaur diversity. Longrich, N.R., Bardet, N., Khaldoune, F., Yazami, O.K. and Jalil, N.E., 2021. Cretaceous Research, p.104882.

  4. Xenodens calminechari gen. et sp. nov., a bizarre mosasaurid (Mosasauridae, Squamata) with shark-like cutting teeth from the upper Maastrichtian of Morocco, North Africa. Nicholas R. Longrich, Nathalie Bardet, Anne Schulp, and Nour-Eddine Jalil. 2021. Cretaceous Research, p.104764.

  5. The first duckbill dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from Africa and the role of oceanic dispersal in dinosaur biogeography. Longrich, Nicholas R., Xabier Pereda Suberbiola, R. Alexander Pyron, and Nour-Eddine Jalil. Cretaceous Research (2021): 104678.

  6. A long-billed, possible probe-feeding pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea:? Azhdarchoidea) from the mid-Cretaceous of Morocco, North Africa.. Roy E Smith, David M Martill, Alexander Kao, Samir Zouhri, Nicholas R Longrich. Cretaceous Research 118, 10464.

  7. Evidence for tactile foraging in pterosaurs: a sensitive tip to the beak of Lonchodraco giganteus (Pterosauria, Lonchodectidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of southern England. David M Martill, Roy E Smith, Nicholas Longrich , James Brown. Cretaceous Research.;117:104637.

2020

  1. An effect size statistical framework for investigating sexual dimorphism in non-avian dinosaurs and other extinct taxa. Evan T Saitta, Max T Stockdale, Nicholas R. Longrich, Vincent Bonhomme, Michael J Benton, Innes C Cuthill, Peter J Makovicky. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2020 Oct;131(2):231-73.

  2. New toothed pterosaurs (Pterosauria: Ornithocheiridae) from the middle Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco and implications for pterosaur palaeobiogeography and diversity. Megan L Jacobs, David M Martill, David M Unwin, Nizar Ibrahim, Samir Zouhri, Nicholas R Longrich. 2020. Cretaceous Research 110, 104413.

  3. The Feathers of the Jurassic Urvogel. Nicholas R Longrich, Helmut Tischlinger, Christian Foth. 2020. The Evolution of Feathers: From Their Origin to the Present.

2019

  1. Cretaceous dinosaur bone contains recent organic material and provides an environment conducive to microbial communities. Evan T Saitta, Renxing Liang, Maggie CY Lau, Caleb M Brown, Nicholas R Longrich, Thomas G Kaye, Ben J Novak, Steven L Salzberg, Mark A Norell, Geoffrey D Abbott, Marc R Dickinson, Jakob Vinther, Ian D Bull, Richard A Brooker, Peter Martin, Paul Donohoe, Timothy DJ Knowles, Kirsty EH Penkman, Tullis Onstott. 2019. eLife 8, e46205.

  2. A new species of Coloborhynchus (Pterosauria, Ornithocheiridae) from the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa. Megan L Jacobs, David M Martill, Nizar Ibrahim, Nicholas Longrich. Cretaceous Research 95, 77-88.

  3. Aquatic adaptation in the skull of carnivorous dinosaurs (Theropoda: Spinosauridae) and the evolution of aquatic habits in spinosaurids. Thomas M S Arden, Catherine G Klein, Samir Zouhri, Nicholas R Longrich. Cretaceous Research 93, 275-284

  4. Juvenile spinosaurs (Theropoda: Spinosauridae) from the middle Cretaceous of Morocco and implications for spinosaur ecology. Rebecca J Lakin, Nicholas R Longrich. Cretaceous Research 93, 129-142

2018

  1. Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.  Nicholas R. Longrich, David M. Martill, Brian Andres. PLoS Biology 16 (3), e2001663.

  2. A new edentulous pterosaur from the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of south eastern Morocco. David M Martill, David M Unwin, Nizar Ibrahim, Nicholas R. Longrich. Cretaceous Research 84, 1-12

2017

  1. An abelisaurid from the latest Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of Morocco, North Africa. Longrich, Nicholas R., Xabier Pereda-Suberbiola, Nour-Eddine Jalil, Fatima Khaldourne & Essaid Jourani. Cretaceous Research 76; 40-52.

