?Dinosaurs Fossil range: Triassic – Cretaceous (except avian)
Replica of Tyrannosaurus rex at the Senckenberg Museum.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Subclass: Diapsida Infraclass: Archosauromorpha (unranked) Archosauria (unranked) Ornithodira Superorder: Dinosauria * Owen, 1842
Orders & Suborders
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Theropoda Ornithischia Thyreophora Ornithopoda Marginocephalia

Dinosaurs were vertebrate animals that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. At the end of the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago, dinosaurs suffered a catastrophic extinction, which ended their dominance on land. Taxonomists consider modern birds to be the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs. The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 245 to 202 Ma (million years ago). ... The Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period, about 146 million years ago (Ma), to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Saurier2. ... Binomial name Tyrannosaurus rex Osborn, 1905 Tyrannosaurus rex (ty-RAN-o-sawr-us) meaning king tyrant lizard because of its size and large teeth and claws (Greek tyrannos = tyrant + sauros = lizard; Latin rex = king), also known colloquially as T. rex and The King of the Dinosaurs, was a giant carnivorous... T. Rex The Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt is the largest museum of natural history in Germany. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Clades Subclass Anapsida Subclass Diapsida Infraclass Lepidosauromorpha Infraclass Archosauromorpha Sauropsids are a diverse group of mostly egg-laying vertebrate animals. ... Groups See Text Diapsids (two arches) are a group of tetrapod animals that developed two holes (temporal fenestra) in each side of their skulls, about 300 million years ago during the late Carboniferous period. ... Groups Order Rhynchosauria Order Trilophosauria Order Prolacertiformes Plesion     Archosauriformes Division        Archosauria Archosauromorpha (Greek for ruling reptiles form) are a diverse group or Infraclass of diapsid reptiles that first appeared during the late Permian, but only became common during the Triassic. ... Groups Pterosauria Crocodylia (crocodiles) Dinosauria    Aves (birds) Archosaurs (Greek for ruling reptiles) are a group of diapsid reptiles that first appeared during the late Permian (roughly 250 million years ago). ... Superorders Dinosauromorpha    Lagosuchians    Dinosauria Pterosauromorpha    Pterosauria    Scleromochlus    Sharovipteryx Ornithodira is a division of the Archosauromorpha (and perhaps Archosauria) clade. ... In phylogenetics, a grouping of organisms is said to be paraphyletic (Greek para = near and phyle = race) if all the members of the group have a common ancestor, but the group does not include all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor of all group members. ... Sir Richard Owen and Dinornis bird skeleton Sir Richard Owen KCB (July 20, 1804–December 18, 1892) was an English biologist, comparative anatomist and palaeontologist. ... Groups Sauropodomorpha    Saturnalia    Prosauropoda    Sauropoda Theropoda    Eoraptor    Herrerasauridae    Ceratosauria    Tetanurae       Aves(extant) Saurischians (from the Greek Saurischia meaning lizard hip) are one of the two orders/branches of dinosaurs. ... Groups Saturnalia Prosauropoda Sauropoda The Sauropodomorpha were a group of long-necked, herbivorous dinosaurs that eventually dropped down on all fours and became the largest animals that ever the walked the earth. ... Subdivisions ?Eoraptor Herrerasauria Coelophysoidea Ceratosauria Cryolophosaurus Spinosauridae Carnosauria Coelurosauria Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs. ... Suborders Thyreophora Cerapoda    Ornithopoda    Marginocephalia Ornithischia is an order of beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs. ... Subclades Ankylosauria Stegosauria Scelidosauridae The Thyreophora (Shield Bearers) were the group of armored plant-eating dinosaurs, living from the early Jurassic until the end of the Cretaceous. ... Clades ?Heterodontosauridae Hypsilophodontia Iguanodontia    Hadrosauridae Ornithopods (or-nith-oh-PODS) are a group of ornithischian dinosaurs who started out as small, cursorial grazers, and grew in size and numbers until they became one of the most successful Cretaceous herbivores in the world, and totally dominated the North American landscape. ... Suborders Pachycephalosauria Ceratopia Marginocephalia is a group of ornithischian dinosaurs that includes the thick-skulled pachycephalosaurids, and horned ceratopsians. ... Classes and Clades Vertebrata is a subphylum of chordates, specifically, those with backbones or spinal columns. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... A landform comprises a geomorphological unit. ... In ecology, an ecosystem is a combination of all the living and non-living elements of an area. ... Mega-annum, usually abbreviated as Ma, is a unit of time equal to one million years. ... The Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period, about 146 million years ago (Ma), to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65. ... A geologic period is a subdivision of geologic time that divides Eras into smaller timeframes. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of taxa. ... Taxonomy (from Greek verb tassein = to classify and nomos = law, science, cf economy) may refer to: the science of classifying living things (see alpha taxonomy) a system of classification in some other field Taxonomy was once only the science of classifying living organisms, but later the word was applied in...

Since the first dinosaur was recognized in the 19th century, mounted, fossilized dinosaur skeletons have become major attractions at museums around the world. Dinosaurs have become a part of world culture and remain consistently popular, especially among children. They have been featured in best-selling books and films such as Jurassic Park, and new discoveries are regularly covered by the media. The National Gallery in London, a famous museum. ... Jurassic Park is a novel written by Michael Crichton and published in 1990. ...

