Sanajeh

Recreation of the fossil site

When we talk about extinct, prehistoric reptiles, we are usually talking about the Dinosaurs, but they definitely weren't the only scaly creatures crawling around millions of years ago. Today's animals, Sanajeh indicus was a species of snake that not only lived with the dinosaurs.... it actually ate their children.

Snakes first appeared around 98 million years ago, but the fossils from that long ago are few, fragmented, and are typically just scattered vertebrae. Not so with the 67 million year old Sanajeh. The holotype specimen (the fossil to which all other fossils of the species are compared) actually has a near complete skull and lower jaw, along with several segmented sections of vertebrae.

What is even more awesome, however, is the way in which the fossil was found- it's coiled around a Dinosaur nest, complete with baby Dinosaur! After study of the fossil, which was found in India, it was determined that the Snake was in the process of hunting when it, and the nest of three eggs and a baby, were caught unaware by a deposit of sediment. Landslide perhaps? When an additional Snake fossil was found, also within nest proximity, Sanajeh's status as an eater of mini-Dinos was cemented!

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Status : Extinct for 67 million years

Location : India
Size : Length 11ft (3.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata -- Suborder : Serpentes
Family : †Madtsoiidae -- Genus : †Sanajeh -- Species : †S. indicus

Sinocalliopteryx

Sinocalliopteryx gigas

Sinocalliopteryx certainly has a mouthful of a name! It actually translates to "Chinese Beautiful Feather," as they had feathers, and their fossils were uncovered in the Yixian Formation in north east China. It is a relatively new species, in terms of discovery, and was only first described in 2007.

Sinocalliopteryx lived around 130-125 million years ago, during the Early Cretaceous. They are the largest known members of their entire family, measuring nearly 8ft long. These guys were bipedal, and had powerful hind legs and arms that were longer than most others in their family. They also had "proto-feathers," which were thin, hairlike feathers. (I imagine something that looked similar to the feathers on a Cassowary).

New research has come out that suggests Sinocalliopteryx hunted much like a modern cat does. Fossil evidence shows that they flying creatures, including small aerial Dinosaurs. They probably stalked these animals quietly, hiding in the underbrush. Then, when the right moment hit, they would jump up into the air with their powerful hind legs and snatch on to the prey. This theory is still controversial, as fossils are only able to tell us so much about behavior. However, the leg anatomy, coupled with the presence of flying creatures in the digestive system, makes for a compelling argument.

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Status : Extinct for around 125 million years
Location : China
Size :  Length up to 8ft (2.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- clade : Dinosauria
Family : †Compsognathidae -- Genus : †Sinocalliopteryx -- Species : †S. gigas

Ornithomimus

Ornithomimus

Ornithomimus means "bird mimic," and what an appropriate name that is! This genus of Cretaceous Dinosaur had long slender legs, a log neck, and a toothless beak. Think of it as an ancient Ostrich- they had similar omnivorous diets, similar body-types, and could even run at comparable speeds. They may have also been covered with feathers, but the evidence doesn't prove anything 100%.

The fist Ornithomimus fossils were uncovered in Colorado back in 1889. Who found them? Why none other than one of our Bone Wars buddies, Othniel C. Marsh! He named the genus in 1890, and since then more fossils have been located in other spots of North America, as well as in Mongolia.

Ornithomimus fed on plants, fruits, seeds, and small creatures like insects and tiny mammals. They had no teeth and very small heads so it is unlikely that they ate anything very large. Even though their heads were small, they had large brain cases. This suggests either a greater level of intelligence, or a larger brain devoted to movement and kinesthetic pursuits.

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Status : Extinct for 65 million years
Location : North America, Mongolia
Size : Height up to 8ft (2.4m), length up to 20ft (6m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Superorder : Dinosauria
Order : Saurischia -- Family : †Ornithomimidae -- Genus : †Ornithomimus

African Spurred Tortoise

Geochelone sulcata

After the Galapagos and Aldabra Tortoises, the African Spurred Tortoise takes the title as third largest in the world. These land giants dwell in drier regions of central and northern Africa where they subsist on a diet of fruits and vegetables. During the driest times of the year, the Tortoises build burrows and enter states similar to hibernation in order to keep from dehydration.