  2. A new basal snake from the mid-Cretaceous of Morocco. Klein, C. G., Longrich, N. R., Ibrahim, N., Nouhri, S. & D. M. Martill. Cretaceous Research 72; 134-141.

2016

  1. Severe extinction and rapid recovery of mammals across the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary, and the effects of rarity on patterns of extinction and recovery. Longrich, N.R., Scriberas, J. and Wills, M.A., 2016.  Journal of Evolutionary Biology29(8), pp.1495-1512.

  2. A stem lepidosireniform lungfish (Sarcopterygia, Dipnoi) from the Upper Eocene of Libya, North Africa and implications  for Cenozoic lungfish evolution. Nicholas R. Longrich. 2016. Gondwana Research 42, 140-150.

  3. Longrich, Nicholas R.  2016. A ceratopsian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Eastern North America, and implications for dinosaur biogeography. Cretaceous Research 57, 199-207.

  4.  A new species of Pluridens (Mosasauridae Halisaurinae) from the upper Campanian of Southern Nigeria. Longrich, Nicholas R. 2016. Cretaceous Research 64, 36-44.

  5. The first oviraptorosaur (Dinosauria Theropoda) bonebed: evidence of gregarious behaviour in a maniraptoran theropod. Funston, Greg. F., Currie, P. J., Eberth, D. A., Ryan, M. J., Chinzorig, T., Badamgarav, D. & N. R. Longrich. 2016. Scientific Reports 6, 35782

2015

  1.  A four-legged snake from the Early Cretaceous of Gondwana. David M. Martill, Helmut Tischlinger, Nicholas R. Longrich, 2015. Science 349, 416-419.

  2. Biogeography of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction. Nicholas R. Longrich, Jakob Vinther, R. Alexander Pyron, Davide Pisani, Jacques A. Gauthier, 2015. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 202, 20143034.

2014

  1. The horned dinosaurs Pentaceratops and Kosmoceratops from the upper Campanian of Alberta and implications for dinosaur biogeography. Nicholas R. Longrich, 2014. Cretaceous Research 51, 292-308.

  2. A suspension-feeding anomalocarid from the Early Cambrian. Vinther, J., Stein, M., Longrich, N.R., Harper, D.A., 2014. Nature 507, 496-499.

  3. Palaeocene–Eocene evolution of beta diversity among ungulate mammals in North America. Simon A. Darroch, Amelinda E. Webb, Nicholas R. Longrich, Jonathan Belmaker, 2014. Global Ecology and Biogeography 23 (7) 757-768.

2013

  1.  Distributions of cranial pathologies provide evidence for head-butting in dome-headed dinosaurs (Pachycephalosauridae). Peterson, J.E., Dischler, C., Longrich, N.R., 2013. PLoS ONE 8, e68620.

  2. Caenagnathidae from the Upper Campanian Aguja Formation of West Texas, and a revision of the Caenagnathinae. Nicholas R. Longrich, Ken Barnes, Scott Clark, Larry Millar. 2013. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 54, 23-49.

  3.  Judiceratops tigris, a new horned dinosaur from the middle Campanian Judith River Formation of Montana. Nicholas R. Longrich, 2013. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 54, 51-65.

2012

  1.  Mass extinction of lizards and snakes at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Nicholas R. Longrich, Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Jacques Gauthier, 2012. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109, 21396–21401.

  2.  Primitive wing feather arrangement in Archaeopteryx lithographica and Anchiornis huxleyi. Nicholas R. Longrich, J. Vinther, Meng, Q., Li, Q., Russell, A.P. 2012. Current Biology 22, 1-6.

  3.  A transitional snake from the Late Cretaceous period of North America. Nicholas R. Longrich, Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Jacques Gauthier. 2012. Nature 488, 205-208.

