PORTAL:PALEONTOLOGY DYK 15

Fossil Leurospondylus vertebrae.

... that Leurospondylus ultimus was so named as it was originally thought to be the last occurrence of a plesiosaur?
... that the leaves of two species of the fossil plant genus Banksieaeformis resemble those of the living Banksia serrata?
... that the extinct Actinidia oregonensis was the first kiwi relative described from North America?
... that the extinct rove beetle genus Ektatotricha is known from 15 beetles trapped in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar?
... that UA 8699, a broken molar from the Cretaceous of Madagascar, may be the only Mesozoic marsupial from the southern continents?

... that the wasp Deinodryinus velteni (pictured) is one of only three Deinodryinus species described from the fossil record?
... that the extinct snakefly genera Lebanoraphidia and Iberoraphidia are both named for the regions they were found in?
... that Canadian paleontologist Scott D. Sampson hosted the four episode nature documentary series Dinosaur Planet for the Discovery Channel in 2003?
...that the type specimen of Dromicosuchus had damage to its jaw and neck that may have been inflicted by the teeth of the large carnivore it was found underneath?
... that unlike living rorqual whales, the late Miocene genus Plesiobalaenoptera was probably not capable of ram feeding?

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