The Kyzylkum Desert is the 15th largest desert in the world. Its name means Red Sand in Turkic languages. It is located in Central Asia, in the land between the confluent rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya, a region historically known as Transoxania. Today it is divided between Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It covers about 298,000 km2 (115,000 sq mi).
Plutoniosaurus is an extinct genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur of uncertain validity from the Early Cretaceous of the vicinity of Ulyanovsk, European Russia.
Peipehsuchus is an extinct genus of metriorhynchoid crocodyliform from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian). The type species, P. teleorhinus, is known from China and fragmentary remains were found in the Callovian of Kyrgyzstan. The type specimen is known only by a fragmentary rostrum and teeth, and was originally believed to be a teleosaurid. A complete teleosaurid skull was referred to Peipehsuchus, however, the type specimen of Peipehsuchus has since been determined to be a metriorhynchoid and so the skull cannot belong to it.
Gobiderma is an extinct genus of Late Cretaceous lizard whose fossils are known from the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia. It was first discovered as a result of a joint Polish-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition, and formally named in 1984. In life, it probably resembled lizards of the genus Heloderma to a large degree, though its skull was more elongated than lizards of that genus.
Georgiasaurus is an extinct genus of plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Russia. Otschev originally named the specimen Georgia, but that name was preoccupied. Originally a complete skeleton, the specimen was damaged in preparation of the quarry stone.
Zholsuchus is a genus of crocodyliform that may have been a goniopholidid mesoeucrocodylian, but is only known from scanty material. This specimen was found in the Coniacian-age Upper Cretaceous Bissekty Formation of Dzharakhuduk, Uzbekistan. Zholsuchus was described in 1989 by Lev Nesov and colleagues. The type species is Z. procevus.
Kansajsuchus is an extinct genus of paralligatorid mesoeucrocodylian. It is based on PIN 2399/301, a right premaxilla, one of the bones of the tip of the snout. This specimen was found in rocks of the lower Santonian-age Upper Cretaceous Yalovach Svita of Kansai, in the Fergana Basin of Tajikistan. Additional fossils including vertebrae and bony armor have been assigned to this genus. It would have been a large animal, estimated at between 5–7 metres (16–23 ft) long. Kansajsuchus was described in 1975 by Mikhail Efimov. The type species is Kansajsuchus extensus.
Zhyrasuchus is an extinct monospecific genus of crocodylomorph that may have been a crocodylid eusuchian, but is only known from scanty material including a frontal. Its fossils were found in the Coniacian-age Upper Cretaceous Bissekty Formation of Dzharakhuduk, Uzbekistan. Zhyrasuchus was described in 1989 by Lev Nesov and colleagues. The type species is Z. angustifrons. A 2000 review by Glenn Storrs and Mikhail Efimov could not determine how Zhyrasuchus and the contemporaneous Tadzhikosuchus were related, or even if they were synonyms, due to the poor fossils available.
Tadzhikosuchus is an extinct genus of neosuchian crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Tajikistan. Three species have been named: the type species T. macrodentis, described by Efimov in 1982 from the lower Santonian-age Upper Cretaceous Ialovachsk Formation of Kansai, Tajikistan, in the Fergana Basin of Tajikistan; T. neutralis from the same location, by Efimov in 1988; and T. kizylkumensis from Turonian-age rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Bissekty Formation of Dzharakhuduk, Uzbekistan, by Nesov and colleagues in 1989. However, a 2000 review by Glenn Storrs and Mikhail Efimov could not differentiate between the species based on their type material, and recommended grouping the specimens of all three species under T. macrodentis. They also could not determine how Tadzhikosuchus and the contemporaneous Zhyrasuchus were related, or even if they were synonyms, due to the poor fossils available. The name of Tadzhikosuchus is derived from the Russian spelling of Tajikistan.
Nominosuchus is a genus of protosuchian-grade crocodylomorph. It is known from several specimens discovered in ancient lake deposits of the Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Tsagaantsav Formation, southwestern Mongolia. The type specimen is PIN 4174/4, a partial skull. Nominosuchus was not large; its skull length is estimated at 60 millimetres (2.4 in). It was similar to Shartegosuchus, and is assigned to the same family (Shartegosuchidae). Nominosuchus was described in 1996 by Mikhail Efimov, and the type species is N. matutinus.