  4. Torosaurus is not Triceratops: ontogeny in chasmosaurine ceratopsids as a case study in dinosaur taxonomy. Nicholas R Longrich, Daniel Field. 2012. PLoS ONE 7(2): e32623 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032623

  5.  Neurankylus lithographicus, a new species of baenid turtle (Paracryptodira: Baenidae) from the Late Cretaceous Milk River Formation of Alberta, Canada. Derek Larson, Nicholas R. Longrich, David Evans, Michael Ryan. 2012. In D. B. Brinkman et al. (eds), Morphology and Evolution of Turtles. Springer, Netherlands. 389-405.

2011

  1. Mass extinction of birds at the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary. Nicholas R. Longrich, Tim T Tokaryk, Daniel Field. 2011. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108 (37): 15253-15257.

  2. Cranial Ontogeny in Stegoceras validum (Dinosauria: Pachycephalosauria): A Quantitative Model of Pachycephalosaur Dome Growth and Variation. Schott, R.K., Evans, D.C., Goodwin, M.B., Horner, J.R., Brown, C.M., Longrich, N.R., 2011. PLoS ONE 6, e21092.

  3. Titanoceratops ouranos, a giant horned dinosaur from the Late Campanian of New Mexico. Nicholas R Longrich. 2011. Cretaceous Research 32:3 264-276.

  4. The bizarre wing of the Jamaican flightless ibis Xenicibis xympithecus: a unique vertebrate adaptation. Nicholas R. Longrich, Storrs L. Olson, 2011. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278: 2333-2337.

2010

  1.  Cannibalism in Tyrannosaurus rex. Nicholas R. Longrich, John R. Horner, Gregory M. Erickson, and Philip J. Currie. 2010. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13419. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013419.

  2.  Spatial niche partitioning in dinosaurs from the latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of North America. Tyler R. Lyson, and Nicholas R. Longrich. 2010. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278: 3459-3464.

  3.  A new oviraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia. Nicholas R. Longrich, Philip J. Currie, and Zhi-Ming Dong. 2010. Palaeontogy 53:945-960.

  4. Mojoceratops perifania, a new chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the Late Campanian of Western Canada. Nicholas R Longrich. 2010. Journal of Paleontology 84:681-694.

  5. Mammalian tooth marks on the bones of dinosaurs and other Late Cretaceous vertebrates. Nicholas Longrich and Michael J Ryan. 2010. Palaeontology 53:703-709.

  6. Texacephale langstoni, a new genus of pachycephalosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the upper Campanian Aguja Formation, southern Texas, USA. Nicholas R Longrich, Julia T Sankey, and Darren H Tanke. 2010. Cretaceous Research 31:274-284.

  7. The function of large eyes in Protoceratops: a nocturnal ceratopsian? Nicholas R Longrich. 2010. In: Eberth and Ryan (eds.), Horned Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press.

2009

  1. A microraptorine (Dinosauria-Dromaeosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of North America. Nicholas R Longrich and Philip J Currie. 2009a. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106:5002-5008.

  2.  Albertonykus borealis, a new alvarezsaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Maastrichtian of Alberta, Canada: Implications for the systematics and ecology of the Alvarezsauridae. Nicholas R Longrich and Philip J Currie. 2009b. Cretaceous Research 30:239-252.

  3. An ornithurine-dominated avifauna from the Belly River Group (Campanian, Upper Cretaceous) of Alberta, Canada. Nick Longrich. 2009. Cretaceous Research 30:161-177.

2008

  1. A new, large ornithomimid from the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada: implications for the study of dissociated dinosaur remains. Nicholas R. Longrich. 2008. Palaeontology 51:983-997.

  2. Small theropod teeth from the Lance Formation of Wyoming. Nicholas R. Longrich. 2008. In Sankey, J.T. and Baszio, S. (Eds). The Unique Role of Vertebrate Microfossil Assemblages in Paleoecology and Paleobiology. Indiana University Press, pp 135-158.