Breeding occurs during rainier parts of the year, and males will fight for the right to breed with females. During the copulation itself, females will be unable to move due to the weight of the male Tortoises. About two months after mating the female will dig a large nest and deposit 15-30 eggs into. They will incubate for an additional 8 months before the 2" hatchlings emerge. It will take the Tortoises fifteen years to reach sexual maturity. But, like their large Tortoise cousins, they can live over 100 years.

African Spurred Tortoises have experienced some drastic population drops. They've been losing their habitats due to urbanization and the spread of livestock, and have also been hunted for meat. African Spurred Tortoises are also collected for the pet trade when they are in their younger years. This makes re-population difficult, as they take so long to mature.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Location : Africa

Size : Length up to 36in (90cm), Weight up to 200lbs (91kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Testudines
Family : Testudinidae -- Genus : Geochelone -- Species : G. sulcata

Najash

Najash rionegrina

Najash is an extinct Snake named for the Hebrew word Nahash-- the biblical snake who tempted Adam and Eve. They lived around 90 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous, and their fossils have been uncovered in Patagonia, Argentina.

Najash is notable because it still had legs. Two of them to be precise, and they weren't just vestigial little limbs that weren't connected to anything. Najash still had a sacrum, a pelvic girdle, and clear femora, fibulae, and tibiae!

This species was only recently discovered back in 2003, and it has helped to answer long standing questions regarding the nature of Snake evolution. There have been aquatic theories in the past, ideas that Snakes came from the same common ancestor as the Mosasaurs. Since the 1990s, however, the terrestrial origin theories have been gaining more ground (it was around then that early vestigal-limbed snakes were found). The discovered of Najash with its fully functional, burrowing-capable appendages has only given that theory more legs to stand on (forgive the pun).

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Status : Extinct for 90 millions years

Location : Argentina
Size : Length up to 5ft (1.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Suborder : Serpentes -- Genus :†Najash -- Species :†N. rionegrina

Pleurosaurus

Pleurosaurus

A long, long time ago we talked about the Tuatara-- the last living reptiles that belong to an incredibly ancient Order that dates to the Mesozoic. Though only two species of Tuatara survive today, there were once several other different Sphenodontians roaming the planet, and today's animal is one of them.

Meet Pleurosaurus, a very snake like reptile that lived an aquatic lifestyle in what are now the lakes of Western Europe. Pleurosaurus was a small little guy, measuring only about 2ft long, and its entire body was streamlined for marine hunting efficiency. They had incredibly thin bodies, very short appendages, and a long, powerful tail. They most likely swam in an undulating motion, as Sea Snakes do, and probably didn't use their small arms much at all.

Pleurosaurus also had nostrils that were placed closer to their eyes than to their snout. This adaptation probably allowed them to hunt fish easier in the shallow lakes where they lived.

Fossils of the species were first found in Bavaria, Germany in the 1830s. They date back to the late Jurassic Period, around 150 million years ago.

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Status : Extinct since the Late Jurassic - 150 million years
Location : Western Europe
Size : Length up to 2ft (61cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Sphenodontia
Family : Pleurosauridae -- Genus : Pleurosaurus

Ankylosaurus

Ankylosaurus magniventris

About a week ago we learned all about an armored Sauropod, Ampelosaurus. Today we'll learn about one of the most famous armored Dinosaurs of them all- Ankylosaurus. Like Ampelosaurus, Ankylosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period... though a few million years later and in a different part of the world.

There is only one identified species within the Ankylosaurus genus-- A. magniventris. It was first uncovered in Montana back in 1906, and officially named in 1908. Ankylosaurus translates to "Curved Lizard" or "Stiffened Lizard," while magniventris means "great belly," a reference to the animal's width.

Ankylosaurus was covered by osteoderms of varying sizes, and those plates most likely had keratin on top of them as well. They also had large, clubbed tails-- those clubs were actually osteoderms fused with the last few vertebrae on the tail. Those plates and club (and the horns on their head) made them a difficult animal for predators to take down.

Ankylosaurus was an herbivore, and had a beak and small teeth that were used to browse from trees. They actually lacked molars, so food wasn't really ground up. Overall, we know a lot about the anatomy of the Ankylosaurus... except for what its feet looked like! No foot fossils have ever been found, though based on the feet of closer relatives, they probably had five toes on each foot.