Shartegosuchus is a genus of protosuchian-grade crocodylomorph. It is known primarily from PIN 4174/2, the partial deformed skull and jaws of a juvenile. This specimen was discovered in ancient lake deposits of the Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Tsagaantsav Formation, southwestern Mongolia. The estimated length of the holotype skull is 40 millimetres (1.6 in). This genus was similar to Nominosuchus, and both are assigned to the same family (Shartegosuchidae). Shartegosuchus was described in 1988 by Mikhail Efimov, and the type species is S. asperopalatum.
Turanosuchus is an extinct genus of paralligatorid crocodyliform. It is based on PIN 2229/507, a partial lower jaw consisting of the area where the two halves of the lower jaw meet. This specimen was found in rocks of the lower Santonian-age Upper Cretaceous Bostobe Svita of Shakh-Shakh, southern Kazakhstan. Turanosuchus was described in 1988 by Mikhail Efimov. The type species is T. aralensis. Halliday et al. (2015) revised the material attributed to T. aralensis and concluded that it represents non-diagnostic neosuchian material, and as such the genus was considered to be a nomen dubium.
Karatausuchus is an extinct genus of atoposaurid crocodylomorph. It is known from a single specimen discovered in the Late Jurassic Karabastau Svita from the vicinity of Mikhailovka in the Karatau Mountains of southern Kazakhstan. The type specimen is PIN 25858/1, a complete but poorly preserved juvenile skeleton with some possible soft tissue preservation. It is notable for having over 90 teeth, but its other anatomical details are difficult to discern. The length of this individual is estimated at 160 millimetres (6.3 in). Karatausuchus was described in 1976 by Mikhail Efimov, and the type species is K. sharovi.
The Bissekty Formation is a geologic formation and Lagerstätte which crops out in the Kyzyl Kum desert of Uzbekistan, and dates to the Late Cretaceous Period. Laid down in the mid to late Turonian, it is dated to about 92 to 90 Ma.
Patagopterygiformes is an extinct group of large terrestrial ornithuromorphs from the Late Cretaceous of South America. It contains at most three genera: Patagopteryx, Alamitornis and possibly Kuszholia.
The Ialovachsk or Yalovach Formation is a geologic formation in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan dating to the Santonian age of the Cretaceous period.
Paralligator is an extinct genus of neosuchian crocodylomorph that lived during the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Maastrichtian) period in what is now the Bayan Shireh and Nemegt formations of Mongolia, approximately 96 million to 70 million years ago. P. gradilifrons reached up to 4 m (13 ft) in length.
Irenosaurus is a genus of choristodere, a type of amphibious reptile. It is known from a single fragmentary postcranial skeleton (PIN 3386/2), discovered in the Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Hühteeg Formation at Hüren Dukh, central Mongolia. The type species is I. egloni, which was originally described as a new species of the related choristodere Tchoiria in 1983 by Efimov. Efimov transferred the species to the new genus Irenosaurus in 1988. Evans and Hecht (1993) questioned the separation of the taxon from Tchoiria namsarai from the same locality on the grounds that the differences between the two may not have been greater than those of various species of the choristodere Champsosaurus. A later review by Efimov and Storrs (2000) retained the two as separate, noting that some characteristics of Irenosaurus are more like Khurendukhosaurus, also known from the same site, at the same time recognizing the difficulties of distinguishing three genera from the same locality. Irenosaurus was a small choristodere, approximately 1 to 1.5 metres long. It is known from what are interpreted as lake deposits.
Khurendukhosaurus is a genus of choristodere, a type of amphibious reptile. It is known from Lower Cretaceous rocks of Mongolia and Russia. Two species have been named. The type species, K. orlovi, was named in 1984 by Sigogneau–Russell and Efimov for the fragmentary postcranial skeleton PIN 3386/3. This specimen was discovered in the Albian-age Lower Cretaceous Khuren Dukh Formation Formation at Hüren Dukh, central Mongolia. The lake deposits at this site also contain fossils of the choristoderes Irenosaurus and Tchoiria. Other postcranial bones of K. orlovi have been found at this site as well.
Shartegosuchidae is an extinct family of Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous crocodylomorphs. The family is named after the Late Jurassic Shar Teeg Beds in southwestern Mongolia, from which most shartegosuchid remains have been found. Five genera are currently assigned to Shartegosuchidae: Shartegosuchus, Nominosuchus, Kyasuchus, Adzhosuchus, and Fruitachampsa. Shartegosuchus, Nominosuchus, and Adzhosuchus all come from Shar Teeg, while Kyasuchus is known from the Early Cretaceous of Russia. Fruitachampsa is known from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation of the western United States.