2006

  1. Structure and function of hindlimb feathers in Archaeopteryx lithographica. Nicholas R. Longrich. 2006. Paleobiology 32(3):417-431.

  2. An ornithurine bird from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada. Nicholas R. Longrich. 2006. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 43:1-7.


Popular Writing

 

My articles in The Conversation on paleontology, evolution and archaeology have been read 4.5 million times and republished online and in print.

How a handful of prehistoric geniuses launched humanity’s technological revolution. The Conversation, Dec 29, 2021. Innovations like spear points, fire, beads, axes and bows seem to arise just once, then spread. Copying is easy. Invention is hard, and happens rarely. A few highly creative people- and Neanderthals- made an outsized impact on the course of history.

Would we still see ourselves as ‘human’ if other hominin species hadn’t gone extinct? The Conversation, October 7, 2021. The gap between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom seems large, and unbridgeable. Yet the fossil record shows that there were species intermediate between us and the other apes- along with many side-branches.

When did humans start experimenting with alcohol and drugs? The Conversation, July 16, 2021. The use of psychoactive chemicals has a long history, but our experimentation began in earnest with the Neolithic Revolution. Agriculture and civilization seem to have promoted the use of drugs and alcohol.

One incredible ocean crossing may have made human evolution possible. When our primate ancestors arrived in Africa, it was an island, isolated by hundreds of miles of ocean. How in the world did they get there? By sea, with a little luck- or rather, a lot of luck.

War in the time of Neanderthals: how our species battled for supremacy for over 100,000 years. Neanderthals must have been very clever- and exceedingly dangerous- or it wouldn’t have taken us so long to displace them.

When did we become fully human? What fossils and DNA tell us about the evolution of modern intelligence. Artifacts suggest a ‘great leap’, a recent evolution of modern intelligence. Fossils and DNA argue that’s an illusion. Population increases , not intelligence, likely accelerated technological innovation.

Will humans go extinct? For all the existential threats, we’ll likely be here for a long time. Humans are widespread, abundant, and more adaptable than any other species. Despite all the doom and gloom, we’ve lasted a long time- and we’ll probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

The origin and evolution of love. The Conversation, Feb 13, 2020. There are many kinds of love- romantic, friendship, paternal, maternal. Maternal affection is universal among mammals, and probably represents the original form of bonding between mammals, and the form of love from which the others evolved.

How the extinction of ice age mammals may have forced us to invent civilization.The Conversation, Jan 3, 2020. Humans were perfectly happy to be hunter-gatherers for 300,000 years. Then the mammoths vanished, and we had to change.

Were other humans the first victims of the Sixth Mass Extinction? The Conversation, Nov 21, 2019. There were nine species of human when we first evolved, now there’s just us- because we wiped out all the others. 

Evolution tells us we might be the only intelligent life in the universe. The Conversation, October 18, 2019. An explanation for the fact that we haven’t contacted aliens- the evolution of intelligence may depend on getting lucky, again and again, to evolve a series of complex adaptations.

Mass extinctions made life more diverse- and might again. The Conversation, September 13, 2019. How mass extinctions may increase biodiversity in the long term.


Fellowships & Awards

2013    Oxford Natural History Museum Postdoctoral Fellowship, Oxford (declined)

2012    Palaeontological Association, President’s Prize for best talk (£200)

2010    National Geographic Waitts Foundation Grant for exploratory fieldwork in the Canadian Arctic of the Northwest Territories ($8,600)

2009    Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Donnelley Postdoctoral Fellowship (2 year, $40,000/yr).

2008    Dinosaur Research Institute Grant $1500 for field work in Big Bend National Park, Texas (w/ J. Sankey)

2005    Society of Canadian Ornithologists Grant

2004    Alberta Ingenuity Graduate Research Studentship, $22,000/yr, 5 year doctoral scholarship

2003    University of Calgary, Dean’s Entry Scholarship

1999    Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, Student Bursary

1999    National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship

1999    Ford Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship (declined)

1998    Princeton University, Charles M. Cannon Memorial Prize for best senior thesis presentation

1998    Princeton University, BA, Summa Cum Laude


Outreach

 

I’ve worked closely with media teams at the University of Bath, Yale, and Calgary to communicate about science to the public. This involves helping shape the story, writing the press release, working with artists, and print, radio and TV interviews.