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Status : Extinct for 65 million years

Location : North America
Size : Length up to 30ft (9m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class:  Reptilia -- clade : Dinosauria
Order : †Ornithischia -- Family : †Ankylosauridae
Genus : †Ankylosaurus-- Species : †A. magniventris

Chinese Alligator

Chinese Alligator in Captivity

Did you know that there are only two species of Alligator in the entire world, and that they live in completely opposite hemispheres? The large American Alligator that we all know has a much smaller cousin, the Chinese Alligator, which grows to lengths of only about 5 ft! They are one of the smallest Crocodilians, and also one of the most rare.

Native only to China, the Chinese Alligator is Critically Endangered. It is estimated that there are only around 130 left in the wild! The severe drop in numbers is due to loss of habitat; the marshes that they live in are being converted to agricultural land. Luckily they have been bred successfully in captivity, and some have even been reintroduced back to the wild!

Chinese Alligators hunt at night and consume molluscs, fish, and other small water-living animals.

One interesting fact about these Alligators is that the female not only guards her 10-40 eggs every year, but she digs them out when they are ready to hatch and actually remains near her children throughout the winter.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

Location : China
Size : Length up to 5ft (1.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Crocodilia
Family : Alligatoridae -- Genus : Alligator -- Species : A. sinensis

Brookesia micra

Juvenile Brookesia micra

While we're on the topic of animals in the news, lets discuss the discovery of the world's smallest chameleon. Scientists recently identified four new members of the Brookesia genus in Madagascar. They were all first spotted between 2003 and 2007. All of them are very small, but B. micra takes the cake.

As adults, these mini Chameleons measure only an inch from snout to tail. And as you can see from that picture, the juveniles are much smaller than that!

Brookesia micra has only been found on the island of Nosy Hara. The small size of the island most likely contributed to the minute size of the animal. Many island species exhibit dwarfism due to limited space and resources.

Because the species is still very new to science, we don't know a whole lot about them. We're not even sure how threatened they are. Habitat loss is typically a big deal for island animals, but the small size of these Chameleon may mean that they are able to live in areas that are inaccessible to humans.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Madagascar
Size : Total Length up to 1.2in (3cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Chamaeleonidae -- Genus : Brookesia -- Species : B. micra

Atlas Tortoise

Colossochelys atlas

In the past we have learned all about the massive prehistoric Sea Turtles that once swam the world's oceans, but we have yet to talk about what is possibly the largest land Turtle ever discovered. This creature is even larger than the Galapagos and Aldabara Tortoises-- it had a shell that could grow nearly 7ft long!

The appropriately named Atlas Tortoise lived during the Miocene and Pleistocene periods, and its fossils have been found in India, Pakistan, and Thailand. There is also speculation that they lived as far west as southern Europe. Like their closest modern relatives, they were slow moving, plant eating herbivores.

The Atlas Tortoise probably looked very similar to the Galapagos Tortoise, just longer, taller (nearly 6ft!), and heavier. Their massive, 1,000kg+ bodies were supported by thick, sturdy legs that could, along with the head, retract into the shell when threatened.

There is some controversy about the classification of this species, and it has gone by many names. When first discovered and named back in 1837, they were called Megalochelys sivalensis. Their current name was bestowed in 1844, but was flip flopped around to both Geochelone atlas and Testudo atlas, before coming back to the Colossochelys genus again. It is still sometimes referred to by all four of those genus names, confusing!

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Status : Extinct since the Pleistocene (around 1 million years)

Location : South Asia
Size : Shell Length up to 7ft (2.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Testudines
Family : Testudinidae -- Genus : †Colossochelys -- Species : † C. atlas

Desert Iguana

Dipsosaurus dorsalis

The name "Iguana" usually brings up images of gigantic green lizards hanging out in rainforests. Today's Iguana is a little bit different, sporting a dry desert habitat and sandy-colored, brown spotted scales. He is the appropriately named Desert Iguana, and he hails from the Southwestern United States.

Desert Iguanas are actually incredibly common throughout their range, and even though temperatures can hit well over 115° F (46° C) they are still most active during the daytime. If temperatures do get exceptionally high they seek out shade. Shady areas include burrows that they build or take over after other animals (like foxes) have abandoned them.