The term dinosaur is sometimes used informally to describe other prehistoric reptiles, such as the pelycosaur Dimetrodon, the winged pterosaurs and the aquatic ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs, although technically none of these were dinosaurs. The pelycosaurs were smallish to large (upto 3 meters or more) primitive Late Paleozoic synapsid reptiles. ... Dimetrodon () was a predatory synapsid (mammal-like reptile) genus that flourished during the Permian period, living between 280 and 260 million years ago. ... Suborders Rhamphorhynchoidea Pterodactyloidea Pterosaurs (, winged lizards, often referred to as pterodactyls, ) were flying reptiles of the clade Pterosauria. ... Taxonomy See text Ichthyosaurs (Greek for fish lizard - ιχθυς meaning fish and σαυρος meaning lizard) were giant marine reptiles that resembled fish and dolphins. ... Families Plesiosaurs (IPA ) (Greek: plesios, near to + sauros, lizard) were large, carnivorous aquatic reptiles. ... Subfamilies Mosasaurinae Plioplatecarpinae Tylosaurinae Mosasaurs (from Latin Mosa, the Meuse river where the fossils were first discovered + Greek sauros, lizard) were serpentine marine reptiles, more closely related to snakes than to monitor lizards (Lee 1997). ...

What is a dinosaur?

Definition

Triceratops skeleton at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

The taxon Dinosauria was formally named by the English palaeontologist Richard Owen in 1842 as "a distinct tribe or suborder of Saurian reptiles".^[1] The term is derived from the Greek words δεινός (deinos meaning "terrible", "fearsome" or "formidable") and σαύρα (saura meaning "lizard" or "reptile"). Owen chose it to express his awe at the size and majesty of the extinct animals, not out of fear or trepidation at their size and often-formidable arsenal of teeth and claws. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1637x1536, 1811 KB) Triceratops skeleton at the Smithsonian museum of Natural History File links The following pages link to this file: Triceratops ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1637x1536, 1811 KB) Triceratops skeleton at the Smithsonian museum of Natural History File links The following pages link to this file: Triceratops ... Species See text. ... In biology, the skeleton or skeletal system is the biological system providing physical support in living organisms. ... The Smithsonian Institution Building or Castle on the National Mall serves as the Institutions headquarters. ... The museum as seen from the National Mall, the Old Post Office Building visible in the distance National Mall museum entrance The National Museum of Natural History is a museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The museums collections total over... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... The English are an ethnic group or nation associated with England and the English language. ... A paleontologist carefully chips rock from a column of dinosaur vertebrae. ... Sir Richard Owen and Dinornis bird skeleton Sir Richard Owen KCB (July 20, 1804–December 18, 1892) was an English biologist, comparative anatomist and palaeontologist. ...

Dinosaurs were an extremely varied group of animals; according to a 2006 study, 527 dinosaur species have been identified so far, and 1,844 species are believed to have existed.^[2][3] Some were herbivorous, others carnivorous. Some dinosaurs were bipeds, some were quadrupeds and others, such as Ammosaurus and Iguanodon, could walk just as easily on two or four legs. Regardless of body type, nearly all known dinosaurs were well-adapted for a predominantly terrestrial, rather than aquatic or aerial, habitat. A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage In zoology, an herbivore is an animal that is adapted to eat primarily plant matter (rather than meat). ... The lion is a well-known, truly carnivorous member of the order Carnivora. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Zebra is an example of a quadruped. ... Binomial name Ammosaurus solus Marsh, 1891 Ammosaurus (AM-o-sawr-us) meaning lizard of the sand, because it was found in sandstone (Greek ammos = sand + sauros = lizard) has been identified by four incomplete skeletons found in United States and Canada regions. ... Species (neotype) (holotype) Iguanodon is a genus of ornithopod dinosaurs. ...

Dinosaur synapomorphies Shared characteristics that define a cladistic grouping. ...

All dinosaurs so far discovered share certain modifications to the ancestral archosaurian skeleton. Although some later groups of dinosaurs featured further modified versions of these traits, they are considered typical across Dinosauria; the earliest dinosaurs had them and passed them on to all their descendants. Such common structures across a taxonomic group are called synapomorphies.-1...

Dinosaur synapomorphies include: reduced fourth and fifth digits on the manus (hand), reduced number of digits on the pes (foot) to three main toes, a sacrum (the region of the vertebral column to which the pelvis attaches, composed of three or more fused vertebrae) and an open or perforate acetabulum (hip socket) with a hole its centre. Dinosaurs are unique among all tetrapods in having this perforate acetabulum. Categories: Anatomy stubs | Skeletal system ... Groups See text. ...

Other shared anatomical features

Scientists generally agree that a variety of other anatomical features were shared by most dinosaurs. These include forelimbs shorter and lighter than hind limbs, an unusual secondary palate that permitted dinosaurs to eat and breathe simultaneously, a relatively straight femur with medially-directed femoral head, two pairs of holes in the temporal region of the skull (i.e. a diapsid skull), rearward-pointing elbows in the front limbs and forward-pointing knees in the hind limbs. Groups See Text Diapsids (two arches) are a group of tetrapod animals that developed two holes (temporal fenestra) in each side of their skulls, about 300 million years ago during the late Carboniferous period. ...

