Paleo Bites

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

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Laura Owsley discuss Lystrosaurus, a derpy-looking thing that survived the biggest extinction of all time and at one point made up over half (!) of all life on Earth. From the Late Permian to the Early Triassic, this 4-foot synapsid was without doubt one of the most underrated badasses of all paleontology, which is really saying something, because look at this thing. It's so ugly. What is the secret to your power, Lystrosaurus?! 

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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/Plesiosaurus)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Eilert discuss Plesiosaurus, the famous four-flippered fellow that may or may not have surviving populations in a certain Scottish lake. From the Early Jurassic, this 12-foot sauropterygid had a unique method of swimming unseen in any modern creature. Unless, of course, the Scotland thing is true. Which it isn't. Or is it?! Nah, it isn't.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-11/28/c_138590619.htm)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Xunmenglong, a tiny dinosaur from China and the last of our Paleo Bites X-Series. From the Early Cretaceous, this 1.5-foot compsognathid is not to be confused with the similarly-named Yunmenglong, a big longneck dinosaur from a similar time and place. That's just one letter away! Like, the next letter down alphabetically. Eh, whatever.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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://cooldinofacts.fandom.com/wiki/Xenoposeidon)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Xenoposeidon for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a longneck that has bar none the coolest name of any dinosaur. From the Early Cretaceous, this 50-foot rebbachisaurid had its fossils first discovered in the late nineteenth century but it wasn't officially described until 2007! And I thought my procrastinating was bad.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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.careerride.com/mchoice/fossil-remains-of-xibalbaonyx-oviceps-a-prehistoric-giant-sloth-found-30773.aspx)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Xibalbaonyx for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a ground sloth first uncovered from an underwater cave in Mexico, which is pretty neat. From the Late Pleistocene, this 11-foot megalonychid was part of a group of sloths that island hopped all the way to North America even before it collided with its ancestral South America. Makes sense, as since they're sloths, the only way they could beat other animals anywhere is by cheating. 

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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://images.dinosaurpictures.org/xuanhanosaurus_01_698f.jpg)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Eilert discuss Xuanhanosaurus for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a fierce predator from China that looks really cool when written out. From the Mid Jurassic period, this 16-foot metriacanthosaurid was briefly thought to be the only four-legged theropod in the fossil record, but that theory didn't last long because two-legged is way cooler and nature is all about being cool.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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.fossilera.com/pages/xiphactinus-terror-of-the-inland-seaway)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Xiphactinus for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a big and ugly fish that lived alongside mosasaurs. From the Late Cretaceous, this 21-foot predator is probably most famous for its "fish-within-a-fish" fossil, with a fish nearly half its size in its stomach. Not something I'd want to be known for, personally. I'm self-conscious enough about my diet as it is.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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/Xenosmilus)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Franklin discuss Xenosmilus, the first in our X-Series on Paleo Bites where we rate creatures whose genus names begin with X. From the Late Pleistocene, this 6-foot saber-toothed cat prowled the jungles of southern USA with a pack of flying saucers at its back. Hey, it's called "alien knife," right? Give me this one.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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/Amphicyon)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Laura Owsley discuss Amphicyon, an ancestor of both bears and dogs but more dog than bear, hence the nickname "bear-dog." From the Miocene epoch, this 8-foot carnivore was probably a really good boy and would make an excellent pet. Just think of how big his doghouse would be! Who's a good boy? Yes, you are, Amphicyon!

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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.allisleaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Untitled-8.png)

Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Prototaxites, a funny-looking organism that formed forests before there were trees. From the Silurian period, this 26-foot-tall fungus was the subject of a great debate between two paleontologists trying to one-up each other about classifying it. You could almost say they were trying to see whose... Prototaxites was bigger? Yeah, that works.

Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus content here. 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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