T-Rex vs Godzilla - DinoPit
?Created in the cloud with Saaspose.Words. vs Godzilla Of all the burning questions biting at the public’s subconscious, one query stands alone: who would win in a fight, T-Rex or Godzilla? Let’s explore this question and see exactly why T-Rex is the clear victor here.The Obvious Question – Does Size Matter?The Tyrannosaurus Rex was a huge animal, scaling in at 40 feet long?and?20 feet tall. A polar bear (the world’s largest living land carnivore) is a mere 10 feet long and 5 feet tall. So, a T-Rex?measures 16.0 PBs on the ‘compared to a polar bear’ scale I just made up.Tyrannosaurus Rex compared to the largest living land predator, the polar bear Godzilla, on the other hand, is a mythical creature who could level entire cities. His height has been stated to be anywhere between 164 to 355 feet tall, with a length of 328?to 623 feet. So, at his smallest, Godzilla is approximately 1,024.0 polar bears big.So, on size, Godzilla obviously would whip T-Rex in a fight of pure magnitude. How can 16 polar bears fight off 1,024 polar bears? What is this, Sparta?The Problem With Size ComparisonSo there’s a big problem with this hypothetical scenario…How boring is it to say Godzilla would accidentally step on T-Rex and become the new ‘Tyrant Lizard King’?Very boring. Like watching Pacquiao fight a toddler.?So what do we do?[wwcAmzAffProducts asin=”B00C1BTWV4″][/wwcAmzAffProducts]Ugrunaaluk Kuukpikensis Arctic?Dinosaur Discovered Did dinosaurs, like modern reptiles, need to bask in the sun and heat to survive? Or were they warm-blooded, like the birds that would become their only surviving descendants — able to survive in the cold and dark? Erickson and Druckenmiller’s new species shows that the answer may be quite complicated.A duck-billed dinosaur similar to HYPERLINK "" Edmontosaurus has been found to live in a region with temperatures averaging in the low 40s F.Alaska dinosaur: This duck-billed vegetarian grew up to 30 feet long, university says HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" pic.7KDImbK7Iq— Kyle Hopkins (@kylehopkinsAK) HYPERLINK "" September 22, 2015A large collection (over 10,000 bones) of Ugrunaaluk Kuukpikensis (“ancient grazer”) fossils were found in Alaska and may provide crucial clues that illuminate exactly how versatile these creatures were. Researchers announced these findings on September 22nd, 2015 in the journal HYPERLINK "" Acta Paleontologica Polonica.New dinosaur found in Alaska HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" pic.BH9RwXw4iJ— The Alaska News (@TheAlaskaNews) HYPERLINK "" September 22, 2015Did Dinosaurs Get High From Ergot? Recent research suggests that dinosaurs may perhaps have experienced the mind altering effects of ergot – a drug similar to LSD in it’s effects – after a 100 million year old sample of ergot fungus has been discovered. HYPERLINK "" A piece of amber excavated from a mine in Myanmar by German paleontologist Joerg Wunderlich encases a small ergot fungus that sits on top of a grass spikelet. The sample has been dated to 100 million years ago. The discovery of the grass spikelet is significant in and of itself since it suggests that grasslands evolved alongside dinosaurs rather than much later after their extinction as was previously believed. This indicates that the dinosaurs of the HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Art: The World’s Greatest Paleoart Edited By Steve White" Cretaceous period would have had access to grasses for grazing, but in addition they would have potentially grazed on the mind altering ergot fungus as well.When consumed by humans, the grass parasite ergot can cause mind altering effects like those of LSD, hallucinations, symptoms of poisoning, constricting of the blood vessels and muscle spasms among other symptoms. Some even believe that ergot poisoning is the culprit behind the hysteria behind the Salem witch trials. So just what effect would this parasite have on creatures as large as the Cretaceous dinosaurs? There really is no telling…at least not yet.What are your thoughts?Qijianglong, The Chinese "Dragon" Dinosaur Discovery HYPERLINK "" If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news then undoubtedly know that there was a recent dino discovery in China. Although the dinosaur is being referred to as a “dragon” dinosaur, the Qijianglong is actually a HYPERLINK "" \o "Mamenchisaurus" Mamenchisauridae thought to have lived during the late Jurassic period. Estimates put this new find at 50 feet long and like most Mamenchisaurids the neck of the Qijianlong came in at around half of that length.Why is Qijianglong such a significant find though? It serves to show diversity in sauropods during the Jurassic period – particularly during the HYPERLINK "" \o "Real Jurassic Park?" Jurassic age. This serves only to bolster theories that the isolation of species promoted diversification during these times even for the largest creatures on the planet.Although just now making the news as a new species, the Qijianglong was first discovered in 2006 when farmers in Qijiang city in the southwestern Chongqing province were digging a fish pond. The remains of the Qijianglong is currently being housed at Qijiang in a museum but a dinosaur museum that is currently under construction will soon house the Jurassic giant.Jurassic World New Trailer Hits the Superbowl! HYPERLINK "" If you watched the Superbowl today then you undoubtedly caught the newest trailer for Jurassic World and I am more excited than ever! Okay I’d be a little more excited if Sam Neill were in it – don’t get me wrong I have nothing against Chris Pratt but it’s just not the same. Anyway if you haven’t seen the original Jurassic World trailer check it out:Now take a look at the newest trailer which made it’s debut at the Superbowl!Are you guys excited for the newest film in the HYPERLINK "" \o "Real Jurassic Park?" Jurassic Park franchise?Torosaurus Torosaurus Was a Cretaceous CeratopsidTorosaurus, pronounced TOR-uh-SAWR-us, (protuberance lizard) (pierced lizard?) was an immense chasmosaurine ceratopsid (tribe Triceratopsini) dinosaur, having had one of the largest skulls of any known land animal.Chasmosaurinae is a subfamily of Ceratopsid dinosaurs—Torosaurus and Triceratops are two well-known relatives of the family Chasmosaurinae.? Being of a ‘tribe’ (Triceratopsini) of genera, the genus is considered to be at the pinnacle of development for that family.? Torosaurus (and its better-known cousin Triceratops) is one of the most advanced herbivores of its time on here on Earth.Quick FactsNameTorosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithschiaSuborderMarginocephaliaWeight5 – 9 tons (4.5 – 8 tonnes) Length20.3 feet?(6 meters)Height8 feet (2.4 meters)Maximum Speed20 mphTerritoryNorth America (Canada, United States) What did Torosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Miss Oppenheimer Torosaurus had jarringly a jarringly large skull with bony crest that could measure nine feet long in total length, with the massive crest itself taking up more than half the total length.? The head itself was large and supported long, sharp and robust horns on the brow just above the eyes. ??The skull of Torosaurus is the largest of any land animal that ever lived.Chasmosaurinae all share the basic characteristics of the prominent brow horns and long neck frills with no other spines or scales.In comparison the body was also large, but softer and without the defenses of any hard bony scales.? The neck frill and horns of Torosaurus would have had to suffice in most of this animal’s defense.? It is probable also that the frill was decorated in such a way as to serve methods of defense, as well as to attract potential mates.What did Torosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User apparentbliss Torosaurus was an herbivore, belonging to one of the most successful groups of herbivores of their time.? The species genus was primarily quadrupedal and heavy; as such, this genus would have had to eat a lot of food to maintain its heft.? Torosaurus probably browsed daily on area foliage, and probably in the swampiest areas, venturing out miles to graze upon any grassy areas, which would have still been sparse at the time.? Torosaurus probably ate ferns, conifers and cycads, utilizing its strong jaws and sharp beak to break heavier pieces of foliage.How did Torosaurus move?Torosaurus was a quadrupedal herbivore which however belongs to the family whose name indicates a tendency to move in bipedal movement at times.? A member of the micro-order Neoceratopsia, and the tribe Triceratopsini, Torosaurus could have been advanced enough to have exhibited or been a precursor for bipedal movement.? Only minimal Torosaurus fossil-finds have been made, so knowledge is sparse.After previously being considered slow, with inefficiently opposing—or splaying—forelimbs, new findings based on unscarred and uncrushed fossils showed that the forelimbs of Torosaurus were articulated in such an aligned way that enable it to run incredibly fast, much like today’s rhino.“The articular surfaces of uncrushed ceratopsian scapulocoracoids and forelimb joints confirm that the forelimb operated in a near-parasagittal plane with the elbows only slightly averted. The maximal running speed of even the largest ceratopsids is inferred to have significantly exceeded that of elephants and was probably broadly similar to that of rhinos.”—Gregory S. Paul and Per ChristiansenAgainst a carnivorous predator, the speed of a Torosaurid dinosaur gait could have been added defense.? This would be a major positive, considering that there is no evidence to show any other protective mechanism than the brow horns and neck frill (shield) of Torosaurus.Where did Torosaurus live?Fossils have been found in the USA and in Canada, on the North American continent.? Torosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period and probably enjoyed being one of the most successful manifestations of herbivorous dinosaur species to have existed.? Fossilized remains of Torosaurus have been found in the US states of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.The Discovery of Torosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Salzgitteraner1991 Torosaurus fossils have been found in Montana, South Dakota, Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Canada.? There are several Torosaurus finds which span the North American continent; however, few solid indications remain of this species.? In comparison with some dinosaurs, not many Torosaurid fossils are found.? Its cousin Triceratops has been much more abundant in findings.The first (1891), Torosaurus latus was named by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh—found in Wyoming by John Bell Hatcher.T. latus findings consisted of a pair of skulls with the elongated frills present.? Since then, similar specimens have been found in other North American continental areas.Two Torosaurus species have been identified:T. latus Marsh, 1891 (type species)T. utahensis Gilmore, 1946Another identification was subsequently regarded as a miss-assignment:T. gladius Marsh, 1891 (T. latus)There are a myriad of variations among the physical qualities of recovered specimens, resulting in an unsure account to date of many solid characteristics for Torosaurus, other than the head and some other minimal stray parts. ??Torosaurus is named for its subsequent ceratopsian finding as a “New Ceratopsian”, or “New Horned Face”.Torosaurus—a reason for the heftNewer information regarding the gait and movement of Torosaurus leads to the theory that this genus could have been much more like today’s modern hippopotamus than as previously believed to be somewhat more prone, like the elephant.? Like the hippo, Torosaurus probably seemed more prone than it actually was.When the massive, possibly decorated, shield and brown horns of Torosaurus didn’t dissuade its aggressors then it is likely that Torosaurus sometimes make a quick get-a-way, either on foot or underwater.? Since we know that the modern hippo can run up to eight miles per hour while submerged beneath the water’s surface, we can imagine that this similar animal could practice the same sort of subversive defense.Since Torosaurus existed before the bulk of the grasses sprang up in abundance, it is likely that the species spent most of its time in or near swampy areas that were in close proximity to deeper areas of swamp and of ponds or lakes. ?This behavior would have help Torosaurus to maintain a lower profile, especially considering their size.The Significance of TorosaurusTorosaurus is another species of dinosaur family that became extinct after the Cretaceous–Paleogene (or K–Pg) extinction event. ?It is estimated that approximately 17% of families, 50% of genera and 75% of species became extinct after this event.? This also included the majority of non-avian dinosaurs.? Mammals and birds emerged as dominant land vertebrates in the age of new and abundant animal life.? Today, scientists hope to uncover more information about the specific fate of Torosaurus in relation to the events prehistoric times.Dinosaurs Alive! Coming soon to an amusement park near you—Dinosaurs Alive!Dinosaurs have been thrilling youngsters and adults alike for centuries in some way—from children who have never before seen any such thing, who are first shown a prehistoric dinosaur representation, to the aware adult who is still intrigued… to the diligent scientist who does all that they can in the quest for the ultimate knowledge. HYPERLINK "" We know much more today than we did yesterday about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, thanks to the continued interest and study of all kinds of people.?? For centuries sensible people have regarded the barely believable fossil-finds that have been uncovered over the years as first simply monstrous and then—over time— simply nature on Earth.The Dinosaurs Alive ExhibitNow, thanks in part to the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and to Dinosaurs Unearthed, young and old alike can enjoy another opportunity to experience life-sized and animatronic dinosaurs—besides the movies or usual roadside kitsch that is.Dinosaurs Unearthed is a Canadian company that exhibits dinosaurs around the world.The “Dinosaurs Alive” exhibit can be seen at seven different parks run by Cedar Fair, LP (NYSE: FUN), including the Cedar Point headquarters location along with Dorney Park, Kings Island and Kings Dominion, plus Valleyfair, Carowinds and Canada’s Wonderland.These are truly amazing exhibits featuring several kinds of dinosaurs and depictions of their prehistoric lifestyle.? From Albertosaurus to Yangchuanosaurus, the Cedar Point Park headquarters in Sandusky, Ohio naturally has one of the more elaborate showings; but the others don’t exactly fall behind, with shows that offer at least a half-hour of dinosaur entertainment for the most imaginative young-at-hearts.? This is about the best way to imagine what our own Jurassic Park would have at least looked like, before the attack that is.? Exhibits include hundreds to thousands of yards of foot trails and awesome prehistoric scenes taking place to witness.Carowinds to Host Dinosaurs AliveThe newest Cedar Fair park to host a Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit is Carowinds, a 398-acre amusement park which lies between North and South Carolina, in Charlotte and Fort Mill (Cedar Fair acquired Carowinds in 2006, when it acquired Paramount Parks). ??This is one way that the park celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.? Visitors can look forward to similar dinosaur attractions as can be found at Cedar Point or other Cedar Fair parks such as Richmond, Virginia’s King’s Dominion.Around the world people may be noticing the odd new dinosaur-head pop up over the tree line along the highways…this could be an indication that Dinosaurs Unearthed are coming soon to an amusement park or museum near you.“In Cincinnati, Dinosaurs Unearthed exceeded our projections by 70% and ended up as the third highest visited special exhibit we have hosted over the years. Overall the exhibition is quite robust in scope and experience. “- Dave Duszynski, VP of Featured Experiences, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, OhioAnyone looking for a new experience at the amusement park, taking visitors back millions of years, should look no farther than the Dinosaurs Alive attractions and exhibits across the nation.? Walk through as the dinosaurs roar and bellow as they’re triggered by your presence.? They’re moving among the trees and you just don’t know what might be next at Dinosaurs Alive!Stygimoloch Stygimoloch Was An Herbivorous Pachycephalosaurid Stygimoloch, pronounced STIJ-eh-MOLL-uk, is generally regarded as a genus of large Pachycephalosaurid dinosaur, an herbivore (some regard Stygimoloch an omnivore).?? The genus received its name due the fearsome appearance of its skull.? Only parts of Stygimoloch’s skull have been found to date, in Montana and Wyoming.? Stygimoloch belongs to the family Pachycephalosauridae, which were Ornithischian dinosaurs that had thick, domed and spiked skulls.What Did Stygimoloch Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Adventures in Librarianship The name “Stygimoloch” signifies the mean appearance of the specimen skull.? It features three to four large spikes that are up to four inches (100 mm) long.? Stygimoloch was a large Pachycephalosar with a skull measuring 18 inches in length.There was a lot of ornamentation at the top of the head of Stygimoloch, with such a decorated skull—though smaller and shorter than other Pachycephalosauria.? Its horns were conical, while the back corners of it triangular skull formed into large rearward spikes that were six inches long and two inches in diameter.? Even around these spikes are other spikes, smaller.? It is believed most likely that the horns and spikes were used primarily to garner effectiveness in jousting, through head-butting and flank-butting.? In this case, the horns would certainly still serve as an ornamentation that was helpful in identification and mating.Pachycephalosauria are a thick-headed clade of dinosaurs, with domed skull-roofs that are usually several inches thick.? In others (i.e.—Stygimoloch) the skull is flatter and wedge-shaped (triangular).? It should be noted here that some scientists theorize the flatter skulls to be representative of the youngest Pachycephalosaur dinosaurs, and that as adulthood manifests, the skulls become domed with maturity.Most Pachycephalosaur lived in the Late Cretaceous, as Stygimoloch didTriceratops is another Late Cretaceous ornithischian dinosaur that sported orbital/ cranial horns (similar generally horny cranial appearances), making them resemble today’s horny-toads, rhinoceros and ostrich.? It was not until 1974 that Pachycephalosauria were first named as a suborder of the Order Ornithischia by Maryańska and Osmólska.What Did Stygimoloch Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Paul Williams (Iron Ammonite) While Stygimoloch is widely reported as an herbivore, it should be noted that some consider the genus to be omnivorous and that this idea is further supported by the Pachycephalosauria descriptions as a clade that were all bipedal and omnivorous.A horizontal biped living during the Late Cretaceous Period, Stygimoloch could have eaten any of the angiosperms that were flourishing during the period.? These flowering plants were largely responsible for the new lush lower landscapes (eventually grasses) that Stygimoloch probably also enjoyed.? Stygimoloch may have also enjoyed the plentiful eggs found in nests as it foraged plant-life, along with the small marsupials and placental mammals.? Snails, insects—anything small enough to be easy prey—would have been easy pickings for this quick genus.How Did Stygimoloch Move?Stygimoloch was a bipedal ornithischian dinosaur and as such was large and powerful in the hip (pelvic) region, with relatively long legs for its size.? Its upper body was light in comparison, easing aerodynamic concerns and even though the head of Stygimoloch was long, it was relatively small and light.? Stygimoloch would have been a fast and efficient plant-eating omnivore, which could possibly have also had a powerful loping or jumping gate—much like a kangaroo today.The appearance of Stygimoloch is thought to have been mostly due to need of its own defense due to predation, along with basic social ritual.? In times of defense, Stygimoloch was probably formidable enough, able to butt and gash the belly of any carnivorous predator, given the right angle.? If one considers the top-head view that a predatory meat-eater would have seen if an unaware Stygimoloch had never noticed its presence and looked up, then one can see how the predator may have been deterred—it was almost a camouflage, and a horny spikey one at that.Where Did Stygimoloch Live?Fossils of Stygimoloch are found in the Late Cretaceous Period of North America, in what are known today as the states of Montana and Wyoming.The Discovery of Stygimoloch HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User j3tdillo Stygimoloch takes its name from the Greek translation of “demon of the River Styx”—a name which refers primarily to appearance only, and is taken from legend (The River Styx separated the Earth from Hades in Greek Mythology.)? Fossils were discovered in Hell Creek, Montana in 1983, and also in Wyoming.? Stygimoloch was named in 1983 by British paleontologist Peter M. Galton and German paleontologist Hans-Dieter Sues.Peter Galton helped champion the theory (cladistics theory 1974) that today’s birds are derived from prehistoric dinosaurs.? He also showed that Hypsilophodon did not after all live in trees and that hadrosaur did not drag their tails but rather used them as counterbalances.Stygimoloch, What Big Horns You HaveAlthough Stygimoloch had very large horns all over its bony head, it is believed to have been a largely passive herbivorous omnivore.? Any real use of its horns and bony domed skull would have been either in defense from predators or in social activities with its own species.The Significance of StygimolochStygimoloch seem to be significant in showing that during the Late Cretaceous Period, these were plant-eating creatures similar to our deer or kangaroo today in behavior and general appearance.? Stygimoloch and the like help to show the diverse and yet somehow similar nature of prehistoric times, and help us learn about our own.Dinosaurs And Continental Drift Strewn Dinosaur Species and Continental DriftIt is a fairly well-known concept today that continental drift is responsible for the seven separate continents we have today on Earth (schools of perception vary—some claiming the existence of six or even five continents today; however, this is beside today’s topic).? It is also fairly well-known that much of the theory behind the existence of prehistoric animal species relies on theories of continental drift.? It is a bigger challenge however, to help some people cross the gap of belief when it comes to dinosaurs, and so each new discovery is important to witness and study in order that our own such advanced species be better prepared—if possible—for our own future on Earth. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User edian A recent HYPERLINK "" article in the Charlotte Observer highlights just one important discovery—recently made and concerning the separate remains of two dinosaurs of the same species and within the same time period and epoch, 1000 miles apart—in Utah’s Wahweap Formation and the Campanian Two Medicine Formation in Montana.The article covers the type species Acristavus gagslarsoni, a genus of hadrosaurine dinosaur.? What is significant is that—unlike most other (but one) genus species– A. gagslarsoni lacked the trademark ornamentation on its skull usually associated with hadrosaurine dinosaur. ..but why?Continental Drift and Dinosaur EvolutionMountainous eruption, changes in sea level, land bridges…all of these phenomenon had immense impact on the adaptations and survival of prehistoric animals such as the dinosaur.? Approximately 79 million years ago, mountains of the Laramide range of the Rocky Mountains were raised in the Laramide orogeny. ?(Oregeny is the term used to describe the forces and events leading to severe structural deformation of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle. These are forces that occur due to the movement and engagement of tectonic plates. Response to this engagement results in the formation of long tracts of highly deformed rock—eventually, they become the mountainous mounds of rocks known as The Rockies, the Sierra Nevada or the Sierra Madres…just a few examples. )As the new orogenic belts erupted east to west across the narrow Laramide strip, they created fragmented dinosaur habitats which were once one. ??Before this, Laramidia was a prehistoric island that stretched more than 1,200 miles, from today’s Canada all the way south, down to today’s Mexico.? At one time long ago, before the mountainous eruptions that would split regions, sauropod dinosauars roamed uninhibited from north to south and back again—utilizing the entire stretch of land in genus groups of species herds.The Significance of Dinosaur Detours Caused By Continental DriftIt is exactly these kinds of “dinosaur detours” that propagate change among genus type species, and sometimes bring about such change too quickly and can affect species endangerment due to species isolation or other change.? However, as these changes occur quite naturally—over millions of years—endangerment doesn’t have to be a problem of genus, as individual species are able to biologically endeavor to adaptation.? Adaptation is ultimately responsible for (through the allowance of) evolution itself.After studying the fossil records, it is believed that hadrosaurs (duck-bills) developed crests and horns that varied from habitat to habitat in order to help identify each other’s species origin and encourage recognition of the same species for mating.? Most scientists believe that the hadrosaur was a traveler anyway, and moved in large herds for long distances.? When new mountains eventually inhibited the usual travel of the genus, they were restricted in ways that they weren’t before.? Lack of food and increase of predation by the new Theropod dinosaurs ultimately meant trouble for the hadrosaur.Add to this the drift of continents into new temperate regions, with permanent (lasting millions of years) adjustments to required ambient temperatures for various animal species.? Again, these kind of changes take place naturally over long periods of time.? Where some species and an entire genus may die out, there are others somewhat similar to take their place.? It’s still understood that in order for mass extinctions to occur, there had to have been major events – like continental drift – take place that would impact many species in a relatively short amount of time.Hypsilophodon Hypsilophodon Was A Cretaceous OrnithopodHypsilophodon, pronounced hip-sih-LO-fuh-don, was a prehistoric ornithopod dinosaur that lived in primarily in the Early Cretaceous period of what is today known as England.? This was a small bipedal dinosaur that for some time has been misunderstood; recent findings and analyses have changed the picture we now have of Hypsilophodon.Quick FactsNameHypsilophodonPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithschiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeight140 pounds (64 kilograms) Length7.5 feet (2.3 meters)Height4 feet (1.2 meters)Maximum SpeedFast TerritoryUnited States, England, Portugal, Spain About HypsilophodonBeing of the order Ornithischia, Hypsilophodon comes from a line of reptilian dinosaur that began as a small bipedal running and grazing group.? The group’s strongest evolutionary attribute was its ever progressive snout with chewing mechanisms, which allowed the group to adapt to almost any feeding option.? Over time, ornithopods became one of the most successful groups of herbivores in the Cretaceous Period and they took over the North American landscape.? Ornithischian fossils have been found on all seven continents. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Deviant Art Artist AshiRox What Did Hypsilophodon Look Like? Hypsilophodon was a small dinosaur, about waist-high to the adult human.? Its estimated weight would have been about 40—50 pounds.? The body of Hypsilophodon was built for running, and the species resembles the much larger carnivorous runners.? Its skeleton was light-weight and its posture was low and aerodynamic in nature.? Hind limbs were much longer than the forelimbs, and the tail was proportionally large to the rest of the body.? In the case of Hypsilophodon—just as other aerodynamic bipedal racers—the tail was heavy and stiff to aid balance.The head of Hypsilophodon was small and the snout ended in a beak.? There were teeth, but it is uncertain how exactly or if they teeth were used.? The number of teeth correlates to the size of the animal found, and teeth were at rear of mouth away from the beak.? The lower jaw tends to turn up more teeth than the upper, with 16 and 11 being respective averages.? P.M Galton, in The Ornithischian Dinosaur (1974), notes that rearmost teeth were fan-shaped.Hypsilophodon, of the Early Cretaceous, was one of those ornithischian dinosaur species that retained four-toed feet on the rear and five-fingered hands on the forelimbs, as opposed to the later 4/3 combination seen on later ornithischian dinosaurs, as they tended toward herbivorous habits.What Did Hypsilophodon Eat?It is believed that Hypsilophodon ate plant material primarily, with the possibility that other food sources were taken advantage of as well.? It would make sense that this genus exhibited ornithischian polyphage tendencies, especially considering the snout of Hypsilophodon, with its anterior beak and posterior teeth.? Hypsilophodon probably ate plants, small animals, insects and fungi. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Craig T Dylke More is being learned with time regarding Hypsilophodon, and some still believe that Hypsilophodon ate only plants, using its beak to break and scrape foliage.?? As ornithischian groups developed, it is believe that they gained more teeth to aid the changing available food sources, and Hypsilophodon would have been of the first groups to see the change.? The real question is, while ornithischian dinosaurs as a group adapted well to life throughout the Cretaceous Period, how well did the ornithischian Hypsilophodon itself adapt?How Did Hypsilophodon Move?Hypsilophodon is regarded to be the fastest ornithischian species to have existed.? Small, light and still bipedal—the body and carriage of Hypsilophodon adapted to the grass-feeding opportunities that arose as the Cretaceous Period moved on.? Hypsilophodon was probably exhibiting quadrupedal characteristics as well as bipedal and eventually most ornithischian dinosaurs would exist as primarily quadrupedal animals.Where Did Hypsilophodon Live?Hypsilophodon would have called the Early (lower) Cretaceous home, and a likely predator could have been the famous Utahraptor, also found in North American lower Cretaceous layers.? Other plant-eaters beside Hypsilophodon could have been Iguanodon, Cedarosaurus, Brachiosaurus and Stenopelix.As far as the actual habitat of Hypsilophodon, associated fossil fauna of the Hypsilophodon Bed consists only of a few scutes from a crocodylomorph (archosaur) and a turtle.? ?Crocodylomorphs were plentiful during the Late Jurassic—Early Cretaceous Periods and known to have existed in significant numbers as early as the Triassic Period.The Discovery of Hypsilophodon HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ryan Somma Fossilized remains of Hypsilophodon were first found almost 200 years ago in 1849 (Mantell-Bowerbank block).? Hypsilophodon foxii was subsequently named, yet still misunderstood, in 1869.? Paleontologist Thomas Henry Huxley is primarily responsible for correctly taking Hypsilophodon out of the realm of Iguanodon (the original supposed origination and description of Hypsilophodon).? Subsequent to his own studies, Huxley spent 1869 in lecture to promote his finding, which were eventually published officially (1870).*Note that this publication, which determines the origination of Hypsilophodon, is the same one which also determines that the hip bone (pubic bone) was in some such species pointed backward—“…like that of birds”.? “High-ridge tooth” is a name that does not apply to Hypsilophodon.? When Huxley named the type species Hypsilophodon foxii, he intended that foxii represent the name of the original fossil-finder, Reverend William Fox.? Hypsilophodon is taken from the Greek hypsilophos, which means “high-crested” and refers to the back frill of a lizard.Major Hypsilophodon related findings were the skull found by Fox (the holotype specimen) and the Mantell-Bowerbank block (the paratype specimen, a.k.a. Hypsilophodon Bed).? In the two centuries of Hypsilophodon-related fossil findings since 1849, several occasions have prompted studies to the origin of Hypsilophodon—and whether Hypsilophodon should in fact be Iguanodon.? While there is still some doubt to this day (as often happens in the prehistoric—modern world of paleontology), for now, the Hypsilophodon genus remains Hypsilophodon, the ornithopod.“Hypsilophodon in the modern view thus simply is a basal ornithopod. Though not forming a separate branch together, such forms lasting from the late Jurassic to the end of the Cretaceous shared the common design of a small running herbivore that apparently was very successful.”Hypsilophodon—tongue in cheek and beakIt is thought that Hypsilophodon likely gave rise to the later duck-billed dinosaur species, such as Pachycephalosaur.? Its feature of posterior teeth incorporated into its beaked snout over time lent to its herbivorous ability.? Over time, increased teeth and habits of chewing lent to the eventual development of the flattened snout feature of the duck-bills.The Significance of HypsilophodonHypsilophodon is significant as an evolving ornithischian dinosaur that still sported the more primitive (and carnivorous) “additional digits” feature of earlier ornithischians.? Hypsilophodon had developed the more flexible lower jaw seen in ornithischian animals that could adapt to plant life as a food source.? Hypsilophodon was just one species of ornithischian dinosaur that contributed to bridging the ornithischian gap between the Late Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous Periods.Caudipteryx Caudipteryx Was a Theropod Dubbed “tail feather”, this Theropod dinosaur lived in the Aptian age of the Late Jurassic—early Cretaceous Period, 120—136 million years ago.? ??Two species have been described; C. zoui (the type species discovered in 1998), and C. dongi (2000).? Caudipteryx, pronounced caw-DIP-tuh-riks, is one of the earliest bird-like dinosaurs to have existed, and exhibits prehistoric and primitive feathering that probably developed to keep the species warm over time.? This species lived during an age during which the habitable climate was changing fairly drastically, although over a long period of time.Quick FactsNameCaudipteryxPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight20 lbs (9 kg) Length3 feet (.9 meters)Height2 feet (.61 meters)Maximum Speed30 mph TerritoryAsia, China What Did Caudipteryx Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User TiffanyHoy About the size of a turkey and resembling a peacock, Caudipteryx sported the primitive feathers of bird-like creatures that could not in fact fly.? The beak and feet of Caudipteryx were also bird-like, and in movement this species probably resembled Velociraptor.? The forelimbs of Caudipteryx were covered in symmetrical and pennaceous (contour) feathers that were 6—8 inches (15—20 centimeters) long and had vanes and barbs.? Pennaceous feather are the most specialized of all feathers.? They help form the outline of the bird, offering the streamlined and aerodynamic form necessary for flight.? They are the range of delicate, soft and small feathers to the more rigid flight feathers.? Pennaceous feathers cover the outer body, wings and tail.Caudipteryx also had feathers on its short tail.? Due to the symmetrical feathering and relatively short arms, it is likely that this feathered creature did not fly.? As a comparison, scientists look at modern-day flightless birds which have symmetrical feathers and modern flying birds which have asymmetrical feathers.? It is believed that Caudipteryx feathers were beneficial to the prehistoric creature in retention of its own body heat.? The body of Caudipteryx was covered in a down-type feather.What Did Caudipteryx Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut Caudipteryx is thought to have been an omnivore. Its teeth were long, sharp and had deep bulbous roots that would have anchored in well for eating meat, and gastroliths are preserved in some specimens of Caudipteryx. ?This would indicate at least some kind of a plant-life diet.? As in some herbivorous dinosaurs and modern birds, these gastroliths remain in the position where the animals’ gizzards would have been.? How Did Caudipteryx Move?The creature was probably a swift runner, considering its long legs and light body.? We know that Caudipteryx did not fly but ran on two long legs. ?The first known dinosaurs to have sported feathers existed during the late Jurassic Period (Archaeopteryx and Epidendrosaurus).? However, as time moved on, the first downy feathers eventually became better suited for flight through development of stiffer and more intricately designed feathering.? Caudipteryx falls in about the middle of this progression.Where Did Caudipteryx Live?Caudipteryx lived from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Periods, primarily centered in the Aptian age.? Although, remains of Caudipteryx are only recently recovered, and the Aptian age layer consists of many different formations which scientists hope will turn up more evidence of Caudipteryx and its relatives.? In addition to the Yixian Formation where Caudipteryx is found, the Aptian age consists of the Antlers Formation, the Cedar Mountain Formation, Cloverly Formation, Jiufotang, Little Atherfield and several other marked formations.? Rocks of the Aptian age underlie those of the Albian age and overlie those rocks of the Barremian Stage.The Discovery of Caudipteryx HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi There have been two specimens of the fossil Caudipteryx found in Asia, in the sediment of an ancient lake bed in China’s Liaoning Province (Yixian Formation of the Sihetun area, northeastern China).? These were identified by Philip Currie, and were the first discovered.The Significance of CaudipteryxCaudipteryx could be the closest known ancestor to birds.? With Caudipteryx, the nature of prehistoric dinosaur discovery changed, due to its feather-type exhibition and geological placement in time.? Caudipteryx falls just in line with the progression of feather development in prehistoric animals.? Following, find the feathered discoveries in order of primitive proto-feathers to the more modern prehistoric specimen, which could fly. Archaeopteryx—the oldest known bird had asymmetrical feathers – it could probably fly short distances.Sinosauropteryx—covered with proto-feathers and with short arms.Protarchaeopteryx—long, symmetrical feathers on arms and tail, but it probably could not fly.Caudipteryx—a small, very fast runner covered with primitive (symmetrical and therefore flightless) feathers.Unenlagia—a much larger ground-dwelling Theropod. It had flexible arm movement (up and down, like that of a bird)Velociraptor—a larger, ground-dwelling carnivore from Mongolia) with a swiveling wrist bone (this type of joint is also found in birds and is necessary for flight)Eoalulavis— the earliest bird that had good maneuverability while flying, even at low speeds (this extra flight control is obtained from a tuft of feathers on the thumb called the alula – it also helps in takeoffs and landings).So you see, Caudipteryx played a very important role in the evolution of feathered dinosaur species.The Trackway at Dinosaur State Park About The Trackway at Dinosaur State ParkI have never had the opportunity to frequent the trackway at Dinosaur State Park, or anything at Dinosaur State Park for that matter. It’s on my bucket list. For today though, I’d like to take a look at some of what Dinosaur State Park has to offer for those of you who are considering headed there in the near future.Where Is The Trackway at Dinosaur State Park HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User jrandallc Dinosaur State Park is one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America in Rocky Hill, CT and has been designated a registered Natural Landmark by the U. S. Department of Interior. Underneath a large dome, the State Park harbors a number of fossilized tracks. These tracks were discovered on August 23, 1966 when workers were excavating in order to build a state building.Identifying the Trackway at Dinosaur State ParkUpon its discovery, the trackway at Dinosaur State Park was named Eubrontes by geologist Edward Hitchcock who made up the name. Strangely enough, there were no remains of Eubrontes in the area. Researchers seem to agree that the shape of the tracks in addition to the spacing between them identify the culprit as a Dilophosaurus or a similar smaller carnivore. The tracks in the State Park measure 10 to 16 inches in length and are spaced 3.5 to 4.5 feet apart.The Dilophosaurus tracks aren’t the only ones to be found in the area. Close by in August of 2006, an excavator discovered more tracks on a large piece of sandstone. More information about these new dinosaur tracks can be found on the HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur State Park Trackway" Dinosaur State Park website.Have you ever visited the park in Connecticut? Leave a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment below and share what you thought about the trackway at Dinosaur State Park.Paleoartistry Paleoartistry— The Last Stand of Prehistoric DinosaursThe first dinosaur fossils were discovered in the early 1800s; since then, people have wondered deeply about the nature of the sometimes larger-than-life bone remnants.? Due to the absolute monstrous nature of the prehistoric finds, it wasn’t long before enthusiasts and natural artists began to speculate about the physical appearance of the live creatures.Over time, the original keepers of such bones have endured as major sources of fascination for man, woman and child alike.? Much time and energy is invested into the enjoyment and study of dinosaurs, and some actually create some of the most beautiful and realistic representations of them based upon the finds that are uncovered over time. HYPERLINK "" Paleoartistry is a Popular NichePaleoartistry has developed as a popular niche world of artistry for those who are fascinated by dinosaurs and wish to communicate that fascination into each and every representative piece of work.? From the 1830 painted piece by Henry de la Beche (first known color painting of the prehistoric world) to the modern sculpture of David Krentz, dinosaur fossils are lovingly and painstakingly morphed into the artists’ visions of reality.? Over time—as scientists have come to understand more about the nature of the dinosaurs—artistic renditions have become more accurate.? Although, this is not to say they are any more or less imaginative and at the same time solid in their depictions.Paleoartistry – Duria AntiquiorConsider the la Beche paleoart watercolor from 1830, Duria Antiquior, which features a quite colorful prehistoric landscape and scene of activity.? The work itself is based upon fossils found in Lyme Regis, and it influenced several other artists to do the same.? This work also gets credit as the first depiction to be used in marketing efforts, since the artist ordered up prints to be used in the money-raising efforts to fund his friend and professional fossil-finder Mary Anning.? Eventually the print was used for educational purposes, and therefore widely circulated in relevant circles.Paleoartistry and Predation ThemesOf the most popular themes to behold in paleoartistry is that of predation—to capture the act of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures as they subsisted by feeding upon those in their food pyramid that they could.? La Beche considered capturing the carnivorous nature of some dinosaurs in his piece described above, and since then there have been many such depictions.Paleoartistry and Other ThemesBy the turn of the twentieth century, there were many more prints out concerning dinosaurs and their living and feeding habits.? These often went along with stories that were told which capitalized on the existence of dinosaurs and at the same time helped more people to understand what could have been possible in the world around us, had things gone differently.? Eventually, dinosaurs were destined for the land of Hollywood, where previous depictions came into play along with the most modern ideas of dinosaurs and the various ways in which they could affect the world around them.Modern PaleoartistryModern paleoart runs the gamut from painting and prints to sculpture and stories, movies and even video-games.? Water-color, acrylic, clay or stone—dinosaurs continue to be discovered, studied and depicted for all to see, understand and even participate in that prehistoric world. As its popularity increases, paleoartistry unlocks doors with its creativity and helps us to further understand life as it once was.Recent Dinosaur News Recent Dinosaur News RecapIf you’re serious about paleontology then you likely keep up with dinosaur news as often as possible. Unfortunately for me, due to the multiple roles that I play in my life, I sometimes find that I am falling behind in the latest headlines. Today I wanted to take a look back and recap a few of the more recent dinosaur news headlines.Recent Dinosaur News Headlines HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User NS Newsflash The HYPERLINK "" \o "Dracula Dinosaur" dracula dinosaur that had bristles and fangs was reported by Fox News in early October and features a somewhat haunting depiction of what this dinosaur could have looked like.The HYPERLINK "" \o "Eating Habits of Herbivores" eating habits of herbivores were brought to light in this NBC article on the incredible chewing power of giant plant eating dinosaurs.The batteries of HYPERLINK "" \o "Teeth of Duckbilled Dinosaurs" hundreds of complex teeth of the duck billed dinosaurs was discussed in this article from the LA Times. This recent research takes a closer look at the six materials that made up these grinding factories.This article by the HYPERLINK "" \o "Cloning Dinosaurs" Huffington Post caught a lot of attention when it declared that the Jurassic Park dinosaur cloning scenario would never be possible due to DNA half life. Most in the paleontological community knew this already; however, it came as a shock to those less versed in paleontology.For those theme park lovers out there, the news that HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaurs Alive at Carowinds" Dinosaurs Alive would be coming to Carowinds in 2013 was a welcomed announcement. The exhibit will cover five acres and feature thirty two dinosaurs!The HYPERLINK "" \o "How did Dinosaurs Sleep" Smithsonian blog also featured a great article this past month that focuses on just how dinosaurs may have slept. While the article is full of speculation it is well worded and offers a couple of facts to back up recent assumptions on how the prehistoric beasts dozed.What Recent Dinosaur News Headlines Have Caught Your Eye Lately?Elasmosaurus Elasmosaurus Was Not a Dinosaur Elasmosaurus was a large marine reptile with an extremely long neck that lived in the ocean 65 million years ago.? ?This group is not a dinosaur group, but is reptilian and belongs to the family group Plesiosauria.? This genus had a snake-like neck and large wide body which resembled that of a turtle without its shell.Quick FactsNameElasmosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationPiscivoreOrderPlesiosauriaSuborderPlesiosauroideaWeight2.2 short tons (2 tonnes)Length46 feet (14 meters)Height– Maximum SpeedUnknown TerritoryNorth America What Did Elasmosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Craig T Dylke Of the largest plesiosauri, at several tons, Elasmosaurus had four long paddle-like flippers, an extremely long neck (the longest of any Plesiosaur) topped with a tiny head, and a short tail (typically no longer than the flippers).? Its neck accounts for half its total length.? Imagine that where human beings have seven or eight vertebrae in their necks, Elasmosaurus had 75—76 vertebrae in its neck.Plesiosaurs alike typically had broad bodies and short tails.? Where the earliest Elasmosaurid were small, by the end of the Cretaceous Period their size had increased to a large as 46 feet (14 meters).What Did Elasmosaurus Eat?Elasmosaurus ate small bony fish, squid-like sea creatures, and mollusks.? Gastroliths are found with Elasmosaurus remains, so it is possible that these were used as an aid in digestion.? No one really knows if this would have been merely a side effect (of in fact using the stones for added weight in the larger bodies of ocean away from the coastlines). HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ZacharyTirrell Elasmosaurus ate fish and other swimming animals and shell?less cephalopods. ?They had strong jaws and sharp teeth.? Some Plesiosaurs have been found with small stones in their stomachs; these may have been used to help grind up their food, or as ballast, to help them dive.The jaws of Elasmosaurus were probably quite strong—at least enough to bite through the large egg shells of its prey.? If it is true that gastroliths were used in dietary aide and as a means of adding weight, then Elasmosaurus could have been a bottom-feeder as well.How Did Elasmosaurus Move?The extremely long neck of Elasmosaurus was key to its survival in the ocean.? However, in contrast to what most would think, its neck was much less about reaching up out of the sea for food, and much more for stable buoyancy while swimming in the sea.Elasmosaurus swam slowly using its four paddle-like flippers in a manner similar to that of modern turtles. It may have been able to move a little bit on sandy shores, perhaps to lay its eggs.Contrary to popular misconception, Elasmosaurus (as any Plesiosaur) was not capable of raising its long neck above water, unless it were near a shore and could rest its body upon land for leverage.? Primarily, Elasmosaurus would move about in the deeper waters.? It is believed that this genus would have exhibited a quite capable prowess beneath the sea, with its four flippers—a characteristic plesiosauri trait that is not exhibited by any modern animal.Where Did Elasmosaurus Live?This genus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period and became extinct during the K-T mass extinction approximately 65 million years ago. ??The oceans were the habitat for Elasmosaurus.During the Late Cretaceous Period when Elasmosaurus paddled the earth, the Western Interior Sea sat upon the land of what is today known as North America.? Instead of the dry, flat land that exists today in the area, during the time of Elasmosaurus it was a land of swampy marsh areas and shallow seas.? 70 million years ago, Elasmosaurus swam over what is now brick and mortar home to many people.? In fact, this could by why today we find so many well-preserved dinosaur and other prehistoric animal remains.? The environment’s role in fossilization is crucial in actual preservation.? The best way to fossilize is to be covered (buried) at the bottom of a body of water where it is covered with tons of sediment.? This type of covered environment is necessary to prevent scavenging and scattering.?? Over time, the sedimentary deposits at river-mouths and at the bottom of the sea build up more and more, adding needed cover and pressurization to form fossils. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Curious Expeditions The Discovery of ElasmosaurusElasmosaurus was named by paleontologist E. D. Cope in 1868 (from a fossil was found in Wyoming, USA). Other Elasmosaurus fossils have also been found in North America, in the Campanian Era Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale of western Kansas, east of the Rocky Mountains in the Great Plains from Canada’s Pembina Valley to New Mexico.? This area was previously covered in sea-water and frequented by many prehistoric animals.Remains of Elasmosaurus are found in the area’s fossiliferous dark-gray shale which has lines of gypsum running throughout.? The Pierre Shale is of marine origin and lied at the bottom of the Western Interior Seaway.? This area of shale is related to other marine shales that exist farther west, such as the Bearpaw Shale, Mancos Shale and the Lewis Shale, along with the Lea Park Formation in central Alberta, Canada.In the same Pierre deposits, such discoveries as the Late Cretaceous Lamniform Shark have been found, ichthyosaur, vertebrae of Mosasaur, along with many invertebrate fossils of ammonites, corals, baculites (such as cephalopod), gastropods, shrimp, snails, sea urchins and inoceramus clams.Elasmosaurus Gave Live BirthsFor years it was assumed that the smaller plesiosaurs would have been land-bound enough to have laid their eggs upon sandy beaches much like modern Reptilia.? However, scientists now realize that plesiosaur gave birth to live young.? It is believed that after birth, plesiosaur would behave as modern whales regarding parental care of birthed young.The Significance of Elasmosaurus—Heads or Tails?Elasmosaurus has been fundamental in showing that we never completely know something, just because we have “found” it.First, what were thought to be egg-bearers were in fact live-bearers (Elasmosaurus among them) and also that the long part of Elasmosaurus was not the tail, but the head.? (Originally, when Elasmosaurus was first discovered and reassembled, scientists mistook the extra-long neck of Elasmosaurus as its tail, and reconstructed it as such, with the head on the tail end of the body.)It takes much time and study by enthusiasts-turned-professionals who are willing to continuously extrapolate and build upon evidences found.? In the case of Elasmosaurus, this type of professional attitude was largely compromised when one particularly over-the board and uncouth fossil-finder so publicly pointed out an original finder’s “error” in the placement of the Elasmosaurus head.The original builder of the fossils of Elasmosaurus had gone so far as to publish in scientific journals, and upon learning his own error, went about retracting any of his original theories.? It was too late.? The unprofessional and humiliating black marketing tactics of his new rival had essentially instigated a war of production that would last well over twenty years.? Known as the “Bone Wars”, the result was many new finds, along with much trickery, theft and bribery among over-zealous fossil-finders.While the questionable business of recovering and selling dinosaur bones was already beginning to see the failings of competitiveness, the Elasmosaurus Fiasco heightened the problem to a degree that caused many to question the necessary ethics of such operations.? The Bone Wars ran on much longer than their twenty year official recognition, affecting international views of American moral code and an entire industry not just those involved in the Elasmosaurus fiasco.Animals Dressed As Dinosaurs Animals Dressed As Dinosaurs Are Always CuteWith Halloween coming up I thought I’d go looking at dinosaur costumes and it was then that I found a whole lot of animals dressed as dinosaurs. I recently dressed Snorasaurus as a lobster for his Halloween pictures which was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen but these animals are worthy of a cuteness award too.10 Animals Dressed as Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Tyrannosaurus Rex cat is not impressed. HYPERLINK "" Spikeasaurus Rex is just as impressed as Rex cat. HYPERLINK "" Triceratops lab wants to know what you’re laughing at. HYPERLINK "" Pugasaurus is deceptively cute. HYPERLINK "" Spike Cat is always at the ready. HYPERLINK "" Rex struts his stuff on the catwalk. HYPERLINK "" Scruffy had the feeling that something was watching him. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur dog can’t wait until you go to bed tonight. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur Dachshund is having tail wagging problems. HYPERLINK "" Happy has always loved Halloween.If you own any of the animals or pictures above please let me know so I can give you appropriate credit!Which animals dressed as dinosaurs are your favorite?Dinosaur Roadside Attractions Down-home Traditional Kitsch—Dinosaur Roadside AttractionsJust say “roadside dinosaurs” and everyone knows what to expect in our modern age of—well, NO dinosaurs.? Most dinosaur roadside attractions are inaccurate representations of the real creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.? However, they are still just that—representations.? They are interesting depictions of real creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago!? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User lumierefl Some Examples of Dinosaur Roadside AttractionsTagged as “tourist traps”, they are indeed usually intended to “trap” tourists (not nearly so unsuspecting), or at least to lure them to an area.?? There may be a dinosaur set up to designate that spot as a resource for fuel and refreshment.? To be frank, there are good examples and there are bad examples:One comes to mind as a particularly sad example, and one frequented on many journeys of tourism near the Petrified Forest National Park of Arizona.? While it appears that whoever built the dinosaur attraction at HYPERLINK "" \l "IMAGES" Stewart’s Petrified Wood (used as an advertisement for “FOSSILS”) was indeed concerned about landing in the vicinity of the correct color family, it also appears that—beyond color—not much was known about the true appearance of any prehistoric dinosaur.? The head appears to be the head of some old advert horse, attached to a body decidedly bovine and quite unnatural.? It is enshrined in lights designed to advertise far and wide in the dark, and appears to be in need of much repair.? One never can be sure if this “horse” is being ridden or picked to death.Less on the ad side (if you’re there, you’re there), we have the obviously lovingly created “wrinklesuarid” dinosaur standing just outside the HYPERLINK "" Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center in Jurupa, California.? Definitely a sort of branding tactic, no one misses Wrinkles.As with most of our dinosaur roadside attractions, some “tourist traps” exist to prompt an action or make a statement.? No less so with the slightly controversial roadside monsters at Cabazon, California.? Known as the HYPERLINK "" Cabazon Dinosaurs, they are popular in our culture today.? Many of us have been there ourselves, maybe many times en route to wherever.? The Cabazon Dinos can be seen frequently in the popular smash hit movie Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, and appear in several other popularized formats.? In reality, the Cabazon Dinosaurs offers sustenance for any immediate need, if you can purchase it.? There is entertainment in the form of the museum, which is a creationist museum and a very interesting place to visit.? The irony of the place is a fairly recent adaptation which merely adds to the kitsch of the environment.?? Mostly, they are to be appreciated for the roadside attractions that they are—amazing, larger than life, and a cool place to stop in for a drink and a bite to eat, maybe purchase some souvenirs or some needed toiletry item for the road.? Maybe something for the ice-chest.Dinosaur Roadside Attractions Inspire ManySo, while many of us got our first inklings of any dinosaur existence from such roadside displays as these, we cannot help, as adults, but to be more critical of their makeup—which only seems to add to the awareness of being so—adult—and of course to the humor of the whole thing.? These dinosaur roadside attractions were definitely not designed with the paleontologist in mind, but they definitely came from a place of science and discovery.Make a Dinosaur Make a Dinosaur MondayEach Monday here at Dino Pit I like to take a look at a variety of ways that people make their own dinosaurs. Usually I focus on one technique such as origami or papier mache but today I want to take a look at a number of dinosaur projects I’ve come across in my journey across the web.Make a Dinosaur ProjectsMake a Dinosaur Juice Bottle T-Rex HYPERLINK "" Juice Bottle Dinosaur From Projects For Preschoolers This project might say it’s for pre-schoolers but I actually think it’s really awesome for kids of all ages. I’d think you could get just about as adventurous as you like with this one and try all kinds of dinosaur species but bipeds would probably be best. If you want to try your hand at your own juice bottle dinosaur take a look at HYPERLINK "" \o "Projects for Preschoolers" Projects for Preschoolers. HYPERLINK "" Ice Dinosaur Eggs From This ice dinosaur eggs idea is a really great idea for hot summer fun – although most of us are now slipping in to cooler temperatures. This is a balloon centered craft so if you decide to try it with small kids then watch out for that and if you have latex allergies then you may have to find a latex free balloon option. Want to try making your own ice dinosaur eggs? Take a look at HYPERLINK "" \o " Ice Dinosaur Eggs" . HYPERLINK "" Food Dinosaur Picture Copyright 5 Minutes For Mom I love this food based dinosaur project from 5 Minutes For Mom because it’s really cute and it’s also made from those foods that kids don’t really want to eat. If you have a? picky kid who’s not happy about eating those vegetables then this might be a great way to persuade them to give them a try! Wondering how you can make your own food based dinosaur project? Take a look at this idea at HYPERLINK "" \o "5 Minutes For Mom" 5 Minutes For Mom.What is Your Favorite Make a Dinosaur Project?Deinocheirus Deinocheirus Was a Prehistoric Theropod“Terrible Hand” is an appropriate name for this prehistoric Theropod dinosaur that exhibited massive arms according to deduction of its fossilized and minimal bony remains.? Named Deinocheirus, pronounced DYE-no-KYE-rus, is a genus of dinosaur that lived on Earth during the Late Cretaceous Period.? The last indications of its physical life are to date found in southern Mongolia.? The binomial name is Deinocheirus mirificus.Quick FactsNameDeinocheirusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight7 – 9 tons (6.35 – 8.16 tonnes)Length33 feet (10 meters)Height12 feet at the hips (3.66 meters) Maximum Speed17 mph or faster TerritoryMongolia About DeinocheirusScientists are able to reconstruct the most well-preserved bone specimens, into functional arms almost thirteen feet long.? Scientists use a Theropod clade and suborder based formula to determine the probability of the size of Deinocheirus based upon the same body parts.? Specifically, scientists proposed that they could estimate height at the hip of Deinocheirus by using the information they do have—the scapula (shoulder blade).Through the study of already known—and much more complete Theropod skeletal specimens—scientists determined that hip-height is calculable by scapula size, and have proposed that Deinocheirus could have been at least ?11–12 feet tall at the hip.? This would make Deinocheirus the tallest of its contemporary predators (think Tyrannosaurus rex, which could have been a larger dinosaur species, or a smaller one.? Deinocheirus may or may not have been as fierce as T. rex.? However, the contrastable long arms and long, clawed hands of Deinocheirus make one wonder.? See, “What did Deinocheirus Eat?” below. HYPERLINK "" Rendering Courtesy of Wikimedia User Michael B. H. What Did Deinocheirus Look Like? Deinocheirus was a Theropod and as such likely a ferocious seeming example, standing thirteen feet at the hip.? That meant that when this prehistoric creature stood up tall on its legs to look about, it could have towered over the landscape at more than twenty-four feet tall.? It is estimated that this dinosaur could have been all the size of Tyrannosaurus rex.? However, the two genera did not necessarily operate in the same way in order to survive.Where some scientists attribute the large clawed hands as effective weapons of aggression against prey, others attribute the same claws to the ability of most effectively stripping trees for their vegetation.? At least one scientist takes the foliage theory further by positing that Deinocheirus was in fact like a sloth, or at least used its forearms as a sloth would.? He goes on to say that in addition to vegetation, Deinocheirus probably routinely made use of any high-protein finds en route, such as birds’ eggs or any small animals it could catch with its hands.What Did Deinocheirus Eat?Deinocheirus is believed to have been an omnivore, meaning that likely this animal ate plant material in addition to meat.? Initially it was thought that Deinocheirus primarily took advantage of weaker—or weakened—prey or dead carcasses.? Its claws were thought to be terrible weapons capable of gutting most any adversary, and definitely any prone food source.? However, as time progresses—and until more solid information to the contrary can be found—most scientists now lean toward a diet of least resistance for Deinocheirus.? Profligate period flora this genus would have frequented are flowering plants, figs, magnolias and conifers.Any terrestrial fauna that was more prone than Deinocheirus—and smaller—could have been fair enough game.? Especially if Deinocheirus did forage the bush like a sloth as scientists propose, then eggs were probably a healthy source of protein nutrients for the large dinosaur.? Insects gained presence in during the Cretaceous Period and were likely a significant diet source, including ants, termites and moth—especially larvae.? The tops of trees were most likely to be scavenged by Deinocheirus, due to its height.? It has been suggested that Deinocheirus used its long-reaching neck and long arms to reach the highest possible distance, while its claws were utilized to scrape or pull foliage off of main limbs or trunks.? Even though Deinocheirus is thought to have coexisted with other omnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs, this genus would have naturally taken advantage of its most accessible points, while the other genera primarily scavenged their own, lower-lying areas.How Did Deinocheirus Move?Deinocheirus was primarily a bipedal Theropod that could move quickly when necessary, usually due to predation by other more carnivorous dinosaur species.? Deinocheirus was powerfully built and had good defensive arms with claws; however, this species probably usually moved casually, feeding on non-resistant resources and socializing or moving according to climate and foraging opportunity.Where Did Deinocheirus Live?Deinocheirus lived during the Early Maastrichtian Era, the era at the end of which there were the mass extinctions known as the Cretaceous—Paleogene extinction event and the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event.? After the latter event, non-avian dinosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs and many others animal species became extinct.The Discovery of DeinocheirusDeinocheirus was found in 1965 during an expedition to Gobi, Mongolia by Professor Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska.? The expeditioners were were at the Altan Ula III site.? Halzka Osmolska and Ewa Roniewicz named Deinocheirus in 1970.? The only named species is Deinocheirus mirificus.The remains of Deinocheirus consist of the well-preserved arms bones, in addition to a complete shoulder girdle, three central vertebrae, five ribs and two of the supporting neck bones (ceratobranchialia).? The ceratoranchialia are significant in adding to the estimation of total size.In what was is sometimes known as the Nemegt Formation, Deinocheirus was buried in a layer of sediment that eventually compressed to approximately four inches in thickness and formed about 80—71 million years ago.? Also known as the Barun Goyot Formation, it is representative of a large area of the Gobi Desert basin in the ?mn?govi Province of Mongolia.? The formation now serves as a natural protection for its neighboring land of sand dunes (the Aeolian dunes), which were created by the wind-blown rocks over time.? In this area one can find the preserved prehistoric fossilized remains of such creatures as turtles, crocodiles, many dinosaur species, birds and fish. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User SamwiseGamgee69 Deinocheirus—What Big CLAWS You Have!The well-preserved claws of Deinocheirus were very long, at eight inches, and apparently very stout as part of the most well-preserved remains.? It would not be too unreasonable to maintain that these could have been utilized in a more predatory fashion, in addition to simple defense and foraging.? However, scientists today seem to be inclined toward the latter, even suggesting that Deinocheirus was built to be a nimble climbing creature—even more like the sloth than previously supposed.? No evidence exists today that can fully support this claim of climbing ability.The Significance of DeinocheirusDeinocheirus is thought to be related to the Ornithomimosauria family, especially after regarding the potential size and physical characteristics of the dinosaur.? Applied characteristics of Deinocheirus have changed significantly over the year (from predator to more passive omnivore—from fairly fast to slightly encumbered).? If Deinocheirus were an ornithomimosaurid dinosaur, then not only would it be possibly the largest Theropod, but also the largest ornithomimosaur.? It will take the discovery of more well-preserved Deinocheirus remains to answer positively the ornithomimosaurid nature of the genus.? Some paleontologists will spend their lives dedicated to this discovery, and it may not be long before these questions are answered, as each day scientists learn more about Deinocheirus.Just How Big Was Microvenator? Microvenator, an Oviraptorosaurian Theropod Microvenator is an unusual, almost bird like oviraptorosaurian, that most likely featured feathers and a short, sharp beak. Although this theropod stood only two and a half feet tall, this carnivore took its advantage in sheer speed. Where larger, clumsier carnivores were often outrun by their prey items, Microvenator gave every meal a run for its money! This was an early Cretaceous beast that could be found in North America near current day Montana where it likely fed on small rodents and other mammals in addition to small reptiles and insects. Let’s take a look at just how small this miniature carnivore was.The Numbers On Microvenator! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Michael B. H. Microvenator?LengthThe approximated length of Microvenator is around 4 ft feet long.An average length of? around 4 feet is equal to:The length of a large elk.The length of a fully grown oryx.Approximately the length of a fully grown capybara.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 122 sugar ants.Microvenator?WeightEstimates of Microvenator’s weight fall at around 14 lbs.14 lbs is equal to:The weight of a Lhasa Apso.The same weight as an English toy spaniel.The approximate weight of a turkey large enough to feed 12 people.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 11,200 average goose feathers.Microvenator HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Microvenator at around 2.5 feet tall.2.5 feet is equal to:The approximate height of a tabletop Christmas tree.The height of a gray wolf.The height of a puma.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 492 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Microvenator won’t win any awards for being the biggest or scariest looking dinosaur out there but if this beaked carnivore came at you full speed you’d still be in for a world of hurt!Microvenator Microvenator Was an Oviraptorosaurian Theropod This “small hunter” is a genus of reptilian dinosaur, or oviraptorosaurian theropod.? Microvenator is one of the smallest Theropods to exist.? Like other oviraptorosaurs, Microvenator was a feathered maniraptoran dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period.? They both have the characteristic short beaked snout and bird-like skull. ?The size of oviraptorosaurs could vary, with the group exhibiting a range of turkey-sized animals to some over 24 feet long.? While most oviraptorosaurian fossil remains have been found in Asia, lonely Microvenator was found in North America, in the state of Montana.? The type species is Microvenator celer.Quick FactsNameMicrovenatorPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight14 pounds (6.4 kilograms)Length4 feet (1.2 meters)Height2.5 feet (0.8 meters) Maximum Speed35 – 40 mph TerritoryNorth America What Did Microvenator Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Michael B. H. This small dinosaur was the size of a large dog or turkey, with shorter arms on front than legs on back but still the arms were very long—almost as long as the rear, but not utilized as quadrupedal elements.? Microvenator moved in bipedal fashion, and possibly was winged on the front limbs.? Large eyes long neck, small head, long snout, beaked—all the traits of many birds.? ?Each hand had 3 long fingers each with a claw.? Each foot had three clawed birdlike toes.? The beak occupied half the portion of skull length.What Did Microvenator Eat?Microvenator was a carnivorous predator that existed during the Late Cretaceous Period and probably subsisted on insects, small rodent-like animals, reptiles and other small meaty sources.How Did Microvenator Move?Microvenator was likely a fast-moving dinosaur, with its light body and long legs.? Although the front limbs are considered short (shorter than the rear limbs), they were long in comparison with other dinosaurs said to have “long forelimbs”.? Legs were long and bird-like, though Microvenator was a lizard-hipped Saurischian dinosaur.? Microvenator would have been light and quick, and could have been one of the primitive flightless birds.? Microvenator was of the order Coelurosauria, which were fast, lightly built predators with hollow bones.Where did Microvenator Live?Early Cretaceous layer discoveries suggest that Microvenator lived…? lived in the time of… 119—113 billion years ago.? Earth had not yet cooled and was much warmer than it is now.? There were no polar ice caps at this time, and sea levels were at all-time highs, though continental drift had already occurred so that the separate land masses effectively caused new climates to any inhabitants.Today, the area where Microvenator is found is the familiar and modern state of Montana.? The popular Cloverly Formation in South Central Montana has turned tourism into an exciting dinosaur adventure for those so inclined.? While museums accumulate and have been prevalent in the area for some time, it was more recently that the region’s Missouri river Country board of directors formulated the plan for The Montana Dinosaur Trail as a way to improve museums awareness and attendance and to enhance tourism.? The trail is a series of fourteen dinosaur themed attractions including museums and state parks, among others.? The enrichment opportunities span over twelve of the area communities.The teamwork of many area officials and groups culminated in the May 2005 opening of Dinosaur Trail in Montans.? Visitors are rewarded for repeat visits via a “Prehistoric Passport”.? Thanks to the tourism drive of The Montana Dinosaur Trails project, the area has seen an increase in visitation, and area businesses of all kinds have benefited.Although many dinosaur fossils have been found in Montana rich Late Cretaceous layers, there is only one Microvenator.The Discovery of MicrovenatorThe only definite recovered fossil of Microvenator is about four feet long; however, it is believed that the Microvenator type specimen is one of a young dinosaur.? After calculations based on what was recovered, it is estimated that the Miccrovenator adult was nearer to 10 feet long.? The remains included parts of a skull, hand, foot, one fibula and 23 vertebrae along with four ribs and several other tell-tale bone pieces.The type specimen was taken from the earth in 1933 and included teeth.? At first, Microvenator was given credit for a fairly large head when compared to its body.? The specimen was casually referred to at the time as “Megadontosaurus”; however this would not stick, since the name was never officially published.? It wasn’t until 1970 that the type specimen was described officially.? Discovered and recovered by Barnum Brown (curator of the American Museum of Natural History), it took years of tedious subsequent study by other scientists before finally John Ostrom (US paleontologist and author) accumulated enough observation to make a determination.? It was confirmed that Microvenator is the earliest known member of the oviraptorosaurian group collected from North America.? Ostrom is the first scientist to champion the theory of modern birds evolved of Theropod dinosaurs. Oviraptorosaurs like Microvenator are so bird-like that many scientists regard them as true birds.? For now however, Microvenator and other Oviraptorosaurs remains classed as non-avian maniraptorans.Microvenator Probably Did Not Eat its Own Eggs!Once considered “Egg thief lizards”, Microvenator and other Oviraptorosaurs were thought to have raided the nests of other species, based on a Mongolian find showing Oviraptor on top of a nest. ?However, recent studies have shown that in fact the animal was on top of its own nest.The Significance of MicrovenatorMicrovenator celer is classified as a primitive type specimen and may be the “sister taxon to all other oviraptorosaurs.? Scientists are still looking for answers into the feasibility of Microvenator as a modern bird.Dinosaur Art By Hirschpiel From DeviantArt DeviantArt Is Packed Full Of Great Dinosaur ArtIf you haven’t already spent some time over at DeviantArt then you’re missing out because it’s jam packed full of awesome dinosaur artists. Today I want to highlight a few of my favorite artists after browsing through the site this week.Dinosaur Art You Need to See HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Hirschpiel This is a really beautiful piece and I really love how it’s composed with flowing green coloration and such simple subject matter. This piece is digitally composed and despite the fact that it isn’t exactly accurate time wise, it’s still an amazing piece.Hirschpiel has two dinosaur themed images and the style of the second is actually a big draw for me. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Hirschpiel Red Dino by Hirschpiel is really well done with a cool almost Sin-City like color scheme.Hirschpiel has a very impressive HYPERLINK "" \o "Hirschpiel at DeviantArt" portfolio over at DeviantArt with some really great non-dinosaur themed pieces.Do You Have a Favorite Piece of Dinosaur Art by Hirschpiel?Dinosaur Feathers Abound, Mystify and Satisfy Dinosaur Feathers Were ColoredIt is official—dinosaur feathers were often sported with color pigments.? It is also probable that all dinosaurs (at least all predatory dinos) had at least some feathering.? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Aaron Gustafson Until recently, our only hope of accurately determining the skin texture of prehistoric creatures like dinosaurs was in artistic representations based upon a myriad of applicable bits of information regarding the recovered biological elements combined with period climate information and etcetera environmental considerations.? However, now we have access to some more solid information, based on the work of a team of American and Chinese scientists who have conducted studies on the detailed feather pattern of Microraptor.Dinosaur Feathers ComparedThe team of scientists utilized a new specimen which retained several of the features lost in other fossilized Microraptor remains.? The pigment cells available from this specimen were compared to the same cells in modern birds in order to determine similarities and differences.? It is still too early to determine with 100 percent certainty the function(s) of colored or iridescent feathers in non-avian dinosaurs.? It was long believed that most aspects of dinosaur feathers were attributable to fundamentally aerodynamic considerations.? However, it is now theorized that many feathered dinosaurs may have been so due to behaviors of display such as in mating rituals.Microraptor is a genus of small dinosaur dating from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotng formation, and lived approximately 120 million years ago.? This species had four feathered wings and a bird-like tail, the fossilized remains of which have been recovered in fair number, and for almost two centuries scientists have studied the various specimens especially in terms of its apparent plumage.? Microraptor has been recovered primarily from Lianoning, China.Dinosaur Feathers Were More Prominent Than Once ThoughtMore recently, a discovery in southern Germany leads educated scientists to believe that probably all predatory dinosaurs had feather, not just a few.? The remains in question were of Sciurumimus albersdoerferi, a predatory Theropod dinosaur.? The recovered dinosaur skeleton is the most complete to be found in all of Europe to date and is a good impression of actual appearance.? While the species here is new, it’s family ties are obvious and determinable to be remains of a feathered non-avian Theropodae Megalosaur dinosaur.In another discovery, scientists have uncovered three new specimens from northern China which are the largest prehistoric dinosaur findings to date that had obvious feathers (or rather, featherlike filaments that were like a fuzzy down). The new species has been assigned as Yutyrannus huali, meaning “beautiful feathered tyrant”.?? While this specimen is smaller than T. rex, it is quite large at 9 meters long and 1400 kilograms in weight. ?This is roughly 40 times the size of previously identified feathered dinosaurs.? It is thought that, without major color indicators or the stiff and rigid feathers that would carry any weight; the down feathers were utilized as a suit of warmth or temperature control.We can be sure that as more prehistoric fossils are uncovered, that scientists will continue to look for evidence of feathers and color patterns exhibited by various animals.? Furthermore, scientists are still bridging gaps among the evolutionary nature of dinosaurs and how it may relate to that of modern birds. There is much we have to learn from analysis of dinosaur feathers.More Dinosaur Wallpaper Dinosaur Wallpaper Galore!Here at Dino Pit we have had a couple of posts sharing dinosaur wallpapers and they are always popular and followed by requests for more. So today I have some more dinosaur desktops to share in case you didn’t find any good ones in the last two posts!Dinosaur Wallpaper For Your Desktop HYPERLINK "" This dinosaur wallpaper caught my eye because it’s sci-fi coloration is reminiscent of old school science fiction movie posters. The original size of this wallpaper is 1328 x 896 pixels which means it’s big enough for just about any desktop. HYPERLINK "" This dinosaur versus robot design is copyrighted to HYPERLINK "" \o "Calvin Hoag of Think Digi" Calvin Hoag of ThinkDigi. This is a fun twist on a dinosaur desktop wallpaper and has a simple color scheme making it easy to find icons. The original size of this piece is 1600 x 801 pixels. HYPERLINK "" This is a cute variation on a dinosaur desktop and I love it! Sure, you’d have to realign your icons to the right of your screen but it’s worth it. The original size of this wallpaper is 1280 x 800 pixels. HYPERLINK "" If you’re looking for something a little more cartoon-like then this Ice Age themed wallpaper is a good way to go! The only drawback to this wallpaper is that it’s a little dark so it can be a little difficult to see the icons. The original size to this wallpaper is 1600 x 899 pixels. HYPERLINK "" This wallpaper is less dinosaur than it is Dinosaur Provincial Park but it makes for a beautiful desktop and adds a new spin on the dinosaur theme. I love the detail in this piece as well as the sheer beauty. The size of this original wallpaper is 1920 x 1200 so it’s large enough to fit any desktop. HYPERLINK "" If you are looking for a more simplistic dinosaur theme for your desktop then this sauropod illustration is a great way to go. There is plenty of room for organizing your icons and the original size of this image is large enough for any screen at 1440 x 900 pixels.Do you have a favorite dinosaur wallpaper?Microceratops Microceratops is MicroceratusMicroceratops is bound to remain a popular dinosaur name, since we’ve been aware of its prehistoric existence for about 60 years and it is already a scripted member of our popular culture.? However, Microceratops has since been determined a dubious name for the genus and has since been reassigned as Microceratus.? Microceratops is no longer a dinosaur group, due to being discovered as an already assigned name to a genus of wasp.? Scientific species classification rules determine that no two creatures may have the same genus name.? The official change from Microceratops to Miceratus took place in 2008 when Mateus reassigned Microceratops type genus gobiensis.About MicroceratopsMicroceratus (Greek) means “small-horned” and is a genus of tiny Ceratopsian (Greek for “horned face”) dinosaur.? The previous genus name, Microceratops, meant “tiny-horned face” (Greek).? Microceratus lived during the Cretaceous Period, roughly 70 million years ago (the Cretaceous Period ended 65 million years ago), and became extinct at the end of this period. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Matheus1598 What Did Microceratops Look Like? Microceratops (Microceratus) is the smallest known Ceratopsid dinosaur, at only 2—3 feet long and 1 ? feet tall.? The Ceratopsia ranged in size from 3 feet and 50 pounds to over 30 feet and 12,000 pounds.? Where most of the later Ceratopsid dinosaurs are known for very large protective frills and horns, Cretaceous Period Ceratopsid Microceratops was so named due to its definite lack of horns. ?However, Microceratops did have the bony frill covering the most prone portion of its neck.? While it seems most obvious that the large plate-like frill would have been for protection, it may have been functional as a major location of large muscle attachment, used for display, or for thermoregulation.The bony and heavy skull tapers toward the front into a beak-like snout with no teeth.? The “beak” of Microceratops and other Ceratopsid dinosaurs is formed of the rostral bone at the tip of the upper jaw and the predentary bone which forms the tip of the lower jaw (in all ornithischians).? ?The characteristic triangular or plate-like appearance of the Ceratopsid frill is due to the backward extension of the dinosaur’s parietal and squamosal bones of the skull.Microceratops was bipedal, with short front arms.? Also a member of the Protoceratopsid (first horned-face) group of dinosaurs, Microceratops resembled the quadrupedal Protoceratops and Leptoceratops.? Microceratops was smaller and more primitive, with more slender limbs that resembled frogs’ legs or rabbits’ legs.? In fact, when compared to today’s large wild rabbits, the body and stance of Microceratops was very similar in appearance.? It is possible that at times Microceratops would have moved in quadrupedal fashion, but due to its extremely long (in comparison to its forelimbs and upper body) legs and ornithopod hips, it is believed that the species type was primarily bipedal and could run fast.To date, Protoceratopsids have been found exclusively in the Late Cretaceous of Asia (Nemegt Basin), dating to between about 99.6— 70.6 million years ago.?? A particularly well-known protoceratopsid is Protoceratops andrewsi.The “fringed head” Marginocephalia, a clade of which Microceratops is a showy member, is a type of ornithischian dinosaur that is characterized by its thick-skulled and horned family members.? All Marginocephalia were herbivores and either bipedal or quadrupedal.? They all are identified as having a bony ridge or frill extending from the skull to cover the neck.? This clade evolved during the Jurassic Period and became quite common during the Cretaceous Period, as many dinosaurs benefitted during the time.Regarding the size of Microceratops, scientists cannot be certain that the largest genus specimen has been found.? The only specimen is of a young dinosaur and therefore it is not definitely known how large the adults grew.What Did Microceratops Eat?Like all Ceratopsid and Marginocephalid dinosaurs, Microceratops was an herbivore.? Living during the Late Cretaceous Period, the species is likely to have fed on many of the flowering plants and mostly the more prolific plants of the era such as conifers, ferns and cycads.? The sharp beak of Microceratops could strip off leaves and needles, and was probably also strong enough to break some branches and small limbs.How Did Microceratops Move?Microceratops was probably agile and quick, moving its small bipedal body around among the brush.? This was a small and light creature capable of quick speeds—likely useful in running about the many larger creatures of its time without being trampled, and for outrunning its larger and more vicious predators.? It is thought that Microceratops could not only move quickly, but that part of this quickness was attributable to its ability to hop.? Microceratops is depicted in popular literature as being able to hop around through trees and onto some surfaces (rocks, etc.)Where Did Microceratops Live?Microceratops lived during the Late Cretaceous Period of prehistoric time—a time during which the climate was changing in dramatic ways, affecting the future of all Earth’s creatures—especially the dinosaur species.? The oceans were receding as the climate was cooling down and polar ice caps were forming.? The change in climate came about over thousands of years, but all the eventual change was too much over time.? It is thanks to changes like these though, that we see the variety of dinosaur fossils that we do today.? As some species fell victim to changes in climate (and food source) over time, other species appeared.? A magnificent array of dinosaur and other species evolved.? Microceratops lived during a plentiful and busy time for dinosaurs, and yet would disappear by the end of its period along with all the other prehistoric dinosaurs.Microceratops lived in the area now known as Asia, and lived with many other dinosaur species—plant eaters and meat eaters alike, along with species that would have been omnivorous and with other creatures as well.? Microceratops would have existed around the same time as the tiny Deltatheridium—one of the earliest mammals, a six inch insect eater that resembled today’s weasel.During Microceratops’ heyday, it is likely that it would have run in rampant numbers as a prolific food source for food chain superiors such as Oviraptor, Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus rex or Nanshiungosaurus.? It would have loved to live among undergrowth areas of forest and jungle, hiding its small form from these predators.? It is believed that Microceratops could change its skin colors in defense, and also secrete a poison from the skin.The Discovery of MicroceratopsMicroceratops was discovered and subsequently described in 1953, in Mongolia.? While Microceratops eventually lost its name to circumstance in 2008, the genus type is imprinted into the minds of people today due to popularity.? The type species was marked as Microceratops gobiensis and since then many of those parts have been assigned to another genus, Graciliceratops, while some remain classified as Microceratus.Graciliceratops mongoliensis lived in Mongolia between the Santonian to Campanian stages of the late Cretaceous.Horny Hornless Microceratops Although the closest relative of Microceratops were name for their usually prominent horns—and while Microceratops itself was name for “horns”—in actuality, Microceratops lacked any horns—even small ones.? Microceratops did have the bony plate which resembled something like horns extending from the skull, but which never developed into true horns.The Significance of MicroceratopsMicroceratops will always be significant as one of the most popular dinosaurs known.? It was discovered during the heyday of Hollywood entertainment, and as such has always been an easy focus when considering dinosaurs and their general traits.? Microceratops was featured in Disney’s “Dinosaur” (a year 2000 computer-animated film featuring prehistoric plots and story-telling), and in Michael Crichton’s novel Jurassic Park, where a Jurassic petting zoo went awry.? In this story, we see Microceratops as very small but very territorial and inherently vicious nature.? Part of the action in the story involves an animal handler’s own skin reaction to a physical brush with Microceratops, after which he experienced hallucinations and fever.Dinosaur Stocking Stuffers Dinosaur Stocking Stuffers Are a MustIf you have a dinosaur lover in your home then you should know by now that dinosaur themed stocking stuffers are always a hit. This is why they always go on the list of things to hunt for when the Christmas shopping begins. I always have a ton of fun picking out little things to add to everyone’s stockings and with ten to fill this year it’s going to be a little trickier but I’m hoping that getting started early helps!Dinosaur Stocking Stuffers to Check Out HYPERLINK "" I love these HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Magnets from ETSY" dinosaur magnets from ETSY, they’re the perfect size for dinosaur stocking stuffers and they’re also great if you have a number of stockings to fill. I’d recommend spreading between five stockings though instead of ten because no one just wants to find a dinosaur butt in their stocking. These retail for $25 for a pack of ten. HYPERLINK "" If you have a sock lover (like me) on your Christmas list this year then these cute HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Socks" dinosaur themed socks are a great stocking stuffer idea. These knee height socks are $8.85 from Amazon and if you buy $25 worth of Amazon goodies you get free shipping too! HYPERLINK "" For $12, this HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur necklace from ETSY" dinosaur necklace from ETSY is a great addition to the Christmas stocking of any dinosaur lover. What’s really cool about this piece is that it’s unusual and thoughtful at the same time. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur LEGO Kit" Dino Ambush Attack dinosaur LEGO kit is a small add on kit that is perfect for any LEGO collector who also loves dinosaurs. Small enough to fit in a stocking, this LEGO set is a steal at $10.97 on . HYPERLINK "" This HYPERLINK "" \o "Wooden Dinosaurs Play Set" wooden dinosaurs play set might be a little large to fit inside a stocking but take all the smaller dinosaurs out of the larger dinosaur holder and you have a stocking full of fun dinosaur toys! This piece is a pretty ingenious idea from ETSY and provides your kids with dinosaur fun and safe play for $69.?What Dinosaur Stocking Stuffers Can You Think Of?The Prehistoric Dinosaur Opisthotonus Hypothesis The Dinosaur Opisthotonus Hypothesis HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User C Dylke Scientists have postulated for years on the most likely reasoning behind the frequent positioning (opisthotonus) of many prehistoric dinosaur fossils in an extreme supine position, where the body exhibits severe hyperextension and a specimen’s head, neck and spinal column transform themselves into a complete backward arch.? In the case of dinosaurs, scientists attempt to answer the primary cause of the apparently great number of dinosaur fossils which exhibit opisthotonus.? The dinosaur opisthotonus phenomenon has been an official curiosity since 1859, when a researcher made notes in a document regarding a recently discovered specimen’s unusual death pose.? In the years since, several specimens have been unearthed and discovered with the trademark twisted posture, head and neck recurved over the back of the animal.Dinosaur Opisthotonus is a CNS PhenomenonOpisthotonus (op-is-THOT-nus) is a Central Nervous System (CNS) phenomenon that occurs in live beings, and in death.? There are many possible causes for this CNS failure, which results in the symptomatic or indicative hypertonic dystonia witnessed in many dinosaur fossils today.? In broad terms, among them are heat stroke, disease (such as meningitis), and drowning, poisoning or other damage to the CNS. ?Among these, the primary locale of permanent damage is the cerebellum.? The cerebellum is responsible for fine muscle movement and control.? The cerebellum in affect controls the anti-gravity musculature of the body, enabling the maintenance of erect posture and cranial support.? Any damage to the cerebellum could interfere with its ability to regulate the behavior of these anti-gravity muscles.? When this happens, it is the muscles’ natural tendency to “pull”, thereby contracting and forcing the body arch and eventual contraction of limbs and mouth.In dinosaur terms, the primary cause seems to be regarded as a single precursor—or, at least any studies seem to point in the general direction of one primary cause for all or most of the opisthotonus seen in dinosaur fossils.? While causes of dinosaur opisthotonus can be as varied as traumatic brain injury, suffocation, severe cerebral palsy or tetanus, researchers want to remain open to all possibilities and actively pursue further understanding of the circumstances involved for all found specimens.Volcanic eruptions (suffocation), attacks from predators (brain or spine damage, venomous poisoning), tetanus or meningitis (other infection?)