Paleo Bites

(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrewsarchus)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Stephen Curro discuss Andrewsarchus, an enormous mammal that's gone through a lot of taxonomical shenanigans lately. From the Late Eocene, this 12-foot artiodactyl was once thought to be a giant dog-like predator with hooves, which is weird, but it turned out to be more a giant pig-like scavenger with hooves, which is less weird. Sometimes nature makes sense.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/830280881294883148/ by Jonathan Kuo)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host (and Matthew's nephew!) Jacob Poloskey discuss Pyroraptor, one of the first raptors known from Europe who also aided the titan Prometheus if its name is any indication. From the Late Cretaceous, this 5-foot dromaeosaurid shares its etymology with pyromaniac, which is cool I guess. Where's the Nymphoraptor or Kleptoraptor then? Wait, kleptomaniacs steal stuff, and raptor means "thief," so would Kleptoraptor mean "thief thief?" Huh, I forgot what I was talking about.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://prehistopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Colepiocephale)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Laura Owsley discuss Colepiocephale, a dinosaur with an adorably G-rated insult in its genus because paleontologists are wholesome that way. From the Late Cretaceous, this 3-foot pachycephalosaur is probably just a few years away from Jack Horner declaring it a baby Pachycephalosaurus, therefore invalidating the Knuckle Head, the Dragon King of Hogwarts, and the Demon of River Styx all in one swoop. What a legacy, Horner. Nah, you've done good work.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Pliosaurus)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Pliosaurus, a creature that garnered the nickname "Predator X" at one point because "Megabadassaurus" wasn't tryhard enough. From the Late Jurassic, this 40-foot short-necked plesiosaur actually literally means "More Lizard," perhaps due to it looking more like a lizard than Plesiosaurus, but I'm titling this episode after its cooler nickname because it will attract more listeners that way. We're nothing if not transparent here at Paleo Bites.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://dinosaurpictures.org/Medusaceratops-pictures)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Medusaceratops, the dinosaur without snake hair or a petrifying gaze but with slightly droopy frill horns and that justifies its name I guess. From the Late Cretaceous, this 20-foot centrosaurine ceratopsid also has the species name lokii, because why have one mythological reference in your scientific name when you can have two? Take that, Sauroposeidon proteles!

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://www.scified.com/topic/49417)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Stephen Curro discuss Allosaurus, the most common predator of its day and a real piece of work too. From the Late Jurassic, this 35-foot theropod is quite cool but always seems to get overshadowed by T. rex. At least it's on top in Jurassic times! Unless you think Saurophaganax was a separate genus. Which I do. So sorry, Allosaurus.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://dinosaurpictures.org/Bambiraptor-pictures)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Laura Owsley discuss Bambiraptor, the most adorable member of a family of ruthless cold-blooded monsters. From the Late Cretaceous, this 3-foot dromaeosaur theropod was small enough and had developed enough wing feathers that it might have been capable of flight. Because flying raptors are exactly what we needed. Imagine how much scarier Jurassic Park would be if those raptors flew!

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://dinosaurpictures.org/Masiakasaurus-pictures)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Ben O'Regan discuss Masiakasaurus, a serious contender for the dinosaur with the worst teeth. From the Late Cretaceous, this 14-foot noasaurid might have used its teeth for catching fish, small reptiles, and some have even suggested fruit. Because that kind of mouth is what I think of when I think frugivore. Maybe I'll take this guy to the smoothie shop with me on my next trip. Just kidding; I don't go to smoothie shops.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muttaburrasaurus by NobuTamura)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Muttaburrasaurus, a relative of Iguanodon from Australia before everything there was trying to kill you. From the Early Cretaceous, this 25-foot rhabdodontid may have migrated to Antarctica in the summer, because the two continents were linked back in Mesozoic times. The calm coldness of Antarctica balanced out the dangerous heat of the Outback. How romantic. They really should still be together; I wonder why it didn't work out?

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

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(image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/706009679067998263/)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Shastasaurus, the biggest marine reptile and biggest non-whale animal of all time; jeez, who are you trying to impress? From the Late Triassic, this 70-foot ichthyosaur goes back and forth in being classified as either its own genus or a subspecies of Shonisaurus, but for now it's its own genus, until paleontologists get drunk and write a paper changing it again.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/MatthewDonald. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here, or its final installment "Megazoic: An Era's End" by clicking here. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.