The hip joint arrangement described above allowed an erect stance, in which hind limbs were situated directly beneath the body or 'underslung'. This stance is like that of most mammals today but unlike that of other reptiles, which have a less erect posture and limbs splayed out to either side. The vertical action of the limbs in dinosaurs allowed for more efficient and faster locomotion, compared to the clumsier and slower movement of other 'sprawled' reptiles. It also allowed many types of dinosaurs to become bipedal.

Stegosaurus skeleton at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Taxonomic definition Image File history File linksMetadata Stegosaurus_Struct. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Stegosaurus_Struct. ... Species (type) Armor included large plates along the back, chainmail-like armor covering the throat, and four to eight spikes on the tail, depending on species. ... The American Museum of Natural History is a landmark of Manhattans Upper West Side in New York, USA, at 79th Street and Central Park West. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ...

Under phylogenetic taxonomy, dinosaurs are defined as all descendants of the most recent common ancestor of Triceratops and modern birds. They are divided into Ornithischia (bird-hipped) and Saurischia (lizard-hipped), depending upon pelvic structure. Ornithischian dinosaurs had a four-pronged pelvic configuration, incorporating a caudally-directed (rear-pointing) pubis bone with (most commonly) a forward-pointing process. By contrast, the pelvic structure of saurischian dinosaurs was three-pronged, and featured a pubis bone directed cranially, or forwards, only. Ornithischia includes all taxa sharing a more recent common ancestor with Triceratops than with Saurischia, while Saurischia includes those taxa sharing a more recent common ancestor with birds than with Ornithischia. It has also been suggested that Dinosauria be defined as all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor of Megalosaurus and Iguanodon. In biology, phylogenetics (Greek: phylon = tribe, race and genetikos = relative to birth, from genesis = birth) is the study of evolutionary relatedness among various groups of organisms (e. ... Species See text. ... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... Suborders Thyreophora Cerapoda    Ornithopoda    Marginocephalia Ornithischia is an order of beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs. ... Groups Sauropodomorpha    Saturnalia    Prosauropoda    Sauropoda Theropoda    Eoraptor    Herrerasauridae    Ceratosauria    Tetanurae       Aves(extant) Saurischians (from the Greek Saurischia meaning lizard hip) are one of the two orders/branches of dinosaurs. ... Human male pelvis, viewed from front Human female pelvis, viewed from front The pelvis is the bony structure located at the base of the spine (properly known as the caudal end). ... A man and a woman in the Pioneer plaque. ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... Species Mantell, 1827 Waldmann, 1974 Megalosaurus (Great Lizard, from Greek, μεγαλο-/megalo- meaning big, tall or great and σαυρος/sauros meaning lizard) was a genus of large meat-eating therapod dinosaurs of the Jurassic Period of what is now southern England. ... Species (neotype) (holotype) Iguanodon is a genus of ornithopod dinosaurs. ...

There is an almost universal consensus among paleontologists that birds are the descendants of theropod dinosaurs. Using the strict cladistical definition that all descendants of a single common ancestor are related, modern birds are dinosaurs and dinosaurs are, therefore, not extinct. Modern birds are classified by most paleontologists as belonging to the subgroup Maniraptora, which are coelurosaurs, which are theropods, which are saurischians, which are dinosaurs. Orders Many - see section below. ... Subdivisions ?Eoraptor Herrerasauria Coelophysoidea Ceratosauria Cryolophosaurus Spinosauridae Carnosauria Coelurosauria Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs. ... This cladogram shows the relationship among various insect groups. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... Subgroups Alvarezsauria Aves Deinonychosauria Oviraptorosauria Therizinosauria Maniraptora is a group used in biological classification to cover the birds and the dinosaurs that were related to them. ... Subclades Nqwebasaurus Proceratosaurus Tyrannoraptora ?Coeluridae ?Compsognathidae Tyrannosauroidea Maniraptoriformes [incertae sedis] Alvarezsauridae Maniraptora Ornithomimosauria Coelurosauria is a group of theropod dinosaurs that includes the subgroups Tyrannosauridae, Ornithomimidae, and Maniraptora. ... Subdivisions ?Eoraptor Herrerasauria Coelophysoidea Ceratosauria Cryolophosaurus Spinosauridae Carnosauria Coelurosauria Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs. ... Groups Sauropodomorpha    Saturnalia    Prosauropoda    Sauropoda Theropoda    Eoraptor    Herrerasauridae    Ceratosauria    Tetanurae       Aves(extant) Saurischians (from the Greek Saurischia meaning lizard hip) are one of the two orders/branches of dinosaurs. ...

However, referring to birds as 'avian dinosaurs' and to all other dinosaurs as 'non-avian dinosaurs' is cumbersome. Birds are still referred to as birds, at least in popular usage and among ornithologists. It is also technically correct to refer to birds as a distinct group under the older Linnaean classification system, which accepts paraphyletic taxa that exclude some descendants of a single common ancestor. Paleontologists mostly use cladistics, which classifies birds as dinosaurs, but some biologists of the older generation do not. Ornithology (from the Greek ornitha = chicken and logos = word/science) is the branch of biology concerned with the scientific study of birds. ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Paraphyletic - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... This cladogram shows the relationship among various insect groups. ...