….any of these could have resulted in the final backward arched opisthotonic death poses of any prehistoric dinosaur.? Carnivorous Allosaurus has been found to have bone lesions similar to those found in bacterial infections that also cause meningitis.? Could a bacterial epidemic have afflicted many of the carnivorous species of dinosaur?? This would have been a terrible slow death for any creature, eventually unable to feed itself or defend itself against predation.Dinosaur Opisthotonus and Modern BirdsStill—among dinosaurs—it has been noted in recent studies that dinosaur opisthotonis could be more specifically be related to the Ligamentum elasticum present in modern birds and, supposedly, in the ornithischian (bird-like) dinosaurs.? These dinosaurs came equipped with a special ligament designed for the purpose of supporting a large and heavy tail and neck, or for a tail and neck that had to be very functional, as in flight or heavy support.? According to this theory, the ligament simply presents its stored energy as post-mortem constriction, as the animal’s death diminishes the ability of the ligament to biomechanically control posture.??This dinosaur opisthotonus would have happened at any cause of death.Make a Dinosaur Diorama Build a Dinosaur Diorama HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur dioramas are a fun way to make your own little dinosaur scene and whether you’re 3 or 33 you can have plenty of fun with this project. Choose your favorite dinosaur, pick your setting and you’re ready to go!Customize Your Dinosaur DioramaOne of the best things about building a dinosaur diorama is that you get to customize yours to your own specifications. You pick your background, you pick your “flooring”, you pick your scenery and you pick your favorite dinosaur too!Ingredients for your Dinosaur DioramaA shoe boxA magazineGlueRocks / Aquarium Decorations / Leaves / Dirt/SandA small plastic dinosaur or twoPaints if you desireHow to Build Your Dinosaur DioramaStand your shoebox with the top opening facing towards you, this is how your diorama will sit when it’s completed.Using your magazine, find images or background patterns that you like and paste them to the back of the shoebox to create a background for your dinosaur diorama. If you prefer not to use magazine pieces you can also use your paints to paint your own background.Using pebbles, dirt, sand or leaves, create a base for your dinosaur to stand on. You can use a combination of these items to create a diverse base.Next you want to create an environment for your dinosaur, you can do this using rocks, aquarium decorations or anything else you can find to give your diorama a little character!Take your small plastic dinosaur and using glue place your dinosaur within the diorama and firmly glue it to the floor. If you are a fan of herbivores you can even create a herd of them in a beautiful setting.Take a look at this video on making a dinosaur diorama! HYPERLINK "" How to Make a Dinosaur Diorama — powered by ehowWant to add a little something special? Try using saran wrap to create a river and rocks to create a cave inside your dinosaur diorama.Indosuchus Indosuchus is an Abelisaurid Indosuchus is a prehistoric Theropod dinosaur that roamed the earth 70—65 million years ago.? The name Indosuchus is taken from the Greek Indos and soukhos, respectively meaning “Indian crocodile”.? Indosuchus is a genus of Abelisaurid dinosaur (a family of Ceratosaurian Theropod dinosaurs), and lived during Earth’s Late Cretaceous Period during the Maastrichtian Era.Quick FactsNameIndosuchusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeightUnknownLength32 feet (9.8 meters)Height16 feet (4.9 meters) Maximum SpeedUnknown TerritoryIndia About IndosuchusIndosuchus was a bipedal carnivore (as are most Theropods).? To date, recovery of fossilized remains has been minimal, and accurate classification is elusive.? The type species has been designated as Indosuchus raptorius, and remains attributed to the family group Abelisauridae.Abelisaurid dinosaurs thrived during the Cretaceous Period, and existed as far back as the Early Jurassic.? This prehistoric dinosaur family lived on the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, before the phenomenon of plate tectonics separated it into what are now the African and South American continents.? Fossilized remains of various Abelisaurid dinosaurs are found on these continents today, in addition to the Indian subcontinent and Madagascar Isle.What did Indosuchus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Michael B. H. Indosuchus resembled other prehistoric bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs, with its large head and tiny front limbs.? This type species especially resembled Indosaurus matleyi, another prehistoric dinosaur found in the same formation.The bipedal posture of Indosuchus aided its chase for sustenance by powering its stride into the speed necessary for running down its prey and ultimately bringing that prey down.? Being the first feeders on target, these carnivores then used their massive muscular thighs, trunk, neck and head to maintain their feeding position until satiation could take place.? Trespassers were quickly knocked off their target.Many specific features of Indosuchus remain a mystery, due to the minimal and fragmentary remains found thus far.? As with most Theropods, dinosaurs of the family Abelisauridae had teeth that were useful for tearing flesh and for gripping resistant prey.? The teeth themselves were curved and sharp.? The skull of Indosuchus resembled that of other Abelisaurid dinosaurs, being very tall and almost as short.? The braincase was large.? The eyes sat on the top portion of skull, protected by the lacrimal and postorbital bones which met to form a ridge above and around the eye.Limbs were reminiscent of other bipedal carnivores, with claws present at the ends of all digits, used for ripping, shredding and digging.? The front limbs were extremely short in comparison to the hind limbs, and the forearm was only 25% or less the length of the upper arm on these type species.? The elbow would have been immobile and the entire arm extended straight and moved about at the shoulder only, if at all in some species.What did Indosuchus Eat?Indosuchus benefitted from a dinosaur proliferation that resulted in a vast array of species that it could consider prey.? The long, sharp and serrated teeth of Indosuchus easily made game of most any target.? The species’ physical build was designed for the requirements of spotting, stalking, pouncing and chasing when in pursuit of its meal.? The Cretaceous Period was thick with many prehistoric dinosaur species and other animal species fit for consumption via this particular prehistoric predator.How did Indosuchus move?Indosuchus was a bipedal Ceratosaur adapted for running and quick powerful moves.? Its bird-like Ceratosaurian features aided its quickness and ability to gain speed in racing.? Hollow bones, minimal front-end body weight (when compared to the back) except for the balancing and powerful head and neck.? Absence of forelimbs—or rather, presence of vestigial limbs on the front—minimized a lot of weight that would normally restrict bipedal movement.Where did Indosuchus live?Indosuchus lived during the latter part of the Cretaceous Period, during the Maastrichtian age.? This was the time at the end of the Mesozoic Era during which many changes were taking place in the evolution of Earth’s physical structure and climate, and subsequently in the inhabiting species of flora and fauna.? Earth was a location of major change during the mass extinction event known as the K-T extinction.? Many dinosaurs lived on Earth during this time; however, their time was limited.? In addition to the catastrophic K-T event, Cretaceous dinosaurs were likely already experiencing background extinction due to the period’s severe climate changes.? There would have been lowered sea levels as the polar ice caps forms, much cooler climates and higher volcanic activity.?? These events could be associated with the K-T extinction; however, they are not verified as the final end-all description of events that ultimately caused the mass extinction itself.? It is also theorized that the final cause could have been an asteroid’s impact and the immediate and short-term effects of that impact.Remains of Indosuchus were found on today’s subcontinent of India, in the Upper Cretaceous layers of the Lameta Formation.? The Lamenta is a sedimentary rock formation found in central-southern India.? Other species are found to have lived in the area, such as titanosaur Isisaurus and abelisaurae Indosaurus, Laevisuchus and Raiasaurus.? Many other finds have been recorded, but are dubious in nature.The Discovery of IndosuchusIn 1932 near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, India, Charles Alfred Matley found the fragmented and partial remains of a large creature.? Later named by Friedrich von Huene and co-described by Huene and Matley in 1933, Indosuchus raptorius.? It would be many years before I. raptorius would be further classified as a Theropod (dinosaur).The Indosuchus JawsIt’s thought that Indosuchus and other ceratosaurian dinosaurs are unique in their characteristic loose attachment between the premaxilla and maxilla—a gap thought to have been fit with large teeth from dentary bone material.? These teeth would have been ultra-efficient in delivering an instant kill result as the predator attacked its prey.The Significance of IndosuchusIndosuchus lived and died—even as a species—during the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous Period.? This genus is significant as any other that existed during this time; specifically, the more information that paleontologist and other scientists can disseminate through recovered fossils of Indosuchus and other prehistoric species, the better chance we have of understanding what really happened during the major extinction events on Earth.? More specifically, we can learn about the K-T Extinction event that brought about the demise of all large dinosaurs and other prehistoric species of life.? The death of species Indosuchus—and the Age of Reptiles with it—opened up a vast arena for the Age of Mammals to begin.Just How Big Was Mamenchisaurus? Mamenchisaurus, a Huge Sauropod Mamenchisaurus is an incredibly large sauropod of the late Jurassic period. One of the most notable features of this herbivorous beast is it’s amazingly long neck. Researchers state that the neck of this dinosaur made up more than half of its total length! The recognition of dinosaur with the longest neck is competed between Mamenchisaurus and Supersaurus. Discovered in China, this gentle giant is now known by six species and there may be many more. So large is this long neck that its largest rib measures in at over 13 feet! Let’s take a look at some more numbers on this incredible vegetarian.The Numbers On Mamenchisaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Tim Bekaert, 1996 Mamenchisaurus LengthThe approximated length of Mamenchisaurus is around 69 ft feet long.An average length of? around 69 feet is equal to:The length of five black rhinoceros.The length of four giraffes.Approximately the length of 6 average Nile crocodiles.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 2,097 sugar ants.Mamenchisaurus WeightEstimates of Mamenchisaurus weight fall at around 30 short tons or 60,000 lbs.60,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of approximately 173 ostriches.The same weight as 600 emperor penguins.The approximate weight of 6,000 flamingos.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 48,000,000 average goose feathers.Mamenchisaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Mamenchisaurus at around 35 feet tall.35 feet is equal to:The approximate height of six hippopotamus.The height of nine Bengal tigers.The height of ten Malayan tapirs.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 6,883 pennies stacked on top of each other.? HYPERLINK "" This may have been an herbivorous dinosaur but with such sheer size on its side, this incredible sauropod had very few predators to worry about! Can you imagine being underfoot with a herd of Mamenchisaurus around?Mamenchisaurus Mamenchisaurus Was a Late Jurassic SauropodMamenchisaurus was a dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period and was the biggest sauropod of its time.? Found in Asia and pronounced mah-MUN-chi-SAWR-us, the name means “Mamenchi lizard” and comes from the Chinese Pinyin and men, respectively ma men.? Chi is the Chinese translation of “stream” or “brook”.? When these are combined with the Greek suffix –saurus, then we get Mamenchisaurus, or “Mamenxi (Ferry) lizard”.Quick FactsNameMamenchisaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodomorphaWeight60,000 pounds (27,216 kilograms)Length69 feet (21 meters)Height35 feet (10.7 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 8 mph TerritoryAsia About MamenchisaurusMamenchisaurus is the largest known dinosaur from Asia and has the longest neck of any yet discovered dinosaur, which itself measures up to 36 feet.? The type species is Mamenchisaurus constructus.? Species types later designated are: ?M. changshouensis, M. hochuanensis, and M. jingyangensis, M. sinocanadorum. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Tim Bekaert, 1996 What Did Mamenchisaurus Look Like? Mamenchisaurus was a very large prehistoric dinosaur.? To date, Mamenchisaurus is the largest sauropod to be found in Asian territory excavations (Mamenchisaurus is only found in Asian soils to date).?? This immense Jurassic creature had an apparently heavy build, with its body being large enough to hold the massive stomach and digestive tract of its herbivorous nature.The neck is so long in comparison to the length of its body that it is believed to have been utilized to expend the least amount of energy while feeding on area leafy greens.?? It neck was so long that it made up half its total length, and was the longest neck of any dinosaur ever found, itself measuring up to 36 feet.? Mamenchisaurus had a tiny head with nostrils at the top and a small mouth with peg like scooped teeth.Due to the construction of its limbs, Mamenchisaurus was as first classified as a diplodocid dinosaur; however, more recent studies have determined that Mamenchisaurus is otherwise related, and had since been classified to the unique Euhelopodidae family of dinosaur.? Since that time, Mamenchisaurus and other former Euhelopodidae have been reclassified again to the family Mamenchisauridae.? Now, the traditional Euhelopodidae has been virtually left behind and its species type Euhelopus stands on its own.? Mamenchisauridae has been classified as a family of sauropod dinosaurs. ?Based on earlier discoveries and subsequent studies, Chinese paleontologists C. Young and H. Chao described Mamenchisaurus and its sauropod traits.? Other possible Mamenchisaurid dinosaurs could have been Bellusaurus, Hudiesaurus and Tonganosaurus.What Did Mamenchisaurus Eat?Mamenchisaurus was an herbivore, and it likely ate an incredible amount of foliage each and every day in order to sustain itself. ??It is thought that Mamenchisaurus used its extra-long neck to forage greenery from area foliage, and as it stripped an entire area of available foliage then this plant-eating dinosaur would move on to another area.? In this way, Mamenchisaurus would have moved often, especially when travelling in herd fashion.It is theorized that Mamenchisaurus swallowed its entire food whole, using its scoop-like peg tooth formation to simply strip foliage from its life-giving source.? Then its digestive system utilized gastroliths in order to mulch the fibrous diet to deliver sustenance to its body.? Among the foliage that Mamenchisaurus would have had access to are conifers, seed ferns, cycads, ferns, mosses and horsetails.How Did Mamenchisaurus Move? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi The body of Mamenchisaurid dinosaurs was probably so heavy that it would be impossible to move without sapping too much of its own energy stores, which it may have needed later in order to migrate to areas not yet stripped of plant material by its herd.? This large dinosaur probably moved slowly on its four columnar legs that resembled those of today’s much smaller elephant.Mamenchisaurus may have deposited eggs “on the move”, being too large to properly care for them.? Their eggs would have been left to hatch soon after, and the hatchlings would have had to survive their initial freedom and maneuvering to a safe spot for resting, feeding and socializing.? It would be a long life of lucky calls for young Mamenchisaurid dinosaurs that would be easy prey for carnivorous dinosaurs.? When they did make it to adulthood, Mamenchisaurid dinos were likely to have lived to be 100 years old.Where Did Mamenchisaurus Live?All Mamenchisaurus discoveries have been found in China.? This dinosaur lived about 156—145 million years ago, during the Late Jurassic Period.? Its climate would have been warm, with no polar ice caps and with high sea levels.? A lot of the land would have been marshy.? Mamenchisaurus’ friendly neighbors were probably other Sauropods of the time such as Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus and Spatosaurus, along with Allosaurus and Supersaurus.The area where Mamenchisaurus is recovered was once a lush forest.? Many fossilized woods have been found.? Scientists theorize that the area had plenty of water in the form of a massive lake or aquifer which was probably fed by a large river.The Discovery of MamenchisaurusSichuan, China was the first location of Mamenchisaurus discovery, in 1952 Asia.? A Chinese paleontologist named Chung Chien Young first described the prehistoric dinosaur genus Mamenchisaurus in 1954, after excavating and studying the fossilized remains.? The assigned type genus was Mamenchisaurus constructus.? This specimen’s neck was incomplete and total size estimates were relatively short at this time. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Flickr User Kabacchi Mamenchisaurus fossils have been found in various area of the Dashanpu Formation in China, which is a formation of layers of aged rock.? There are four main layers, or productive layers, of paleontological geological consideration.? The upper two layers are the most explored of the Dashanpu Formation, being the area to have been most productive in prehistoric dinosaur finds.? Apparently much less has been recovered from the bottom two layers of the Dashanpu Formation.It is believed that so many specimens of Mamenchisaurid dinosaurs are found in this area due to its prior climate—a vast river-fed lake that would have carried any dinosaur remains along a very long course to a final resting place together at the formation.It wasn’t until 1972 that a definite second species of Mamenchisaurid dinosaur was found, called Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis, named by Young & Zhao.? This type species was found in four partial skeletons in the upper Dashanpu Formation, and this group’s estimated size is about 72 feet in length.In 1993, Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum was found in the same geographical location and described as possessing the longest cervical rib of any sauropod dinosaur yet discovered, lending to today’s awareness of the size of this earth-dwelling creature.? At 13.5 feet, it compares in huge contrast to the longest sauroposeidon cervical rib which measures over 2 feet less.In 1994 scientists found a partial skull and isolated bones of the type species subsequently named Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum.? It is believed that this may have been the largest Mamenchisaurus, at 85 feet in length.In 1998, scientists named the type species Mamenchisaurus jingyanensis, also from the upper Dashanpu Formation, and estimated at between 66 to 85 feet (20 to 26 meters) in length.Finally, in 2001 a discovery was made of another Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis, which had a skull, pectoral girdle and forelimb material.? These were all missing from the holotype specimen.? The new specimen was also found with four fused tail vertebra that appear to have been some sort of tail club or sensory organ.Young had intended to name this genus according to the place where its first fossilized remains were found, at the construction sit next to the Mǎmíngxī Ferry Crossing by the Jinsha River.? But due to a mistake of language, the scientist actually named the locale slightly inaccurately; however, the fossil was found as a result of construction work, and led to Young naming it so, as Mamenchisaurus constructus.? The Extra Long Neck and Extra Small Brain of MamenchisaurusThe neck measured 49 feet long itself, being the longest neck of any dinosaur or other creature known.? Nineteen vertebrae supported the heavy neck of Mamenchisaurus, some of them being as thin as eggshells and delicately balanced on each other and utilizing supportive rod-like structures.? In contrast, the head of Mamenchisaurus was very small, and believed to have encased a brain that did not fill to capacity the cavity of the skull.? In fact, what was once believed to have been another part of the brain is now considered to have been a large extension of the spine.The Significance of MamenchisaurusWhile Mamenchisaurus has been a bounty of discovery for paleontologists, scientists and other prehistoric dinosaur enthusiasts, still much is not known about this largest of saurpod dinosaurs.? Scientists continue to discover new type species and in time—due to the large number of Mamenchisaurid dinosaurs to have existed—it is thought that much more will be learned from study of this magnificent prehistoric earth creature as well as Mamenchisaurus.Amazing Dinosaur Facts There Are Plenty of Amazing Dinosaur FactsThere are plenty of amazing dinosaur facts but if you’re like me then you find most dinosaur related facts to be amazing. Today I want to take a look at some incredible facts that you may not have known before today. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User rynoceras Amazing Dinosaur Facts You Need to KnowMany dinosaur species would never be able to survive in Earth’s current climate.It took Mamenchisaurus approximately 30 years to grow to it’s adult size.A single T-rex tooth including its root could approximate the length of an iPad.Most dinosaurs walked on their toesTriceratops has the largest head of any known land animal at 10 feet long.Female Tyrannosaurus Rex were larger than males.Some dinosaurs had tails that were over 45 feet long.The jaws of Tyrannosaurus Rex possessed some 10,000 newtons of pressure.Many large sauropods had brittle teeth and swallowed plants whole rather than chewing them.It is estimated that Stegosaurus brain weighed just 2.5 ounces.It is very difficult to determine male from female dinosaur fossils unless the skeleton possess specific indicators of being a fertile female.Approximately 3% of all fossils discovered are from carnivorous dinosaurs.Hadrosaurs had more than 950 teeth!Dinosaurs had replaceable teeth.Dinosaur fossils have even been found in Antarctica.Some of the biggest dinosaur eggs ever discovered were two feet long!Diplodocus had more than 80 vertebrae in it’s tail.Sauropods, while they had small heads, had very large nostrils.Carnotaurus digits on it’s forearms were immobile.Only the two horns on the top of? Triceratops’ skull were made of bone.Tyrannosaurus Rex is the most popular dinosaur, Triceratops is the second most popular.Micropachycephalosaurus has the longest name of any dinosaur.Six states within the United States have a recognized state dinosaur.What amazing dinosaur facts do you find interesting?Propanoplosaurus Tracks and Prints Propanoplosaurus—Making Maryland Proud, 2012 HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Long ago in a flooding plain of the prehistoric Cretaceous Period, at least one 13 centimeter long tiny baby nodosaurid dinosaur was overcome by water or possibly by other fleeing creatures in the wake of a flood.? Ultimately, the little dinosaur drowned and was covered by sediment to be unveiled 112 million years later in what is today the eastern United States—specifically Maryland.To date, this is the youngest nodosaur ever found, and may be seen on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in ?Also, this nodosaur is the first hatchling of any dinosaur to be recovered in the eastern US.? The specimen was identified by noting the skull’s distinctive pattern of bumps and grooves, which were revealed immediately upon cleaning the fossil.? The little prehistoric creature had become immobilized on its back frozen in time as much of its body was imprinted into the sediment before fossilization finally took place.Due to the lack of fossilized egg shells found after close inspection of the area, scientists believe that this particular nodosaurus—along with any others in the area at the time—was in fact already hatched and mobile.A computer analysis was performed, measuring the proportions of various recorded ankylosaur (group containing nodosaurid dinosaurs).? These comparative measurements enabled scientists to mark the specimen as nodosaurid Propanoplosaurus marylandicus. ?Had this specimen survived to grow into its adult form, it would likely have reached 20—30 feet long.Propanoplosaurus Surprises Maryland, 2011When prehistoric dinosaur tracks were recently discovered at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, area scientists and residents were gleeful in their recognition of the fact that dinosaurs did, in fact, roam their own bit of the earth millions of years ago.Those tracks also belong to Propanoplosaurus marylandicus.? ?Propanoplosaurus was a Cretaceous Period nodosaurid dinosaur, of the family Nodosauridae which is itself a type of ankylosaurian dinosaur.? The genus Propanoplosaurus was named and described by Stanford, David Weishampel and Valerie DeLeon in 2011, and refers to the location of discovery in Maryland.Ankylosaurian dinosaurs span the range from the prehistoric Late Jurassic Period to the Late Cretaceous.? During the period of 75—65 million years ago, some ankylosaur genera developed thick and elaborate armor as a natural defense against predatory aggression by the likes of Tyrannosaurus rex.Nodosauridae (knobbed lizards) are a family of herbivorous ankylosaurian dinosaurs, from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous Period of what are now North America, Asia, Antarctica and Europe.? Like Propanoplosaurus, other nodosaurid fossils have been discovered in eastern US regions such as Baltimore and Washington.? Nodosaurid dinosaurs are described as medium—large and heavily built quadrupedal herbivores.? Their teeth are small and denticulate, and nodosauridae have parasagittal rows of osteoderms (armors) on the dorsolateral surfaces of their bodies.“The family Nodosauridae was erected by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1890, and anchored on the genus Nodosaurus”Other nodosaurae Propanoplosaurs genus type is Nodosaurus textilis.? The first armored dinosaurs to be discovered in North America, this type genus was first known for its body armors, described as bony dermal plates which covered the top of its body.? It is believed that Nodosaurus textilis had spikes along its side as well.?? Its legs and neck were short, and this type species had five toes, where other Nodosaurae are known for four.Propanoplosaurus DefenseIt is worth noting that nodosaurus were the first ankylosaurs to exist with not just clubs on their tails.? It is believed that their defense method would have resembled that of today’s hedgehog, which when threatened will drop to the ground and roll up so that only it’s armored back and sides are exposed.Another nodosaur footprint—thought to be a baby Propanoplosaurus—was found in the immediate area of the first, adult print found in Maryland. Saurischia Versus Ornithischia The Difference Of Saurischia Versus OrnithischiaAlthough the general public like to think that researchers categorize dinosaurs based on being carnivorous or herbivorous, this is not the case. Dinosaur species are actually most commonly categorized as being saurischian or ornithischian. So what do these terms mean and how do they differ? Let’s take a look.Understanding Saurischia Versus OrnithischiaThe terms saurischia and ornithischia refer to the hip structure of a dinosaur species. Below we will take a look at the two types of dinosaur hip structure and how they can be distinguished from one another.Saurischia Versus Ornithischia: Saurischia HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User kaurjmeb The term Saurischia refers to dinosaurs with a “lizard hip” structure. Consequetly these dinosaurs are often referred to as lizard hipped dinosaurs. All carnivorous dinosaurs are saurischians in addition to Sauropodomorphs. Ironically, birds are descended from lizard hipped dinosaurs, more specifically, the Theropods.Saurischian dinosaurs have a three pronged hip structure where the pubis points forwards.Lizard hipped dinosaurs are so named because of the likeness of their hip structure to modern day lizards.Subgroups of Saurischia include: Herrerasauridae (possibly) and?Eusaurischia including?Sauropodomorpha and Theropoda.Saurischia Versus Ornithischia: Ornithischia HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User kaurjmeb The term Ornithischia refers to dinosaurs with a “bird hip” structure. Consequetly these dinosaurs are often referred to as bird hipped dinosaurs. Ornithischians were herbivorous dinosaurs and were more numerous than saurischian dinosaurs in terms of population count.Ornithischian dinosaurs have a hip structure where the pubis points backwards and runs parallell to the ischium. These dinosaurs also frequently have a forward pointing process as well which gives them the appearance of having a four pronged pelvis. Those four prongs come from the two rear facing processes and the two forward facing processes.Superficially the hip structure of bird hipped dinosaurs is similar to that of birds, which is how these dinosaurs got their name. It is important however, to understand that simply because these dinosaurs are referred to as “bird hipped” does not mean that they are directly related to birds.Subgroups of Ornithischia include: Eocursor, Fabrosaurus, Pisanosaurus, Taveirosaurus, Trimucrodon,?Heterodontosauridae and Genasauria.?So when it comes to Saurischia Versus Ornithischia, which is your favorite dinosaur clade?Cryolophosaurus Carnivorous CryolophosaurusRelatively little is known about this prehistoric dinosaur, found in the frigid climate of Antarctica and named as a “frozen crested lizard”, or Cryolophosaurus, pronounced CRY-oh-LOAF-oh-SORE-us.? The species type is Cryolophosaurus elliotti, or C. elliotti (Greek for “cold crested lizard”).The prehistoric species existed around 190-185 million years ago.? For a carnivorous predator of its early period of existence, it was rather large in comparison.? Yet, when compared to the largest Allosaurus, Cryolophosaurus was relatively small.About CryolophosaurusCryolophosaurus was likely a running predator that used its tail in both defense and aggression, taking down its attackers and prey with its massive whip-like tail which is thought to be the kind of massive appendage that could break a tree in half as the creature sauntered by flicking it like a modern cat. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User texas_mustang What Did Cryolophosaurus Look Like? Cryolophosaurus was a very large (21 feet or 6.5 meters) Theropod dinosaur and weighed well over a thousand pounds with trademark large trunk, thighs and large tall and narrow carnivorous head.? There has been enough recovery to reveal trademark carnivorous forelimb claws, teeth and jaws.Since not much is known about Cryolophosaurus, representations are imaginative; however, it is known that Cryolophosaurus was unique in cranial skeletal remains regarding its perpendicular and laterally-set crest which face forward on top of the skull.? This feature extended over the eyes in what appeared to be almost separate horns, and similar protrusions exist below the eyes also.? These are extensions of the skull which likely offered some protection to the eyes.? It is not yet known for certain what else all this decoration may have served.What Did Cryolophosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Stephen Barnett Cryolophosaurus was a carnivore and the first meat-eating dinosaur to be discovered on Antarctica.? Since no fossilized remains have yet been found to indicate specific stomach contents, it is difficult to know exactly what Cryolophosaurus preferred, yet it is evident that it had the large and powerful jaws, sharp teeth and damaging claws needed to grasp and tear at their prey until their hunger was satisfied.? Some Cryolophosaurus remains have been found with other fossilized remains of much smaller animals that were comparable in size to today’s mice and rats.? These mammals did diversify, but during the age of dinosaurs likely remained nocturnal and in low numbers.These first mammals were tiny in comparison—often only a few inches long and weighing only ounces—to the dinosaur, and meekly scavenged on even smaller reptiles and insects.? Their size lent well to their defense, enabling them to hide in the tall grasses.It is even likely that mammals had experienced—at first—a more aggressive evolution.? That is until the age of dinosaurs came to be, and greatly affected the progress of mammalian evolution.? Staying small, mammals ultimately survived and outlived the age of the prehistoric dinosaur, but served as healthy diet during the life of Cryolophosaurus.How Did Cryolophosaurus Move?Shortened forelimbs typical of Theropods indicate a bipedal movement, and the large, tall and powerful legs and stout ankles indicate a fast-moving and powerful predatory creature.? Add in Cryolophosaurus’ large whip-like tail which also lent great balance in stride and attack.? Whether moving fast or ambling along on its two hind legs, its large muscles would have allowed for the quick and sudden movements of predation.? It could likely knock a smaller animal down with either its tail or its powerful neck, digging into the ground for traction with its hind claws.? The body of Cryolophosaurus would have operated in a largely horizontal mode, with its front and rear weight equalizing to the trunk on the bipedal stance.? In speed, this horizontal positioning would have been a great aid in balance and aerodynamic feasibility.Over time, the movement of Cryolophosaurus was affected by the movement of earth’s tectonic plates.? It is significant that this dinosaur takes its name from the cold-natured land mass of Antarctica, where the prehistoric creature is not likely to have migrated on its own.? Instead, the land itself traveled to the extreme cold of the Polar Regions.? Still, the name given Cryolophosaurus is more indicative of the cooler temperatures and general climate that this species would have naturally experienced as its own atmosphere cooled down due to tectonics and other factors.Where Did Cryolophosaurus Live?Even though Cryolophosaurus remains were found on the plains of Antarctica, the actual land mass at the time of this species’ existence would have been a much warmer place.? Still, the climate that Cryolophosaurus experienced would have been a much cooler climate than it was used to, having gone through changes in land mass location during the continental drift and ultimately becoming exposed to cooler temperatures than the mass previously exposed to.? Everything would have been experiencing much change over time.? Originally, the Antarctic would have been much closer to the equator, and also part of the larger continent of Pangaea.? Still attached to the African continent along with South America and Australia, it is possible that as more specimens are found, Cryolophosaurus could be attributed to the Ceratosaur family.? Either way, Cryolophosaurus could prove an important link in information regarding Theropod evolution, highlighting primitive ad advance features.The Discovery of CryolophosaurusIn 1991, paleontologist William Hammer with team discovered what appeared to be new findings in the world of prehistoric dinosaurs. ?Later excavated from the Beardmore Glacier region in the siliceous siltstone of the Hanson Rock Formation and named Cryolophosaurus, this dinosaur species was subsequently named Cryolophosaurus ellioti after David Elliot, who had made the initial discovery of the fossils.? The recovery was excavated from rock that dated to the Pliensbachian stage of the Early Jurassic. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi Found at an altitude of 13 thousand feet, and 400 miles from the South Pole, the remains of Cryolophosaurus include a crushed skull, mandible, 30 vertebrae, hip bones, leg bones with ankle and foot bones.? It is notable that these were found in articulated natural form.The restored skull may be seen at the Australian Museum in Sydney, and reflects the high and narrow casing typical of other Theropods.? It is about 25 inches (65 centimeters) long and features the most unusual characteristic of this species type yet discovered—the vertical side to side nasal crest which reaches ear to ear.The Cryolophosaurus CrestThe crest has been unofficially touted as the pompadour of Cryolophosaurus, and the species is sometimes referred to as Elvisaurus as a result.? This unique dinosaur crest is just above the eyes where it rises up perpendicular to the flat top of the skull and has a fan-like appearance.? It is an actual extension of the cranial bone and is fixed on both sides to tiny horns, or crests, that extend out above the eye sockets.The Significance of CryolophosaurusCryolophosaurus represents the oldest known Tetanuran from any continent and is the only specimen from the period of the Early Jurassic.? The Tetanurae were stiff tailed dinosaurs named on cladistics grounds regarding vertebrate paleontology and were the first dinosaur to be so applied using the science of cladistics.? Modern birds are today’s living representatives of the clade Tetanurae, and it is still not clear what the origins are, of Tetanurae.? Among the bird-like features on dinosaurs of this type are the three-toed feet, a wishbone, air-filled bones, brooding of the eggs, and in some cases feathers.? Cryolophosaurus still has much to reveal as scientists continue to discover new specimens.Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts Are Worth Checking OutI have been a fan of Threadless for a good number of years, in fact there was a time when my shirt was packed full of their creative shirts. Only recently though has Threadless started printing some of my favorite shirts – you know, dinosaur shirts.Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts to Look AtThreadless Dinosaur T-Shirts: Know Your Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Know Your Dinosaurs is a cute dinosaur shirt with a little carnivorous twist! This creative design is a product of Sarah Sobole and is available as a t-shirt print and a hoody print.Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts: Ages HYPERLINK "" Ages is more my style of shirt with a giant sauropod in a past and present point of view. This design is a product of ?Fernando Degrossi and is currently only available on a hoody but is worth sharing anyway!Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts: A Day in the Life HYPERLINK "" A Day in the Life is a fun design that is a cross between Godzilla and a giant theropod in his daily routine. This design is a product of Anna-Maria Jung and is available for men’s, women’s and toddlers shirts and iPhone case designs!Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts: Citysaurs HYPERLINK "" Citysaurs is a cool shirt design on an all organic cotton shirt on a light green background. This shirt design is from Dina Prasetyawan and is only available as a t-shirt at this time.Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts: Stego-saur HYPERLINK "" Stego-soar is another really cute dinosaur shirt design with a stegosaurus with kite plates on his back! This design is a product of Aaron Jay and is available as a guys shirt, a ladies shirt, a kids shirt and a babies onesie.Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts: This is How the World Ends HYPERLINK "" This is How the World Ends is a fun design packed with a giant T-rex, a vampire, zombies and UFO’s, what’s not to love about this design? This picture comes from the creative mind of Travis Pitts and is available as a men’s and women’s t-shirt design as well as an iPhone case.What’s Threadless Dinosaur T-Shirts Are Your Favorites?New Widespread Prehistoric Discoveries Prehistoric Discoveries Are ConstantIt seems almost every day we can learn of new information regarding old life and times prehistoric.? Dinosaur and other animal life can be better understood each day we move forward, thanks to tireless efforts of scientists young and old.? Prehistoric Discoveries Unveil Color and Camouflage HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User louisa_catlover Many new prehistoris discoveries have lately been made in the world of prehistory and prehistoric life. ?Dinosaur colors and other distinguishing characteristics have been discovered that add to the plethora of visions we have today regarding these ancient animals.? Think of rusty brown Mohawks, more stripes, and freckles.? For the first time scientists can conclude that at least some feather-bearing prehistoric dinosaurs were colored russet and orange.The “Mohawks” referred to above were actually “rufous”, or plumage.? Other early feathered dinosaurs were revealed to have stripes of yellow and white.? Along with these color discoveries, scientists have determined through other findings of specimens with feather-like bristles (pre-feathers) that feathers likely appeared before any ability to fly.? A coat of down or feathers would have preceded wings, and had another purpose entirely, most likely warmth.More Prehistoric Discoveries? in Recent TimesRaptor cousins have been found to have had grooved fangs which allowed for venomous bites that helps bring down their prey.? The longer ‘fangs’ would have been useful in piercing the furs and feathers of its prey.A Saharan expedition has unearthed many fossils of prehistoric giant crocodiles and some new fish species, along with a prehistoric flying creature resembling a heron was discovered by a team of scientists in Casablanca.? Since named Pterosaur, it is thought to be the earliest specimen of its kind.? The wingspan is believed to be about six meters.? However not the most recent Pterosaur specimen, it has been renamed Pterosaur alanqa saharica (after Al Anqa the mythological phoenix). ?Prehistoric Pterosaurs were found to have utilized intricate mating displays, much like modern day peacocks, and even that the shows were even more elaborate.Prehistoric Discoveries in TanzaniaOn the river banks of Tanzania, scientists recently discovered the remains of an unusual species of prehistoric dinosaur now known as the cat-like crocodile.? Found in rock 105 million years old, this reptilian find is said to have the appearance of “trying very hard to be a mammal”.?? So, this specimen is going to be a great place to begin when applying evolutionary and developmental research model testing.? Depictions of this creature show it to be jumping through the brush after flying insects.Closer to home, a basement expedition has led to the naming of another new dinosaur, Brontomerus.? Apparently what happens is that specimens are found and excavated, yet don’t necessarily have a staff of workers available and waiting to take on the tedious and time eating task of study and classification.? So, they are excavated and stuffed in basements where hopefully one day some action will be taken.? Brontomerus has been tagged as having “thunder thighs” with huge areas of attachment from muscle to bone.? These attachments suggest twice as much thigh muscle as other Sauropods.? It is theorized that these muscles at their respective location would have been utilized to kick away their more vicious carnivore attackers, such as raptors.Prehistoric Discoveries ContinueThese most interesting finds lately in the world of science and prehistory prompt thoughts of popular culture’s Jurassic Park, the most amazing family entertainment based on the life of dinosaurs, is due for a new version soon in order to expand on what was known almost 20 years ago.? Fans can’t wait to see these newest prehistoric discoveries brought to life!Dinosaur Origami Tutorial Learn How to Make a Dinosaur in a Dinosaur Origami Tutorial HYPERLINK "" Since I’m a little under the weather today I’m going to keep today’s make a dino Monday a little shorter than usual. I know a few of you really enjoyed the dinosaur origami video I posted a while back so today I went out and found a few more to keep you busy while I crawl back in to bed and snooze with Snorasaurus Rex!A Few Dinosaur Origami Tutorial OptionsYou know duckbills are one of my favorites so I had to include this dinosaur origami tutorial! I love the unique shape of this one and that it’s not the traditional Tyrannosaurus Rex idea. I’d love to have the patience to make an army of these for my desk!An origami Allosaurus tutorial. A lot of you will probably prefer this one simply because it looks more like a traditional “dinosaur” and is more recognizable to less dinosaur savvy individuals.Origami stegosaurus is definitely one of my favorite origami tutorial videos simply because the end result is so impressive. If you’re looking to impress a dinosaur lover then this little number will definitely do the trick!The origami raptor isn’t for the faint of heart…okay, so it’s not much different to the other origami dinosaurs out there but I ran out of witty things to say. This is another cute design that most dinosaur lovers will recognize and it makes a fun party favor.The origami Brachiosaurus is another of my favorites because it’s unique in appearance, plus who doesn’t love a big lumbering sauropod? I also like this dinosaur because it’s not quite as complicated as some of the others to make which is great for those of us without origami talent.What dinosaur origami tutorial would you like to see included in this post?Titanosaurus Titanosaurus is Named For the TitansTitanosaurus lived about 75 million years ago and is a member of the family Titanosauridae that consists of enormous and armored Sauropods.? The genus Titanosaurus, pronounced tye-TAN-uh-SAWR-us, is another dubious name due to many discoveries of species since Titanosaurus was first discovered in 1877 by Richard Lydekker.? Since that time, Lydekker’s discovery has been marked as Titanosaurus blanfordi, and to this day is based on fragmentary remains only. ?The name is Greek and means “Titan Lizard”, or God-Lizard—named after the mythological “Titans” or deities of ancient Greece.? ?Another—since named—Titanosaurus species type is Titanosaurus Isisaurus, previously known as Titanosaurus colberti.About Titanosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to What did Titanosaurus Look Like? Titanosaurus looked a lot like the Godzilla of popular culture.? Like all Sauropods, the genus was large and heavily set, with a long and narrow head, but small in proportion to the body.? Titanosaurus had a long neck, and tail.? It is believed that its tail was used as a whip.Titanosaurus resembled diplodocus, whose posture has been found to be primarily horizontal, which would have allowed a leveling balance on the waters for ease of movement and flexibility, along with surface feeding of various plant life and fungi, etc. at the water’s surface area.? The genus had a low back that was armored with small plates.? In addition, Titanosaurus may have had several lumps on its back that were pointed like spikes, for protection from other large and aggressive dinosaurs, in addition to even larger spines sticking out of its back.? The legs, like the body, were thick but short in comparison to the long neck and tail.Relative to other Sauropods, Titanosaurus had a very small head that looked like a cross between a duckbill and a taller snout dinosaur.? Titanosaurus had large nostrils with nasal crests.What did Titanosaurus Eat?Despite its fearsome appearance, Titanosaurus was merely an herbivore and most likely to feed on the plentiful supply of Late Cretaceous plant life, from algae to conifers. ?However, it is possible that Titanosaurus was already in trouble, due to immense changes taking place over a relatively short time during the Cretaceous Period.? In the time of Titanosaurus fossil finds, the Late Cretaceous was losing varietal species of plant life as it was gaining others.? Flowering plants began to thrive where greener varieties were declining.? It was not long before the flowering varieties greatly outnumbered the other plants.? Plant varieties which had been valuable resources of sustenance for many dinosaurs (horsetails, trees, ferns) were disappearing.? Titanosaurus would have needed a vast supply of these to survive.It’s possible that Titanosaurus would migrate to and mainstay the coastal areas in order to expand its diet to various fungi, sponges and diatoms available close to the water.? (While diatoms are typically uni-cellular, varieties are known to exist as colonies of filaments and ribbons and these diatoms are major producers in the food chain at any time.)The teeth of Titanosaurus were relatively small, spatulate, and set in a light skull via thecodont implantation.? The skull had room for much muscle and tissue, which helped to bite and hold plant material foods by increasing skull flexibility when eating.How did Titanosaurus move?Titanosaurus was a quadrupedal dinosaur, but a massively heavy one in the trunk, and therefore likely spent significant time in water.? This genus is thought to have existed during much of its time in chest-deep swampy waters and coastal areas.? Titanosaurus was likely to be found near any floodplain or tropical estuary.? There were at least certain species of Titanosaurus that had straight hind limbs.? The appearance of bodily movement of Titanosaurus could have looked much like today’s elephant.? This would have allowed for much land movement, but due to the size of Titanosaurus, this would have put it in a prime position to fall prey to other large dinosaurs of the carnivore variety.? This could explain development of the spiny and plate like protections on its back. ?Titanosaurus’ most likely predator was Tyrannosaurus rex.During the Late Cretaceous, sea level began to drop which caused land exposure, increased seasonality, and greater extremes of temperature from poles to equator.? Plate activity was gearing up and modern continents took form.? It is thought that Titanosaurus withstood much of this in stride, relative to other prehistoric animals, by moving around and adapting for as long as it could.Where did Titanosaurus live?Titanosaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous Period during a time when great change was taking place in the earth’s crust and atmosphere.? They were the last great group of Sauropods, before the Cretaceous—Tertiary extinction event, about 90—65 million years ago.? During that time, Titanosaurus was the dominant herbivore, being large and existing in great number.? Titanosaurus could have traveled in herd, much like the elephant today, and likely started out as clusters of herds on their continent of origin.? In fact, it is theorized that Titanosaurus actually took the place of previous large Sauropods Brachiosaurid and Diplodocid, which became extinct during the Late Jurassic to Mid Cretaceous time.Titanosaurus lived on the supercontinent of Gondwana and ended up being found in Australia and New Zealand.? A versatile genus, Titanosaurus has been found to have been capable of much travel and adaptability to living abroad, since its remains have been found in much more wide-spread locales than any other dinosaurs of its time.Their land was covered with tropical forests which were themselves surrounded by shallow seas, during a time when there was no polar ice.The Discovery of Titanosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Getsuruitō Titanosaurus was first discovered by Lydekker in 1877, and described in 1879.? since then several specimens (14 species) have been found all over the world.? It is notable that all remains have been found near ancient sources of water.??? In 1996 an excellent skull specimen was discovered.? Discoveries of note have been made in Europe, Argentina, Madagascar, India and Laos.While Titanosaurus, found in great number and spread, has provided much in the way of clues to life during the prehistoric Cretaceous Period, its remains are unfortunately scattered and affected, so that in some ways we know less today about this prolific prehistoric dinosaur than we do about other lesser found yet more robust specimens of others.The Titanosaurus Godzilla EpicThe real Titanosaurus was a prehistoric dinosaur that captures our feather today, while the Titanosaurus many of us will remember is the one of reality-based science fiction film Terror of Mechagodzilla.? This Titanosauris looked much like the real Titanosaurus, and was a hugely popular Japanese giant monster (kaiju).Kaiju Titanosauris was an enemy of Godzilla that could whip its tail and generate winds powerful enough to tear down buildings.? In the water, Kaiju Titanosauris used its tail as a high-powered propeller and rudder.? Portrayed as standing toe-to-toe with Godzilla and landing kicks and punches that propel its opponent great distances, Kaiju Titanosauris was one of the first glimpses everyday people would get into what such prehistoric and massive creatures as dinosaurs may have lived like and what they would have been capable of and presented with in their own every day existence, at least as far as basic movements and sentiments.Actual similarities between Kaiju Titanosaurus and real Titanosaurus are minimal, though Kaiju Titanosaurus was loosely based on the real one.The Significance of TitanosaurusThis genus was last of the giant Sauropods.? Even dwarf Sauropods were considered the largest animals of their ecosystem.? Titanosaurus are considered the most unusual of the Sauropods since they completely lost their front limb digits.? Advanced Titanosaurus walked on stumps made up of columnar bones only. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User paleo_bear Recently a large Titanosaurid nesting area was discovered which unveiled the tactics of at least one species to find a land spot well-hidden to lay many eggs together—a few hundred nests were found in this area.? The eggs found were about 4—5 inches (11—12 centimeters) in diameter and complete with skin impressions. This Titanosaurus egg finding tells us more about just how these large creatures may have nested together and possibly returned to the same nesting areas to lay their eggs.Just How Big Was Torosaurus? Torosaurus, a Large CeratopsianTorosaurus walked the Earth during the late Cretaceous period. For a while this large frilled ceratopsian was believed to be a species of its own, then a mature Triceratops and once again, a species of its own. With a frilled skull that could reach up to 8.5 feet long, this herbivore made a name for itself with the unique structure of its frill but it is this frill that often leads to varying species classification. For some the sheer variety found in Triceratops skull structure still leaves a possibility that this creature could be a sampling of mature Triceratops. Regardless, for the purpose of today’s size comparison, Torosaurus will simply be Torosaurus.The Numbers On Torosaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Miss Oppenheimer Torosaurus LengthThe approximated length of Torosaurus is around 20 ft feet long.An average length of? around 20 feet is equal to:The length of the largest Nile crocodile ever found.The length of a great hammerhead shark.Approximately the length of two Kodiak bears.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 608 sugar ants.Torosaurus WeightEstimates of Torosaurus weight fall at around 7 short tons or 14,000 lbs.14,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of approximately 16 Galapagos tortoises.The same weight as 318 king penguins.The approximate weight of two large black rhinoceros.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 11,200,000 average goose feathers.Torosaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Torosaurus at around 8 feet tall.8 feet is equal to:The approximate height of the now extinct giant bison.The height of a dromedary camel.The height of two Bengal tigers.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 1573 pennies stacked on top of each other.? HYPERLINK "" Regardless of what species this large Ceratopsian is, there is no doubt that you would be in for the run of your life if Torosaurus set its sights on you and charged!Struthiomimus Struthiomimus Is Known As An Ostrich Mimic Struthiomimus was a lightweight member of the prehistoric dinosaur world.? Named officially as “ostrich mimic” (Greek), Struthiomimus is a genus of the Ornithomimidae family from the Late Cretaceous Period of Alberta, Canada.? The actual history of Struthiomimus is plagued with inadequate information and convolution.? Initial discoveries were inaccurately assigned and it was many years before an adequate number of fossilized bone specimens prompted today’s greater accuracy in assignation.? Family members include Ornithomimus, Sinornithomimus, Gallimimus and Dromiceiomimus.Quick FactsNameStruthiomimusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight330 pounds (150 kg)Length12 feet (3.7 meters)Height7 feet (2.1 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 50 mph TerritoryNorth America, Canada About StruthiomimusStruthiomimus was medium sized among other dinosaurs, light in build and had long limbs and a long neck.? The brain of Struthiomimus is noted for being large in proportion to its small skull.? Struthiomimus also had large eyes. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mharrsch What Did Struthiomimus Look Like? Struthiomimus was of a medium size, bipedal and bird-like in appearance.? Its long rear limbs appear to be built for great speed and distance coverage, like that of today’s Ostrich.? While Struthiomimus stood about four feet at the hips, actual height to the head was more like fourteen feet.? The head of Struthiomimus was very small in proportion to the rest of its body, including the brain.? The head was slender and seemed a simple extension from the much larger body and long neck.? The jaws of this omnivore were edentulous.? Its tail must have been quite useful in balance and aerodynamics, since it consisted of significantly more vertebrae than either its neck or back.? The tail of this ostrich like dinosaur was stiff, and most significant to its build and performance, with at least 35 tail vertebrae and only six to the hip area and thirteen in the back.? It is surprising that the neck, although very long, had only ten vertebrae.The arms of Struthiomimus were long and slender and sported the longest hands of any Ornithomimid.? The three fingers were all about the same length, with slightly curved and particularly long claws.? The forearm to the fingers were immobile (no wrist), with only slight mobility of the fingers themselves.? Its arms have been compared to those of a sloth.The legs consisted of shins that were longer than the thigh, developed as cursorial elements to its existence.? The feet were especially long in comparison to the long legs and the metatarsals were tightly pressed together, giving strength and durability to the ankle and foot.It is thought that Struthiomimus would have had feathers, being of the Coelurosauria family.What Did Struthiomimus Eat?Struthiomimus was initially regarded as a carnivore, but has since come to be considered omnivorous.? Being an opportunistic feeder, this dinosaur would have enjoyed plants and small animals, insects, fish and carrion. HYPERLINK "photos/garrettc/2336756235/sizes/m/in/photostream/" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Garrettc The beak of Struthiomimus had a straight edge.? Since its fingers appear to have been largely immobile, it has been suggested that they may have been bound together as a single unit, as a webbed foot would be for a creature of the coast or shoreline.? It is theorized that Struthiomimus was a shore-dweller and could have been a filter feeder at times, in addition to the plant life of leaves from trees and shrubberies, along with buds and grasses.? Struthiomimus likely still could have grasped at branches with its forelimbs and webbed fingers.? Its long neck would have been useful both in the water and out, reaching the tops of trees and into the depths of the shallowest waters.How Did Struthiomimus move?With its long and powerful hind limbs, Struthiomimus was a powerful mover and runner.? It is thought that the entire defense of Struthiomimus would have been its haste and speed in flight (running).?? It’s theorized that this dinosaur would have been capable of sprinting fifty miles per hour, and commonly cruised at thirty to forty miles per hour.? Its tail would have been quite useful in form and balance.Where Did Struthiomimus Live?Thought to live near the shorelines where it likely accomplished much feeding, StruthiomimusThe Discovery of StruthiomimusStruthiomimus was first discovered in 1901 when Lawrence Lambe found scattered remains that were largely incomplete.? However, subsequent discoveries would prove to enlighten scientists as to a truer origin of this prehistoric animal.? In 1914, Barnum Brown discovered a nearly complete skeleton at the Red Deer River site in Alberta and further described Struthiomimus, although again inaccurately.? Many discoveries and assignations have taken place since, up until as recently as 1998. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi Discoveries of fossilized Struthiomimus bones are generally sparse, disarticulated and fragmented, the bones being hollow, weak and crushed over time.? There are several Struthiomimus species types: S. altus,? S. brevetertius,? ?S. samueli, S. currellii, S. ingens and S. sedens.Still today scientists hope for further discovery regarding Struthiomimus, in order to better understand its lifestyle and demise.The Special Speed of StruthiomimusStruthiomimus is notable for its lack of general defense against the more carnivorous and powerful dinosaurs of its time.? However, this was a fast animal that had powerful legs and is compared to today’s Ostrich in speed, strength, nimble nature and even its likely feathers.The Significance of StruthiomimusStruthiomimus has been found in great numbers since the first discoveries, and has often changed the minds of scientists as each new piece of the Struthiomimus puzzle has been garnered and considered.The appearance of Struthiomimus in many films and television programs has lent an awareness of the life of prehistoric dinosaurs for years.? Popularized by our modern culture, the dinosaur has been portrayed in toys also.? In a popular scene, the challenging life of Struthiomimus was depicted by showcasing the likely sequence of Struthiomimus feeding on exposed dinosaur eggs, subsequently losing its attention and fighting off their mother and, eventually to be mauled by a pair of carnivores moments later.Videos Of Dinosaurs Worth Seeing Videos of Dinosaurs Are All Over the NetSince the Doctor and I canceled our cable a while ago I have come to realize just how many dinosaur “documentaries” I watched. Now that we no longer have cable though I find myself scouring Netflix for new dinosaur content as well as the constantly growing YouTube. What I like about YouTube is that there are so many clips to look through, the chances of me coming to an end of dinosaur content (something I did with Netflix quite a while ago) are slim. So today I want to share with you some of my favorite videos of dinosaurs.Videos of Dinosaurs Worth Watching?Brain Versus Brawn – Inside the Brain of a T-RexThis video by National Geographic takes a look inside the brain casing of a Tyrannosaurus Rex to get a better picture of just what this giant carnivore was like and how its senses likely functioned.Jurassic CSI: T-Rex TraumaAnother National Geographic video clip, this piece takes a look at Sue, the oldest known Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen discovered to date. Researchers attempt to discover the secret of Sue’s healing process by breaking bones just like hers to see how she survived multiple fighting injuries.Jack Horner: Shape-shifting dinosaursThis video is a production from Jack Horner and if you have 18 minutes I highly recommend watching the whole thing. Horner has some great information on dinosaurs and he always leaves attendees of his lectures thinking. This video clip takes a look at the “shape-shifting” dinosaurs in explanation of why there are so few baby dinosaur specimens to be found.The Last Day of the DinosaursThis is a piece from the Discovery Channel that takes an in depth look at the “last day” of the dinosaurs and how some believe the extinction event to have taken place. This is a long video but it’s definitely worth watching if you have ever wondered how the dinosaur extinction event could have taken place.Why Not Recommend Your Favorite Videos of Dinosaurs in a Comment Below?Carnotaurus Neck Was Huge, Researchers Say Carnotaurus Neck Was Hefty A recent discovery in the world of prehistoric times yielded a dinosaur yet seen—Carnotaurus.? Its fossilized skeleton was found in Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina at the “Pocho Sastre” farm near Bajada Moreno, Telsen Dept., in 1985 by paleontologist Joseph F. Bonaparte.Sediments that trapped the remains of Carnotaurus correspond to the lower section of the La Colonia formation of the Late Cretaceous Period, and are 75 million years old.? ?The remains were classified as Carnotaurus sastrei and its closest relatives are Aucasaurus, Majungasaurus and Rajasaurus.? C. sastrei is the only type species yet identified.Carnotaurus Neck Was Similar to Other Short Limbed Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User shine_blitz_on Attributed to the family Abelisauridae and Tribe Carnotaurini, C. sastrei is thought to have been a dominant predator.? A Theropod, the most distinctive features of Carnotaurus are the two bull-horns above its eyes and the super short forelimbs.? ?C. sastrei was large, at about 26 feet (8 meters) in length and weighing approximately 1.6—2.9 tons.C. sastrei remains have been fairly telling, with a nearly complete fossilized skeleton recovery that had impressions of skin along most of the right side.? C. sastrei did not have feathers; rather, it had rows of bumps that get larger toward the spine.? ?Its arms appear to have hardly been useful, being very stunted, with four digits yet likely vestigial.? Only two of these digits actually extended into finger bones, while the rest were fused and immobile.? C. sastrei fossils had no claws.??? In contrast, Carnotaurus neck and head seemed disproportionally large.? The well-muscled head and Carnotaurus neck are usually associated with those species that have particularly short limbs, and this may be simply an issue of balance; although other factors certainly may be involved in their indirect influence.Carnotaurus Neck Was Accompanied By Robust Shoulders TooC. sastrei had a robust shoulder, indicating the massive upper body power that would be typical of a predatory carnivore.? ?In conjunction with the powerful neck and head were incredible teeth.? C. sastrei was capable of fast moving bites, but not strong ones—requiring a repeated ripping technique while swaying back and forth.? This dinosaur would have been quick and vicious, likely slashing at its prey or grasping and shaking it to its death.? It seems likely that much of its prey could have come from area water resources.C. sastrei was likely a fast predator too, sometimes chasing its quick target.? The eyes of C. sastrei faced forward, possibly indicating a binocular vision conducive to speed in movement.? As far as how C. sastrei actually accomplish the takedown of its prey, it is thought that the large and stout skull and upper jaw were used to head-butt, slash and eventually force down after having run down its target.? The skull was nearly as tall as it was long.The La Colonia formation where C. sastrei is found is likely made of deposits from an environment of grass-filled estuaries with nearby coasts and access to brackish waters.? Some of the edible life available to C. sastrei would have been other dinosaurs, turtles, crocodiles, shellfish and mammals.? C. sastrei is an amazing prehistoric dinosaur to imagine having run the face of the earth, large and fast, low in profile with much speed, bullish horns pointing forward and huge gaping jaw ready to strike most anything down.? The forelimbs of Carnotaurus sastrei however, had naturally become rudimentary remnants of genetics along the Abelisauridae Family line. All appearances seem to indicate that the massive and powerful hind limbs, body and Carnotaurus neck, head and jaws were quite ample enough to handle the daily needs of this type species, and with all energy spent in this way.The Dinosaur Trail at the Museum of Life and Science The Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC Has? a Dinosaur Trail HYPERLINK "" I have lived in North Carolina for close to two decades now and it wasn’t until around two years ago that I discovered the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. In an effort to get out more and wean myself away from being a workaholic I picked out the museum as a day trip one Saturday. I have always been a museum nerd and when I found out that the museum had a dinosaur trail AND a giant ant farm I was in.The Dinosaur Trail is Small but a Fun ExperienceThe museum itself isn’t huge, it wouldn’t rival the likes of most Natural History Museums but for someone looking for a fun afternoon out and an educational experience that includes dinosaurs, it’s a great trip. The Dinosaur Trail doesn’t make up a huge portion of the museum experience either but the dinosaur that there are make it a fun walk – as long as it’s not 1 million degrees with that Carolina humidity!Some of My Favorite Pictures of the Dinosaur Trail HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of the NC Museum of Life and Science You knew there was going to be a Parasaurolophus didn’t you? Well there was, and I loved it…and I may have wanted to take it home with me until the Dr. reminded me it wouldn’t fit in the car…or on top of the car. And it would be stealing. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of the NC Museum of Life and Science There is also a nest of Maiasaura hatchlings being protected by their mother which was pretty darn cute. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of the NC Museum of Life and Science I really liked these Troodon as well because of the feathers and the crazy blue coloration. It was a nice change to see this dinosaur represented as birdlike as well as reptile like. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of the NC Museum of Life and Science This Styracosaurus was ready to take on an Albertosaurus that has targeted it and an Edmontonia as a potential meal. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of the NC Museum of Life and Science These two boneheads were just playing around…okay, they’re Stygimoloch’s but, they are members of the Pachycephalosauridae family, which makes them thick skulled and dome headed.There’s Plenty More to See on the Dinosaur TrailThere is plenty more to see at the Durham Museum of Life and Science and along the dinosaur trail itself including: Alamosaurus, Leptoceratops and Edmontonia. If you’re interested in previewing the dinosaur trail, listen to the HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Trail Tour" MP3 enhanced Podcast tour for your iPhone or iPod from the NCMLS website.Protoceratops Protoceratops Was a Cretaceous Period Ceratopsian Protoceratops, pronounced pro-to-SER-uh-TOPS, (Greek—First Horned Face) was a small prehistoric ceratopsian dinosaur of the ornithischian order that existed in the Late Cretaceous Period.? Named primarily as designation of a similar genus to Ceratops, meaning “before Ceratops”, it is a genus considered on many platforms to be misclassified.? Its type species is P. montanus.? However, now the species is referred to as Ceratops montanus, or C. montanus.Quick FactsNameProtoceratopsPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischia SuborderMarginocephaliaWeight900 pounds (408 kg)Length6 feet (1.8 meters)Height2.6 feet (0.8 meters) Maximum SpeedUnknown but Slow TerritoryMongolia, North America About ProtoceratopsIn zoological nomenclature (1999) Paul Penkalski and Peter Dodson concluded that Ceratops is a nomen dubium, which is Latin for “doubtful name”.?? The scientists found remains to be inconclusively named prior, and of doubtful application.? Protoceratops was different from later, already discovered? Ceratopsians; it was much smaller and lacked the well-developed horns of the later ceratopsian.? Protoceratops still bore certain primitive traits not seen in later genera Ceratops.C. montanus is related to much larger Triceratops, the most popular ceratopsian when regarding the general public’s dinosaur awareness.Researchers distinguish two species of Protoceratops (P. andrewsi and P. hellenikorhinus), based in part on their respective sizes. ??P. andrewsi had bones under its eyes which appear to have been a mechanism of natural defense against predators lunging at the throat.? These bones could poke an eye out of an aggressive predator, or gouge its flesh.P. hellenikorhinus is not as well-known as P. andrewsi.? A larger type species, the skull of P. hellenikorhinus measures 80 centimeters, versus Andrewsi’s 50 centimeters in length.? In addition, the ventral margin of Hellenikorhinus is straight as opposed to curved and sports two parallel nasal horns.? At the same time, the nasal horn morphology of Hellenikorhinus is variable among the species, with some Hellenikorhinus missing horns entirely. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Nobu Tamura What Did Protoceratops Look Like? Protoceratops was a small and quadrupedal Ceratopsian dinosaur, the size of a pig or sheep.? Very stout, the species could weigh 400—900 pounds.? The head was large for the body, with a protective shield in the form of a bony frill or plate, over the back of the neck.? The snout was beaked, like that of a rhinoceros.? In relation to the size of its face, the horn doesn’t appear sized to be of much effect other than to gore or disembowel.? The jaws of Procreators were especially muscular and could lock down powerfully.?? It had teeth for chewing area plants and its tall beaked maxilla was incredibly large, having the appearance of being one with the skull.? The mandibular joint had a horn-like protuberance known as the predentary bone which articulated with the upper rostral bone.? Together, these two form a beak like a parrot (the lower predentary bone being found in all ornithischian animals).? The skull has a triangular appearance due to the jugal bones which are located under the eyes and flare out to the side.Although fossilized dinosaur eggs had been found in the 1920s (by Roy Chapman Andrews, the same expedition leader who actioned on Proceratops’ discovery in the Gobi desert, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, by photographer J.B. Shackelford) and were presumed to be eggs of Protoceratops, new findings in 1993 determined those eggs to instead be the eggs of Oviraptor.? This was due to discovery of an actual embryo that was species determinable.? Then, in 2011, a nest of young P. andrewsi was found.? This is marked as the first found Protoceratops nest, and has led scientists to entertain the possibility that Protoceratops parents may have cared for young in their nests.After hatching, the dinosaur babies probably resembled toads, with small bumps on the face and the indicative frill bump at the skull’s base.? It’s thought that the horn bumps remained stunted—or did no develop—until later species of Ceratops.What Did Protoceratops Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ryan Grove Proceratops were herbivore Ceratopsians who used beaked snouts filled with teeth to eat on the period flora.?? The beak’s predenatory features aided Proceratops in its endeavors for food.? It’s most likely that they grazed on fresh growing plants due to their small size, with later species grazing early grasses as they appeared toward the end of the cretaceous period.? Horsetails were an important source of nutrition for herbivore dinosaurs.? ?Fast-growing and resilient, Horsetails propagate via root systems that are underground and this allowed for much munching with plenty of new growth for some time.? These and other flowering plants were widespread during the Cretaceous Period.? These types of plants (angiosperms) evolved during the late Jurassic Period, and were largely contributive to the huge proliferation of dinosaurs of the dinosaur age.Where early Mesozoic Era foliage included more tree-like specimens as Magnolias, Laurels, Figs and Sycamores, later Mesozoic Era plants—along with grasses—evolved much later.? While these earlier foliages continued to thrive and propagate, the newer angiosperms were quick to adapt.? This also led to the decline of many species of the period, in tandem with the rise of dinosaurs.Proceratops likely lived a cathemeral lifestyle, being active throughout the day during short intervals.? Prior to the feasibility of cathemeralism, Proceratops was considered to be primarily nocturnal, due to its large eyes.How Did Protoceratops Move?While Protoceratops evolved from the small bipedal Ceratopsians like Psittacosaurus, Protoceratops was larger and quadrupedal.? The hind limbs were stronger than the forelimbs and lent the back a pronounced arch.? Protoceratops front moved low to the ground, while its frill protected its neck from larger aggressors that would approach from the top.? Protoceratops likely came out to feed and socialize during short interims of the day and night, as opposed to being strictly nocturnal or diurnal.Where Did Protoceratops Live?Protoceratops lived on the supercontinent of Pangaea during the Cretaceous Period, a time when the separation of continents was taking place.? During the early Cretaceous, the climate was warm and humid.? There would have been no polar ice in the beginning, and not much seasonality.? However, as the Cretaceous Period moved on, there would have been dramatic climate changes, decreased sea levels and high volcanic activity.? Protoceratops existed throughout a time of cataclysmic change, with new mountain ranges being formed and temperatures eventually cooling.? As the continental plates continued to separate and drift, the seasons would have become more pronounced.The Discovery of Protoceratops HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi Discovered primarily in China and Mongolia, various growth stages in Protoceratops are found.? Photographer J.B. Shackelford discovered the first specimen of Protoceratops in the Gobi desert.? Many different specimens were recovered by expeditions led by Roy Chapman Andrews.? These included Velociraptor, Oviraptor, and ceratopsid Psittacosaurus.? Protoceratops are considered to represent the horned, frilled and herbivorous Ceratopsians.? So, Protoceratops is the first named Protoceratopsian, and lends its name to the family Protoceratopsidae.? The Protoceratopsidae are more Psittacosaurid than Ceratopsid.? The family is characterized by similarities to the Ceratopsidae, but they have more cursorial limb proportions, smaller frills and lack of large horns.The Griffins of Yesteryear Were ProtoceratopsProtoceratops may have been the first dinosaur ever found by people who lived on earth, long before the 20th century fossil discoveries.? Although never credited as a prehistoric dinosaur, it is believed that the ancient Greeks began describing the prehistoric animal around 675 B.C.Legend was built around the Griffin, a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.? The Griffin was thought to be majestic and powerful, and thought to protect treasures and divine power.? It is proposed (by historian Adrienne Mayor of Stanford U.) that the Greek Griffin was misconceived at the time, and actually derived from fossilized remains of Protoceratops.?? The word Griffin is related to the term Cherub.The Significance of ProtoceratopsProtoceratops (Ceratops) was the first dinosaur known through every stage of life, and ultimately to its extinction during the End-Cretaceous event that was responsible for the loss of the dinosaur species.? Ceratops are found in abundance due to the stoutness of their build, and have helped scientists open many doors to the prehistoric era.? Protoceratops is important in the history of dinosaurs, since it is the type species for which both Ceratopsia and Ceratopsidae are named.Project Kickstarter: Digital Dinosaur Dryptosaurus Paleoartist Tyler Keillor Reconstructs a Digital Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" The Digital Dinosaur project is part of Project Kickstarter. If you have never seen nor heard of HYPERLINK "" \o "" Project Kickstarter before then you are missing out on some of the most brilliant minds in the world. The website is dedicated to helping these minds seek the funding that they need to make their projects come to life.Project Digital DinosaurThe HYPERLINK "" \o "Digital Dinosaur Project" Digital Dinosaur project is a concept introduced by paleontologist Tyler Keillor. Seeking funding of $6,000, Keillor has already received support enough to raise more than $22,000 to fund his project. The Digital Dinosaur project utilizes digital technology to create authoritative full body reconstructions of prehistoric dinosaur species. The specific dinosaur that is the current focus of the project is Dryptosaurus, a late Cretaceous theropod of the superfamily Tyrannosauroidea. While Keillor is known for his sculptures in the paleoart field, this project focuses on a full body digital sculpture of the carnivore using the most recent information available to him.Why is Dryptosaurus a Digital Dinosaur?Keillor gives a number of reasons for his choice of the Dryptosaurus as a digital dinosaur creation. Primarily the scale of a life sized dinosaur sculpture puts incredible demands on time and resources that can easily be overcome by utilizing a digital model that has no space limitations. Additionally, a digital model can be edited as new information is discovered about the dinosaur species rather than having to create an entirely new sculpture. Finally the use of digital artistry to create this digital Dryptosaurus means that it can be viewed in both 2D and 3D!Funding For Project DinosaurThere are still 11 days remaining to help contribute to HYPERLINK "" \o "Digital Dinosaur Project" Project Digital Dinosaur on Kickstarter and while Keillor has already surpassed his fundraising goal for the project, additional contributions will only further his capability in completing this project. As a Kickstarter contributor to the Digital Dinosaur project you will receive compensation dependent upon your contribution level.?Martharaptor Discovered in Utah Utah Yields Martharaptor Remains HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Hayden-Corbett Quarry of Cedar Mountain formation, Utah, yields another preserved prehistoric dinosaur, Martharaptor.? A Utah researcher and volunteer who serves the Utah Friends of Paleontology and works for the Utah Geological Survey is the recent namesake of Martharaptor, one of Utah’s most recent prehistoric fossil finds.? Evaluated by scientists from Fayetteville State University and Utah Geological Survey, Martharaptor has been designated a particular Theropod, and officially named Martharaptor greenriverensis.Martharaptor Found in the Cedar Mountain FormationMartharaptor is a new addition to the variety of dinosaur fossils preserved at their location about eight miles northwest of Greenville, Utah at the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation.? This area is named for its area north of Arches national Park, near the Yellow Cat mining area.? The sediment area is made of mudstone that was deposited onto flood plains during the Mid-Late Cretaceous Period, 98-127 million years ago.? These sediments are non-marine sediments, consisting of river, lake and floodplain materials. ??Dinosaurs are found throughout the entire formation and are distinctively different (mostly determined by the found manual and pedal morphological studies) depending on whether found in the upper part or the lower part of the formation, showing evidence of the eventual replacement of European dinosaurs with Asian dinosaurs as continental drift occurred and the North American continental Plate drifted to the west.Few Martharaptor Remains Have Been Recovered to DateRecovery of Martharaptor is sparse, with only parts of the skeleton remaining.? These include the forelimbs, hind limbs, parts of a hip, a scapula, vertebral fragments, several hand claws and other fragments.? ?The particular sparseness of recovery for this type species so far means that no height or mass can correctly be attributed to it.? So far, paleontological and other scientific analysis places M. greenriverensis within Therizinosauroidea as a sister taxon to Alxasaurus and Therisinosauridae.? It is not impossible to presume that this classification could change, as more parts of Martharaptor are discovered and analyzed.Therizinosauroidea are known for their long necks, wide torsos, and hind feet with four toes used in walking, which resembled prosauropod dinosaurs.?? Their enormous claws are a trademark characteristic, so much so to be of the most likely parts to withstand their place in the soil and preserve so well.? Some Therizinosaur claws are known to have been three feet in length.? Therizinosauroida were both omnivorous and herbivorous, evolved from a carnivorous ancestor.? The hips of Therizinosauroidea are ornithischian (bird-like).Martharaptor Was Likely a CoelurosaurScientists are fairly certain—at this point in discovery— to be sure that Martharaptor belonged to the Coelurosaur branch of the Theropod family.? Coelurosia is the family clade containing all the theropods that are more closely related to birds than to carnosaurs (meat-eating lizards).? Coelurosaur characteristics include elongated forelimbs and stoutly developed hinge type ankle joints.? This characteristic indicated greater capability of speed due to reduced rotation in the ankle.? It remains to be learned whether Martharaptor would have had this type of ankle or if this feature was lost or evolved over time.? It is yet unknown whether Martharaptor possessed a skin similar to previous Therizinosauroidea, a coat of primitive down-like feathers.? It could be that Martharaptor was similar in appearance and action to prehistoric ground sloths, being primarily herbivorous and using its long forelimbs and claws to pull and scrape long leafy branches.Every year there are additional discoveries from Cedar Mountain Formation.? The area is only recently beginning to be a hearty exposition and resource of information regarding Utah’s Early Cretaceous prehistoric dinosaurs.? ?The entire state of Utah has been a rich source of information leading to greater understanding of not only prehistoric dinosaurs like Martharaptor, but also life for all animals during the prehistoric era of continental drift.More Ideas For Dinosaur Cakes Dinosaur Cakes From Around the WebOne of my favorite things about running DinoPit is hearing back from my readers about what they’d like to see featured here on the blog. For today’s make a dino Monday, I wanted to take a look at some more great dinosaur cakes after I received so much positive feedback on my last dinosaur cake idea post.Dinosaur Cakes Your Dinosaur Lover Will Fall In Love With HYPERLINK "" T-Rex Cake by Key Art Studio This dinosaur cake is a product of Larissa’s amazing cake artistry. Larissa owns HYPERLINK "" \o "Key Art Studio" Key Art Studio and has incorporated a number of favorite dinosaur species in to this cake in a number of means. I like how she included a silhouette on top of the cake and added a few “pebbles” around the base to give it a three dimensional look. This isn’t a cake design for those with zero artistic drive, but it’s certainly going to be easier to tackle than the three dimensional sculpted dinosaur cake ideas! HYPERLINK "" \l ".UF_ORYYUqQE" Sculpted Dinosaur Cake for Oskar by This is Oskar’s birthday cake sculpted by HYPERLINK "" \o "Choco Deb's Cakes" Choco Deb’s Cakes is another one of my favorite sculpted dinosaur cake ideas because it’s just too darn cute with a hint of carnivore. This is a pretty good option for those looking for a semi-homemade birthday cake since a round cake can be made and a sculpted dinosaur commissioned…that is unless you have the sculpting talent to do it yourself! HYPERLINK "" Stegosaurus Cake Made By Donna Makes Cakes This sculpted stegosaurus cake from HYPERLINK "" \o "Donna Makes Cakes" Donna Makes Cakes is a really unique sculpted dinosaur piece that makes great use of color and texture. I really love the texture on the back plates on this one although I would perhaps make him a little less rotund ?What unique concepts do you have for dinosaur cakes for your dinosaur lovers?Prosaurolophus Prosaurolophus, the Duck-Billed DinosaurProsaurolophus (Greek—before saurolophus), pronounced pro-SAWR-O-LO-FUS, was a terrestrial genus of hadrosaurid (known as the duck-billed dinosaurs due to similarity of their head to that of modern ducks) dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous Period. ?It is most commonly characterized by its long, broad skull and a small crest present near the eyes, which rose up like spikes above each eye and faced back.? Prosaurolophus is the earliest known flat-crested hadrosaur.Quick FactsNameProsaurolophusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischia SuborderOrnithopodaWeight5 short tons (4.5 tonnes)Length26 feet (7.9 meters)Height14 feet (4.3 meters) Maximum SpeedUnknown TerritoryNorth America; Canada About ProsaurolophusThere are two type species of genus Prosaurolophus: ?P. maximus and P. blackfeetensis.Some paleontological evidence suggests that Prosaurolophus lived in groups during part of the year and exhibited social displays via such ornamental tactics as its bony facial crest, flanked by nasal diverticula that would flare via inflatable soft tissue sacs, or sound for effect. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Steveoc 86 What Did Prosaurolophus Look Like? Prosaurolophus was a large herbivore known for its flattened head and long, flat beak, described as being like that of a duck.? The duck-billed Prosaurolophus was an ornithischian (beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs whose name hails from the Greek and means “of a bird’ and ‘hip joint’) with a stiff tail that walked on its two hind limbs primarily, but could move on all four. Original hypotheses were that Prosaurolophus had webbed feet, but recent findings have suggested that its feet could have had pads.? This type species had a large head that was in proportion to the whole of its body, including its large rib cage.A major difference between the two is that P. maximus had a smaller head which remained so, while the head and crest of P. blackfeetensis grew, the crest moving towards the eyes during maturity. ?The sides of the crest were scooped, or concave, and seem to have afforded some protection for the eyes.What Did Prosaurolophus Eat?Prosaurolophus was an herbivore and its bill, or beak, was designed specifically for eating various types of thick vegetation. ?The skull of Prosaurolophus enabled an advanced grinding motion when processing food.? There has been much debate as to whether Hadrosaurs were grazers that ate grasses and low lying plants, or browsers that ate leaves from tree branches. ?Their teeth and chewing style suggests they were grazers, and recently found fossilized droppings from the late Cretaceous period suggest that Prosaurolophus ate fungi and bark from decomposing wood. ?Thousands of teeth contained in “dental batteries” of each jaw continuously replace teeth that are shed naturally, or are worn down due to continuous and vigorous grinding of plant material.? ?These dental batteries likely served as effective roughage grinding mechanisms. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy This chewing style explains some studies done on scratch markings on teeth which show that the chewing style of Prosaurolophus was different from present-day animals. Instead of a moveable lower jaw, a special joint in-between the upper and lower half of the jaw allowed the Prosaurolophus to bite down and slide its teeth together, grinding and tearing the vegetation it ate.? This amounted to a mouthful of thousands of teeth suitable for grinding food before it was swallowed.? Even the rim of Prosaurolophus’ beak appears to have been covered by an even stiffer substance, used for clipping branches and leaves.? It is believed that Prosaurolophus would have fed from ground level to about 13 feet (4 meters) above ground.How Did Prosaurolophus Move?As a hadrosaurid, Prosaurolophus could have moved in both bipedal and quadrupedal fashion, and likely exhibited both styles of movement.? It’s likely that in its ability to switch between a bipedal and a quadrupedal stance, when moving casually and feeding, the Prosaurolophus would walk on all fours. ??It is thought that when it needed to run from a predator, Prosaurolophus would do so on its hind legs, with its body hardly leaving a horizontal pose.? Prosaurolophus had stout, strong back legs.? Its forelimbs were lightly built in comparison and used mostly for grasping and pulling foliage.Prosaurolophus moved about in a cathemeral fashion, experiencing its days and nights via short intervals of hunting and socializing. Rather than being considered diurnal or nocturnal, the cathemeral pattern of living has been recognized since 1979 and since had been widely attributed to various species.? ?Such factors as food availability, predation and variable temperature affect the living cycles of beings.Where Did Prosaurolophus Live?Prosaurolophus preferred to live near rivers or near small bodies of water. ??Prosaurolophus likely nested in both upland and lowland areas.? It is thought that diet, competition and general conditions contributed to the nesting habits of Prosaurolophus (and other dinosaurs and animals).? ?Fossils have been found in the North American United States and in Canada as well.The climate would have been warmer than that of Alberta today.? Conifers were probably dominant as canopy foliage.? Fern bushes, tree ferns and flowering plants filled the area.? The Dinosaur Park Formation that Prosaurolophus called home for at least some time is thought to have been a lowland setting of rivers and floodplains that eventually became swampy.? Over time, the area became affected by marine conditions as the Western Interior Seaway moved westward.The Discovery of Prosaurolophus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User brian.gratwicke In 1915, paleontologist Barnum Brown discovered the skull of a prehistoric dinosaur in Alberta, Canada at Red Deer River in the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation around 76-75 million years ago. ?It was the first discovered flat-crested hadrosaur, and Brown named it after its resemblance to the Saurolophus that he had described in 1912. ?The formation was named after the Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The Red Deer River of Alberta is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan River and is part of a larger system which empties into Hudson Bay.? This river originates on the Canadian Rockies’ Eastern slopes. Since then, Prosaurolophus fossils and slight mummifications have been discovered in various parts of the North American continent, primarily in the far north-western area and near Alberta, Canada.? Prosaurolophus found remains have been primarily disarticulated.Several fossilized remains of P. blackfeetensis were found in a preserved bone bed in the Two Medicine Formation, Glacier County, Montana.? The Two Medicine Formation is known for numerous dinosaur eggs finds, dinosaur nests and their young.? The climate of this formation much farther East appears to have a drier one.? Some of the dinosaurs from the formation have been speculated to show signs of drought related death.P. blackfeetenis was classified by Jack Horner in 1992 based on a specimen preserved in the Museum of the Rockies.The Mad-mouth Antics of ProsaurolophusThe beak and jaw structure of the Prosaurolophus has intrigued scientists and paleontologists for decades. ?Many studies have been done on the chewing style and eating habits of Hadrosaurs in general, leading to the discovery of the uniquely flexible jaw (for utilization of the dental battery) joint that is not present in any modern day animals.? When the upper and lower jaws of Prosaurolophus articulated to the closed position, the movement enabled a unique shearing effect to the most fibrous and toughest plants.The crests on the Prosaurolophus were also quite different from others.? Prosaurolophus crests were solid, not hollow like those of the Lambeosaurinae family. This means that they did not have the ability to create the deep sounds that scientists hypothesize was the function of the hollow crests.The Significance of ProsaurolophusHadrosaurs were among the first fossilized dinosaur remains to be discovered and played an important role in providing scientists with a general knowledge of dinosaurs. ?By the time Prosaurolophus was discovered, much was known about the Hadrosaurae and their subfamilies; however, Prosaurolophus continues to help scientists unlock clues to prehistoric animal existence.?? Discoveries of Prosaurolophus have shown scientists that the genus lived in groups- at least during a portion of the year.? The fossilized- and in some cases mummified- remains of Prosaurolophus have revealed some of the functions of social communication among Prosaurolophus.Part of the importance of Prosaurolophus lays in future determinations relevant to the two type species P. maximus and P. blackfeetensis.? Since paleontologists have found these Prosaurolophus species on virtual opposite ends of a river spectrum, already some differences have come to light- such as the differences in cranial structure between the two typed species and acknowledge differences that would have existed between the two climates, one eastern and one western.Just How Big Was Carnotaurus? Carnotaurus, the Meat Eating BullCarnotaurus was actually a much smaller dinosaur that most amateur dinosaur lovers would believe. Researchers believe that this horned carnivore of the late Cretaceous stood at just shy of 10 feet tall and weighed in at 4,500 lbs. While those figures may seem large, in comparison to the much more popular Tyrannosaurus Rex at 20 feet tall and weighing just shy of 16,000 lbs, Carnotaurus was something of a shrimp. The most unique feature of this late Cretaceous was its skull, aside from the horns that adorned it, Carnotaurus had a very robust skull that was complimented with a slender jaw. No one is quite sure what this skull structure meant for feeding time for this beast. Let’s take a look at the numbers though and see just what a formidable predator Carnotaurus really was.The Numbers On Carnotaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Chris J. Bartle Carnotaurus LengthThe approximated length of Carnotaurus is between 25 ft feet long.An average length of? around 25 feet is equal to:The length of a large Kodiak bear.The length of a large leather back sea turtle.Approximately the length of the largest ocean sunfish ever found.