The yellow flowers of the Creosote Bush are their favorite food, but they eat many other plants as well. They will additionally feed on insects here and there, as well as on carrion and on feces pellets (yuck?). They breed from April to May, laying up to 10 eggs at a time. The hatchlings emerge around September.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Southwest United States
Size : Length up to 16in (41cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Iguanidae -- Genus : Dipsosaurus -- Species : D. dorsalis

Eoraptor

Eoraptor lunensis

We've been learning a lot about Dinosaurs recently, though most of those lived in the Cretaceous period, not long before the big extinction event that wiped all the Dinosaurs out. Today's Dinosaur comes from the opposite end of the timeline-- it is one of the earliest known Dinosaurs, and lived nearly 230 million years ago.

Eoraptor ("Dawn Theif"), hailed from the Late Triassic. They were small, only about 3ft long in total, and walked on two legs. Their mouths were filled with teeth that could be used for both carnivorous and herbivorous diets, though their other features suggest that they leaned more towards the meat-eating side. Eoraptor also had long legs that suggest a fast moving gait, and five-fingered hands that had three long, clawed fingers, and two fingers that appear to be too small to be useful.

Eoraptor was first discovered in 1991 in Argentina, and was named in 1993. What is a dry badlands today was once a river valley, and it is in that area that the fossils were found  along with fossils of other early Dinosaurs.

We know that Eoraptor was an early Dinosaur because of the fossil location, and also because of the animal's morphology . They lacked the specialized features that appeared in later Dinosaur groups. Some think that because they are so ancient, and so non-specific in their features, that they aren't quite Dinosaurs at all. And if they are in fact Dinosaurs, as the popular opinion states, there is disagreement about whether or not they are truly Saurischian or Theropod.

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Status : Extinct for 230 million years

Location : Argentina
Size : Length up to 3ft (.9m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- clade : Dinosauria
Genus : †Eoraptor-- Species : †E. lunensis

Dwarf Crocodile

Osteolaemus tetraspis

Meet the smallest living Crocodile, the appropriately named Dwarf Crocodile! These guys top out at lengths of only 5ft, which is pretty minuscule when you compare them to their larger Nile cousins. Those guys can grow to 16ft or more!

Dwarf Crocodiles are found in tropical west and central Africa. They live in ponds, swamps, and marshes, where they are most active during the nighttime hours.

When it comes to their personality and behavior, Dwarf Crocodiles are pretty timid and slow moving, but that doesn't mean they aren't still effective predators! They feed on all sorts of invertebrates and vertebrates alike, and will also consume carrion when available.

Mother Dwarf Crocodiles are very attentive parents. They build mounds out of decaying vegetation, which generate the heat needed to incubate the eggs. She will guard the mound until the eggs hatch, and then watch over her offspring for up to a year, as their small size makes them very vulnerable to predation.

Unfortunately, Dwarf Crocodiles are listed as Vulnerable. They aren't as well studied as their larger cousins, so the exact population status isn't as understood. It appears that hunting and deforestation are contributing to their decline.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Africa
Size : Length up to 5ft (1.5m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Crocodilia
Family : Crocodylidae -- Genus : Osteolaemus -- Species : O. tetraspis

Ampelosaurus

Ampelosaurus atacis

Ampelosaurus is one incredible looking Dinosaur. Not only are they members of the gigantically long Sauropod group, but they also had armor on their backs!

Ampelosaurus wasn't as long, or even as long-necked as some of its Sauropod relatives, but at 50ft in length they were far from tiny. They bony plates on the back are called osteoderms, and they grow from the dermal layers of the skin. Ankylosaurus and Stegosaurus are two other Dinosaurs famous for their Osteoderms.

This Dinosaur is also pretty distinct because its fossils have been found more-or-less complete. Typically, Titanosaurs (the very large sauropods that lived in the Late Cretaceous) have to be reconstructed using only a handful of found remains. Ampelosaurus has provided us with dozens of fossils, including a skeleton that is very close to complete! They are one of the best known Dinosaurs in Europe.

Ampelosaurus ("Vineyard Lizard") lived between 70 and 65 million years ago, at the very end of the Dinosaurs' reign. They stomped around what is now Europe, and most of their fossils have been recovered from the Marnes Rouges Inférieures Formation in France. They were first uncovered near a Vineyard, hence the name's translation.