For clarity, this article will use 'dinosaur' as a synonym for 'non-avian dinosaur', and 'bird' as a synonym for 'avian dinosaur' (meaning any animal that evolved from the common ancestor of Archaeopteryx and modern birds). The term 'non-avian dinosaur' will be used for emphasis as needed. It should be noted that this article's definition of 'bird' differs from the definition common in everyday language; to most non-scientists, a 'bird' is simply a two-legged animal with wings and feathers. Binomial name Archaeopteryx lithographica Meyer, 1861 Synonyms see text Archaeopteryx (pronounced )(Greek archaio = ancient + pteryx = wing)), from the Late Jurassic of Germany, is the earliest and most primitive known bird. ...

Size

While the evidence is incomplete, it is clear that, as a group, dinosaurs were large. Even by dinosaur standards, the sauropods were gigantic. For much of the dinosaur era, the smallest sauropods were larger than anything else in their habitat, and the largest were an order of magnitude more massive than anything else that has since walked the Earth. Giant prehistoric mammals such as the Indricotherium and the Columbian mammoth were dwarfed by the giant sauropods, and only a handful of modern aquatic animals approach them in size — most notably the blue whale, which reaches up to 190,000 kg (209 tons) and 33.5 m (110 ft) in length. Families Brachiosauridae Camarasauridae Cetiosauridae Diplodocidae Dicraeosauridae Euhelopodidae Nemegtosauridae Omeisauridae Rebbachisauridae Titanosauridae/Saltosauridae Vulcanodontidae Sauropoda, the sauropods, are a suborder or infraorder of the saurischian (lizard-hipped) dinosaurs. ... An order of magnitude is the class of scale or magnitude of any amount, where each class contains values of a fixed ratio to the class preceding it. ... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Australosphenida Ausktribosphenida Monotremata Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Arctostylopida (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia... Binomial name Baluchitherium grangeri Baluchitherium (also called Indricotherium; full name: Baluchitherium grangeri) was a gigantic hornless rhinoceros. ... Species Mammuthus columbi   Columbian mammoth Mammuthus exilis   Pygmy mammoth Mammuthus jeffersonii   Jeffersonian mammoth Mammuthus trogontheri   Steppe mammoth Mammuthus meridionalis Mammuthus primigenius   Woolly mammoth Mammuthus lamarmorae   Sardinian Dwarf Mammoth A mammoth is any of a number of an extinct genus of elephant, often with long curved tusks and, in northern species... Binomial name Balaenoptera musculus (Linneus, 1758) Blue Whale range The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. ...

Most dinosaurs, however, were much smaller than the giant sauropods. Current evidence suggests that dinosaur average size varied through the Triassic, early Jurassic, late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.^[4] According to paleontologist Bill Erickson, estimates of median dinosaur weight range from 500 kg to 5 tonnes; a recent study of 63 dinosaur genera yielded an average weight in excess of 850 kg — comparable to the weight of a grizzly bear — and a median weight of nearly 2 tons, or about as much as a giraffe. This contrasts sharply with the size of modern mammals; on average, mammals weigh only 863 grams, or about as much as a large rodent. The smallest dinosaur was bigger than two-thirds of all current mammals; the majority of dinosaurs were bigger than all but 2% of living mammals. ^[5] A tonne (symbol t), sometimes referred to as a metric tonne, is a measurement of weight. ...

A statue of Diplodocus carnegiei, outside the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Largest and smallest dinosaurs Image File history File links Statue of Diplodocus carnegii by Adam Retchless This statue is in front of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA. This photo was taken on 4 May 2004. ... Image File history File links Statue of Diplodocus carnegii by Adam Retchless This statue is in front of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA. This photo was taken on 4 May 2004. ... Species (Hatcher, 1901) (Holland, 1924) (Marsh, 1878; holotype) Diplodocus (dih-PLOH-doc-us) meaning double beam in reference to its double-beamed chevron bones (Greek diplos = double + dokos = beam) is a type of dinosaur of subgroup Sauropoda. ... The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh are operated by the Carnegie Institute and located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ...

Only a tiny percentage of animals ever fossilize, and most of these remain buried in the earth. Few of the specimens that are recovered are complete skeletons, and impressions of skin and other soft tissues are rare. Rebuilding a complete skeleton by comparing the size and morphology of bones to those of similar, better-known species is an inexact art, and reconstructing the muscles and other organs of the living animal is, at best, a process of educated guesswork. As a result, scientists will probably never be certain of the largest and smallest dinosaurs. The General Sherman tree, a Giant Sequoia, is generally considered to be the largest (by volume of its trunk) tree in the world The largest organism found on Earth can be measured using a variety of different methods. ...

Size of a human compared to a Tyrannosaurus rex.