Thalassotitan atrox

Daily Mail. 'Terrifying' 30ft sea lizard.

BBC. Giant Thalassotitan atrox sea lizard found in Morocco.

Freshwater plesiosaurs

The New York Times. Fossil Tantalizes Loch Ness Monster Fans.

USA Today. The real Loch Ness monster? Researchers make unusual freshwater fossil find.

Sierraceratops turneri

Daily Mail. Triceratops ‘lost relative’ has been discovered in New Mexico.

Snakes and the Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction

BBC News. Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs shaped fortunes of snakes

USA Today. Hate seeing snakes? Blame the asteroids that killed the dinosaurs, scientists say

Phys.Org. Modern snakes evolved from a few survivors of dino-killing asteroid.


New mosasaur Pluridens serpentis

Sci-News.com. New Mosasaur Species Unearthed in Morocco

Eurekalert. Giant sea lizard fossil shows diversity of life before asteroid hit

Shark-faced mosasaur Xenodens

Daily Mail. Terrifying sea lizard that roamed the coasts of Africa 66 million years ago had deadly shark-like teeth that could slice fish in half with one bite.

Science News. This ancient sea reptile had a slicing bite like no other.

Smithsonian Magazine. Newly Discovered Marine Reptile Sawed Prey With Serrated Teeth

The Times. Razor-toothed prehistoric reptile cut larger rivals down to size.

Eurekalert. Dinosaur-era sea lizard had teeth like a shark.

African duckbill dinosaur Ajnabia odysseus

CNN.com. New fossil discovery suggests dinosaurs traveled across oceans.

Daily Mail. Duckbilled dinosaur unearthed in Morocco crossed oceans to get there.

The Telegraph. Dinosaurs swam across oceans, landmark study reveals.

New Scientist. Three-metre-long dinosaur may have swum across a wide ocean.

Oxford Mail. Duckbilled dinosaurs crossed oceans to reach Africa, fossil reveals

Scientific American. The Top Ten Dinosaur Discoveries of 2020.

Kiwi-like pterosaur Leptostomia begaaensis.

Daily Mail. Kiwi of the Cretaceous: Bizarre new species of pterosaur the size of a turkey with a long, skinny beak is unearthed in Morocco.

Phys.org. Beak bone reveals pterosaur like no other.

Metro. Scientists have discovered a new species of pterosaur with a uniquely shaped beak.

Fossil microbiome

The Atlantic.Bacteria in a Dinosaur Bone Reignite a Heated Debate.”

The Scientist.Fossilized Dino Bones Are Home to Diverse Microbial Communities

African carnivorous dinosaur Chenanisaurus barbaricus

The Sun.Last of the Cretaceous. A British scientist discovers the remains of one of the last dinosaurs to have lived in Africa more than 66million years ago.

The Independent.Last African dinosaur's bones discovered in Morocco.”

Tetrapodophis, the four-legged snake

BBC World Service. “The four-legged hugging snake.”

T. rex cannibalism

Slate.com. “What Did Dinosaur Meat Taste Like?”

Torosaurus and Triceratops

The New York Times. Triceratops’ Quiet Cousin, the Torosaurus, gains new legitimacy.”

K-Pg bird extinction

BBC. Old fossils solve mystery of earliest bird extinction

K-Pg lizard and snake extinction

The Boston Globe. Yale Scientists name Obamadon, a slender-jawed lizard, after the President

Mojoceratops

NPR. “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me”

The New York Times.From a Museum Basement, a ‘New’ Dinosaur

Mammalian gnaw on dinosaur bones

The New York Times. “The fossil record of prehistoric gnawing”

Albertonykus 

Saturday Night Live. Saturday Night Live, Sept 27 2008: Weekend Update with Amy Poehler