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Status : Extinct for 70 million years

Location : Europe
Size : Length up to 50ft (15m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Superorder : Dinosauria -- Order : Saurischia
Infraorder : Sauropoda -- Genus : Ampelosaurus -- Species : A. atacis

Savannah Monitor

Varanus exanthematicus

Savannah Monitors are one of the more popular Monitor Lizard species to be kept in captivity. This is due to their small(er) size, docile attitude, and general toleration of handling. (Disclaimer: Don't just go out and buy a 4ft long lizard! Please do your homework, and buy from a responsible source!)

Anyway, in the wild Savannah Monitors can be found in the warm climates of Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the Savannah name, there is a misconception that they are a desert dwelling species, but obviously this is not the case. They are found in grassland regions and are a primarily ground-dwelling species.

Savannah Monitors have two main activities in life-- eating and basking in the sun. They feed on invertebrates, rodents, and smaller reptiles. They themselves are prey for birds, larger reptiles, and humans (who hunt them for skins and meat). The Lizards have pretty decent camouflage, so their main defensive strategy is to stay undetected. But if threatened, they have a strong bite and a powerful lashing tail in their arsenal.

The species is listed as being of Least Concern, but they face many human-related threats. It is estimated that  around 100,000 are exported every single year, either for the pet trade or for leather. For now, studies show that that number may be sustainable, though in some localized areas the population is on a decline.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Sub-Saharan Africa
Size : Length up to 4.5ft (1.4m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Varanidae -- Genus : Varanus -- Species : V. exanthematicus

Golden Tree Snake

Chrysopelea ornata

The Golden Tree Snake is a member of the Chrysopelea genus, which includes five Southeast Asian dwelling species of "Flying Snake." Yes. Flying Snake.

Golden Tree Snakes (and their cousins) have the ability to flatten their ribs, suck in their guts, propel themselves off trees, and glide through the air while undulating their bodies in S-shaped motions. Their gliding motions are unlike the methods used by other gliding critters, like Flying Squirrels, which use symmetrical skin flaps to keep up in the air. The interesting motions made by the snakes have been the subject of countless studies on aerodynamics.

Like all snakes, Golden Tree Snakes are carnivores. They diurnally feed on other snakes, lizards, geckos, and even bird eggs. They aren't particularly large snakes (which is good, because some studies have shown that the larger snakes don't glide as easy), but they can be incredibly aggressive when handled.  Golden Tree Snakes are venomous, but it is not dangerous to humans.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Southeast Asia

Size : Length up to 40in (101cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Colubridae -- Genus : Chrysopelea -- Species : C. ornata

Ringneck Snake

Diadophis punctatus

The Ringneck Snake has a very large range that covers most of the United States, bits of Canada, and stretches of Canada. They live in a huge range of habitats, from forests, to grasslands, to riversides. However, despite their spread and general abundance they are rarely seen, due to a secretive nature and a nocturnal lifestyle.

If you do happen to come across one, you would notice their small size (up to 15in) and their name-sake ringed neck. Most of the subspecies have some variation of this band, and it ranges in color from yellow to red. You also may notice their undersides, as they tend to flip upside down, striking a strange, defensive warning pose when threatened. Though their tops are olive green, brown, or grey, their undersides are vibrantly yellow, orange, or red.

Not so unsurprisingly, Ringneck Snakes have been little observed in the wild. Only around 6 instances of mating have ever been recorded. One might think that to be enough to get a general idea, but the snakes appear to have varied social structures. While the mating act may be similar (female attracts male with pheromones, male bites female on neck), the egg laying and hatching varies. Some of the Ringneck Snakes live alone, while others live in colonies of up to 100. In those larger groups, communal nests are more common, while single snakes nest alone. Only one brood is produced each year, with mating taking place either in spring or fall (delayed fertilization is possible), and hatching occurring in August and September.

It is estimated that Ringneck Snakes have a lifespan of up to 20 years, though the oldest in captivity only made it to 6. They feed on Salamanders, Frogs, and invertebrates, using some constriction to secure their prey, and then injecting it with venom to finish it off.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : North America
Size : Body Length up to 15in (38cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Colubridae -- Genus : Diadophis-- Species : D. punctatus

Bailey's Snake

Thermophis baileyi

Yesterday we learned about a Monkey that lives at a higher altitude than just about any other primate species. Today we'll talk about a snake that has that same distinction within its own family (what can I say, I got really inspired by an episode of Nature.)

Bailey's Snake is a species that is only found around the Chutsen Chugang Hot Spring in Tibet, though they may also be present by a few other nearby springs. The altitude of this area is around 14,300ft (4350m). They live higher up than any other snake species on the planet!