The tallest and heaviest dinosaur known from a complete skeleton is the Brachiosaurus specimen that was discovered in Tanzania between 1907–12. It is now mounted and on display at the Humboldt Museum of Berlin and is 12 m (38 ft) tall and probably weighed between 30,000–60,000 kg (33–66 short tons). The longest complete dinosaur is the 27 m (89 ft) long Diplodocus, which was discovered in Wyoming in the United States and displayed in Pittsburgh's Carnegie Natural History Museum in 1907. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Binomial name Tyrannosaurus rex Osborn, 1905 Tyrannosaurus rex (ty-RAN-o-sawr-us) meaning king tyrant lizard because of its size and large teeth and claws (Greek tyrannos = tyrant + sauros = lizard; Latin rex = king), also known colloquially as T. rex and The King of the Dinosaurs, was a giant carnivorous... Species (type) ?B. (Giraffatitan) brancai The Brachiosaurus was a famous dinosaur that lived during the middle to late part of the dinosaurs existence. ... The Museum für Naturkunde (in English, the Museum of Natural History), widely known as the Humboldt Museum of Berlin, is the first national museum in the world, with a massive collection of more than 25 million zoological, paleontological, and minerological specimens, including more than ten thousand type specimens. ... Berlin is the capital city and a state of Germany. ... The short ton is a unit of mass equal to 907. ... Species (Hatcher, 1901) (Holland, 1924) (Marsh, 1878; holotype) Diplodocus (dih-PLOH-doc-us) meaning double beam in reference to its double-beamed chevron bones (Greek diplos = double + dokos = beam) is a type of dinosaur of subgroup Sauropoda. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: Steel City, Iron City, City of Champions, City of Bridges, City of Colleges Location in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country State County United States Pennsylvania Allegheny County Founded 1758 Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (D) Area    - City 151. ... ...

There were larger dinosaurs, but knowledge of them is based entirely on a small number of incomplete fossil samples. The largest herbivorous specimens on record were all discovered in the 1970s or later, and include the massive Argentinosaurus, which may have weighed 80,000–100,000 kg (88–121 tons); the longest, the 40 m (130 ft) long Supersaurus; and the tallest, the 18 m (60 ft) Sauroposeidon, which could have reached a sixth-floor window. The largest known carnivorous dinosaur was Spinosaurus, reaching a length of 16-18 meters (53-60 ft), and weighing in at 9 tons. Other large meat-eaters included Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex and Carcharodontosaurus. A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage In zoology, an herbivore is an animal that is adapted to eat primarily plant matter (rather than meat). ... Binomial name Argentinosaurus huinculensis Bonaparte & Coria, 1993 Argentinosaurus (Argentina lizard) was a herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that is quite possibly the largest, heaviest land animal that ever lived. ... Species (Jensen, 1985) Supersaurus was discovered in a Colorado rock formation in 1972, alongside bones of a brachiosaurus. ... Species The tallest dinosaur known, at 60 feet, Sauroposeidon (meaning earthquake lizard-god) is an Early Cretaceous sauropod related to the Brachiosaurus. ... The lion is a well-known, truly carnivorous member of the order Carnivora. ... Species (type)  ? Spinosaurus (meaning spine lizard) was a theropod dinosaur genus that lived in what is now Egypt, from the Albian to early Cenomanian stages of the Cretaceous period, about 95 to 93 million years ago. ... Binomial name Giganotosaurus carolinii Coria & Salgado, 1995 Longer than Tyrannosaurus[1] Paleo Template Project Giganotosaurus (giant southern lizard) was a carcharodontosaurid dinosaur that lived 93 to 89 million years ago during the Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous period. ... Binomial name Mapusaurus roseae Coria & Currie, 2006 Mapusaurus (earth lizard) was a giant carnosaurian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina. ... Binomial name Tyrannosaurus rex Osborn, 1905 Tyrannosaurus rex (ty-RAN-o-sawr-us) meaning king tyrant lizard because of its size and large teeth and claws (Greek tyrannos = tyrant + sauros = lizard; Latin rex = king), also known colloquially as T. rex and The King of the Dinosaurs, was a giant carnivorous... Species C. saharicus Depéret & Savornin, 1927 sp. ...

Not including modern birds like the bee hummingbird, the smallest dinosaurs known were about the size of a crow or a chicken. The Microraptor, Parvicursor, and Saltopus were all under 60 cm (2 ft) in length. Binomial name Mellisuga helenae (Lembeye, 1850) The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is a hummingbird, and the smallest of all birds (with the male being smaller than the female of the species). ... Species See text. ... Trinomial name Gallus gallus domesticus A chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ... Microraptor was a small, bird-like dinosaur related to the dromaeosaurs. ... Binomial name Parvicursor remotus Karhu & Rautian, 1996 Parvicursor remotus was a tiny Alvarezsaurian dinosaur, with long slender legs for fast running. ... Binomial name Saltopus elginensis Paleo Template Project Saltopus was a very small bipedal reptile, roughly 23 inches (60 centimeters) long, discovered in Scotland. ...

Behavior

A nesting ground of Maiasaura was discovered in 1978.

Interpretations of dinosaur behavior are generally based on the pose of body fossils and their habitat, computer simulations of their biomechanics, and comparisons with modern animals in similar ecological niches. As such, the current understanding of dinosaur behavior relies on speculation, and will likely remain controversial for the foreseeable future. However, there is general agreement that some behaviors which are common in crocodiles and birds, dinosaurs' closest living relatives, were also common among dinosaurs. Image File history File links Mayasaurus. ... Image File history File links Mayasaurus. ... Binomial name Maiasaura peeblesorum Horner & Makela, 1979 Maiasaura peeblesorum (Peebles good mother lizard) is a large duck-billed dinosaur species that lived in Montana in the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian), 74 million years ago. ... Habitat (from the Latin for it inhabits) is the place where a particular species lives and grows. ... A computer simulation or a computer model is a computer program that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ...

The first direct evidence of herding behavior was the 1878 discovery of 31 Iguanodon dinosaurs which perished together in Bernissart, Belgium, after they fell into a deep, flooded ravine and drowned. Similar mass deaths and trackways suggest that herd or pack behavior was common in many dinosaur species. Trackways of hundreds or even thousands of herbivores indicate that duck-bills (hadrosaurids) may have moved in great herds, like the American Bison or the African Springbok. Sauropod tracks document that these animals traveled in groups composed of several different species, at least in Oxford, England,^[6] and others kept their young in the middle of the herd for defense according to trackways at Davenport Ranch, Texas. Dinosaurs may have congregated in herds for defense, for migratory purposes, or to provide protection for their young. A herd of Wildebeest A gaggle of Canada geese For other uses, see Herd (disambiguation). ... Species (neotype) (holotype) Iguanodon is a genus of ornithopod dinosaurs. ... Bernissart is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... A herd of Wildebeest A gaggle of Canada geese For other uses, see Herd (disambiguation). ... Genera Lambeosaurinae    Corythosaurus    Hypacrosaurus    Lambeosaurus    Parasaurolophus Hadrosaurinae    Anasazisaurus    Anatotitan    Edmontosaurus    Hadrosaurus    Maiasaura    Prosaurolophus    Saurolophus    Shantungosaurus Hadrosaurids or duck-billed dinosaurs are members of the family Hadrosauridae, and include ornithopods such as Edmontosaurus and Parasaurolophus. ... Binomial name Bison bison (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies B. b. ... Binomial name Antidorcas marsupialis (Zimmermann, 1780) For other meanings of Springbok, see Springbok The Springbok (Afrikaans: spring = jump; bok = antelope, deer, or goat) (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a small brown and white gazelle that stands about 75 cm high. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... This article does not use inline citations to cite its references or sources. ... This article is about non-human migration. ...

Jack Horner's 1978 discovery of a Maiasaura ("good mother dinosaur") nesting ground in Montana demonstrated that parental care continued long after birth among the ornithopods.^[7][8] There is also evidence that other Cretaceous-era dinosaurs, like the Patagonian sauropod Saltasaurus (1997 discovery), had similar nesting behaviors, and that the animals congregated in huge nesting colonies like those of penguins. The Mongolian maniraptoran Oviraptor was discovered in a chicken-like brooding position in 1993, which may mean it was covered with an insulating layer of feathers that kept the eggs warm.^[9] Trackways have also confirmed parental behavior among sauropods and ornithopods from the Isle of Skye in northwestern Scotland.^[10] Nests and eggs have been found for most major groups of dinosaurs, and it appears likely that dinosaurs communicated with their young, in a manner similar to modern birds and crocodiles. Jack Horner - A 1999 picture of the paleontologist John Jack R. Horner (born June 15, 1946) is an American paleontologist who discovered and named the Maiasaura, providing the first clear evidence that dinosaurs cared for their young. ... Binomial name Maiasaura peeblesorum Horner & Makela, 1979 Maiasaura peeblesorum (Peebles good mother lizard) is a large duck-billed dinosaur species that lived in Montana in the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian), 74 million years ago. ... A basket style nest A nest is place of refuge built to hold an animals eggs and/or provide a place to raise their offspring. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26 N to 49° N  - Longitude 104°2 W to 116°2 W Population  Ranked... Clades ?Heterodontosauridae Hypsilophodontia Iguanodontia    Hadrosauridae Ornithopods (or-nith-oh-PODS) are a group of ornithischian dinosaurs who started out as small, cursorial grazers, and grew in size and numbers until they became one of the most successful Cretaceous herbivores in the world, and totally dominated the North American landscape. ... In orange the area most commonly defined as Patagonia. ... Binomial name Saltasaurus loricatus Bonaparte & Powell, 1980 Saltasaurus was a small sauropod of the late Cretaceous, characterized by a diplodocid-type head (with blunt teeth only in the back of the mouth) and was the first discovered with small bony plates embedded in its skin. ... Modern Genera Aptenodytes Eudyptes Eudyptula Megadyptes Pygoscelis Spheniscus For extinct genera, see Systematics Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are an order of aquatic, flightless birds living in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Subgroups Alvarezsauria Aves Deinonychosauria Oviraptorosauria Therizinosauria Maniraptora is a group used in biological classification to cover the birds and the dinosaurs that were related to them. ... Binomial name Oviraptor philoceratops Osborn, 1924 Paleo Template Project Oviraptor was a small Mongolian theropod dinosaur, first discovered by legendary paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews, and first described by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924. ... Trinomial name Gallus gallus domesticus A chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ... Zerg Brood brood comb: the area in a beehive where the queen lays eggs and new bees are raised This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... An average Whooping Crane egg is 102 mm long, and weighs 208 grams In some animals, an egg (Latin ovum) is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. ... Looking towards Quiraing, Skye. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78...