These snakes can be identified by their small size (they only grow to about 2.5ft), olive coloration, a dark stripe down the back, and a lighter underbelly.

Not much is known about the Bailey's Snake, even though they were first discovered and identified in 1907. The species is considered to be Vulnerable. Their home range is very small which makes them susceptible to population decline should anything happen to that area.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Tibet
Size : Body Length up to 30in (76cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Colubridae -- Genus : Thermophis -- Species : T. baileyi

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

The Leopard Tortoise, sometimes also referred to as the African Leopard Tortoise is a large, colorful species of reptile that can be found throughout the grassland and semi-arid regions of the African continent. They also happen to be popular in the pet industry.

What blows my mind about keeping these guys as pets is that they can grow to be over 2ft long! One typically thinks of pet reptiles as living in small little terrariums, but not these Tortoises! They are actually best kept in large outdoor pens in very warm, dry areas. And have I mentioned that they can live more than 50 years? That is a lifetime pet commitment right there!

While we're discussing size, I should also note that these are the fourth largest Tortoises in the entire world, and can weigh more than 50lbs. Surprisingly, even with all that weight, Leopard Tortoises are pretty good at getting around. They have small claws on their front feet that give them good maneuverability over bumpy terrain, and young Tortoises have even been observed making vertical climbs!

Leopard Tortoises are not listed by the IUCN, but pet industry demands have affected their wild numbers in some areas. It has been illegal to import them into the United States since 2000, which is definitely a good thing. Wild-caught Leopard Tortoises do not adjust well in captivity, carry several different parasites, and those that live often need a substantial amount of rehabilitation. Thankfully there are now captive breeders to supply those who feel that a giant long-lived Tortoise is the right pet for them.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Africa
Size : Body length around 18in (45cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Testudines
Family : Testudinidae -- Genus : Stigmochelys-- Species : S. pardalis

Amphicoelias fragilis

We all know that the Blue Whale is the longest (and largest) living vertebrate. But is it the longest one to have ever lived? What about Dinosaurs? And what are "The Bone Wars?" Time for a story!

The year is 1877, the place- Colorado. Two paleontologists, Othniel C. Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope, had been embroiled in a paleontological battle of one-up-manship for nearly a decade. These "Bone Wars" stem back to 1868 when Marsh publicly humiliated Cope for reconstructing an Elasmosaurus incorrectly. The battle then intensified when Marsh tossed scientific decorum to the wind and bribed excavators to exclusively send him fossils from a site in New Jersey.

These underhanded actions went on well into the 1890s, as both men resorted to theft, bribery, and destruction of property in attempts to come out on top. They also strove to ruin the other's credibility and get their funding cut off. In the end, both men were ruined financially, and gave American Paleontology some pretty bad PR in the eyes of their European counterparts.

Cope's A. fragilis vertebrae drawing

However, the competition was pretty good for discovery, as they did end up identifying almost 140 new species of Dinosaur in the process. (If you  had to pick a winner, it would probably be Marsh. In the end he simply had more money and was able to hire larger crews, thus enabling him to discover 80 new species, compared to Cope's 56) These two rivals were responsible for the discovery of some of the most famous Dinosaur types. Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Diplodocus were all finds that can be attributed to the Bone Wars.

But.... they were also responsible for some pretty big screw ups. The whole Brontosaurus/Apatosaurus confusion? Marsh. And what about today's animal? Amphicoelias fragilis? That one is all Cope.

You see, back in 1877 there were some huge digs going on in the American west. Rich fossil sites with dozens of undiscovered species were being fought over by the two men. During this time an absolutely massive vertebrae was uncovered, measuring 5 feet by 9 feet. A creature would have had to measure nearly 200ft long in order to have a bone that size! That would make this Sauropod the longest vertebrate to have ever lived!

...But Cope screwed up somewhere. Because the bone was lost not long after it's uncovering. The only evidence we have are notes and drawings made by Cope. Did he exaggerate? Was there a clerical error? No one really knows, and so Amphicoelias fragilis remains an asterisk on the "Longest-Creatures" list, pending additional fossil evidence.

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Status : Extinct
Location : United States
Size : Length up to 200ft? (61m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Saurischia
Superfamily : †Diplodocoidea -- Genus : †Amphicoelias -- Species : A fragilis