The crests and frills of some dinosaurs, like the marginocephalians, theropods and lambeosaurines, may have been too fragile to be used for active defense, so they were likely used for sexual or aggressive displays, though little is known about dinosaur mating and territorialism. The nature of dinosaur communication also remains enigmatic, and is an active area of research. For example, recent evidence suggests that the hollow crests of the lambeosaurines may have functioned as resonance chambers used for a wide range of vocalizations. A Sagittal crest is a ridge of bone running lengthwise along the midline of the top of the skull (at the sagittal suture) of many mammalian and primate skulls, among others. ... Suborders Pachycephalosauria Ceratopia Marginocephalia is a group of ornithischian dinosaurs that includes the thick-skulled pachycephalosaurids, and horned ceratopsians. ... Families See text Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal, primarily carnivorous dinosaurs, belonging to the saurischian (lizard-hip) family. ... Genera Lambeosaurinae    Corythosaurus    Hypacrosaurus    Lambeosaurus    Parasaurolophus Hadrosaurinae    Anasazisaurus    Anatotitan    Edmontosaurus    Hadrosaurus    Maiasaura    Prosaurolophus    Saurolophus    Shantungosaurus Hadrosaurids or duck-billed dinosaurs are members of the family Hadrosauridae, and include ornithopods such as Edmontosaurus and Parasaurolophus. ... In ethology, sociobiology and behavioral ecology, the term territory refers to any geographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics (and, occasionally, animals of other species). ... Animal communication is any behaviour on the part of one animal that has an effect on the current or future behaviour of another animal. ... A resonance chamber uses resonance to amplify sound. ... In animals, vocalization is a means of communication generated in many cases by their primitive versions of vocal chords. ...

From a behavioral standpoint, one of the most valuable dinosaur fossils was discovered in the Gobi Desert in 1971. It included a Velociraptor attacking a Protoceratops,^[11] proving that dinosaurs did indeed attack and eat each other. While cannibalistic behavior among theropods is no surprise,^[12] this too was confirmed by tooth marks from Madagascar in 2003.^[13] The Gobi (Mongolian Говь, Chinese 戈壁; pinyin gē bì) is a large desert region in northern China and southern Mongolia. ... Binomial name Velociraptor mongoliensis Osborn, 1924 Synonyms Ovoraptor djadochtari Osborn, 1924 (nomen nudum) Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 83 to 70 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. ... Protoceratops is a sheep-sized, herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. ... Cannibalism is the act or practice of eating members of the same species, e. ... Families See text Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal, primarily carnivorous dinosaurs, belonging to the saurischian (lizard-hip) family. ...

There seem to have been no burrowing species of dinosaur and few climbing species. This is somewhat surprising when compared to the later mammalian radiation in the Cenozoic, which included many species of these types. As to how the animals moved, biomechanics has provided significant insight. For example, studies of the forces exerted by muscles and gravity on dinosaurs' skeletal structure have demonstrated how fast dinosaurs could run,^[14][15] whether diplodocids could create sonic booms via whip-like tail snapping,^[16] whether giant theropods had to slow down when rushing for food to avoid fatal injuries,^[17] and if sauropods could float.^[18] The Cenozoic Era (sen-oh-ZOH-ik; sometimes Caenozoic Era in the United Kingdom) meaning new life (Greek kainos = new + zoe = life) is the most recent of the three classic geological eras. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Genera Subfamily Apatosaurinae:    Apatosaurus    Eobrontosaurus Subfamily Diplodocinae:    Barosaurus    Diplodocus    Seismosaurus    Supersaurus Diplodocids, or members of the family Diplodocidae, are sauropod dinosaurs such as the Diplodocus and the Apatosaurus. ... F/A-18C passing the sound barrier. ... For other uses, see Whip (disambiguation). ...

Evolution of dinosaurs

A reconstruction of Eoraptor, an early dinosaur.

Dinosaurs diverged from their archosaur ancestors approximately 230 million years ago during the Middle to Late Triassic period, roughly 20 million years after the Permian-Triassic extinction event wiped out an estimated 95% of all life on Earth.^{[19] [20]} Radiometric dating of fossils from the early dinosaur genus Eoraptor establishes its presence in the fossil record at this time. Paleontologists believe Eoraptor resembles the common ancestor of all dinosaurs; ^[21] if this is true, its traits suggest that the first dinosaurs were small, bipedal predators.^[22] Image File history File links Eoraptor. ... Image File history File links Eoraptor. ... Binomial name Eoraptor lunensis Sereno et al, 1993 Eoraptor was one of the worlds earliest dinosaurs. ... -1... The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 245 to 202 Ma (million years ago). ... The Permian-Triassic extinction event, labeled End P here, is the most significant extinction event in this plot for marine fossiliferous genera. ... Radiometric dating is a technique used to date materials based on a knowledge of the decay rates of naturally occurring isotopes, and the current abundances. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... Binomial name Eoraptor lunensis Sereno et al, 1993 Eoraptor was one of the worlds earliest dinosaurs. ... A group of organisms is said to have common descent if they have a common ancestor. ...

Also among the earliest dinosaurs was the primitive Lagosuchus; Saltopus, which was barely larger than a human hand, appeared slightly later. The first few lines of primitive dinosaurs diversified rapidly through the rest of the Triassic period; dinosaur species quickly evolved the specialized features and range of sizes needed to exploit nearly every terrestrial ecological niche. During the period of dinosaur predominance, which encompassed the ensuing Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, nearly every known land animal larger than 1 meter in length was a dinosaur. Lagosauchus (Rabbit Crocodile) is not a dinosaur, and ,ironically, looks like neither a crocodile, nor a rabbit. ... Binomial name Saltopus elginensis Paleo Template Project Saltopus was a very small bipedal reptile, roughly 23 inches (60 centimeters) long, discovered in Scotland. ... Adaptive radiation describes the rapid speciation of a single or a few species to fill many ecological niches. ... In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ... The Jurassic Period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 200 Ma (million years ago), at the end of the Triassic to 146 Ma, at the beginning of the Cretaceous. ... The Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period, about 146 million years ago (Ma), to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65. ...

The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, which occurred approximately 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period, caused the extinction of all dinosaurs except for the line that had already given rise to the first birds. Other diapsid species related to the dinosaurs also survived the event. Badlands near Drumheller, Alberta where erosion has exposed the KT boundary. ... Groups See Text Diapsids (two arches) are a group of tetrapod animals that developed two holes (temporal fenestra) in each side of their skulls, about 300 million years ago during the late Carboniferous period. ...

Study of dinosaurs

Knowledge about dinosaurs is derived from a variety of fossil and non-fossil records, including fossilized bones, feces, trackways, gastroliths, feathers, impressions of skin, internal organs and soft tissues.^[23][24] Many fields of study contribute to our understanding of dinosaurs, including physics, chemistry, biology, and the earth sciences (of which paleontology is a sub-discipline). It has been suggested that Fossil record be merged into this article or section. ... Grays illustration of a human femur, a typically recognized bone. ... Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... A trackway is a set of impressions in the soft earth, usually a set of footprints, left by a life-form. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Two feathers A white feather Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ... A close-up of human skin. ... In anatomy, a viscus (plural viscera) is an internal organ of an animal, in particular an internal organ of the thorax or abdomen. ... In medicine, the term soft tissue refers to tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures and organs of the body. ... The first few hydrogen atom electron orbitals shown as cross-sections with color-coded probability density. ... Chemistry (from the Greek word χημεία (chemeia) meaning cast together or pour together) is the science of matter at the atomic to molecular scale, dealing primarily with collections of atoms (such as molecules, crystals, and metals). ... Biology (from Greek βίος λόγος, see below) is the branch of science dealing with the study of life. ... Earth science (also known as geoscience or the geosciences), is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. ... A paleontologist carefully chips rock from a column of dinosaur vertebrae. ...

Dinosaur remains have been found on every continent on Earth, including Antarctica. Numerous fossils of the same dinosaur species have been found on completely different continents, corroborating the generally-accepted theory that all land masses were at one time connected in a super-continent called Pangaea. Pangaea began to break apart during the Triassic period roughly 230 million years ago.^[25] Map of Pangaea Pangaea separation animation Pangaea or Pangea (derived from Παγγαία, Greek for all earth) is the name given to the supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, before the process of plate tectonics separated each of the component continents into their current configuration. ... The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 245 to 202 Ma (million years ago). ...

The current "dinosaur renaissance"

The field of dinosaur research has enjoyed a surge in activity that began in the 1970s and is ongoing. This was triggered, in part, by John Ostrom's discovery of Deinonychus, an active, vicious predator that may have been warm-blooded, in marked contrast to the prevailing image of dinosaurs as sluggish and cold-blooded. Vertebrate paleontology, arguably the primary scientific discipline involved in dinosaur research, has become a global science. Major new dinosaur discoveries have been made by paleontologists working in previously unexploited regions, including India, South America, Madagascar, Antarctica, and most significantly in China (the amazingly well-preserved feathered dinosaurs in China have further solidified the link between dinosaurs and their living descendants, modern birds). The widespread application of cladistics, which rigorously analyzes the relationships between biological organisms, has also proved tremendously useful in classifying dinosaurs. Cladistic analysis, among other modern techniques, helps to compensate for an often incomplete and fragmentary fossil record. John Ostrom John H. Ostrom (February 18, 1928 – July 16, 2005) was an American paleontologist who revolutionized modern understanding of dinosaurs in the 1960s, when he demonstrated that dinosaurs are more like big non-flying birds than they are like lizards (or saurians), an idea first proposed by Thomas Henry... Binomial name Deinonychus antirrhopus Ostrom, 1969 Deinonychus (IPA ) meaning terrible claw (Greek δεινος meaning terrible and ονυξ/ονυχος meaning claw) was a jaguar-sized, carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous Period. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... A warm-blooded (homeothermic) animal is one that can keep its core body temperature at a nearly constant level regardless of the temperature of the surrounding environment (that is, to maintain thermal homeostasis) . This can involve not only the ability to generate heat, but also the ability to cool down... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Vertebrate paleontology seeks to discover the behavior, reproduction and appearance of extinct spined animals, through the study of their fossilized remains. ... Science in the broadest sense refers to any knowledge or system of knowledge, attained by verifiable means. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Sinornithosaurus by Jim Robins Feathered dinosaurs are regarded by many paleontologists as transitional fossils between birds and dinosaurs. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... This cladogram shows the relationship among various insect groups. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Fossil. ...