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 760 sugar ants.Carnotaurus WeightEstimates of Carnotaurus’ weight fall at around 2.25 short tons or 4,500 lbs.4,500 lbs is equal to:The weight of approximately 9 average sized Siberian tigers.The same weight as 3 Atlantic bluefin tuna.The approximate weight of 4 1/2 American alligators.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 360,000 average goose feathers.Carnotaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Carnotaurus at around 9.8 feet tall.9.8 feet is equal to:The approximate height of a fully grown grizzly bear.The shoulder height of a large Asian elephant.The height of the Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit in Bangkok, Thailand.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 1,927 pennies stacked on top of each other.? HYPERLINK "" Carnotaurus may not have measured up to Tyrannosaurus Rex in size, but there is no doubt about it – you wouldn’t want to match up against this mega-carnivore!Plesiosaurus Plesiosaurus— the First Discovered Marine ReptileP. dolichodeirus, or Plesiosaurus, was not a dinosaur, but a plesiosaur—a marine reptile (Greek—near to lizard) from the Mesozoic Era of the Early Jurassic period.? ?Plesiosaurus was the first species of its kind to be discovered. Though much has been learned about its anatomy and evolution, there are still many topics of debate over the species. Some of the debates surrounding the Plesiosaurus include the flexibility of its neck, its specific means of locomotion, its ability to walk on land, and whether it laid eggs or gave birth to live young. ??Since to date no evidence has been found of Plesiosaurus bearing live young in the water, it is believed that the marine reptile came ashore- as turtles do- in order to nest in the sand.Quick FactsNamePlesiosaurusPrehistoric EraEarly JurassicClassificationPiscivoreOrderPlesiosauriaSuborderPlesiosauroideaWeight200 lbs (90 kg)Length16 feet (5 meters)Height3.3 feet (1 meters) Maximum SpeedUnknown TerritoryEurope, North America About PlesiosaurusPlesiosaurus thrived in the shallow waters apparently, with fossils being primarily found in shallow sea beds and also freshwater lakes.? It’s theorized that the long neck of Plesiosaurus would have served its existence in the shallow waters by allowing it to remain at the optimum depth levels while its head could be either submerged for foraging and feeding, or up above the water for breathing.? Being reptilian, Plesiosaurus did take air from the atmosphere rather than the ocean.The marine reptile is another apparent example of a species which seems to exhibit many characteristics of convergent evolution.? Classification has had its challenges, with prior type species P. brachypterygius, P. guilielmiiperatoris, and P. tournemirensis having since been reclassified to other genera.What Did Plesiosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to D.Bogdanov The physical appearance of Plesiosaurus was characterized by a distinctly turtle-like form, with a flat pectoral arch, a broad body, long neck, large paddle-like flippers with five digits each, and a short tail.Plesiosaurus sported a rib-cage from its neck to its tail, consisting of many variations in shape and service, with hatchet-shaped cervical ribs featuring two articular heads.? The dorsal ribs are thick still, with one articular head.? Sacral ribs are short and rounded on each end; caudal ribs vary according to their location along the tail portion of Plesiosaurus.? Between its shoulder and pelvis, Plesiosaurus sports belly ribs- otherwise known as gastralia.? These gastralia are much smaller rib-like formations that have a bone on the midline that is flanked on each side by three other bones.Plesiosaurus’ finnage, paddles, or limbs consisted of five digits on the hand paddle, six bones in the wrist, distinctive curvature to the humerus and a strong pillar-like radius.? Six bones in the ankle also, with five digits in the foot paddles.? Hind limbs were long and narrow, and in adults were smaller in comparison to the front limbs.What Did Plesiosaurus Eat?Plesiosaurus was one of the largest water-dwelling creatures in the ocean during its time. ?Its jaw was very powerful and some scientists speculate it may have had the most crushing power of any animal. ?This characteristic, along with its razor sharp teeth, probably made Plesiosaurus one of the deadliest predators in the ocean- at least to the fish and mollusks.? These teeth were not suitable for chewing, nor were the neck and cranial structures able to withstand the wild ripping and tearing of bringing down larger prey.? The diet of Plesiosaurus therefore was probably limited to small aquatic life that it could easily swallow in a bite or two. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to D. Bogdanov Plesiosaurus was a carnivore, more specifically a piscivore that ate primarily small marine life such as fish, and mollusks also. ?A diet practiced by early amphibians, piscivory involved evolution to insectivory and then ultimately herbivory, added by reptilian species.? Plesiosaurus had sharp teeth that jutted forward and interlocked, a common evolution of piscivores, helping them to grab and keep the quick and slippery fish.? Eyes towards the top of its head suggest that Plesiosaurus hunted from below which goes to further disprove the swan-like technique of hunting.It was originally thought that the Plesiosaurus kept its head above water in a swan-like fashion and quickly dove to catch its prey; however, some scientists postulate that the neck of Plesiosaurus was not that flexible.How Did Plesiosaurus Move?Being a water-dwelling reptile, Plesiosaurus used its four large flippers to move through the water. ?These flippers were very stiff and resemble those of modern day turtles. ?It has been argued whether the flippers moved in a rowing fashion or a more flying fashion, but some scientists believe that the most probable movement was a modified combination of these two styles of locomotion. ?The Plesiosaurus did have a tail, but it was very short and was probably not used much in the way of mobility.It has also been debated whether Plesiosaurus could walk on land. ?Early theories suggested it was possible, but more recent findings have found that the flippers of Plesiosaurus would probably not have been able to support its weight for movement on land, but that they could possibly push the creature through shallow waters. ??It makes sense then that Plesiosaurus would move to the shallower beach areas and lay eggs that would be land-bound except during tide.? The theory that shallow waters were the primary place of brooding and feeding residence is enforced by the geological indicators of fossil recovery.It is thought that Plesiosaur utilized its strong and well-developed paddle limbs as its major means of propulsion while not only using a row-boat motion for control, but also advanced enough to use its paddles more as wings and fly through the water as a modern day penguin does.?? In the shallowest regions, Plesiosaurus would have glided along the surface almost floating, yet guiding itself with its paddles which likely also did serve as some sort of land appendage- although not necessarily providing the increased land-bound access of a lighter crocodile of today, which can support its own weight on dry land.Where Did Plesiosaurus Live?The majority of Plesiosaurus fossils have been found around England and Germany, but fossils have also been found on every continent, including North America.? Being sea-bound creatures in addition to the varied locations of recoveries indicates that Plesiosaurus moved about expansively in the ocean, as many other sea creatures will, and as birds migrate the world over, by sky.When Plesiosaurus was not traveling, it preferred to move in the shallow waters near land and feed, likely breed, and nest on land covered by shallow waters.?? A marine reptile, Plesiosaurus was thought for many years to have laid eggs in the sand.? Recent fossil discoveries indicate that Plesiosaurus was a water-bearer and gave birth to live young.? A fossilized Plesiosaurus skeleton was found with a same-species skeleton inside, in the form of a fetus.The Discovery of Plesiosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ryan Somma The genus Plesiosaurus was discovered and subsequently named in 1821, in reference to the view that plesiosaurs were closer to reptiles than were the more fish-like ichthyosaurs.? Plesiosaurus observations were derived from the scattered remnant fossil finds from the Bristol region, Dorset and Lyme Regis areas by William Conybeare and Henry De la Beche.? The genus type species, P. dolichodeirus, was named in 1824 by Conybeare based on a complete skeleton discovered by the collector Mary Anning in the Early Jurassic rocks of the lower Lias Group in 1823.Recent fossil discoveries of Plesiosaurus have clued scientists into the likely possibility that it was a live-bearer of its young, directly contradicting the popular presumption from prior discoveries.? Plesiosaurus has since been discovered in areas all over the world, including North America and seas of Australia.Unique Characteristics of PlesiosaurusPlesiosaurus was another prehistoric animal that somehow utilized gastroliths, or stomach stones.? Gastroliths were recovered from the Bearpaw Shale of Montana by Darby and Ojakangas in 1980.? The Bearpaw Shale is a sedimentary rock formation of the Phanerozoic-Mesozoic-Late Cretaceous period that consists of gray and brown dark clay shale and thick beds of bentonite. While the stomach stones of Plesiosaurus are present in significant number, it remains unclear to some exactly why they were used, or if in fact they were an accidental ingestion.? It appears that, since Plesiosaurus was a carnivore and wouldn’t have had much control over how it dealt with its food with no chewing ability beyond the first bite, Plesiosaurus would have utilized the stones for harder portions of ingested items such as mollusk shells.The Significance of PlesiosaurusPlesiosaurus was the first Mesozoic reptile of its kind to be discovered. ?As a result, it has since become a virtual waste bin, or go-to, taxon and many other water-dwelling reptiles, such as Plesiosaurus guilielmiiperatoris, Plesiosaurus brachypterygius, and Plesiosaurus tournemirensis, were thrown in to this category. ?They have since been moved to different generas. ??Plesiosaurus discovery has significantly contributed to scientists’ modern understanding of sea-bound evolution and daily life of evolving Plesiosauroidea of the period.? The Plesiosaurus has also become a part of popular culture? as some believe that the mythical Loch Ness Monster is a modern evolution of Plesiosaurus.Dinosaur Cupcakes These Dinosaur Cupcakes Are As Cool As They GetIf there is one thing better than cake, it’s cupcakes and if there’s one thing better than cupcakes, it’s dinosaur cupcakes! So in order to share some really great cake decorating talent with you, and to make you incredibly hungry, today I’m going to share a couple of my favorite dinosaur cupcakes.Cool Dinosaur Cupcakes HYPERLINK "" Cupcakes Courtesy of Sandi Oh from Oh, just put a cupcake in it…. in Minnesota These awesome fondant topped dinosaur cupcakes are courtesy of Sandi Oh from HYPERLINK "" \o "Oh, just put a cupcake in it...." Oh, just put a cupcake in it…. in Minnesota. I love how creative Sandi got with the colors and the fact that she included a few marine reptiles in to the mix as well! Sandi is one amazing cupcake artist and when it comes to the variety of flavors she offers, let’s just say whether you’re looking for plain or posh, she’s got them all! HYPERLINK "" Cupcake Toppers By Your Cupcake Story These HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur cupcake toppers sold by Your Cupcake Story on ETSY" cupcake toppers sold by Your Cupcake Story on ETSY may not be anatomically correct but they are cute all the same. I love how unique these dinosaur toppers are and they’re currently selling for $24 for 12 pieces which is a pretty fair price considering how cute these guys are! This set comes with a theropod, sauropod and stegosauria spread between 12 pieces but if you’re considering these for your next dino themed party, make sure you give them at least 3 weeks lead time! HYPERLINK "" Cupcakes By I Heart Baking The simplicity of these HYPERLINK "" \o "I Heart Baking" dinosaur cupcakes by I Heart Baking makes them some of my all time favorite. Plus, these are some dinosaur cupcakes that I might actually be able to pull off in my own kitchen without throwing things. Michele Chen from I Heart Baking has some really amazing cupcake designs on her blog so if you’re an aspiring baker then this is a great blog to check out.Do You Design Dinosaur Cupcakes?If you design dinosaur cupcakes or if you have a favorite designer of dinosaur cupcakes let me know in a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment below!?James Cameron, Dinosaurs and Aliens Jurassic Dinosaurs and Aliens not out of Mind HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Sharon Graphics While many may not be surprised upon hearing that Hollywood director James Cameron would have presented aliens into the Jurassic Park stew of prehistoric dinosaurs, there are those who might be surprised to know:That, in real life, Pentagon spokesperson Paul Springer has acknowledged at least the possibility of future extra-terrestrial alien confrontation by suggesting that the US military are discussing a “plan of action”, in the event of such an occurrence.In addition, a study by Cornell University envisions a future ‘discipline’ on earth, imposed by extra-terrestrials.?? It is proposed that aliens may discipline us for discharging carbon into the atmosphere, having themselves been triggered- or notified- via disturbances to the atmosphere of the planet Earth.So while there are many who do not want to envision the world as it would be today had Cameron gotten his mitts on the original Jurassic Park production, there are those who can see the viability of such a notion.Dinosaurs vs. AliensTake the new online series “Dinosaurs and Aliens”, a modern look at the ideas swirling around the world of debate today concerning prehistoric earth dinosaurs, theory of evolution, theory of “Life on Mars” or other planetary bodies which may be more earth-like.? Filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld has teamed with graphic novel colleague Grant Morrison for this new motion comic book series.Of course the most optimistic alien theorists would be involved with such organizations as NASA, like an American chemist working on the Kepler project who makes the far-reaching point that if only certain amino acids, sugars and genetic materials existed in a slightly different configuration, there would be evolution of either mammal to human, or dinosaur to bipedal reptilian intelligent life form—dinosaurs more intelligent than humanity ever imagined” and theories exist that without the asteroid…, these life forms could have existed today on earth, and of course this suggests that these life forms could exist today on other planets or in other galaxies.Barring any asteroid extinction of dinosaurs on earth, Dr. Ronald Breslow considers the possibility yesterday’s prehistoric dinosaurs could have evolved into what would have been today’s intelligent warriors, and possibly even armed with technologies exceeding our own humanoid abilities.Also of course, the most optimistic ideas and theories are often met with reactions of misunderstanding, and are relegated back to the more acceptable category of science fiction.? It’s rumored that Dr. Breslow’s official release has been removed from many major media channels.Whatever theory one prefers to entertain regarding dinosaurs here on earth, fact is that the dinosaur versus alien propositions are real, and entertainment media seem be amp up the noise of just how this could happen, and what would happen if it did.? Science Fiction authors have been doing it for years.? Now, we’ve got people in prestigious positions of security supporting and even promoting the intelligent, non-fiction discussion of extra-terrestrial alien life.Kepler is a Discovery Program focused on science discovery missions into outer space.? Its mission is to discover earth-like planets and has access to examination of a certain portion of the Milky Way galaxy.? A key point to realize is that Kepler is a mission to discover habitable earth-like planets.? Some might wonder how difficult it will be to maintain a position of non-belief in life elsewhere, when or if a similar environment is actually discovered.Dinosaur Video Games I’m Not A Fan of Dinosaur Video Games But…No, seriously, I’m really not a fan of any video game that doesn’t involve the words “you have been eaten by a grue.” Call me old school but the graphics on video games today make me jump. I don’t do blood,I don’t do guts and most of all I don’t do half decaying zombies popping out from the randomest places and trying to eat my brain. With that said however, I know quite a few of you are in to video games so today I thought I’d share some dinosaur themed video games with you. Just don’t ask my opinion on them because I haven’t played a single one of them.A Sample of the Dinosaur Video Games AvailableTurok HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Turok Dinosaur Video Game" Turok by Disney Interactive Studios is rated Mature and is available for the Playstation, Xbox and PC. The average rating for this game by an audience of forty nine gamers is three and a half stars. This is a strategic combat game with the possibility for multi-player game play in which you can battle dinosaurs or choose to have them attack your enemies. Following the story line, you are a special ops soldier on a mission, the only problem is that these darn carnivorous dinosaurs seem to want to get in the way.Turok was released in 2008 so it is far from a new arrival but it has remained a popular gaming choice since it rocked the Nintendo 64 console.DinoStorm HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinostorm by SplitScreen Studios" DinoStorm by Splitscreen Studios is a newer release in terms of dinosaur video games having been released in June, 2012. This PC game is currently free to play on the base level when you link through Amazon (see the link above) and offers player versus player action with three dimensional graphics. Online multi-player games add a new level of play to DinoStorm without having to subscribe to premium yearly services like many console games. As a ranger you’re heading in to DinoVille to mine for gold along with your dinosaur but when you get there you must face off against other dino owning cowboys and fight for your position in the town. Combining dinosaurs, cowboys and laser guns this one sounds like it’s worth checking out.To play DinoStorm free of charge you need to link up to HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinostorm by SplitScreen Studios" SplitScreen Games via Amazon.Which dinosaur video games are your favorite?Massospondylus Massospondylus, aka M. carinatusThe “elongated spine” dinosaur, Massospondylus (Greek- Greater Vertebrae), pronounced mass-o-SPON-dih-lus, was a genus quadrupedal, semi-bipedal herbivore and possible omnivore from the Early Jurassic period. Otherwise known as Massospondylus carinatus, the standing species of the Massospondylus genus M. carinatus was a mid-sized prosauropod that lived during the Hettangian to Pliensbachian ages of the Early Jurassic Period, 200 to 183 million years ago.? Massospondylus was a common dinosaur in southern Africa during the age.? Massospondylus carinatus the prosauropod was very similar to Plateosaurus, but is distinguished by its smaller build and somewhat more primitive jaw structure.Quick FactsNameMassospondylusPrehistoric EraEarly JurassicClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodomorphaWeight770 lbs (350 kg)Length19.7 feet (6 meters)Height8 feet (2.4 meters) Maximum SpeedUnknown TerritoryZimbabwe, South Africa, North America About MassospondylusProsauropods were early Saurischian dinosaurs that lived during the Triassic and Jurassic eras, but had become extinct by end of the Jurassic period. ??Other prosauropods were Plateosaurus, Yunnanosaurus, and Riojasaurus.M. kallae (Massopondylus Kallae) is known from the same time and region as M. carinatus.? Classified in 2009 on the basis of a partial skull, The specimen of M. kaalae is a partial skull, found in the Upper Elliot Formation at Voyizane farm.? This species differs from the type species M. carinatus in the morphology of the braincase.? There are other characteristics of the skull which also differentiate M. kallae from M. carinatus.? What Did Massospondylus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User W9NED Always in prayer formation, Massopondylus had short forelimbs that were always set palm-facing-palm when in bipedal stance.? Sporting large, five-fingered ‘hands’, the thumbs on each of its forefeet had an extended sharp thumb claw that was used in defense and feeding.The herbivore’s long neck enabled consumption of its leafy diet of plants and roots, high or low.? Once believed to be strictly quadrupedal, scientists later found Massospondylus to be bipedal in addition- and possibly near completely bipedal in adulthood.? This animal, 4–6 meters (13–20 feet) long, had a long neck and tail, with a small head and slender body. Recent studies indicate Massospondylus grew steadily throughout its lifespanThe Massospondylus embryo looked much like the adult, excepting the 4 legs of equal length and the absence of teeth.? It had the same thick body and elongated neck and long, thick tail of the adult form.? At the embryonic stage, Massospondylus could easily reach 6 inches long, still inside the egg. ?…based on found specimens…the pre-hatchlings were toothless.? All four of any Massospondylus’ legs were equal in length, indicating to scientists that Massospondylus was born quadrupedal.? Discovery of the footprints of hatchlings supports quadrupedal origin.Descendants of Massospondylus would develop into towering sauropods like Barosaurus and Brachiosaurus.What did Massospondylus Eat?Although the diet is believed to be primarily that of an herbivore, there are indications that Massospondylus would venture into carnivorous territory at some times, making Massospondylus potentially omnivorous.? Its long neck would reach up to the trees and other higher sources of vegetation available. ?The Early Jurassic (about 190 million years ago) would have been covered with lush fern trees and conifers among many other fauna.It’s believed that any meat Massospondylus ate was minimal, likely taking the form of tree nestlings hardly noticed but as morsels during its feasting upon the highest treetops.How Did Massospondylus Move?Massospondylus was a grazer and a tree-top browser that moved slowly or languidly at times, yet it is believed that Massospondylus was actually one of the fastest dinosaurs to have existed.? Dinosaur speeds are estimated using their body morphology- leg length, body mass, joint configuration, etc.? A quadrupedal, semi-bipedal? could walk on all fours, and likely grazed this way but primarily moved on powerful hindquarters in bipedal fashion and used forelimbs to assist eating.? Since Massospondylus was likely bipedal and quadrupedal, it likely ran on two legs- and, sometimes four.? if Massospondylus did evolve to a completely quadrupedal gait, this would not have necessarily been a positive or negative regarding speed.? It is thought the range of motion of Massospondylus would have prevented constant quadrupedal motion.Massospondylus’ evolution could have been in a changing state, with the puzzling way that Massospondylus development resembles that of humans; infancy was awkward, with a more erect stance and evenly proportioned body only coming later after some time of growth.? ?Not a fearsome creature, Massospondylus would have been leery of any gang-operational predator or even a lurking leopard, which could outrun Massopondylus despite its great size.? It is believed that Massopondylus evolved a quick gait for survival and further evidence has been found in the South African excavation area of at least one additional predator of both Massospondylus (M. carinatus) and A. celestae.Where Did Massospondylus Live?Massospondylus lived in an area that would have been dominated by other prosauropods, theropods and primitive ornithischians by the time the Triassic period ended.? During the time of Massospondylus, their region of South Africa would have been a flat and arid one, part of a supercontinent with similar fauna across the land.? Today, the region is known for its sandstone mountains.? 200 Million years ago, Massospondylus’ Triassic climate was probably hot and dry, with even the Polar Regions believed to be temperate climates.? ?Monsoons would have been frequent.? Conifers flourished in the Northern hemisphere and lush ferns in the Southern hemisphere.The Discovery of Massospondylus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User givingnot@ Prehistoric dinosaur remains of the Massospondylus are numerous and range in size from embryos to large adults.? First discovered in 1853 by J.M. Orpen, in the upper Elliot formation at Beaufort Abbey Harrismith, South Africa, the fossils were described in 1854 by paleontologist Sir Richard Owen.Fossil hunter James Kitching discovered the clutch of Early Jurassic eggs in 1978 at Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Upper Elliot Formation at Blikania Mountain in South Africa (Eastern Cape). These date to the Hettangian-Sinemurian period and since then more nesting areas have been excavated, sometimes with up to 34 eggs per nest, which were recently excavated.? ?Up to ten nests per site have shown scientists many clues into the reproductive and rearing lives of some dinosaurs.? Scientists estimate that Massospondylus hatchlings were reared until double the size of their hatching.? Found in the SW Golden Gate Highlands national park, Free State territory, South Africa, this find is 100 Million years older than any previously discovered Massospondylus site.Now characterized by sandstone mountains, the park, at the time of Massospondylus, was flat and much more arid.? It is claimed that there are more nesting Massospondylus hatchling fossils available to be excavated.? ?Prehistoric fossils are found throughout Africa, yet are more common in the south.Massospondylus the StonyScientists found rounded stones in the stomachs of many Massopondylus specimens from South Africa.? It is believed that the dinosaur utilized these stones as a digestive aid for the rough plant materials consumed.? The stones found had a smooth surface, polished even.? It is thought that this would have been a natural consequence of sitting exposure to the acidic digestive acids and also to the grinding process.It is well known that some animals use rocks in digestion, especially animals that have no teeth or inadequate teeth for their diet.? Since Massospondylus was hatched with no teeth, it is possible that rocks were introduced early in the lifespan.? Known as gastroliths, stomach stones or gizzard stones, the digestive aids were usually held inside a specialized organ with very strong muscle which accomplished the action of grinding.? Since not many gastroliths are found in relation to fossilized dinosaurs, it is difficult to come to conclusive theory on their actual purpose in the world of a particular prehistoric dinosaur.? Crocodiles are known to use stomach stones in order to decrease their own buoyancy in water, as it is believed that early water-bound reptiles also did.The Significance of MassospondylusThe discovery of the massive Massospondylus nesting site in South Africa has been of great significance to the world of paleontology and prehistoric discovery.? As the earliest evidence to date of the genus Massospondylus, and including the evidence of its complex reproductive habits, the discovery informed scientists of Massospondylus’ considerations of nesting site fidelity and of the practice of colonial nesting.? The colonial nesting practiced by Massospondylus may or may not have been inherent to its beginnings, and may have evolved as a survival tactic.Often confused with Aardonyx celestae, and since completely removed from any relation to the group other than likely sister taxon, Massospondylus of the sauropod order is a mystery to be further solved by closer inspection of its own and the A. celestae remains that are found in the same general areas of the African continent.? A. celestae has arm features that are intermediate between prosauropods and sauropods. ?It’s believed that two-legged upright prosauropods evolved into the four-legged quadrupeds that were believed to be Massospondylus itself.? Now that scientists realize that Massospondylus was probably still bipedal despite possibly sometimes using all four legs, Massospondylus, along with A celestae, still offers plenty of opportunity for study and understanding of evolutionary principles and benchmarks.Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart Edited By Steve White Dinosaur Art: The World’s Greatest Paleoart Edited By Steve White Brings Dinosaurs to Life HYPERLINK "" If you were the type of kid that looked at the pictures rather than read the book, then Dinosaur Art Edited By Steve White is a book you don’t want to miss out on. That’s not to say that the introduction from Scott Sampson isn’t great or the foreword by Philip Currie for that matter…but for me, this book is about the pictures.A Look Inside Dinosaur Art: The World’s Greatest Paleoart HYPERLINK "" Citipati osmolskae by Raul Martin The detail in this piece by Raul Martin is so incredible that it almost resembles a photograph. The texture of the feathers and the layout of the piece in general are quite simply amazing. HYPERLINK "" The Leviathan by Robert Nicholls Although I admit that this piece by Robert Nicholls terrifies me, it simultaneously leaves me in sheer awe of its coloration. Now I’m not a fan of marine reptiles…actually, I’m not a fan of marine anything if we’re being honest but the shading in this piece as well as the unique skin coloration of this mighty beast are beautiful. HYPERLINK "" Cretaceousi by Julius Cstonyi This piece by Julius Cstonyicatches my eye simply because of the viewpoint it is created from. Certainly the variation in species is nice, and I enjoy seeing interpretations of texture and coloration, but for me the real grab of this piece is imagining that I am looking out on to these grazing herbivores while this sharp toothed theropod stands beside me. HYPERLINK "" Elasmosaur, Pteranodon by Douglas Henderson There are people who have talent that is so mind blowing that it…well, blows my mind and Douglas Henderson is most certainly one of them. The translucence in the water of this piece and the lighting behind the clouds is enough to make this thalassophobe unable to tear her eyes away.See some more of these incredible images inside your own copy of HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart" Dinosaur Art: The World’s Greatest Paleoart Mongolian Dinosaur Could Be A Composite “Frankenstein” Mongolian Dinosaur, Tarbosaurus bataar HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright Wynne Parry “Political Trophy” or anti-regulation “Finders Keepers”?Paleontologists, attorneys and buffs around the world are looking forward to this December’s upcoming court session regarding the apparently Mongolian “Frankenstein” Tarbosaurus bataar composite skeleton, which went up for auction on May 20 earlier this year.? Nearly halted completely, the auction did go on, and the skeleton is on pending sale to an anonymous individual.In a real-life scenario that smacks of the most entertaining films of foreign intrigue and drama, T. bataar is at the center of controversy over its skeleton’s true origin of discovery.? This case has gone as far as the courts, due to its involvement in international ownership disputes.?? Hand it to the professionals once again, who swooped in on May 20 and stopped the final transfer of T. bataar earlier this year. ?Although unsuccessful in their own bid to stop the actual sale, the actions have brought about a stall in progress regarding actual delivery of the T. bataar composite skeleton.Mongolian Dinosaur Remains- Find Them, Complete Them, and Sell ThemNot necessarily.? Professional paleontologists- North American and Mongolian- seem to maintain that the bones were found in Mongolia, where there exists a regulation regarding objects of historical significance and automatic governmental ownership of any objects recovered in its Mongolian territory.The Mongolian dinosaur skeleton in question is made of real bits of prehistoric specimen, plus composite material (“chunks of rocks”) formed and placed to finish the prehistoric composition. Eric Propoki, the Florida fossil dealer who expected to cash in big on T. bataar – “…just a guy in Gainesville…” he proclaims— seems to minimize his actual interest in the plot.Propoki claims, “I’m just a guy in Gainesville …trying to support my family, not some international bone smuggler like I have been portrayed by some in the media…” yet, Mongolian authorities claim Propoki to have frequented Mongolia several times in the past.? Clearly not just a guy in Gainesville- but a cosmopolitan sort- with the ability to retain powerful legal representation when for a defense, rather than back down.? It was his fellow paleo-enthusiast British contact who apparently reconstructed a portion of the skeleton before shipping the remains in a parcel to Propoki in America.Auctioneers- All about the seller’s paperwork for the Mongolian DinosaurAlso at issue is whether or not actual specimens from various locations were comingled into the reconstruction, which also could indicate another effort to confuse the provenance of the entire structure.? Although teeth and other remnants have been found in other territories, such as Kazakhstan and China, these samples lack conclusive identification as T. bataar, and so it is difficult to use any argument of scattered remains.If parts of the Mongolian dinosaur skeleton are found to have been discovered in territories other than Mongolia, then the sale would continue.? Also, depending on governmental treaty policies and procedures, even if the skeleton proves to have originated entirely in Mongolia, possession and storage in England over the last 10 years could also aid the defense.? So far, there is no reported evidence that the fossils definitely originated in Mongolia 10 years ago.? It could have been more recently.The Auction goes onThe auctioneer, Heritage Auctions, went confidently forward with the auction on May 20 in the belief that any ownership satisfaction was met, having apparently received any necessary documentations and determinations upon acquisition from the fossil dealer, Propoki.So, could Propoki have dug up the fossils in Mongolia and transported them to an English fossil dealer before having them shipped to the United States and attempting to sell , or is this Mongolian dinosaur merely the “political trophy” that Propoki says it is?The Dinosaur Crafts Rainy Day Pack Dinosaur Crafts Are Great For Rainy DaysIf you are fond of crafts or if you have ever experienced more than one child on a rainy day, then today’s “make a dino” Monday is for you. In my previous life I was both a nanny and a pre-school teacher and both of which taught me the value of stocking up in case of a rainy day. Today I want to share one of my favorite ideas for dinosaur crafts for dinosaur lovers that are stuck indoors.The Dinosaur Crafts KitArts and crafts are generally the go to idea for rainy day activities because they stimulate the imagination and don’t involve sugar crazed children tearing the house apart. As a dinosaur enthusiast, my favorite arts and crafts kit idea is a dinosaur crafts themed kit and my kit involves some of the following ideas.Melissa and Doug Dinosaur Stencils HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Melissa and Doug dinosaur stencils pack" Melissa and Doug dinosaur stencils pack retails for around $9.32 and comes with four dinosaur stencils including Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus. This set is a great addition to any rainy day arts and crafts kit because it also includes crayons, a pencil and an eraser for under$10. HYPERLINK "" These HYPERLINK "" \o "Adhesive foam dinosaur shapes" adhesive foam dinosaur shapes are a great combination with HYPERLINK "" \o "Roll Out Paper" roll out paper to create unique dinosaur scenes that have a tactile property to them. For $12.50 you get 500 pieces in this set so there are plenty to choose from and a good number of rainy days to fill. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Hama Dinosaur Bead Set" Hama dinosaur beads set is a good addition to a dinosaur crafts set for kids that need tactile stimulation and fine tuning of fine motor skills. These small beads use bead boards and ironing papers to allow the creation of unique and fun dinosaur projects. This kit costs $11.79 and includes 2,000 beads and 2 bead boards. HYPERLINK "" For $6.29 this 24 piece HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Stamp Set" dinosaur stamp set is a fun way to add variety to a crafts kit. These 1 1/2″ stamps are self-inking and while they include more than just dinosaurs – read, synapsids and flying reptiles, there is plenty of variety.Other Dinosaur Crafts IdeasSome other great additions to a dinosaur crafts kit include: HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Sun Catchers" Dinosaur Sun Catchers HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Scratch Board Art" Dinosaur Scratch Board Art HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Play-Doh Set" Dinosaur Themed Play-Doh Set HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Dot to Dot" Dinosaur Dot to Dot HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Mosaics" Dinosaur Mosaics HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Shrinky Dinks" Dinosaur Shrinky Dinks HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Temporary Tattoos" Dinosaur Temporary Tattoos HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Stickers" Dinosaur StickersWhat else would you add to your dinosaur crafts kit?Megalodon C megalodon was a Chondrichthyes of controversial genus Megalodon (Greek- big tooth), pronounced Meg-ah-low-don, is a prehistoric species which possessed traits mirrored by the Great White shark of today. C. megalodon is the common abbreviated acknowledgement of the scientific name for this controversially classified sea creature of the Cenozoic era, from the late Oligocene to early Pleistocene epochs, roughly 2 million—17 million years ago.Quick FactsNameMegalodonPrehistoric EraCenozoic ClassificationCarnivoreOrderLamniformesSuborderChondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)Weight75 tons (68 tonnes)Length40—100 feet (12 – 30.48 meters)Height12 – 15 Feet (3.66 – 4.57 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 25 – 35 mph TerritoryWorldwide oceanic regions About MegalodonThere are two schools of C. megalodon hypothesis: Carcharocles and Carcharodon.? In 1835, naturalist Louis Agassiz (Swiss) named assigned megalodon to the Carcharodon classification based on tooth morphology.? However, in 1923, D.S. Jordan and H. Hannibal classified megalodon as Carcharocles megalodon, also based in part on tooth morphology.It has been challenging to determine exact size of C. megalodon, and there are significant variances in information and several methods have been developed to determine the species’ length and mass. ?Since recent fossil discoveries have revealed more vertebral information, C. megalodon has been revealed as the long-standing monster of the ocean, enjoying top-predator status for thousands of years.? Eventually, time would affect the existence of even this most powerful sea creature ever known. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Sam_Wise ?What did C. megalodon Look Like?Imagine the great white shark of today, only much larger.? Believed to commonly reach 40—100 feet in length, C. megalodon was at the top of the food chain beneath the sea.? At almost 80 tons and sporting the Lamniforme appearance characteristics of sharks today, C. megalodon was of large enough size to encourage its own brutish development of muscle, lending to its ferocity of appearance.? Lamniforme characteristics are two dorsal fins, an anal fin, five gill slits, eyes without nictitating membranes, and a mouth that extends beyond the eyes.The finnage and build of C. megalodon would likely have been very stout and powerful, due to both genetics and the external environmental influence.? C. megalodon had an entire ocean to explore and hunt, and is known to have been a fast mover.? This species would have had a massive and even ferocious appearance to any other ocean species.? Being a carnivore, C. megalodon possessed the main traits of a carnivorous animal—sharp razor like teeth and unlocking jaws that when open appear larger than its head.? C. megalodon likely looked like a dark cave rushing toward its prey.Members of the Chondrichthye class had tooth-like scales called denticles, which aided in streamlining as C. megalodon streaked through the ocean water after some prey or simply at play.? Chondrichthye are a cartilaginous class, and have no ribs.? When a member of this class fell ashore or left the water, their own body weight would crush their internal organs long before suffocation could occur.? This lack of bone with cartilage as a substitute is the primary reason for the delay in determining actual size of C. megalodon, since cartilage does not preserve as well as bone does in fossilization.What did C. megalodon eat?C. megalodon is known to have been an avid and successful marine predator, likely due to its system of thermal protection which operated to increase species metabolism.? Megalodon possessed a huge and gaping mouth, which operated much like that of a snake in the way that it could expand to massive and greater than body size circumference in order to entrap and engulf its prey.? The teeth of C. megalodon were heavily serrated and deeply rooted, allowing for much grasping capability.? Its jaws had the ability to partially disengage and extrude in order to suddenly grasp more tightly onto its prey.The diet of megalodon consisted primarily of prehistoric sea life the size of a small whale today.? Depending on the age and size of megalodon itself, a meal could be any early cetacean (whale, dolphin or porpoise), cephalopod (octopus) or fish.? Other sea creatures with shells are not ruled out, since C. megalodon’s powerful bite made easy vice of crunchy meals.? C. megalodon’s bite force is regarded to be ten times that of the modern great white shark. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User gruntzooki Locations of tooth fossil recoveries indicate that C. megalodon preferred to feed in warmer coastal areas likely inhabited or frequented by many other feeding species.? As climate and food chain supply changed to the detriment of C. megalodon, numbers began to decrease.?? C. megalodon preferred warmer temperatures and was of a size and accustomed to a large diet that it no longer had access to as a species.? Over time, scarcity in prey led to a trend of cannibalism among C. megalodon.? This put any younger and smaller specimens at risk of being in the vicinity of their own species.? Ultimately, this put every C. Megalodon at risk, regardless of size.How did C. megalodon move?Despite the size of C. megalodon, the buoyancy of the sea combined with what must have been incredible muscle mass is thought to have enabled C. megalodon to power through the current at remarkable speed and with fair control assisted by its Lamniforme finnage characteristics.? Its fins are thought to have been many times as strong as its modern-day shark counterparts.? The theory being that due to the size and mass of C. megalodon, its muscle tone and size lent increased value to it’s efforts at propulsion.It is surmised that the distances traveled by C. megalodon would have been quite long, with ocean-wide travel not out-ruled.? Fossilized remains have been turning up on coasts all over the world, primarily all around Australia, Europe and the Americas.? Studies of its prey indicate great speed when C. megalodon rammed it in order to stun it or to crush it prior to feeding.? This speed of this prehistoric shark species, plus its massive size, contributed to C. megalodon’s mobility.Where did C. megalodon live?Adult C.megalodon and shoal traveled significantly enough to be regarded and labeled as a cosmopolitan species with a transient lifestyle and traveled wide and far.? Much time was spent at sea, in the depths and cooler temperatures.? It is believed that C. megalodon could generate its own warmth and some degree of metabolic speed through sheer movement and friction of its own large and powerful system.? Fossilized remnants of C. megalodon have been found across Europe, North America, South America, and Australia.? While the species is known to have appreciated the warm coastal regions of the world, it had hunting capabilities which adapted to most any environment.? Primarily, the coastal regions were frequented during times of heavy feeding, birthing and brooding.? The younger C. megalodon would cling to the safety of shallower coastal areas during upbringing until eventually migrating to larger open sea travel primarily.The Discovery of C. megalodon HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User /Sizemore/ People have been recovering the fossilized teeth of C. megalodon since people have existed.? Known as a cosmopolitan traveler, and having many regularly-shed teeth, specimens have been plentiful.? For some time, the prehistoric remnants were thought to be the petrified tongues of dragons and giant snakes.The recovery of any other part of C. megalodon has been nearly non-existent in comparison to the preserved teeth that have been found.? However, with much perseverance and good luck, adequate samples of vertebral cartilage have been recovered over recent years and scientists have been able to focus better on C. megalodon’s actual size.Controversial C. megalodonContrary to popular belief, C. megalodon is not believed to have existed during the time of dinosaurs.? Fossil tests show the species to have evolved 20 million years ago, whereas the most recent dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago.Although C. megalodon was extinct before people arrived at just 100,000 years ago, it was common for the earliest people- as well as today- to find fossilized megalodon tooth remnants.? At the time however, these over-sized teeth weren’t regarded as teeth at all, but rather as tongues of the dragons and snakes of lore.? They were referred to as glossopetrae, or petrified tongues.The Significance of C. megalodonThis species serves as a sign and a reminder of issues faced today by any species.? The eventual extinction of this top ocean predator offers an opportunity of education to scientists.? The decline of the similar shark species today in combination with what is known about C. megalodon raises flags of concern and fuels the process of better understanding what may be done to prevent unnecessary extinctions of key species.One of the main gathering areas for prehistoric C. megalodon, the Central American Seaway of the Oligocene epoch, changed over time due to cooling and ice age temperatures.? As sea levels decreased over time, food supply was cut off as well as previous shoaling areas utilized by C. megalodon.? These areas were slowly lost to the species, and both breeding and feeding became a treacherous environment for any C. megalodon.? The habits of cannibalism which developed likely drove up the speed of decline in species population.The existence of C. megalodon is a rare opportunity to investigate the ramifications of global condition, and how what seem to be small and insignificant occurrences are often major episodes of change, unavoidable by any known remedy.How Big Was Megalodon? Megalodon is Not a DinosaurMegalodon or”Big Tooth” is not actually a dinosaur, but this prehistoric shark species is often mistakenly referred to one. Dinosaur or not, Megalodon is a fascinating prehistoric creature with some of the biggest jaws you will ever set eyes on. With incredibly large teeth that frequently measure in at more than 7 inches long, this creature was a force to be reckoned with during the?Late Oligocene-Early Pleistocene eras around 28–1.5 million years ago. This was some 37 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs but for the sake of studying one more awe inspiring creature let’s take a look at just how huge this creature of the deep was.The Numbers On Megalodon! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User latca Megalodon LengthThe approximated length of Megalodon is between?52 – 67 ft feet long.An average length of? around 60 feet is equal to:The length of a large bow-head whale.The length of a large sperm whale.Approximately the length of a giant squid.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 1824 sugar ants.Megalodon WeightEstimates of Megalodon’s weight fall at around 65 short tons or 130,000 lbs.130,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of approximately 10 large bull African elephants.The same weight as a 65 American bison.The approximate weight of 87 polar bears.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 104,000,000 average goose feathers.Megalodon TeethCurrent estimates put the teeth of Megalodon at around 7 inches long7 inches is equal to:The approximate height of a downy woodpecker.The length of a large giant cicada.The height of the?northern saw-whet owl.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 115 pennies stacked on top of each other.? HYPERLINK "" Megalodon may not have been a dinosaur but in terms of size and proportions, this prehistoric shark certainly measures up!Barosaurus Barosaurus is Not a Commonly Recognized DinosaurThe Barosaurus was an herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Upper Jurassic period, around one hundred and fifty million years ago! Its name is derived from the Greek words ‘barys’ and ‘saurus’, which literally translate as ‘heavy lizard.’ Barosaurus was a long necked dinosaur, and a fairly close relative of the much better known Diplodocus. The Barosaurus may not be as well-known as its cousin, however, or as well represented in museum collections, but it’s still a fascinating creature.Quick FactsNameBarosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Jurassic ClassificationHerbivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodamorphaWeight25 tons (22.68 tonnes)Length79 feet (24.1 meters)Height40 feet (12.2 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 10 mph TerritoryNorth America and Africa What Family Did Barosaurus Belong To?Like modern animals, scientists who study dinosaurs have categorized the species they have uncovered so far into different ‘families’ or subspecies. Barosaurus belongs to the family Diplodocidae, which is comprised of other species of dinosaur that it shares traits with.What Did Barosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Thiago “TH” Barosaurus shared many physical traits with other long necked plant eaters, although its neck was a little longer than most, and it’s tail a little shorter.This was one of the bigger herbivores too, with some of the larger specimens discovered so far believed to have weighed twenty metric tons – that’s about the same as twenty small compact cars! From the top of its head to the end of its tail, Barosaurus measured about twenty five meters, or seventy five feet.To give you some idea of just how tall Barosaurus was, an adult who raised itself up on its hind legs would have been able to look into the fifth story of a typical city building.So far, with no Barosaurus skulls having been discovered, there’s no concrete evidence as to what its face or head would have looked like, but scientists believe that it probably had the same characteristically small head with blunt, flat teeth for grinding tough, woody plant material.Barosaurus Looooong NeckWhen you imagine how tall the Barosaurus was, it’s easy to imagine just how long its neck must have been.What’s interesting is that even though its neck was so long, it only had fifteen or sixteen vertebrae in its neck – and humans have seven in our short necks. That probably explains why some of the Barosaurus vertebrae that have been discovered are more than one meter or thirty nine inches long!Barosaurus Big HeartThere’s been a lot of speculation about just how the Barosaurus managed to pump blood all the way from its heart to its head, with that incredibly long neck in between them.Of course, soft tissues like organs are not preserved when dinosaur fossils are formed, so there’s no hard evidence, but there’s been a lot of speculation.One theory is that the Barosaurus had a heart that weighed approximately one and a half tons – the size that would have been necessary to generate enough blood pressure to keep the animal’s brain supplied with oxygen. Another (much more outlandish) theory is that Barosaurus might have had more than one heart to do all that pumping.A more realistic idea is that the Barosaurus may have had a system of valves in it’s neck, that allowed the blood to flow incrementally upwards – much like a lock system in a canal, and like the valves we know exist in giraffe’s necks.Whatever the truth about Barosaurus was, however, the fact is that this was one dinosaur that really DID have a lot of heart!Where Did Barosaurus Live?The first Barosaurus remains were found in South Dakota, and later specimens were uncovered in Utah. This hints that Barosaurus’s prehistoric range may have included large parts of North America.For a while, scientists believed that they had also found Barosaurus remains in Tanzania, but those fossils were found to come from a different, albeit it probably related, species of long necked herbivore.Based on their diet, which was based purely on vegetation, and mainly on vegetation from the tops of trees, it’s safe to say that when Barosaurus roamed the American West, it was mostly covered with prehistoric forest.What Did Barosaurus Eat?Like all of the other long necked dinosaurs discovered to date – and modern day giraffes – the Barosaurus was perfectly designed to eat leaves from the top of prehistoric trees. That’s exactly what they did eat too.Barosaurus, like all their other long necked cousins, were completely herbivorous, in spite of their huge size. They lived on a diet comprised entirely of leaves and other plant material – but just imagine how many tons of leaves they must have consumed at each sitting!How Did Barosaurus Move? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User peterjr1961 As you can imagine, with a mass of more than twenty tons, Barosaurus wasn’t the speediest of dinosaurs! It was built for size and height, rather than for speed and agility (which suited it, and other herbivores perfectly.) Given that weight, and the less than aerodynamic design of their bodies, it’s almost certain that the Barosaurus had a ponderous, heavy gait.There is some evidence, however, that suggests that while Barosaurus wouldn’t have won any running races with some of its compatriots from the same time period; it could raise itself up on its back legs.The evidence suggests that the Barosaurus would use its powerful back legs to push its weight off the ground, raising its front feet off the ground – probably in self-defense, or to reach just a little bit higher than that immensely long neck could already reach!How Did Barosaurus Protect Itself?As with all other herbivores of the time, Barosaurus did have a few predators that weren’t averse to hunting it, and it did need to defend itself. Smaller predators probably would not have risked attacking a fully grown Barosaurus, but there were larger carnivores in the area at the time that probably would have seen Barosaurus as a very nice sized meal.Its enormous bulk served as a deterrent to some predators, but as we’ve already mentioned, on occasion, Barosaurus would have to raise itself onto its back feet, and use its front feet as a further deterrent.Like its cousins, the Diplodocus, Barosaurus also used its long, heavy tail as a ‘club’ swinging it with a force that could crack bone when it connected with a hapless predator.Where and When Was Barosaurus Discovered? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User hyperion327 The very first Barosaurus was discovered in 1889 by a Ms. Kellerman, and excavated by Othniel Marsh and John Hatcher – however, that first specimen was far from complete, and only six tail vertebrae were excavated by Messer’s Marsh and Hatcher.In 1929, a much more complete specimen was discovered by Earl Douglass at the Carnegie Quarry, and several more partial specimens have been unearthed since then in various parts of the US. The fact that no complete specimens have been found as yet is actually not that surprising – in fact, it’s the same case with many herbivores from the period – either they were a carnivore’s prey before they died, or they may have been a meal for a scavenger after they died of natural causes, which often explains the lack of complete skeletons from herbivorous dinosaurs.So far, the only examples of Barosaurus have been found in what is known as the Morris Formation – a layer of late Jurassic sedimentary rock that’s spread across the western US from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains.It’s interesting to note the connection between the discovery of Barosaurus specimens and US millionaire Andrew Carnegie. The well-known steel magnate was the financier of Douglass’s early excavations, and the quarry where his 1929 specimen was found was named after the wealthy industrialist.The discovery of Barosaurus was, in fact, a part of the period of US paleontological history known as ‘the Bone Wars’ – a period during the late 19th century, when archaeologist and amateur enthusiast alike were digging up the American west looking for dinosaur bones.How Do We Know When the Barosaurus Lived?As with most dinosaur fossil discoveries, scientists have used a variety of methods to pinpoint the period during which Barosaurus walked the earth.The methods that have been used to establish the time period when Barosaurus lived include radiometric testing, biostratigraphy (or dating of the rock in which the fossils are found) and paleomagnetic methods, which involve recording the magnetic field in the rock.All of these testing methods have confirmed the period during which Barosaurus fossils would have been deposited in the rock they have been found in, which confirms the age range of the species.What’s Strange About Barosaurus?There isn’t much about Barosaurus itself that’s particularly weird – unless you count the fact that it’s believed to have had only nine dorsal vertebrae – compared to other dinos in this subspecies, who all had ten.What is slightly weird about Barosaurus is that so far, no one has found a specimen that includes a head or skull bone, so there’s still a fair amount of speculation as to what Barosaurus actually looked like!Where Can You See Barosaurus?There are several specimens of the Barosaurus in various museums today, most notably the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Most of the exhibits are made up of skeletal fragments from various sites, and until a complete Barosaurus is found somewhere, we’ll only really be able to see complete representations of this huge beast in its entirety in books and artistic renditions.Society 6 Dinosaur Finds Society 6 Dinosaur Artwork and ProductsAs a Star Wars lover, comic book hero chaser and dinosaur nerd, Society 6 is one of my favorite online resources for awesome artwork and unique gift ideas for my fellow nerds – and those who I’m trying to convert. If you’ve never dropped by Society 6 before then you really should because it’s not only a great place for unique finds, but it’s also a good way to support independent artists and find new talent.What is Society 6?Society 6 is an online locale where artists can go to post their artwork. Society 6 then prints this artwork on a variety of “goods” such as canvases, iPhone cases, t-shirts and gift cards. Since Society 6 oversees the printing process and provides the “goods” being printed, they obviously take a portion of the selling price; however, artists also make a profit which is dependent upon their selling price and the item being sold.Some of My Society 6 Dinosaur FavoritesLike most sites that I frequent often, I have far too many favorites to share, but here are just a few of my Society 6 dinosaur favorites. HYPERLINK "" Copyright to American Jesus Horse by Tofu HYPERLINK "" \o "American Jesus Horse by Tofu" American Jesus Horse by Tofu is an awesome piece depicting a Sauropod made from maps. The dinosaur itself is made from maps of the Bible belt as a knock on those who refuse to believe that dinosaurs ever existed.This piece is available only as an art print or a stretched canvas. HYPERLINK "" Copyright Parasaurolophus Book Spread by Erica Lyn Schmidt HYPERLINK "" \o "Parasaurolophus Book Spread by Erica Lyn Schmidt" Parasaurolophus Book Spread by Erica Lyn Schmidt is one of my all time favorite pieces not only because it features Parasaurolophus but also because the artwork is just incredible. This original artwork was completed for the children’s book “ HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Discovery: Everything You Need to Be a Paleontologist" Dinosaur Discovery” published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (2011). This piece is available as an art print or a stretched canvas. HYPERLINK "" Copyright Apatosaurus Book Spread by Erica Lyn Schmidt HYPERLINK "" \o "Apatosaurus Book Spread by Erica Lyn Schmidt" Apatosaurus Book Spread by Erica Lyn Schmidt is another great piece with amazing artwork. This original artwork was also completed for the children’s book “ HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Discovery: Everything You Need to Be a Paleontologist" Dinosaur Discovery” published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (2011). This piece is available as an art print or a stretched canvas. HYPERLINK "" Copyright Dinosaur Scratchboard by Emily Soden HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur by Emily Soden" Dinosaur by Emily Soden is a really cute scratchboard piece of a Sauropod making a snowman and wearing a scarf and hat. This piece isn’t yet available in printed form but hopefully it soon will be!Find Your Own Society 6 Dinosaur Favorites!Herrerasaurus Herrerasaurus Ischigualastensis- The One and Only HerrerasaurusHerrerasaurus, pronounced huh-Rare-uh-Sore-us, is classified to the family of Herrerasauridae, designated as the oldest known dinosaurs.? The genus species type, Ischigualastensis, was marked by Osvaldo Reig in 1963, and named after the person credited with finding the first fossilized traces of this species.? Herrera was the name of the Argentinian credited with discovery of these first fossils in 1959 South America, so this dinosaur is commonly known among paleontologists and across the globe as “Herrera’s Lizard”.Herrerasaurus is a member of the Theropoda suborder and clade, whose descendants include modern birds.? Some Theropod traits shared by Herrerasaurus are clawed feet, indications of feathers and egg brooding.? ??Herrerasaurus is known for being one of the first dinosaurs to roam land, and is considered a prime example of evolutionary adaptation.It’s significant that although Herrerasaurus was formidable in its time, it was one of the earliest dinosaurs and subsequently, one of the smallest.? Fossils found of Herrerasaurus present with tooth marks and other indications of battle with larger opponents.It is reported that remains of Herrerasaurus present as the most plentiful when compared to found remains of other Theropoda in the area.? This suggests and enforces that- while Herrerasaurus looked and ate like its larger descendants, Herrerasaurus itself was easy prey for larger existing land mammals and various large prehistoric birds as well- possibly Samrukia, Phorusrhacidae, or another terror bird known to roam, forage and prey on land and in the air, and often standing at 1–3 meters (3–10 feet) tall.Quick FactsNameHerrerasaurusPrehistoric EraLate Triassic ClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight250—500 pounds (113 – 227 kg)Length15 feet (4.6 meters)Height7 feet (2.1 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 25 mph TerritorySouth America What Did Herrerasaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Trevor Haldenby A monster of dinosaurs in its day- sharing Earth with some other clade mates such as Staruikosaurus, Chindesaurus, Eoraptor, Daemonosaurus, Tawa, and Neotheropoda- Herrerasaurus was built with light gait and heavy body.? Ranging in weight from 250 to over 500 pounds, this was a formidable species to its foes.? Equipped with razor-sharp teeth and claws on hand-like front feet or talons, Herrerasaurus was a significant threat to even those predators its own size.Herrerasaurus combined elements of earliest birds and lizards.? Skin texture and covering was of a mixed texture with some areas of nodes- skin believed to be reminiscent of avian genetics, with indication of propensity for feathering.The flat back of Herrerasaurus encouraged a speedy gait, and at 7—15 feet long and 4—7 feet tall, this small birdlike and reptilian dinosaur could move and jump quickly and attack with force, using its strong hindquarters as both a propellant source and a defense when necessary.Herrerasaurus would be a menacing presence today, much heavier than most humans and carrying more power in its muscles and carriage than any big dog or horse.?? Its feet were big and limber.? Today’s dog, chicken or human would have a hard time in not succumbing to the will of Herrerasaurus, despite its small size in comparison with future Theropoda.What Did Herrerasaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User cab234 The diet of Herrerasaurus likely consisted primarily of land rodents and mammals smaller or weaker than itself, making Herrerasaurus a known carnivore.? After recovery of fossilized sharp and serrated teeth, it became clear that meat was the naturally intended priority diet of Herrerasaurus.? However, a creature of various fame, Herrerasaurus likely also dined on various prehistoric insects as well as some plant material.Over time, the Theropod class changed from a fairly strict carnivorous diet, to a more varied diet of wider range.? Species by species, dinosaurs evolved across a myriad of circumstances, changing diet as convenient and ultimately changing course in evolution. ?Herrerasaurus was advanced in that its mandible incorporated a special hinge type joint about halfway along its length. ?This joint enabled this carnivore to better hold on to struggling victims, and to have more control over action in hunting.?? Many Theropods that existed in succession also had this hinge, or specialized adapted joint.The eating style of Herrerasaurus can be compared to any bird or mammal.? In its valley and forest environment near the rivers of what is now South America, Herrerasaurus blended in well and lurked for its prey, jumping quickly with its powerful hind legs and when they prey escaped the initial jump, Herrerasaurus hips could carry it fast enough to chase down most prey of its size.? ?Distance did not inhibit Herrerasaurus, capable of distance treks in search of food which could be found in the more arid environments further from any source of water.? Herrerasaurus was agile and quick, and would utilize strong and crafty clawed forearms for grabbing, grasping, holding and ripping prey. Herrerasaurus boasts 4—toed “feet” that operate more as hands.How Did Herrerasaurus Move?Utilizing its springy digitigrade stance (standing and moving on the toes), Herrerasaurus had great power in its stride and gait.? One can image Herrerasaurus prowling, even sauntering about its territory practically care-free as it waits on some signal of prey before quickly jumping to action, and running when necessary to catch its prey.? Picking through vegetation with its arm-like front limbs as it snouts and powers through with its strong body, Herrerasaurus was capable of using its powerful strength to lash out, hold and pick at its prey when necessary.Herrerasaurus’ forelimbs were half the length of the hind limbs, enabling much power to their hindquarters and much dexterity to the front.? The hips and legs of Herrerasaurus lent much to its mysterious heritage as a possible non-dinosaur.?? Lizard-like (Saurischian) hip qualities afforded easy land movement to this adept and evolving species.? ?Herrerasaurus likely moved quickly at times when it wasn’t at rest.? Much like modern birds or lizards, early cold-blooded Theropoda conserved energy during down times of not hunting.Where Did Herrerasaurus Live?Before the land split by way of plate tectonics and continental drift, South America was simply part of the larger expanse of land known today as Pangaea (Greek, for “all lands” or “all earth).? ?Herrerasaurus, as one of the first in a long line of prehistoric dinosaurs, lived on this land of Pangaea and likely enjoyed a large expanse of territory.? The landscape during prehistoric times would have been quite different from what it is today.Herrerasaurus is recovered from the Ischigualasto Formation in the Valley of the Moon National Park in San Juan, Argentina.? Today, the area is barren with hills of desert colors and similar to the landscape of the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, where additional Herrerasaurus remains have been found.Pangaea, 230—200 million years ago, would have been a diverse territory and Herrerasaurus is believed to have existed primarily in the warmer volcanic areas of land, down in the valley and flood plains that were rich with vegetation and prey.The Discovery of Herrerasaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User CookieM South America is recognized as the original root area of prehistoric dinosaurs.? Herrerasaurus was first discovered on a South American ranch, in what is known as Argentina today.? The original specimen was discovered in 1959 by Osvaldo A. Reig and Victorino Herrera, and later named by Reig in 1963 to reflect the goat rancher Herrera.Herrerasaurus waited many years to be decoded in more detail, as originally only bits of fossilized bones were found from various specimens, and no skull was found until 1988 when a team of paleontologists found a mostly complete skeleton with its intact skull.? From that time, scientists have been able to paint a clarified picture of life as it was for Herrerasaurus.? Still today scientists search for clues into the existence of Herrerasaurus.Herrerasaurus the EnigmaticHerrerasaurus possesses traits found in various dinosaur groups, along with traits which do not belong to any dinosaur group, but to those groups known as non-dinosaur, such as Archosaurs and Saurischians. ?Recent scientific discovery has led to the knowledge that Herrerasaurus lineage combines elements of the earliest birds and lizards.? The evolutionary dexterity exhibited by Herrerasaurus has sparked major strides in modern understanding of biology, adaptability and evolution among species.? Herrerasaurus has found a place among the living as a model? example of adaptation through adversity.The Significance of HerrerasaurusHerrerasaurus has been a perplexing mystery to many, yet as scientists have uncovered periodic information through research, field discovery and testing, much has now been learned about the enigmatic existence of Herrerasaurus.Primarily, Herrerasaurus can be regarded as one the most significant examples of convergent evolution known today. Herrerasaurus possesses signs of many related ornithischian and saurischian dinosaurs, and also possesses its own branch (clade) of ancestry.? Herrerasaurus were dinosaurs that experienced a rapid evolutionary radiation process of incorporating ecological and species specific diversity into its genetics over a short period of time – adaptive radiations like this commonly follow mass extinctions, after which species niches can be vacant and open space to fill.Velociraptor Art Worth Checking Out If You’re a Fan of Velociraptor Art You’ll Love Today’s PostWhile there are a vast number of misrepresentations of Velociraptors out there, inaccurate or not, some of them are really pretty good creatures of imagination. Today I want to take a look at some of my favorite Velociraptor art pieces from various artists over at Deviant Art – even though they’re not all anatomically correct.Some Great Velociraptor Art to Sink Your Teeth In To HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of DeviantArt Artist damie-m This Velociraptor mongoliensis skull pencil drawing by DeviantArt artist damie-m has some really great shading and the texture of the bone is done really well too. Take a look at some more of damie-m’s art in HYPERLINK "" \o "Velociraptor Skull" his portfolio. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to DeviantArt Artist AerynV A combination of pencil drawing and Photoshop effects this Velociraptor piece by DeviantArt artist AerynV is a really nicely done piece. So, it doesn’t exactly resemble the Velociraptor dinosaur buff’s out there are used to, but it’s still a really great piece! Take a look at more of AerynV’s art in HYPERLINK "" \o "Aeryn V At Deviant Art" her portfolio. HYPERLINK "" Copyright to DeviantArt Artist Andalgalornis This rendering of Velociraptor by DeviantArt artist Andalgalornis is a little more true to form and shows some really great feather detail. I also really like the green color used in the eye. See more art in Stacey’s HYPERLINK "" \o "Andalgalornis Portfolio" DeviantArt portfolio here. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to DeviantArt Artist Yankeetrex This Velociraptor is a version of the dreaded Jurassic Park raptor, but inaccurate or not, Yankeetrex did an amazing job with it! Look at the incredible detail and depth portrayed through shading! Take a look through more of Yankeetrex’s art in his HYPERLINK "" \o "Yankee trex at Deviant Art" Deviant Art portfolio. HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to Deviantart Artist wanderingalbatross This Velociraptor mongoliensis drawn in pencil by DeviantArt artist wanderingalbatross is by far one of my favorite pieces in this post. From the size to the feathers to the fact that it’s stopping to preen itself like a bird of today would. Take a look at some more art by wanderingalbatross in their HYPERLINK "" \o "Wandering Albatross at Deviant Art" DeviantArt profile.Do you have a favorite piece of Velociraptor art?Seismosaurus Seismosaurus Was Likely A Large DiplodocusSeismosaurus (pronounced Size-mow-Sore-uss) was a giant saurischian sauropod named from the Greek language for its size which can be translated as “(earth) quake lizard”. Seismosaurus was once thought to have been a new genus of dinosaur but in recent years it has been agreed upon by most palaeontologists that Seismosaurus was most likely a particularly large species of Diplodocus though it’s type species name of S. hallorum has yet to be officially changed. Originally thought to have measured up to 50 meters in length making it the longest dinosaur ever recorded, Seismosaurus has been down-sized in recent years to a more respectable 35 meters in length.Quick FactsNameSeismosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodommorphaWeight100 short tons (90.72 tonnes)Length150 feet (45.7 meters)Height84 feet (25.6 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 10 mph TerritoryNorth America What did Seismosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User ДиБгд Similar in looks to other Diplodocid dinosaurs and having been compared to “the dachshund of a giant dinosaur”. Seismosaurus was enormous having an extremely long slender neck with a small head and a large bulky body with short front legs and taller rear ones as well as a long heavy whipped tail. Its feet, like a modern-day elephant, had five toes with one toe on each foot having a claw, thought to be for protection.Physical Attributes of SeismosaurusPalaeontologists have questioned whether Seismosaurus heart would have been strong enough to pump blood to its head via its extremely long neck if it held it vertically. If not they have suggested that it must have held its neck almost parallel to the ground moving its head back and forth so that blood could reach its brain and head.Seismosaurus backbone had extra bones below it with chevron shaped bony protrusions running backwards and forwards thought to have been for extra support and mobility in its neck and tail. It’s tail had at least one rather unusual wedge-shaped bones that gave it a kink, also thought to be used for protection – It thought that if Seismosaurus swung it’s tail at a potential predator it would have been able to do so with such force that it would have cracked the predator’s ribcage.It is thought that Seismosaurus like other sauropods had a low intelligence with a very small brain, one of the lowest among all of the dinosaurs in fact, it’s intelligence being measured relative to its brain to body weight.What did Seismosaurus Eat? Seismosaurus was a herbivore meaning it was a plant eater. This dinosaur would have eaten a diet mostly of conifers, these being the dominant plant during the time that sauropods lived, along with other plant foliage such as gingkos (a type of Chinese tree similar to the conifer), seed ferns, cycads (a palm-like plant), ferns, club mosses and horsetails.It’s long agile neck would have been used to poke into the forests to reach foliage – Seismosaurus having the advantage of being able to reach high-growing foliage that the other large Sauropods wouldn’t have been able to reach, their large size and shorter necks preventing them from entering the forests and reaching the foliage.Due to its huge size Seismosaurus must have eaten an extraordinary amount each day to sustain itself. It is thought that Seismosaurus would have swallowed leaves whole, using its blunt peg-like teeth found in the front of its jaw to strip foliage off of nearby trees.Palaeontologists have discovered gastroliths (small round stomach stones) fossilized in the center of its skeleton, which it is thought Seismosaurus would have swallowed to have helped crush and digest the tough plant matter.How did Seismosaurus Move?Seismosaurus was a slow moving quadrupedal meaning he walked on four legs. Though leg-bone fossils have yet to be recovered, it is thought that Seismosaurus had short legs, the front shorter than the back, to help stabilize this huge dinosaur.Where did Seismosaurus Live?Seismosaurus lived about 150 million years ago during the late Jurassic period in what is now known as New Mexico in the United States.It is thought that Seismosaurus may have traveled together in herds and may have migrated when their food supplies became depleted though their only being the one holotype this isn’t known for sure.Seismosaurus would have lived at the same time as Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Brachiosaurus and many others but Seismosaurus didn’t have to worry about predators thanks to its huge size.The Discovery of Seismosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User jimmywayne Seismosaurus remains were found in New Mexico in 1979 by a group of four hikers Arthur Loy, Jan Cummings, Frank Walker and Bill Norlander. The group reported their discovery to the Bureau of Land Management but the government body lacked the proper tools and perhaps funding to remove the bones so it wasn’t until 1985 that the bones were excavated by palaeontologist David Gillette who took them to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History.So far only a partial skeleton has been recovered for Seismosaurus including the front part of the tail, the pelvis and stomach region along with back vertebrae and some ribs. It is quite a rare find as the skeleton is articulated meaning it is joined and it also has many gastroliths (gizzard stones) within the stomach area.The fossils for Seismosaurus took 13 years to remove from the ground and prepare due to the size of the remains and the hardness of the rock so it wasn’t until 1991 that this dinosaur was formally described and given the species name of S. hallorum.The fossils are still being prepared to date at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and palaeontologists hope to recover the front legs, neck and skull of this dinosaur in the future.Basing his observations on a few tail vertebrae and parts of the hips Gillette originally announced that he had discovered a new dinosaur; Seismosaurus the largest sauropod dinosaur ever known being 150-200% larger than it’s cousin Diplodocus.However as further work was done on the skeleton paleontologists noticed that the dinosaur was beginning to shrink in size. It turns out that what Gillette thought to be the large tail bones found down in the tail actually came from closer to the hips. This meant that the original estimated size had to be down-shifted quite dramatically giving the dinosaur an estimated length of about 35 metres, down from the originally estimated length of up to 50 meters.Paleontologists were also finding that the characteristics which made this dinosaur distinct and unique warranting a new genus were diminishing. In 2004, amidst some controversy, it was announced that Seismosaurus was actually a very large Diplodocus.The Importance of SeismosaurusSeismosaurus reminds us that mis-identification’s are sometimes made but that as more evidence is found and palaeontologists re-examine evidence along with new formulas and technology being invented science self-corrects as it goes along, enabling Paleontologists to find out the true evolution and paleobiology of dinosaurs.6 Awesome Dinosaur T-Shirt Designs You Need a New Dinosaur T-ShirtI don’t know how many dinosaur t-shirts you currently have in your closet and quite honestly your answer to the question is irrelevant because you need another one. More specifically you need one of the ones listed below because they are awesome.6 Dinosaur T-Shirt Designs You Shouldn’t Miss Out On HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "This is Mine Dinosaur T-Shirt at Threadless" This is Mine by Leardwiwut Ausub over at Threadless is actually a zip up hoodie design but being that King Kong is one of my all time favorite films (1933 not 2005) I had to include it in today’s post. The hoodie is going for $49 but if you’re lucky you’ll catch one of Threadless’ infamous sales which tend to come about all the time! HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Fossil Fuels are Dead Dinosaurs" Fossil Fuels are Dead Dinosaurs from Busted Tee’s is slightly depressing but an awesome shirt all the same and it’s on sale for just $14 PLUS if you check out their social networks you can get 30% off! HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Paleozoic Park from Busted Tee's" Paleozoic Park from Busted Tee’s is another design that sort of bends the “rules” but it’s a spin on Jurassic Park and I love it…particularly the tagline “The Crustaceans Have Escaped!” This shirt goes for $20 but it will be custom printed for you so you can’t use coupons on this one! HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Carnivore by Vicarious Clothing on ETSY" Carnivore by Vicarious Clothing on ETSY is a simple but awesome dinosaur shirt for all of those steak lovers out there! This shirt retails for $17 and is available as a men’s tee, a women’s tee, a toddler’s tee and a onesie. HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Herbivore by Vicarious Clothing on ETSY" Herbivore by Vicarious Clothing on ETSY is the counterpart of the Carnivore shirt above and is just as awesome. This shirt is just $17 and is also available for women, toddlers and as a onesie. HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Walking His Dog by Vicarious Clothing" Dinosaur Walking His Dog by Vicarious Clothing on ETSYis another one from Vicarious Clothing that’s worth looking at. T-Rex takes his dog out for a walk while wearing his top hat in this awesome design. As with other designs from Vicarious Clothing this one is available for $17 and is also offered in women’s and toddler’s sizes as well as in infant onesies.Which is Your Favorite Dinosaur T-Shirt Design?Ornithomimus Ornithomimus was an Ostrich-Like OmnivoreOrnithomimus (pronounced Or-nith-owe-mim-uss), was a theropod belonging to the ornithomimid family and lived during the Late Cretaceous Period about 70 million years ago, in what is now North America.Ornithomimus meaning “Bird Mimic” when translated from Greek, which is in reference to its bird-like feet, has given its name to a whole family of similar dinosaurs; the Ornithomimids including Struthiomimus and Gallimimus, the latter of which Ornithomimus was closely related to.Quick FactsNameOrnithomimusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight375 – 772 pounds (170-350 kg)Length11.5 – 20 feet (3.5-6 meters)Height6 – 7.9 feet (1.8-2.4 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 43 mph TerritoryNorth America What did Ornithomimus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User etee Ornithomimus was a relatively small dinosaur who looked rather like a modern-day ostrich with the exception of its long tail that it would have held off the ground. This dinosaur had large eyes and a small elongated toothless beak on a small head with a long neck. It had short arms, with each hand having long three-clawed fingers, and long slender legs with three weight-bearing clawed toes on each bird-like foot. Half of Ornithomimus length would have come from its neck and tail and it may have had hair like feathers, particularly as a juvenile though no evidence of this has been found.Because only partial skeleton remains have been found for Ornithomimus and the three recognized species remains vary in size palaeontologists are unsure how large Ornithomimus really was and estimated vary between 3.5-6 meters long, 1.8-2.4 meters tall and weighing 170-350 kg.Physical Attributes of Ornithomimus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ricky Romero Ornithomimus had a large brain and this is thought to mean that it had one of the highest intelligence levels of all dinosaurs as with other theropods, however not all palaeontologists agree; some think that the enlarged parts of the brain were dedicated to kinesthetic coordination – The awareness of body movement and the sequence that must be followed from brain to joints and muscles to get the dinosaur moving.Due to the large eye sockets palaeontologists think that Ornithomimus would have had good eyesight, the large size also suggesting a possibility that this dinosaur was nocturnal, it also had hollow bones to help keep its weight down so that it was able to move fast.What did Ornithomimus Eat?As a dinosaur belonging to the theropods it’s possible that Ornithomimus was a carnivore, but due to its body shape it is thought that it would have been more suited to a partly, if not largely, herbivorous lifestyle with palaeontologists settling on an omnivorous lifestyle.It is thought that it would have lived off a varied diet of insects, land-based crustaceans such as woodlice, eggs, fruit, plants and leaves, seeds and berries as well as the meat from small reptiles and small primitive mammals.How did Ornithomimus Move?Ornithomimus was a bipedal dinosaur meaning it walked on two-legs. Palaeontologists think that Ornithomimus would have been a quick runner being fast and agile with its legs clearly suited for rapid movement, the tibia being approximately 20% longer than the femur.Its long tail would have acted as a stabilizer during fast turns giving it a counterbalance and it is estimated that Ornithomimus would have been able to run up to 70 kph making it the fastest dinosaur to live in its local environment. Ornithomimus would have used its speed to survive having no other defense mechanisms or weapons on its body and it is thought would have stampeded in herds to get away from predators.Where did Ornithomimus Live?About 70 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period Ornithomimus would have been widespread roaming the swamps and forests of what is now known as North America from the Eastern United States including Arizona, Colorado, Montana to Canada.Its contemporaries would have been Albertosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Kritosaurus, Nanotyrannus and Euoplocephalus. Palaeontologists have analyzed Ornithomimus sceleral rings (rings of bone found in the eye) and found that this dinosaur was likely to have lived a cathemeral lifestyle being active for short periods of time during the day and night.The Discovery of Ornithomimus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Travis S. The classification of Ornithomimus, as well as the classification of ornithomimids in general has been complicated with this dinosaur having had one of the most complicated taxonomic histories to date, that still continues to cause much confusion today.This confusion stems from ornithomimid being one of the first discovered with Ornithomimus and Struthiomimus both being used as a waste basket taxon to store any remains remotely resembling or attributed to these two genus often resulting in a new species being created.At one time there was thought to be a total of 18 different species of Ornithomimus but the majority of these were either found to be the same as the type species, reassigned a new genus or upon further examination shown to be not directly related to Ornithomimus at all leaving the three valid and recognized species of today; the type species O. velox, the holotype O. edmontinicus and O. sedens.The first remains for Ornithomimus were found in June 1889 by George Lyman Cannon in Denver, Colorado in the Maastrichtian Denver Formation when a partial forelimb and a partial hind-limb were discovered. This became the type species given the name of O. velox by Othniel Marsh in 1890 with further remains discovered in Wyoming at the Ferris Formation.O. sedens was named in 1891 by Marsh after partial remains were discovered in Wyoming in the Lance Formation, one year after the description of O. velox was released. Since then a complete specimen from Montana as well as some fragments from Alberta have been recovered.In 1933 Charles Sternberg named the species O. edmontonicus from a nearly complete skeleton found in Alberta, Canada at the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. It is this species that has the best fossil remains coming from several individuals.The Importance of OrnithomimusOrnithomimus is important because it was one of the first dinosaur genus to be created and was used as a reference point to group other similar dinosaurs. It is hoped that in the future, with more fossil finds, and further research and analysis that the final, and true, taxidermy for Ornithomimus and the subsequent species will be discovered and agreed upon perhaps with more valid species joining Ornithomimus or with O velox and O edmontonicus discovered to be the same species.How to Make a Dinosaur Mask Make Your Own Dinosaur MaskIt’s make a dino Monday and today I’m sharing a video on making dinosaur masks. Okay, so many of my readers are a little too old to be walking around in dinosaur masks but I happen to know that quite a few of you have kids and what better way to bond than sharing a love of dinosaurs. Plus, making these masks is a great way to keep the kiddos busy on those upcoming rainy fall days.Making a Dinosaur Mask With Help From Little Rays PuppetryChances are that if you’re a dinosaur fiend then you already have a dinosaur species in mind for your little one to make…although they make have a species of their own in mind so take note when you get your supplies ready!Supplies You Need For Your Dinosaur MaskScissors1 paper plate1 pen1 staplerStringGlueTissue paper circlesIf you are like me then you’ll probably do better watching the video instruction above by HYPERLINK "" \o "Little Rays Puppetry" Little Rays Puppetry. Corina Bona is a professional prop and puppet maker and she does a great job pulling these masks together. My favorite thing about these masks is that you don’t have to be neat and you can be just as creative as you want to be which makes this a great project for kids of all ages. Okay, so may be my other favorite thing is that I get to make my own mask while “helping” the kids make their masks. You can even pull out extra crafting supplies and make add on features like a cranial crest or horns and frills to make the most accurate dinosaur masks possible. Some of my favorite dinosaur species for dinosaur mask making are: Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Styracosaurus and Dilophosaurus. HYPERLINK "" Not feeling up to making your own dinosaur mask? You can pick up some awesome HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Masks" pre-made masks for $8.14 from Amazon. These dinosaur masks are made from foam and have plenty of variety to choose from!Compsognathus Compsognathus Habitat: A?Jurassic?ArchipelagoCompsognathus, affectionately known as ‘Compy’ or ‘Compies’, was a carnivorous theropod that lived 150 million years ago in the Jurassic period and one of the smallest dinosaurs on record. The species may have carried over into the early Cretaceous as well. Two specimens recovered over 100 years apart from each other are the only remnants of this diminutive dinosaur. Compsognathus reached the size of a small chicken at maturity and is known for being one of the smallest theropods to be discovered. Despite this, there is reason to believe that Compsognathus was the largest carnivore in its area at the time.Quick FactsNameCompsognathusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight2-10 pounds (1.0-4.0 kilograms)Length2-4 feet (0.6-1.2 meters)HeightAround 1 foot (0.3 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 40 mph TerritoryEurope About CompsognathusWhen Joseph Oberndorfer received the first Compsognathus fossil in 1859, he held in his hands the smallest dinosaur skeleton ever to be discovered. The species was later named Compsognathus, Greek for “elegant jaw”, by Johann A. Wagner. With such a small jaw compared to other theropods, it is easy to see how Compsognathus received its name. Its small jaws were capable of catching and eating small lizards and insects, but larger theropods could would have swallow Compsognathus whole. In the late 20th century, paleontologists discovered dinosaurs that were even smaller than Compsognathus, thus moving it down the list of smallest discovered dinosaurs.What Did Compsognathus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User diveofficer Compsognathus was a slender, chicken-sized carnivore. The longest of the two discovered species was 49 inches long and more than half of the length was accounted for in the tail. Every feature of the Compsognathus was thin, from its tail to its head. The largest specimens probably reached about 10 pounds. Compsognathus moved around on its long hind legs. Its hind limbs were much longer than the fore limbs, but contrary to initial speculation each limb had three digits. It was thought that the forelimbs only had two clawed fingers because the first discovery only had two digits, but the second fossil recovered in France dispelled this belief. The front claw had three clawed fingers that would have been used to snatch agile psognathus had a narrow, small head at the end of its long and slender neck. In it, numerous small, sharp teeth were used to secure prey until it was swallowed whole. Compsognathus also had unproportionately large eyes. These might have given Compsognathus the vision necessary to locate and capture its fast-moving prey.What did Compsognathus eat?Paleontologists were lucky enough to discover, in both fossils, the remains of small lizards that Compsognathus consumed. At first it was thought that these small lizards might have been fossilized fetuses, but they were later identified as a small species of lizard. One fossil remain that was inside the stomach of a Compsognathus was identified as a species of Bavarisaurus. The small lizard was swallowed whole and it is believed that Compognathus swallowed all of its victims whole since its main diet is thought to have been small vertebrates and insects.How did Compsognathus Move?Every indication insists that Compsognathus was an agile, bipedal dinosaur. Its front limbs were nowhere near long enough to touch the ground and the hind limbs were built to support and transport its small frame. Compsognathus had to be fast to catch its prey. The extremely long tail, which was longer than the body, neck, and head combined, enhanced balance while it made turns at top speeds. Experts estimate that Compsognathus could run as fast as 25 miles per hour. This would have given these carnivores the ability to catch flying insects and scurrying lizards as well as any other living creature small enough to be swallowed whole. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User smiteme Despite its small stature, Compsognathus might have been the top land predator during its time in Europe. Paleontologists haven’t yet discovered any other land-dwelling dinosaurs in Compsognathus’s habitat during the late Jurassic when it thrived. Its habitat was a tropical archipelago that bordered the prehistoric Tethys Sea, which may have played a role as a barrier to larger dinosaurs.Where did Compsognathus live?The territory that Compsognathus called home was a prehistoric archipelago that deposited its flora and fauna in what is now modern-day Europe. During the Kimmeridgian age of the late Jurassic, the archipelago that Compsognathus inhabited was tropical and the lagoons there would have supplied the species with plenty of food in the form of lizards and insects. Since large predators haven’t been discovered in Compsognathus’s territory during its tenure there, it is reasonable to believe that the species stayed near the archipelago for protection. The two specimens that have been collected were accompanied in fossilization by fish, crustaceans, and marine mollusks. Some believe that Compsognathus’s only threat might have resided in the water.The Discovery of Compsognathus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ZacharyTirrell All that is known of Compsognathus comes from two well-preserved fossils found in Germany and France respectively. The first fossil was purchased in 1859 by a fossil collector by the name of Joseph Oberndorfer and was later named by Johann A. Wagner. This specimen is estimated to have come from the Painten Formation in the Kapfelburg Locality of Germany. It can now be seen at the Bavarian Institute for Paleontology and Historical Geography in Munich, Germany. The institute purchased the fossil from Joseph Oberndorfer in 1865.The second known Compsognathus fossil was discovered by a quarry owner in 1971. Louis Ghirardi located the fossil in his quarry located in Nice, France. With his discovery, scientists realized that the specimen purchased by Joseph Oberndorfer was a juvenile. Size and weight estimates were rewritten and paleontologists moved a step closer to figuring out the biology activity of Compsognathus. The Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (the National Museum of Natural History) procured ownership of this fossil in 1983. Almost 30 years later, these two fossils are still the only representatives of their species. Their species, Compsognathus longipes, also happens to be the only one in the Compsognathidae genus.The Importance of CompsognathusCompsognathus’s main contribution to science came in the field of bird evolution. Although it did not have any feathers, Compsognathus was instrumental in Thomas Huxley’s theory of bird evolution. In 1868, Huxley was compelled to compare Compsognathus to Archaeopteryx because of their many similarities. Archaeopteryx, which is famous for being one of the first feathered dinosaurs or protobird, had also been found in the same limestone formations that yielded Compsognathus. Huxley found that, other than the wings, Archaeopteryx was almost identical to Compsognathus. He used these findings to create his theory of bird evolution, stating that today’s birds evolved from small, carnivorous theropod. In 1896, Othniel Marsh recognized Compsognathus as a true species of Dinosauria, thus strengthening the relationship between small theropods and birds. Huxley’s theory comparing Compsognathus to Archaeopteryx has persisted for more than 140 years and is still widely accepted today.How Big Was Microceratops / Microceratus? Microceratops is a far cry from the 14,000 lb Triceratops from the same Ceratopsia infraorder. Weighing just 4 lbs, this herbivore sported a sharp beak and along with Psittacosaurus was one of the first Ceratopsians to be found in Mongolia. Feeding on cycads and ferns, this miniature dinosaur would have used its beak to snip off greenery. Although known to many as Microceratops, the name was already in use by a species of wasp and so in 2008 this Ceratopsian type specimen was renamed as Microceratus.The Numbers On Microceratops! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Matheus1598 Microceratops LengthThe approximated length of Microceratops is around 2.5 feet long.2.5 feet is equal to:The length of a nine banded armadillo.The length of the world’s largest gummy worm.Approximately the length of a three toed sloth.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 76 sugar ants.Microceratops WeightEstimates of Microceratops weight fall at around 4 lbs.4 lbs is equal to:The weight of a small Yorkshire terrier.The same weight as a Signapura cat.The approximate weight of a Gila monster.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 3,200 average goose feathers.Microceratops HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Microceratops at around 10 inches tall at the hips and around 1.5 feet in total.1.5 feet is equal to:The approximate height of a coyote.The height of an adult lemur.The height of a standard schnauzer.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 295 pennies stacked on top of each other.? HYPERLINK "" Microceratops is far from the much larger Triceratops but with that sharp beak this small herbivore is still one dinosaur you wouldn’t want to tick off at the risk of losing a digit!Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus was a Cretaceous CeratopsidPsittacosaurus (pronounced SIT-ah-co-SAWR-us) was a primitive Ceratopsid that lived 130-100 million years ago in the Early Cretaceous period. Although it is related to the better-known Triceratops, one wouldn’t know it by appearance. Psittacosaurus was a small bipedal dinosaur that was a fraction of the size of some of its larger family members that appeared later during the Cretaceous.Quick FactsNamePsittacosaurusPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderCeratopsiaWeight40-80 pounds (18-36 kilograms)LengthUp to 6.5 feet (2 meters)Height2 feet (.6 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 25 mph TerritoryAsia About Psittacosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut With over 400 skeletons found so far, Psittacosaurus is a well-documented genus. Paleontologists have discovered fossils from every age range—from hatchling to adult. This is a rarity in the field of paleontology so Psittacosaurus research is vital for studying growth rates and reproduction. It is also the most species-rich genus in the class of dinosaurs. As many as 17 species have been classified as a Psittacosaurus, although it should be noted that not all of them are valid. The verified number of species is eleven at the moment.What Did Psittacosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User lamont_cranston Psittacosaurus didn’t look like the typical Ceratopsid. Since it was one of the first dinosaurs in the evolution of the suborder, Psittacosaurus was rather small. The largest species only reached 6.5 feet in length and most members of the genus weighed between 40 and 80 pounds. Due to the number of species, there was a lot of variation in the physical characteristics of each dinosaur. We will cover the general attribute that were present in all species.The most easily identifiable part of a Psittacosaurus is its large beak. The beak was formed from rostral and predentary bones and was used to sheer thick foliage and possibly to crack hard nuts and seeds. Unlike most Ceratopsids, Psittacosaurus did not have an elaborate frill. It did have a ridge near the back of its skull that could have evolved into a frill over the course of a million years. The frill wasn’t the only feature missing from the skull of Psittacosaurus though. It also didn’t have any of the prominent horns that Ceratopsids are known for. So without a frill and horns, Psittacosaurus’s face looked more like the face of a modern-day turtle.Another unique trait of Psittacosaurus was its form of locomotion. Instead of lumbering around on four feet, Psittacosaurus ran around quickly on two legs. Bipedal movement wasn’t that rare in early Ceratopsids. Psittacosaurus couldn’t walk on four legs because its forelimbs were puny and mostly useless. They were inflexible and short while measuring only half as long as the powerful hind limbs. All of Psittacosaurus’s limbs ended in four fingers. This was an oddity because every other Ceratopsid had five.What did Psittacosaurus eat?Psittacosaurus was an herbivore but since its teeth weren’t suited for grinding and chewing food, paleontologists had to formulate a theory to explain how it digested food. They got their answer when they discovered a fossilized Psittacosaurus with gastroliths in its abdominal cavity. This leads researchers to believe that Psittacosaurus had to swallow stones in order to grind food in its digestive tract. It is possible that Psittacosaurus also had a gizzard in their digestive systems in order to process food in the same manner that today’s birds and reptiles do.Another important discovery in regards to Psittacosaurus’s eating habits was the realization that its lower jaw could slide forward and backward. This range of motion in its bite would have allowed it to shear foliage. The self-sharpening teeth behind the beak would have diced up the plant material to some extent before it was sent into the digestive system to be further broken down by gastroliths and stomach acids. In addition to the ability to slide forward and backward, the lower jaw could fit inside the upper jaw, which would created a useful nut or seed cracking motion.How did Psittacosaurus Move? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Katie Munoz As mentioned earlier, Psittacosaurus was entirely bipedal in movement. The small front limbs of Psittacosaurus weren’t useful for much of anything, let alone supporting the dinosaur’s weight. It is believed that these bipedal herbivores were sociable dinosaurs and lived in herds. Additionally, well-ossified bones of juvenile Psittacosaurus fossils which were still in the nest support the idea that parents took care of hatchlings for an extended time and might have supported them into adulthood. These ossified bones are an important determining factor because newly hatched reptiles have soft bones. These specimens must have been in the nest for some time in order for their bones to stiffen.Some paleontologists have posited that Psittacosaurus might have engaged in some aquatic activity. The idea more than likely took off because so many Psittacosaurus fossils were deposited in a lake bed. To support the claim, scientists point to the position of the nostrils and eyes. The location of the nostril and eyes would have given Psittacosaurus the ability to breathe and see while swimming. The short front limbs might have seen some use as paddles, but Psittacosaurus would have had a much better method to propel itself with its tail.Where did Psittacosaurus live?The Psittacosaurus genus has a lot of species, but every single one of them resided in Asia during the Cretaceous period. Discoveries have been made in China, Mongolia, and Russia. Another supposed species of Psittacosaurus has been located in Thailand, but for now it isn’t considered to be an official member of the genus. Although Psittacosaurus did not have an extensive range, there were plenty of individuals in Asia during its time on Earth. Psittacosaurus fossils are so ubiquitous that scientists now use them as an index fossil to help determine the age of the soil when they are found. Nearly all sedimentary formations of the late Barremian and Albian stages contain evidence of Psittacosaurus existence.The Discovery of Psittacosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Jordi Payà The first Psittacosaurus fossil was found in Outer Mongolia in 1922. Although the discoverer’s name is unknown, we do know who gave this dinosaur its name. When the species was brought to the attention of Henry Fairfield Osborn, paleontologist and president of the American Museum of Natural History, a year later in 1923, he named it Psittacosaurus because of its parrot-like beak. The translation from its Greek name means “parrot lizard”.Dinosaur Feathers?Scientists now know that at least one species of Psittacosaurus had quill-like structures on its lower back and tail. This series of hollow, tubular bristles were about 6” long. Although this part of Psittacosaurus’s anatomy appears to be feathers, they are not. Protofeathers, which have been found on some animals prior to their evolution of true feathers, have been used as comparisons to reach this determination. Even if these bristles were protofeathers, they wouldn’t have been in the ideal location for flight. For this reason, scientists believe that this feature was used either for communication or mating. Without seeing these quills in action though, we may never know their purpose.The Importance of PsittacosaurusPsittacosaurus’s importance is a result of the multitude of fossils that the genus has provided to paleontologists. The wide age range of fossils allows scientists to research growth rates and cycles of reproduction. Results have shown consistently that Psittacosaurus grew at a rapid rate, which is true for most dinosaurs. Their lifespan reached 10 or 11 years. It is known from fossils found in the nest that Psittacosaurus was gregarious and it is believed that many other herbivores may have been gregarious out of necessity.Psittacosaurus is also vital within the Ceratopsid suborder. When “ceratops” comes to mind most people think of large quadrupedal dinosaurs with frills and horns, but these large creatures had to evolve from something smaller. One major change that occurred as Ceratopsians evolved was the shift from walking on two legs to four. A pronounced ridge near the back of the skull of Psittacosaurus lends itself to a frill. The prevalence of Psittacosaurus fossils can be studied alongside Late Cretaceous Ceratopsids to really see the evolution of this genus in action!American Museum of Natural History Dinosaurs, New York American Museum of Natural History Dinosaurs Are Worth SeeingIf you ever find yourself in New York – something which I have not done yet even after nearly two decades living in the United States – I hear that the American Museum of Natural History dinosaurs are something worth checking out. Since I don’t foresee a trip to New York any time soon I decided to take a picture based tour around the museum. All of the images displayed below are courtesy of the? HYPERLINK "" \o "American Museum of Natural History website" American Museum of Natural History website and are copyrighted thereto, if you intend on using them, please ensure that credit is given appropriately.American Museum of Natural History Dinosaurs in PicturesThe Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH The Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs features a number of highlights that are pictured below.Corythosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH The Mummified Duck-Billed Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Anatotitan HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Psittacosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Stegosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Triceratops HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH The Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Allosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Apatosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Coelophysis HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Deinonychus HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH The Glen Rose Trackway HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Tyrannosaurus Rex HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH Velociraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH The Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda? HYPERLINK "" Image Copyright to the AMNH The centerpiece of the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda is a mount of a Barosaurus protecting its young from an Allosaurus.Leave a Comment Below if You’ve Seen the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaurs in Person!Tracking Dinosaurs Tracking Dinosaurs Through FootprintsIn the Liujiaxia Dinosaur National Geopark in the Gansu Province of China, there are 71 two-toed imprints left behind by the feet of an Early Cretaceous dinosaur. Two-toed tracks have been found at numerous sites all over the world, but most of them are in China. This set of footprints was so unique, though, they were given their own name. When scientists come across a unique, consistent set of tracks, they label them in order to keep track of what kinds of dinosaurs left the prints. Then, they work backward in an attempt to figure out which species left the tracks behind millions of years ago.Tracking Dinosaurs: Deinonychosaur Footprints HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Dilong paradoxus In the case of the Gansu Province footprints, researchers knew the culprit had to be a Deinonychosaur because this group of sickle-clawed dinosaurs walked on two toes while the large, curved claw was held off the ground. Troodontids and Dromaesaurids were the only Deinonychosaurs that inhabited China during the Early Cretaceous so scientists narrowed their search to these two genera. Since these special tracks were laid down by a two-toed theropod, they were easier to identify. Most theropod dinosaurs supported their weight and maintained balance with three toes touching the ground.With these two genera in mind, scientists studied foot anatomy to eliminate one of the dinosaurs and reach a conclusion. They determined that the toe lengths were slightly different in these two dinosaurs so they used this information as a determining factor to name the correct dinosaur. After comparing the tracks to the feet of these dinosaurs, scientists pegged the tracks to a species of dromaeosaurid. The research doesn’t stop here though.Tracking Dinosaurs in Native American PetroglyphsNative Americans were fascinated by dinosaur tracks despite not having an idea of what creature left them. We know this because of petroglyphs that give mention to the footprints of massive animals. Human fascination didn’t turn into scientific study until around the 1980’s though. When the study of trace fossils, such as dinosaur tracks, became popular, a new field of science was spawned. This science is known as ichnology and it covers the study of any trace fossil that records biological activity. This includes tracking dinosaurs through footprints, burrows, feeding marks, and any other signs of life that could have been left behind such as marks left by the dragging of a tail or belly.What We Can Learn From Tracking DinosaursTracking dinosaurs through their tracks can give a wealth of information to scientists—even in the absence of skeletal remains. The most obvious information that is gained through the study of tracks is foot anatomy. Foot anatomy was an important part of figuring out which dinosaur left the two-toed tracks in the Liujiaxia Dinosaur National Geopark. Multiple tracks laid down by the same species at the same time are a good indication that the species traveled in herds. Scientists can make educated guesses on the size of the dinosaur, its gait and speed, and whether it traveled on two legs or four. Some behaviors can be figured out from footprints alone. For instance, trackways at the Liujiaxia park show that some dinosaurs turned while walking. This isn’t ground-breaking evidence, but petty pieces of information can be linked together to make astounding discoveries that can change paleontologists’ view on the dinosaur and lead to new research. Studying footprint fossils can also tell scientists about the environment in which the dinosaur roamed. If fossil tracks can be tied to a specific dinosaur, researchers can study the rock around the tracks to pinpoint the time period that the dinosaur lived in. Researchers are also able to figure out the ecosystem that the dinosaur was walking through at the time—even though it might have been over 100 million years ago. Tracking dinosaurs through footprints just shows that there is more to dinosaur research than the bones they left behind.7 Really Cool ETSY Dinosaur Finds ETSY Dinosaur Finds Are CountlessThere are many reasons why I love ETSY. I love supporting small businesses. I love the creativity that many ETSY artists exhibit with their work. Most of all though, I love that ETSY is packed full of really cool stuff for dinosaur fans like me!7 of My Favorite ETSY Dinosaur Finds HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur wall art by KrankyKrab" Dinosaur wall art by KrankyKrab might not come with the frames but they’re cute enough to drop in to your local discount store and grab four frames to put these on your kid’s bedroom wall. For $45 for the four prints this is a steal and a beautifully colored one at that! HYPERLINK "" This HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur cat hat by scooterKnits" dinosaur cat hat by scooterKnits is too cute / funny not to share. I am not a cat person (I doubt Snorasaurus would allow me to be one even if my allergies did) but a cat in a Stegosaurus hat…well that’s entertainment. For $16 it’s a must have for any of you who like to dress up your cat. HYPERLINK "" This HYPERLINK "" \o "Chewbacca riding a Raptor onesie by CrawlSpace Studios" Chewbacca riding a Raptor onesie by CrawlSpace Studios is quite possibly one of the coolest finds I’ve come across on ETSY so far. That could have a lot to do with the fact that I’m a Star Wars / Dinosaur nerd couldn’t it? Either way, dress your kids up in this onesie for $18.50, they’ll thank you later.? HYPERLINK "" If you’re looking to impress your dinosaur loving girlfriend then this HYPERLINK "" \o "Backless dinosaur sundress by noslowjams" backless dinosaur sundress by noslowjams would make a great gift. Seriously, what’s not to love about this dress? The cut is perfect and at $72, the price isn’t too bad either. HYPERLINK "" I featured a dinosaur planter not too long ago here on DinoPit, but I really love these HYPERLINK "" \o "Mini magnet dinosaur planters from BloominHappy2009" mini magnet dinosaur planters from BloominHappy2009. Not only are they really cute but they bring a little greenery in to the kitchen aside from those veggies you never eat. HYPERLINK "" This HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur dog collar from TheMonogrammedMutt" dinosaur dog collar from TheMonogrammedMutt is enough to make Snorasaurus drool and I have to admit that if we could keep ribbon collars clean long enough then he’d be wearing one right now. If you’re looking for an awesome sometimes collar for your dino-dog though $28 will get your pup one of these personalized dino digs! HYPERLINK "" What better way to guard your keys than with this HYPERLINK "" \o "Raptor key rack by KnobCreekMetalArts" Raptor key rack by KnobCreekMetalArts. I like that this piece is more manly than many of the other ETSY dinosaur goods you’ll find, and it’s functional too. You can grab yours for $16.99.?What Cool ETSY Dinosaur Finds Have You Made Lately?Saurolophus Saurolophus was a Cretaceous OrnithopodOne of the last dinosaurs to walk the Earth, Saurolophus became extinct around 65 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Era. The fossil remains of this two-ton plant eater have been found in North America and Asia, making it one of the few dinosaurs that lived on more than one continent. All of the species were wiped out by the K-T mass extinction.Quick FactsNameSaurolophusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeightAbout 2 short tons (1.8 metric tonnes)Length30-40 feet (9-12 meters)Height15 feet (4.5 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately?15-20 mph TerritoryNorth America & Asia About SaurolphusGreek for “lizard crest”, Saurolophus received its name because of the 5” long crest that projected at a 45 degree angle away from the snout. These dinosaurs were foragers of the daytime. Comparisons between the skeletal remains of Saurolophus and today’s birds and reptiles suggest that Saurolophus might have been cathemeral—active during the day for short amounts of time.What Did Saurolophus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Illustration by L. Xing and Y. Liu. Paleontologists can get a good glimpse of what Saurolophus looked like 65 million years ago because there are a number of nearly complete skeletal systems on record. The most distinguishing characteristic of Saurolophus is the crest that protruded from the skull. The cranial crest was hollow and researchers only have a number of guesses as to what its primary function was. Some paleontologists believe it was a respiratory organ that could have created sounds. Others say it was for thermoregulation. Other experts contend that it was either primarily a sexual characteristic or it was a starting support for a back frill. There are a lot of possibilities when considering the function of this feature, but it was probably a combination of some of these theories.The rest of the dinosaur wasn’t so hollow. Saurolophus weighed in at about 4,000 pounds and most of that weight was in its hindquarters and back limbs. Its hind limbs anchored it to the ground. Three-toed hoof tracks were left behind wherever it roamed. The forearms of Saurolophus were puny in comparison to the back legs, but they did allow it to forage on all fours. While walking upright, Saurolphus’s pointy long tail helped maintain balance.What did Saurolophus eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Pavel Bochkov By reviewing fossil records of the mouth and teeth of Saurolophus, paleontologists can say with great certainty that it was completely herbivorous. The beak for which Saurolophus and other duck-billed dinosaurs are known for had one main purpose—shearing plant material. Behind the powerful beak was a set of teeth that were continually replaced. The endless supply of teeth was an adaptation that was necessary because of the wear and tear associated with grinding fibrous plants. Examinations of Saurolophus’s skull show that it permitted a grinding motion. Saurolophus also had organs that held food in its mouth, much like the cheeks of humans, that allowed for prolonged grinding of tough material. All of these adaptations are evidence that Saurolophus was able to consume a wide variety of plants such as: conifer needles, twigs, seeds, and any other plant material. Since Saurolophus could move low to the ground on all fours, the feeding range of mature adults was from ground level to 15 feet high.How did Saurolophus Move and Migrate?Saurolophus was one of a handful of dinosaurs that were able to move around either on two or four limbs. It spent most of its time moving around as a bipedal on its robust legs. Saurolophus could reach its maximum speed and agility while on two limbs. Paleontological research cites evidence that suggests these dinosaurs could run as fast as 20 miles per hour. They probably travelled in herds for protection like modern-day grazing animals.When Saurolophus needed to get its beak near the ground to graze, it would bend down and support itself with its short forelimbs. The forelimbs were ossified, which allowed them to support the dinosaur’s weight while it crawled around feeding. This ability to move around on all fours was vital because without this feeding method, Saurolophus would have had a much smaller supply of food.?Where did Saurolophus live?Saurolophus is one of the few dinosaur genera that are known to have inhabited multiple continents and discoveries suggest that Saurolophus species covered a wide range. Fossils have been uncovered in Alberta, California, China, and Mongolia. Asian species that have been discovered are slightly larger than those of America. The species discovered in North America were only limited in range by the Pacific Ocean and the Western Interior Seaway that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean during the Late Cretaceous period. The divided landmass that Saurolophus inhabited is now known as Laramidia, which stretched from Mexico to Alaska. The eastern side of the Western Interior Seaway, Appalachia, is believed to have been void of Saurolophus since there haven’t been any discoveries as of yet.Saurolophus Discoveries HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Pavel Bochkov The first species of Saurolophus, S. osborni, was discovered by Barnum Brown in 1911 in Alberta, Canada. The skeleton was nearly complete, making it the first Canadian discovery to supply such a large percentage of bones. It was found in the Upper Cretaceous Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Edmonton Formation at the time of discovery) on the Red Deer River. It was the first duck-bill dinosaur to be found that had sclerotic rings, which are rings of bones that surround the eye. Barnum Brown’s discovery can be seen today in the American Museum of National History.More than thirty years after Brown’s discovery, scientists in China dug up what they believed were new species of Saurolophus. When their findings were verified, two new species were added to the genus. Then in 2010, partial skeletons were discovered in California and attributed to Saurolophus. One skull was instead deemed an Edmontosaurus, but the remaining fossils are thought to be part of the Saurolophus genus and have been named S. “morrisi”. The name isn’t official yet, though, because the study hasn’t been published.The Importance of SaurolophusSince fossils are plentiful and they were discovered early on in the hunt for dinosaurs, Saurolophus is an important reference for other hadrosaurs. In fact, one of the most abundant hadrosaurids in all of Asia is S. angustirostris, a large Saurolophus. Dozens of new discoveries have been compared and contrasted with Saurolophus for classification purposes.Saurolophus is also an important genus for dinosaur research because it was one of the genera that became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period. Scientists are always seeking to know more about the event that caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs, so remains like those of Saurolophus that were fossilized during the extinction event may hold important clues.How Do We Know Dinosaurs Were Reptiles? How Can We Know That Dinosaurs Were Reptiles?For amateur dinosaur lovers out there, there are many questions that come to mind when contemplating the existence of these giant extinct beasts. One such question revolves around the assertion that dinosaurs were reptiles. While the answer to this question may seem simple for those trained in biology and paleontology, today we’re going to take a look at the answer from a layman’s point of view.Understanding Science to Determine Whether Dinosaurs Were Reptiles HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User spencer77 Understanding ClassAll living things in terms of biology are classified in to classes. There are currently a considerable number of animal classes each of which are divided up by phylum. A phylum is a way of categorizing living things by general specialization of their body plan. A class is a way of categorizing living things within a phylum that are alike in a number of ways, for example all mammals drink milk as newborns and have hair on their bodies. All birds are born from hard shelled eggs and have feathers on their bodies. All reptiles are cold blooded and have scaly skin.Can We Prove That Dinosaurs Were Reptiles?The answer to the question of whether dinosaurs were reptiles is a little tricky based on newer information that has recently been discovered in the field of paleontology. Let’s take a look at the defining characteristics of reptiles on a closer level to try and make sense of this.Reptiles are Cold BloodedA recent article from Science daily contests that while dinosaurs were reptiles by classification, they were sometimes warm blooded reptiles rather than cold blooded ones. This article is based on HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaurs Were Warm-Blooded Reptiles: Mammal Bone Study Sheds Light On Dinosaur Physiology" research from the Institut Català de Paleontologia (ICP) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and looks at the development of lines of arrested growth in living animals. To date there has been no definitive answer as to whether dinosaurs were cold blooded or warm blooded but the general consensus seems to be that among the different species both endothermic and ectothermic creatures can be found.This assertion does not rule out the fact that dinosaurs could have been reptiles since not all dinosaurs are believed to have been warm blooded.Reptiles Have ScalesThe discovery of Yutyrannus and the theory that a number of Tyrannosaurs (and other dinosaur superfamilies) may have been feathered seems to throw a wrench in to the works as far as this classification criteria is concerned. If some dinosaurs had downy feathers and hatched from brittle hard shelled eggs wouldn’t this classify them as birds? Not necessarily. The feathers found on these dinosaurs were far different to the feathers found on modern day birds, hence why researchers refer to them as proto-feathers. There is also the consideration that these “feathered” dinosaurs may also have possessed scales (either modified or “traditional” scales) on their skin with only patches of these proto-feathers.The presence of feathers on some dinosaur species does not rule out the majority of dinosaurs that had scales and therefore met this criteria to be classified as a reptile.Reptiles Are Born on LandThere is no doubt here that dinosaurs were born on land from hard-shelled eggs. While most people like to believe that all birds hatch in nests above ground, there are a number of birds which do lay their eggs in nests on land – much like the image we have of dinosaurs from recovered nesting sites.Being born on land helps to categorize dinosaurs as reptiles, however; it also draws a parallel to the development of birds.Weren’t Dinosaurs Birds?Considering the fact that dinosaurs may have been warm blooded, they may have had feathers and they hatched on land from hard shelled eggs, couldn’t we say that these “reptiles” were in fact birds? There is a slight complication with this assertion. If you are like most paleontologists then you believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs – that is before dinosaurs, there were no birds. So how could dinosaurs be birds if birds had yet to evolve?? Certainly there is the consideration that dinosaurs could have been the first birds, but based on the fact that not all dinosaurs were feathered or warm blooded, it is more likely that there is simply an overlap between reptiles and birds during the evolution process.So what does this all mean? It means that using what we know currently about dinosaurs and birds and using deduction based on number of defining criterion, that dinosaurs were reptiles.The Dinosaur Bends Marine Reptiles Show Signs of the “Dinosaur” Bends HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ShapeShift Marine reptiles and similar creatures might have sustained injuries from diving to great depths or swimming at great depths for too long. A study was completed on fossilized Ichthyosarians that brought attention to bone deformities that are consistent with bone deformities of humans suffering from decompression sickness, or “the bends”. The lesions were typical of those seen in humans who undergo changes in body pressure, which can cause the bends or a state of nitrogen narcosis. Nitrogen narcosis affects consciousness in a manner similar to alcohol intoxication. Links have been made between human “bends” and these Ichthyosarian bone deformities because human neck bones and the bones of prehistoric reptiles are very similar.How the “Dinosaur” Bends Came AboutAn analysis by Associate Professor John Hayman of the University of Melbourne was published in Naturwissenschaften: Science of Nature. In his analysis, Associate Professor Hayman gives his thoughts on the cause of the deformities. His conclusions argue that the scarring may have been a result of deep diving and staying at great depths for too long, which can cause nitrogen to accumulate in the tissues of the body. As the Ichthyosarians ascended to the surface, nitrogen was released into the bloodstream in the form of bubbles because the body cannot hold the excess nitrogen at normal pressures. The nitrogen bubbles can expand and injure tissue, trigger clots, or block blood vessels in major organs. It was previously thought that quick ascents caused the lesions. Quick ascents still could have played a role though since the bends are affected by three things: the depth of dives, the duration of deep dives, and the speed of ascent. A long, deep dive requires a very slow ascent in order for nitrogen levels to naturally return to normal.Were the “Dinosaur” Bends Worth it for Ithyosaurs?Ichthyosarians may have realized some benefits to diving deeper for longer periods of time. Some potential benefits are an increased feeding range, more opportunities for thermoregulation, and a larger habitation zone. Whatever the benefits, they must have outweighed the maladies associated with decompression sickness. In humans this can cause joint pains, swollen or painful lymph nodes, itching and rashes, and pain in the torso, head, and neck area. It is also possible that the bends seen in Ichthyosarians were a result of hasty ascents to their oxygen supply. They may have swam deeper in search of food, then returned to the surface when oxygen supplies were depleted. Aquatic reptiles are more susceptible to the bends because their low oxygen consumption rate allows them to stay submerged for longer periods of time than mammals or birds.How Did the Dinosaur Bends Affect Ichthyosaurs?Associate Professor Hayman that the bends would not have affected the Ichthyosarians’ long-term survival, although detrimental conditions may have appeared late in their life spans. Decompression sickness is usually accompanied by fairly mild symptoms in humans and there is no reason to believe that Ichthyosarians would have suffered to a greater degree. The most common symptoms are joint pain and fatigue. These reptiles would still have been able to hunt for prey and reproduce—the two main goals of every creature in the animal kingdom despite suffering from the “dinosaur” bends.Make And Paint Plaster of Paris Dinosaurs Face It, You’ve Always Wanted to Paint Plaster of Paris DinosaursOne of the things I remember from my childhood is an overabundance of plaster of paris. I remember waiting for the molds to dry so we could press out our?Plaster of Paris masterpieces and paint them to our little heart’s desire. So, in honor of taking a trip down memory lane we are going to dedicate today’s “make a dino Monday” to a lesson on how to create and paint?Plaster of Paris dinosaurs.Create and Paint?Plaster of Paris Dinosaurs At Home HYPERLINK "" The first step in making your own?Plaster of Paris dinosaurs to paint at home is the “ingredients list” for the sake of providing an example I will link to the products found on Amazon. Note, you can likely get all of these products from your local crafts store as well.What You Need to Make and Paint?Plaster of Paris Dinosaurs?A HYPERLINK "" \o "silicone dinosaur candy tray / muffin pan, cake pan or other mold" silicone dinosaur candy tray / muffin pan, cake pan or other mold (you can use a plastic mold but it is much more difficult to remove the final product from the mold so I suggest always using silicone) HYPERLINK "" \o "Plaster of Paris" A bag of plaster of paris HYPERLINK "" \o "Silicone mold release" Silicone mold release HYPERLINK "" \o "Children's Paint Set" A paint set HYPERLINK "" \o "Paint Brushes and Palette" Paintbrushes and a palette HYPERLINK "" \o "Magnets" Magnets (Optional)How to Start Your?Plaster of Paris DinosaursBegin making your?Plaster of Paris dinosaurs by spraying your silicone mold with mold release, this ensures that once your dinosaurs have hardened that they will easily pop out of your mold.Next, follow the instructions on your plaster of paris and mix up a batch of plaster. Carefully pour the plaster in to the silicone mold you just sprayed with mold release. Gently move the mold around and tap it to avoid any air bubbles from ruining your final dinosaur project.Now you have to be patient while your plaster sets. Setting times will vary depending upon the size of your mold and the plaster you chose to use.Once your plaster has set solid, carefully remove your?Plaster of Paris dinosaurs from the mold and lay them out. Now you have to be even more patient than before and wait a couple of days for the plaster to completely set. Once the plaster has completely set you will then be able to paint your dinosaurs however you like!If you want to turn your plaster of paris dinosaurs in to magnets simply attach magnets at the back once your paint has completely dried!Pachyrhinosaurus Pachyrhinosaurus was a Cretaceous CeratopsidPachyrhinosaurus was a late Cretaceous Ceratopsid that lived 68-73 million years ago. Its name is Greek for “thick-nosed lizard”. Thick noses and elaborate, bony frills are distinguishing characteristics in the Pachyrhinosaurus genus, which was one of the last to roam the Earth before the mass extinction.Quick FactsNamePachyrhinosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderCeratopsiaWeightUp to 4 short tons (3.5 metric tonnes)Length20-25 feet (6-8 meters)Height10 feet (3 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 20 mph TerritoryPresent-day Alaska and Alberta About PachyrhinosaurusPachyrhinosaurus was a genus of Ceratopsids that appeared on the scene late in the Cretaceous Era. Pachyrhinosaurus and related Ceratopsids such as Psittacosaurus, Chasmosaurus, Protoceratops, and Triceratops were one of the last groups of dinosaurs to evolve so their rise to prominence occurred in the last era of dinosaurs—the Cretaceous. Although numerous specimens were discovered in the 1940’s and 50’s, the area in which the first collection of the genus was discovered, the Scabby Butte dig site in Alberta, wasn’t open for study until the 1980’s.What Did Pachyrhinosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User petitshoo Pachyrhinosaurus was a member of the Ceratopsia suborder, which means it had all of the characteristics that were prevalent in the suborder—a bony neck frill, parrot-like beak, horned face and thick body. Early Ceratopsids were smaller, bipedal dinosaurs, but as they evolved they turned into heavy, quadrupedal animals like Pachyrhinosaurus.Skulls are often the best-preserved bones of Ceratopsids and are used to differentiate between genus and species. The skulls of Pachyrhinosaurus have a bony, a spiked neck frill, a beak, horns, and a thick protruding lump of bone on top of the snout that was accompanied by a small horn in some species. The large nasal bones are the most important anatomical part in regards to identification. It is used to distinguish between the three species of Pachyrhinosaurus and paleontologists have formed theories about the purpose of this feature. Some believe it is a sexual characteristics, but most scientists think it was used as a battering ram in competition for females during the mating season.A bone-on-bone collision involving two Pachyrhinosaurus had to have sent loud cracks out across the land. The thick, heavy skulls were supported by the rhinoceros-like body of the Pachyrhinosaurus. These dinosaurs could weigh as much as four tons and charge at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. Pachyrhinosaurus’s speed was limited, though, due to the short length of its legs. Despite having an almost non-existent tail, this dinosaur measured 20 to 25 feet in length. This is about twice the length of most modern-day rhinoceros, which the Pachyrhinosaurus is often compared to.What did Pachyrhinosaurus eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User entheos Pachyrhinosaurus was an herbivore. Like the rest of the Ceratopsids, Pachyrhinosaurus used a beak to shear prehistoric plants and numerous strong teeth to grind the tough material. This made it possible for this dinosaur to eat a wide variety of plants. Pachyrhinosaurus was probably a constant eater due to its size. Some of the suggested plants that this dinosaur could have fed on are: conifers (redwoods, yews, pines, and cypress trees), cycads, ferns, and flowering plants, which first appeared on Earth about 140 million years ago during the Jurassic period. Conifers were the most ubiquitous food source during the Mesozoic era when the dinosaurs lived, so it is thought that these plants made up the greatest percentage of their food supply.How did Pachyrhinosaurus Move and Migrate?All three species of Pachyrhinosaurus were quadrupedal dinosaurs that walked in the same manner as modern-day rhinoceros. Some paleontologists theorize that Pachyrhinosaurus would charge at predators like a rhinoceros are known to do in order to defend itself. Running at speeds of close to 20 miles per hour while weighing four tons, Pachyrhinosaurus could have dealt a blow similar to that of a large truck moving at the same speed. Also known to travel in herds, strength in numbers might have been another survival tactic.It is believed that Pachyrhinosaurus traveled in packs because a massive bone bed was discovered by Al Lakusta in 1972. In this massive dinosaur graveyard, fourteen skulls and over 3,000 individual bones were found. These bones were studied and the ages of these dinosaurs ranged from juveniles to mature adults. This indicated not only that the Pachyrhinosaurus species traveled in herds, but also took care of their young.Where did Pachyrhinosaurus live?Pachyrhinosaurus inhabited western North America near the Alaska and Alberta areas. The close proximity of fossil remains suggests that each Pachyrhinosaurus species had a small habitat. Paleontologists think that coastal areas during the Cretaceous period were covered with herds of Pachyrhinosaurus and Edmontosaurus—a duck-billed herbivore.The Discovery of Pachyrhinosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy In 1946 a massive Ceratopsid skull was unearthed in Alberta, Canada. Four years later the discoverer, Charles M. Sternberg, named the species Pachyrhinosaurus. The species was found in the Scabby Butte site, which was first established in the 1880’s. This location wasn’t appreciated for its fossil collection, though, until dinosaur hunters made numerous discoveries in the late 1940’s and 50’s.Since the initial discovery, more than 12 partial skulls and various bones have been found in Alberta and Alaska. These remains are thought to be from three different species, although the latest discovery, P. perotorum, hasn’t been officially documented as a separate species at the moment. The bones that are thought to be a new species were discovered in the Prince Creek Formation in Alaska, thus broadening the habitat of the genus. This species is believed to have lived between 70-69 million years ago, which makes it the last Pachyrhinosaurus species to roam the Earth. P. Canadensis supposedly lived between 71.5-71 million years ago and the first species of the genus, P. lakustai, is thought to have lived from 73.5-72.5 million years ago.Pachyrhinosaurus and BirdsPachyrhinosaurus was a massive dinosaur that weighed more than an elephant and draws rhinoceros comparisons due to the “rhino” in its name. So what does this behemoth have to do with birds?Moving up the taxonomic ladder, you will notice that Pachyrhinosaurus is in the suborder Ceratopsia. Go one step further and you reach the order Ornithischia. This is where the bird comparison comes in. Ornithischia is a combination of two Greek words—“ornitheos” meaning “of a bird” and “ischion” meaning “hip joint”. So every dinosaur within the Ornithischia order has bird-like hips. The pubis was set parallel to the vertebral column in the same way that a modern-day bird pubis does. Although this didn’t give Ceratopids the ability to fly, it may explain how some members of the suborder shifted between bipedal and quadrupedal movement.The Importance of PachyrhinosaurusPachyrhinosaurus has been most important to the field of paleontology in the last half-century. Since it was discovered a relatively short time ago in 1946, research hasn’t been exhausted on the species. In fact, most Pachyrhinosaurus remains weren’t available for study until the 1980’s, which fueled research when the remains were finally made available. While some dinosaurs had been studied thoroughly for 100 years or more, new discoveries were being made at an amazing rate during Pachyrhinosaurus’ first few years of research.Another vital effect of Pachyrhinosaurus’s discovery was the attention that the Scabby Butte site received upon news of its contents. Originally founded in the late 1800’s, the site produced little excitement for paleontologists until dozens of Pachyrhinosaurus were dug up in the 1940’s and 50’s. With these finds, researchers flocked to the site in hopes of uncovering the next new dinosaur species. It has been reported that the University of Calgary has considered reopening this important site for university-level students to dig around in. So don’t be surprised if the Scabby Butte dig site is in the news someday because of another discovery or the discovery of many more Pachyrhinosaurus specimens.How Big Was Therizinosaurus? Therizinosaurus is One Unusual CharacterTherizinosaurus is an unusual dinosaur to say the least. This late Cretaceous period maniraptoran is most commonly recognized for its unusual claws which could measure over three feet and were found on each of it’s forelimbs. Despite it’s terrifying appearance, this potentially feathered pot bellied beast is believed to have been an herbivore. Standing over 13 feet tall, 33 feet long and weighing around 5.5 tons, there is still no way you would want to get on this herbivore’s bad side. Let’s take a look at what these numbers mean.The Numbers On Therizinosaurus!? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User AKMA Therizinosaurus LengthThe approximated length of Therizinosaurus is around 33 feet long.33 feet is equal to:Just shy of the length of two fighter jets.The length of approximately seven fully grown cheetahs.Approximately the length of three large blue fin tuna.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 1007 sugar ants.Therizinosaurus WeightEstimates of Therizinosaurus weight fall at around 5.5 tons or 11,000 lbs.11,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of six adult Alaskan bull moose.The same weight as fifty five large male red kangaroos.The weight of a fully grown bull southern elephant seal.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 8,800,000 average goose feathers.Therizinosaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Therizinosauruss at around 9.8 feet tall at the hips and around 13 feet in total.13 feet is equal to:The approximate height of four large male gray wolves.The height of two fully grown male white rhinoceros.The height of four male Eastern lowland gorillas.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 2557 pennies stacked on top of each other.? HYPERLINK "" One look at the claws on this beast would be enough to send anyone running but paired with the fact that those claws were on the end of 8 foot long arms, there would be no sticking around for this one! There is no doubt about it – Therizinosaurus was a formidable beast, vegetarian or not!Camptosaurus Camptosaurus was a Jurassic HerbivoreCamptosaurus was a small duck-billed dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period from 156-145 million years ago. It roamed the forests on two legs, but had the option of prowling on four limbs for eating purposes. Camptosaurus has one of the most unique mouths of all dinosaurs, which uses both a beak and teeth for foraging. One of the earliest discovered hadrosaurs, Camptosaurus has been used as a model for classifying dinosaurs for over 100 years.Quick FactsNameCamptosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeightAbout 1 short ton (.9 tonnes)Length20-25 feet (6 – 7.5 meters)Height4-6 feet (1.2 – 1.8 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 15 mph TerritoryNorth America/Europe (by some accounts) HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kim Scarborough About CamptosaurusCamptosaurus (CAMP-toe-Sore-us) was a small, docile dinosaur that roamed the forests in the Jurassic Era. Its name is an interpretation from the first moniker it received, “Camptonotus”, which means “bent back” in Greek. Camptonotos was later named Camptosaurus. These dinosaurs were one of the few species to inhabit two continents, but some authorities list only North America as its habitat. This is because Camptosaurus and similar species blur the lines between what is a true Camptosurus of the Ornithischia order and what is an Iguanadon.What Did Camptosaurus Look Like?Although Camptosaurus was small in comparison to Sauropods and Ceratopsids of its time, it was still a heavily-built dinosaur—weighing in at around 2,000 pounds. It grew to lengths of 25 feet, but only reached about 6 feet in height.It received its name because of the curved profile that gives Camptosaurus a bent look. It had massive hind limbs for bipedal movement. Its legs ended in broad, four-toed feet. The short forelimbs were ossified, which might have been an evolutionary trait developed over time, in order to support the creature while feeding on all fours. Camptosaurus had a triangular skull with a long, pointed snout and a beak instead of front teeth, thus gaining it entry into the duck-billed dinosaur classification. Rows of teeth sat behind the beak in order to grind fibrous vegetation.What did Camptosaurus eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User happy via Camptosaurus had an herbivorous diet. Its teeth and beak were evolutionary traits that enabled it to eat fibrous vegetation. Camptosaurus’s beak was suited for sheering cycads and other prehistoric plant material for chewing and digestion. The cheeks of a Camptosaurus were filled with hundreds of durable teeth for grinding down the tough fibers. Recovered Camptosaurus teeth show wear consistent with the chewing of tough vegetation.Fossil remains of Camptosaurus have ossified hands that would have allowed these grazers to move on all fours to feed on ground-level vegetation. The hands had a thumb spike and spreading fingers; therefore, it is possible that Camptosaurus was able to grab hold of limbs and small trees to pull food within reach of its beak.How did Camptosaurus Move?Camptosaurus was bipedal. It spent most of its time walking around on two legs or running at speeds of 15 miles per hour, but it could maneuver around on all fours if needed. Camptosaurus was slow and vulnerable on four limbs though, so this method of movement was probably only limited to feeding.Camptosaurus received its name because research of the dinosaur’s backbone reveals a likelihood that it was flexible at the sacral vertebrae. The sacral vertebrae, which together create the sacrum, are located between the hip bones near the tail end of the spine. This flexibility would have allowed Camptosaurus to swivel at the hip, increasing its range of vision. The degree of flexibility is unknown, but the ability to rotate the back and neck would have made it difficult for a predator to sneak up on Camptosaurus.Where did Camptosaurus live?There are varying reports on the habitat of Camptosaurus. Some sources say that this genus roamed North America and Europe, while some say it lived in North America exclusively. These varying details may be because of the confusion over what species should be included in the genus. The first discovered species, which set the characteristics for the genus, was discovered in North America. Paoleontologists working in Europe added man species to the genus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is no doubt about Camptosaurus’s presence in North America, but whether the species discovered in Europe was a Camptosaurus or not is still up for debate.Experts predict that Camptosaurus was a forest dweller. Prehistoric forests would have supplied both the food and the shelter that Camptosaurus needed to survive. Its predators were much larger and lacked the agility need to catch a Camptosaurus in the woods.The Discovery of Camptosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User happy via The first Camptosaurus bones were found on September 4, 1879. William Reed was on an expedition in Albany County, Wyoming when he discovered the partial skeleton. One prominent part of the skeleton, the curved backbone, gave paleontologists a good idea of what Camptosaurus looked like when it was alive. The initial name was Camptonotus, Greek for “bent back”. In 1885, the fossil was renamed Camptosaurus when it was discover the Camptonotus was already being used to identify a species of cricket. All of the initial Camptosaurus discoveries took place in the Rocky Mountain area, west of the Western Interior Seaway that covered the Great Plains at the time. European scientists started uncovering hadrosaur-like dinosaurs around the turn of the century and classified a great number of their findings as species of Camptosaurus.Camptosaurus vs. IguanodonIt’s fairly easy, even for the average person, to distinguish an ornithopod such as Camptosaurus or Iguanodon from a sauropod, but distinguishing between families within the ornithopod suborder is a difficult task even for the experts. Orders and families are being re-evaluated as you read this. Through constant revision, paleontologists get closer to the truth of the matter, but for now there are some gray areas.In the case of Camptosaurus and Iguanodon, there are little variances to help scientists distinguish a fossil. Add in the fact that fossil remains are often incomplete and the degree of difficulty involved in an accurate classification is compounded. To the untrained eye, these two separate dinosaurs look like the same species when the bones are observed. They have the same profile and shape. They are both bipedal herbivores with beaks and teeth. Both have a thumb spike for defense or foraging. These dinosaurs are definitely related, but how closely?When you stop to take a look at the differences between these dinosaurs, you notice that there aren’t many. One distinct characteristic of the Iguanodon is a prehensile fifth finger that scientists hypothesize was used for foraging. This could have come in handy for grabbing limbs and pull them closer to feed. In-between the large thumb spike and the prehensile “pinky”, Iguanodons had three webbed fingers. This isn’t the case with Camptosaurus. In addition to these differences, Iguanodon was also much larger than Camptosaurus. Weight estimates come in at about three tons—more than twice the size of Camptosaurus. This may be because smaller Iguanodons have been incorrectly classified as Camptosaurus. Future fossils and a better understanding of dinosaur evolution is needed to clear up the confusion amongst species.The Importance of CamptosaurusCamptosaurus’s discovery has brought up numerous questions pertaining to its species and the closeness of relativity among other dinosaur species. Marsh assigned the Camptosaurus genus into a family of its own, Camptosauridae, but some contend it is an early member of Iguanodontidae. Some research has been completed that places Camptosaurus with clade Akylopollexia. As evolutionary research advances, it will become more apparent as to which species is in a family of its own and which is an amalgamation of an already established family of dinosaurs. For now however, we can simply hope to learn more about Camptosaurus and its close relatives from future discoveries and current research.DeviantArt Artists Share Dinosaur Art DeviantArt is Full Of Great Dinosaur ArtIf you are ever just surfing the net looking for something to waste a little time or procrastinate on that project that has been dragging on forever, DeviantArt is a great place to go. Full of aspiring artists, DeviantArt offers pieces done using all mediums and boasts just about every artistic subject you can think of. My favorite, of course, is the dinosaur art.Some of My Favorite Dinosaur Art Pieces From DeviantArt? HYPERLINK "" Firefly Wash’s Dinosaurs by Bluestraggler is a truly beautiful piece that combines the basic nature of line drawing and bright colors. I really love this piece for the way it combines these two elements, the simplicity and lack of detail make these one of my favorites. Take a look at more art from HYPERLINK "" \o "Bluestraggler on Deviant Art" Bluestraggler on DeviantArt. HYPERLINK "" ?T-Rex Chase by transfuse is so mindblowingly awesome that I can barely contain myself. This piece was drawn by DeviantArt artist Transfuse for the young family member pictured on the raptor being chased by Tyrannosaurus Rex. Take a look at the pop of color in those eyes! See more work by HYPERLINK "" \o "Transfuse at DeviantArt" Transfuse at DeviantArt. HYPERLINK "" Uncle Vinz draw me a dynosoor by bleedman is an art piece “commissioned” by DeviantArt artist Bleedman’s nephew. What I love most about these pieces is the detail and the fact that they are done in pencil. Take a look at more art from HYPERLINK "" \o "DeviantArt artist Bleedman" DeviantArt artist Bleedman. HYPERLINK "" ?SHAZAM Vs. Dinosaurs by HenrikJonsson is a must see for any dinosaur and comic book fan and if, like me, you’re a fan of both then this piece is going to blow your mind! The lack of color is one of the biggest draws to this piece for me, I LOVE the black and white inked comic theme. Take a look at more art from HYPERLINK "" \o "HenrikJonsson at DeviantArt" HenrikJonsson at DeviantArt.Do you have a favorite DeviantArt piece of dinosaur art to share?South African Fossil Exhibit A Journey Through Time With a South African Fossil Exhibit HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Martin_Heigan At a noted South African fossil exhibit an extraordinary and very rare collection of original fossils dating back more than 120 million years are on display. These fossils, a small selection from the institutes prized collection, date back even further than the earliest hominids and offer a glimpse at? what came before dinosaurs and how mammals evolved.South African Fossil Exhibit – The Greatest Fossil RecordIt is not greatly known by the general public that South Africa has one of the richest and oldest fossil records in the world with their natural rock and fossil resources and collections accounting for more than two-thirds of the history of our planet.Fossils in South Africa range from 3,800 million years old to the last million years and have recorded the earliest of life forms (microscopic single cells that flourished in the primeval oceans) through to the arrival of shelled and then skeletal creatures.At The Cradle of Humankind, 1 of 8 World Heritage Sites in South Africa, records in the form of fossils date back 180-300 million years showing a near continuous sedimentary record of paleontological history which stretches more than 100 million years. This is the only place on Earth that has such extensive and continuous records and tells the story of our world right from the very beginning.These significant finds are of great importance as they show scientists how from just 3 groups of ancestor reptiles (Pelycosaurs, Archosaurs and Therapsids) tortoises, dinosaurs, lizards, snakes and small mammals all evolved which helps palaeontologists to piece together the puzzle of human and mammal evolution in greater detail; tracing the entire evolutionary development of mammals from our primitive reptilian ancestors through to the first true mammal.The South African Fossil Exhibit at the World Heritage SiteThe award-winning exhibition in South Africa is a collaboration between Maropeng and the Paleontological Research center (the Bernard Price Institute) at Wits University and was described by the director of the Bernard Price Institute (BPI), Professor Bruce Rubidge when he said “All fossils displayed here are our ancestors”.Visitors to The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site at the Maropeng Visitors Center will be able to see parts of Aardonyx an herbivorous dinosaur that lived 195 million years ago in the early Jurassic period that was a close common ancestor to the sauropod dinosaurs. The exhibition also has a large Erythrosuchus reptile skull on display, this crocodile-like skull believed to be one of the most distant ancestors of the dinosaur and also on display is the large hand of a Gorgonopsian – One of the ancient mammal-like reptiles.Dinosaur Eggs at the South African Fossil ExhibitHowever, the show-piece of the exhibition for dinosaur fans is the clutch of dinosaur eggs dating back 195 million years making them the oldest known fossilized dinosaur eggs in the whole world. The eggs were discovered at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State province, the same site which yielded the oldest known Massopondylus embryos. 10 nests at several different levels each with up to 34 eggs in tightly clustered clutches were discovered and were estimated to be 100 millions years older than previously discovered nesting sites. This discovery shows that early dinosaurs returned to the same nesting ground each year and helping palaeontologists to learn more about the complex reproductive behavior in early dinosaurs.This amazing find and more can all be viewed at this incredible South African fossil exhibit.The Smallest Dinosaurs Everyone Always Neglects the Smallest DinosaursWhen it comes to dinosaur facts, everyone always wants to know about the biggest dinosaurs: the largest, the longest, the tallest and the heaviest. Rarely though does anyone ask about the smallest dinosaurs to walk the Earth. These small reptiles may not be the prehistoric beasts many people think of when they think of dinosaurs but they still play an important role in the history of dinosaur evolution.Some Examples of the Smallest DinosaursMicroceratops HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Matheus1598 Microceratops was the smallest known Ceratopsian species to date. Weighing around five pounds and standing at just a foot and a half and was bipedal in nature. Microceratops was preyed upon by mammals of the Mesozoic era. This frilled dinosaur lived during the Cretaceous period.Microraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut Microraptor is most commonly recognized for being the smallest raptor to live. With four wings, the Microraptor weighed just two pounds and was around two feet long from the tip of its snout to its tail. This raptor subsisted on a diet of insects and lived during the Cretaceous period.?Raptorex HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Nobu Tamura Raptorex is the smallest Tyrannosaur known to date. Although certainly larger than the two pound Microraptor, Raptorex weighed in at around a hundred and fifty pounds, a considerable difference from Tyrannosaurus Rex. Raptorex was a Cretaceous period Theropod.Europasaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Gerhard Boeggemann Europasaurus is the smallest known Sauropod measuring in at just about ten feet long and weighing in at less than 2,000 lbs. This small long neck lived during the late Jurassic period and researchers believe it to have been so limited in size due to geographical isolation. HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" Comment below and share your favorite of the smallest dinosaurs not mentioned above!Diplodocus Diplodocus was a Jurassic SauropodDiplodocus walked the Earth about 150 million years ago in the late Jurassic Era. At the time of its discovery, Diplodocus was the longest dinosaur on record. It has since been out-measured by the likes of the Supersaurus or the rarely-mentioned Futalgnkosaurus, but Diplodocus played an important role in fueling the public’s imagination about prehistoric animals.Quick FactsNameDiplodocusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodaWeight11-17 short tons (10-16.5 tonnes)Length110-120 feet (33.5-36.5 meters)Height16 feet (5 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 12 mph TerritoryWestern North America About DiplodocusDiplodocus, pronounced di-PLOD-o-kus, received its name from the double-beamed chevron bones found in its tail. Diplodocus is a Neo-Latin term from two Greek words meaning “double” and “beam”. The double-beamed bones are thought to have been necessary for protecting, stabilizing, and controlling the massive tail of Diplodocus. These dinosaurs are a common find in the Upper Morrison Formation and dozens of specimens have been recovered since its discovery.What Did Diplodocus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User malglam During the Jurassic Era in western North America, herds of Dipodocus slowly lumbered about searching for foliage to eat. One of the longest dinosaurs ever discovered, Diplodocus could grow to over 100 feet long. Contrary to movie and cartoon depictions, this dinosaur’s posture was nothing like that of a giraffe. Paleontologists infer from the fossil remain that both the neck and tail were held parallel to the ground. Skin fossils show that small spikes were present above the spine running from the upper part of the neck down to the tail.At the end of its long neck was a small head suited for stripping leaves off of branches. At the other end was a 30-foot-long tail that might have had a primary role as a counterbalance. Some experts suggest that it may have also been used as a defense mechanism to ward off predators, but with such a heavy and lengthy neck being held up in a horizontal position, it’s hard to imagine the body and legs supporting that weight. ?? What Did Diplodocus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User The Swedish Experience Diplodocus was a strict herbivore. Fossil records show wear that indicates that it used its small head and slender teeth to reach into groups and of trees and strip branches of edible fibrous material. Conifers were the most abundant tree during the Jurassic Era, so it is safe to assume that these trees made up a large part of the Diplodocus diet. It is also thought that it fed on ferns, bushes, and the foliage of other trees. Studies of the skeletal structure of Diplodocus lead paleontologists to believe that Diplodocus could rear up on its hind legs to reach food high in the tree tops, allowing it to feed on many different levels. Some experts hypothesize that they were also capable of reaching, with their long necks, into marshes and swamplands to eat soft water plants, perhaps even submerged plants. This dinosaur had to eat so much at its size it is hard to believe that it had a limited menu.How did Diplodocus Move and Migrate?Just like the rest of the sauropods, Diplodocus was a quadrupedal walker. The feet of a Diplodocus were similar to those of a modern-day elephant and both animals are large and sturdy creatures, so their walking motion should be similar. Paleontologists use fossilized tracks, leg length, and mass to determine how dinosaurs walked and their research suggests that Diplodocus wasn’t much of a runner. The limbs of Diplodocus weren’t built for the stresses of jogging or trotting. Even though Diplodocus only moved at a walking pace, its long legs and huge size made it possible for this dinosaur to move at an estimated 12-22 miles per hour.Due to their large diets and herding tendencies, groups of Diplodocus were constantly on the move in search of food. When the food supply in their area became depleted, the moved elsewhere throughout the western North American continent to graze.Where Did Diplodocus Live?A great number of Diplodocus fossils have been unearthed and they give us a good idea of what area these herds inhabited. Diplodocus discoveries have been made in Colorade, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, so there is reason to believe that they stayed in the western-most part of North America. Future discoveries may extend this range.The Discovery of Diplodocus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User donvega Samuel W. Williston was digging around in Canon City, Colorado when he discovered the first Diplodocus fossil. What he found while excavating in the Upper Morrison Formation was a partial skeleton that included the double-beamed chevron bones. These bones, which support a long, heavy tail and protected blood vessels and nerves, were used by Othniel C. Marsh a year later to name the fossil. This initial find took place in 1877. Since then, many more fossils have been recovered and complete fossils can be viewed in a number of museums.How Did Diplodocus Grow To Such Lengths?The diverse Diplodocus fossil collection allows paleontologists to chart the growth of this dinosaur. They used recovered fossils, which were preserved at different stages of growth, to reach the conclusion that Diplodocus grew at a very fast rate. This wasn’t a surprise since a Diplodocus hatchling grew to over 100 feet long during its lifetime. Another discovery that was made through this research was the age at which these sauropods reached maturity. Current statistics reveal that Diplodocus was sexually mature just 10 years after birth. At this point, they would not have reached their maximum size so growth continued well after maturity.What does Andrew Carnegie Have To Do With Diplodocus?On the grounds of the Carnegie Institute and Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a giant fiberglass model of a Diplodocus imposes its presence on anyone that passes by. But just what is a Diplodocus reconstruction doing on a Carnegie institution? Well, in 1899 Andrew Carnegie funded an expedition to recover a Diplodocus fossil in the Upper Morrison Formation. He had funded prior expeditions, but his excavators had no luck in finding a fossil. This time, however, they located a Diplodocus specimen that turned out to be a new species. The new species was named Diplodocus carnegii in honor of Mr. Carnegie and was set up in Carnegie’s museum for all to see.Carnegie’s Diplodocus adventure didn’t stop there though. Supposedly, King Edward VII of England viewed a sketch of Diplodocus in Carnegie’s Skibo Castle in Scotland and inquired about attaining a specimen to put in the British Museum. Carnegie hired workers to get busy creating a plaster duplicate and in 1905 it was completed. Once prominent leaders of other European countries heard about the Diplodocus recreation, they went to work acquiring their own models. Nobles from European countries such as France and Germany contacted Carnegie about acquiring recreations so Carnegie created more duplicates for their respective museums. Now, thanks to Andrew Carnegie, Diplodocus is one of the most widely recognized dinosaurs and millions of museum visitors have had the chance to behold the immense size of this dinosaur firsthand.The Importance of DiplodocusDiplodocus is vital to the study of growth and development in dinosaurs because fossils have been preserved at many different stages of growth. Since Diplodocus grew to over 100 feet, paleontologists perform research in an attempt to figure out how they grew to such massive sizes. This research could also provide insight on how reptiles were able to reach great sizes in general and dominate the animal kingdom.Diplodocus also played an important role in familiarizing the public with dinosaur discoveries. During the golden age of dinosaur discovery in the late 19th century, hundreds of species were discovered and paleontologists were frantically trying to categorize and label all of their findings. With the help of leaders like Andrew Carnegie, Diplodocus fossils and molds were pieced together for display in museums across the nation. This display of Diplodocus fueled the public’s desire for dinosaur knowledge and ultimately led to funding and future discoveries.5 More Great Dinosaur Pinterest Finds Dinosaur Pinterest PinsBack in June I shared five dinosaur Pinterest pins that I ran across when surfing my way through Pinterest. I had way too much fun with that post and decided to go on another Pinterest hunt today to see what dinosaur goodies I could find.Dinosaur Pinterest Find #1 HYPERLINK "" This Sauropod necklace was just too cute not to repin, just take a look at that smile. Okay, so this is probably too cute for you guys out there but if you have a dinosaur loving lady friend then I guarantee that she’s going to love this necklace!Dinosaur Pinterest Find #2 HYPERLINK "" I really love this Think Dinosaur concept, even if the interpretation of a dinosaur is a little strange! This would make the perfect laptop lid sticker for true dinosaur lovers…or maybe a bumper sticker if you are so inclined.Dinosaur Pinterest Find #3 HYPERLINK "" Really? Does it get any cuter than a baby in a dinosaur hat? I think not; however that could be based on the fact that the Dr. and I currently have no babies whose diapers we have to change on a regular basis. Although this dinosaur hat almost makes the thought of poopy baby diapers bearable.Dinosaur Pinterest Find #4 HYPERLINK "" One day my dinosaur loving friends, I shall find my way to Dinosaur, Colorado. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be Dinosaur, Colorado, I’m ready and willing to travel anywhere that involves dinosaurs…except maybe for the past. I’d rather not experience living dinosaurs first hand.Dinosaur Pinterest Find #5 HYPERLINK "" Whether you’re a believer or an atheist, there is no way that you aren’t going to get a chuckle out of this letter to God. I always love reading kids simplified ideas of how the world should be, if only it were that easy!Share Your Dinosaur Pinterest FindsLeave a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment below and share your favorite dinosaur pinterest finds with other DinoPit readers!Sauropod Armor Sauropod Armor is Not Something Frequently Referenced HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Mark Witton The sauropods, known for their huge size and extremely long necks and tails on a stout body, aren’t instantly associated with having armor like the Ankylosaurs. It has always been thought that the huge size of the sauropods kept these herbivores safe from predators, but how much do we really know about these supposedly gentle giants?Sauropod Armor is Not Unheard OfMany Sauropods have been discovered to have rather odd looking bony ornamentation on their backs and many had the weapon of their long and heavy whip-tail. Shunosaurus had a club on the end of its tail, Amargasaurus had mysterious double rows of neck spines, Agustinia, the most ornately decorated sauropod, had a double-row of spiky knobs whilst Saltasaurus had a mosaic of scutes (a thick bony plate on the back similar to that of a modern-day crocodile).Sauropod Armor Leaves Unanswered QuestionsSauropods within the subgroup titanosaur had osteoderms – bones embedded within their skin. These it is thought would have strengthened their hides against attack but they still pose unanswered questions. Why were they needed? Was is truly armor or just decoration used in mating rituals??Was Sauropod Armor for Juvenile Defense?We often overlook something when discussing these giant dinosaurs – Juvenile Sauropods. We automatically think of the sauropods as being huge and able to protect themselves due to their size, but they had to grow and develop from considerably smaller eggs. These juveniles would have needed to be able to protect themselves from predators somehow, especially as female sauropods were not known to look after their young. It is quite possible that the over-looked and obsolete bony ornamentation and armor in adults was of vital importance in protecting young sauropods.Sauropod Armor Scutes Had Little Defensive FunctionPalaeontologist know that the scutes in adults would have had little function in defense as they were set too far apart to offer any protection, but in the young titanosaur these bony scutes along the back would have been closer together only growing further apart as the dinosaur grew. It’s not known exactly how the scutes in young would have been used, their neck and undersides still being vulnerable to attack, though one theory is that they were used to discourage insects and parasites from attacking and attaching themselves to the back area.New Theories on Sauropod ArmorA new theory has recently come to light in a report by palaeontologist Kristina Curry Rogers that shows how the use of osteoderms may have changed as the dinosaur grew. Osteoderms seen in other animals are known to have a dense outer layer of bone surrounded by spongy bone inside and this corresponds with the osteoderm found near a juvenile Rapetosaurus which would have used these special bones against attack. But when palaeontologists used CT-scanning to look inside a large osteoderm measuring 22 inches long which was found near an adult Rapetosaurus they found something unusual. They discovered that the inside of this osteoderm was mostly hollow and that the thickness of the outer later of bone varied around the internal cavity. The microscopic bone structure inside the osteoderm showed signs that bone was being absorbed into the body.This discovery has lead Kristina Curry Rogers and her colleagues to think that osteoderms in adult dinosaurs were not used as armor, since a hollow bone would be rather useless in protection plus it was not needed due to their size. So instead the sauropod armor became a sort of a mineral reservoir, drawn upon in times when extra calcium or phosphorous minerals were needed such as when females laid eggs (calcium being needed to form the hard outer shell) or for when individuals were living in arid conditions.Build a Dino at Build A Bear Workshop Locations HYPERLINK "" It’s make a dino Monday and today we’re taking a look at HYPERLINK "" \o "Build A Bear Build A Dino" . Build a Dino is owned by the same company that owns Build a Bear, only they specialize in dinosaur themed plush toys rather than “bears.” Build A Dino has been known to be at the following locations:T-REX Café? at Lake Buena Vista in FloridaT-REX Café? at The Legends at Village West in Kansas CitySaint Louis Science Center, St. Louis, MissouriBroadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina5th Ave. at 46th, New York City, New YorkMall of America, Bloomington, MinnesotaBuilding a dinosaur can also be done online although it is more fun to take part in the interactive process of building at retail locations when possible.Build a Dino Has a Good Selection of DinosaursBuild a Dino offers a number of dinosaur selections and frequently update their selection to include special edition plush dinosaurs as well. Some of the dinosaurs available from the online store include: Brachiosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Diplodocus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Spinosaurus. My favorite dinosaur so far?Build A Dino T Rex Build a Dino Offers Accessories TooFor those youngsters who want to add a little extra something to their favorite new dinosaur pal, Build a Dino also offers clothing and accessories. New dinosaur parents can pick from complete outfits, pajamas, tops, bottoms and even underwear.How Much Do Build a Dino Dinosaurs Cost?Build a Dino dinosaurs aren’t cheap but they do make great gifts for young dinosaur lovers. The plush dinosaurs themselves run from between $15 to $22 and unlike Build a Bear, Build a Dino does not offer any of their plush dinosaurs in their sale / clearance section of their site. “Special” edition dinosaurs generally sit at the high end of the scale and include specially colored dinosaur variations.Clothing from Build a Dino is available in their website sale / clearance section with prices ranging from $3 to $7. Clothing from the non-sale section of the website range from $3.50 for “dinosaur underwear” to $12.50 for complete outfits. Outfits can also be complimented with shoes which top out at $9 and a range of accessories including sunglasses, hats, purses and cell phones.In total a dinosaur with a complete outfit and shoes will run you around $40 plus shipping. HYPERLINK "" \o "Build a Dino at " Buy Your Dinosaur Lover a Build a Dino Dinosaur Pet From Eoceratops Eoceratops was a Cretaceous CeratopsidEoceratops was an herbivorous dinosaur that lived in the early Cretaceous Period, from 140 to 100 million years ago. Eoceratops was a member of the family Ceratopsidae, which includes other four-legged, horned dinosaurs. The first fossil was unearthed in 1898, but the fossil wasn’t recognized as a unique species until 16 years later.Quick FactsNameEoceratopsPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderMarginocephaliaWeight3 – 5 short tons (2.72 -4.53 tonnes)Length20 feet (6.1 meters)Height7 feet (2.13 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 20-25 mph TerritoryNorth America About Eoceratops HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Maia C The literal translation from the Greek name Eoceratops mean “dawn horned face” or “early horned face”. Thought to be one of the first members of the Ceratopsidae family, Eoceratops was a predecessor to much larger horned dinosaurs such as the Triceratops. Other Ceratopsids that look similar to and are often confused with Eoceratops are Mojoceratops and Chasmosaurus. In fact, some paleontologists claim that Eoceratops may be nothing more than a juvenile Chasmosaurus.What Did Eoceratops Look Like?Eoceratops was an average-sized member of the Ceratopsidae family. Like all members of the family, Eoceratops was a quadrupedal herbivore that used a beak with rows of sheering teeth for the chewing of vegetation. The defining characteristics of these creatures are elaborate frills and horns, which vary between species. The variation among frills and horns of Ceratopsids are often used to distinguish between species. Though there has been much debate about the purpose of horns and frills in Ceratopsids, the discussion is still open for debate. One long-held belief states that the horns were used for defense. This is a plausible theory for the horns, but it doesn’t hold up well when explaining the frill’s function. Frills were often composed of skin stretched across structural bones, so there is no reason to believe that they would have shielded the animal’s fragile neck and spine area from predators. Today paleontologists tend to accept the theory that the frills were used as a sexual characteristic for displays during the mating season. Another possibility is that the large frills captured sunlight and were helpful in regards to thermoregulation.Eoceratops was an Average Size CeratopsidWeighing in at about 8,000 pounds and stretching to 20 feet in length, Eoceratops was an average-sized Ceratopsid. Four tons doesn’t sound like a small dinosaur until your take into consideration that the Triceratops, the largest member of the family, weighed in at twice as much or more. Four sturdy legs held up Eoceratops’s bulky body. The legs ended in hoof-like claws that made migration possible. Mounted on the front of this hefty creature was a 3-foot-long skull with three short horns—one on each brow and one on top of the beak.What did Eoceratops eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ubermoogle2006 Fossil remains of Eoceratops show beaks and teeth suited for consumption of vegetation leading paleontologists to believe that the dinosaurs were full-fledged herbivores adapted to eating high-fiber plant material. Their cheeks held rows of serrated teeth that could shred thick vegetation for passage into the digestive track. Their skulls also held replacement teeth to replace the working teeth as they were worn down. The stomachs of Ceratopsids are thought to have contained bacteria that caused fermentation in order to break down and absorb nutrients from the hard-to-digest, high-fiber plants such as leaves, ferns, mosses, and conifers. Since the Eoceratops diet is comprised of low-calorie foods, these dinosaurs were always eating. It’s safe to say that any low-lying vegetation was on the menu.How did Eoceratops Move and Migrate?Eoceratops was a quadrupedal dinosaur that lived in herds. Large bone beds have been unearthed that bolster this theory. Fossil sites have shown hundreds or thousands of Eoceratops or related dinosaurs living in the same area at the time of death.Since Eoceratops was a slow, lumbering creature, living in herds provided safety in numbers—a tactic still used today by grazing mammals. These large dinosaurs had to eat tons of vegetation over the course of a year to survive. Multiply that amount of vegetation by the large number of Eoceratops in the pack and it becomes evident that herds were always on the move in search of foliage to consume. Some paleontologists posit that during part of the year ceratopsids in general lived near the coast, but migrated inland with large herds for the dry season. This vast migration could also have been a result of reproduction habits.Where did Eoceratops live?The first Eoceratops fossil was discovered in Alberta, Canada. Subsequent discoveries in North America and a lack of findings on different continents lead paleontologists to believe that Eoceratops roamed North America looking for plentiful food. The fact that these animals lived in herds and had to consume large amounts of vegetation help explain why Eoceratops was always on the move. Research and fossil discoveries of Eoceratops are minimal so future discoveries should shed a light on the full extent of the habitat that this species called home.The Discovery of Eoceratops HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of ceasol Lawrence M. Lambe, who worked for the Geological Survey of Canada, discovered a portion of a neck frill that he believed was a previously-known species. Thinking that his find was of minimal importance, he put a name on the species and went back to work. Then in 1913, when Charles Sternberg and his sons found complete skulls of the Eoceratops in the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Lambe recognized that what he had unearthed in 1898 was, in fact, a new genus. He coined the new genus Oeceratops, Greek for “dawn horned face”, because it was one of the first Ceratopsids to roam the Earth.Is Eoceratops a unique species?Using only fossilized remains to identify and classify thousands of dinosaurs is no easy task. Mistakes are common and dinosaurs are constantly being renamed and declassified in an effort to accurately account for each extinct species.Almost all of the Eoceratops fossils that have been discovered come from the same region—Alberta, Canada. In the same area, species that look almost identical to Eoceratops have been unearthed. These remains have been dubbed Chasmosaurus and Mojoceratops. Some literature states that Eoceratops and the long-horned Chasmosaurus are examples, or subsets, of the Mojoceratops. Others believe that Eoceratops is simply a juvenile Chasmosaurus.Male and female Ceratopsids often have different horn-lengths and frill designs. Specimens within the same species and of the same sex can also have varying characteristics. Another problem that makes distinguishing species a painstaking task is the number of species of dinosaurs within the same genus. With all of these issues, it is easy to see why a paleontologist’s job is so difficult. With new techniques such as DNA testing, future research should be able to more accurately identify extinct species and clear up some of the misconceptions in accepted science.The Importance of EoceratopsThe discovery of Eoceratops and fellow species in Alberta in 1898 fueled a massive dinosaur hunt in Alberta. The discoverer, Lawrence Lambe, published books on the topic which helped bring the search for dinosaur fossils to the public’s eye and the media’s attention.In addition to the popularization of paleontology, the uncovering of Eoceratops and similar Ceratopsids help explain how evolution brought about giants like the Triceratops. The success of smaller horned herbivores, like the Eoceratops, displays how the species could support itself to the point of evolution into larger dinosaurs. Eoceratops could also play a vital role in explaining genus expansion through diversification as scientists discover how and why species develop.How Big Was Triceratops? Triceratops is a Crowd FavoriteTriceratops will always be one of the most popular dinosaur species but this herbivore was far from the gentle giant it is often portrayed to be! When threatened, researchers believe that Triceratops would have charged much like a common day rhinoceros, using it’s three foot long cranial horns to impale predators. Unlike the horns of rhinoceroses, the horns of this dinosaur, as well as the large frills around their necks were made completely of bone. These solid structures gave Triceratops a unique advantage that many other herbivores and contemporaries of Tyrannosaurus Rex lacked. Let’s take a look at just how big this late Cretaceous herbivore was.The Numbers On Triceratops! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ryan Somma Triceratops LengthThe approximated length of Triceratops is around 26 feet long.26 feet is equal to:The length of a 5 to 7 room moving truck.The length of two Siberian tigers.Approximately the length two hippopotamuses.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 793 sugar ants.Triceratops WeightEstimates of Triceratops weight fall at around 14,000 pounds.14,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of twelve fully grown manatees.The same weight as seven American Bison.The weight of 28 Eastern Lowland Gorillas.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 11,200,000 average goose feathers.Triceratops HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Triceratops at around 7 feet tall at the hips and around 9.5 feet in total.9.5 feet is equal to:The approximate height of a male polar bear.The height of an average African elephant.The height of a Sumatran rhinoceros.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 1,869 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" This 9.5 foot tall beast may have been an herbivore but it was also a three horned charging machine! This beaked tank of a dinosaur didn’t take challenges lightly, even Tyrannosaurus Rex dreaded a run in with Triceratops.Kentrosaurus Kentrosaurus Was a Stegosaur with Plates and Spikes along Its BodySo named in Greek as the “spiked lizard,” the Kentrosaurus (pronounced ken-tro-SOAR-us) lives up to its name by featuring some startlingly sharp spikey protrusions as well as some hard, flat plates from its body. This dinosaur was strictly a herbivore that moved around slowly through its Late Jurassic environment in the forest regions of what is now eastern Africa around 150 million years ago. As you may have been able to guess, the Kentrosaurus is closely related to the Stegosaurus, though they both lived in areas that appear by today’s geography to be far apart.Quick FactsNameKentrosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Jurassic ClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderStegosauriaWeight2.2 short tons (1.99 tonnes)Length15 feet (4.57 meters)Height11.5 feet (3.51meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 5 mph TerritoryEastern Africa What Did Kentrosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of DeviantArt Artist 2ndecho At first glance, you might be tempted to think that the Kentrosaurus is its close relative the Stegosaurus, but you’ll note there are some very key differences here. Kentrosaurus is also a stegosaur, like its relative, meaning that it features a double row of either spikes or plates on its back and is of medium size (though some stegosaurs can be smaller) and also boasts some dangerous spikes on its tale. If you picture a Stegosaurus, though, you see the famous flat plates poking out along its spine, but what’s interesting about this stegosaur is that the plates only cover a small portion of its body along its neck, giving way to much larger spikes that jut out along its spine and tail. Two of these two-foot long spikes can also be found on its front shoulders for a really unique, easily distinguishable look. Kentrosaurus also had a large tail and relatively short neck, and its front legs were significantly smaller than its rear (though not as drastically different as, say, a T-Rex’s arms and legs). At over two tons and spanning over 15 feet in length and 11 feet in height, the Kentrosaurus was a fairly large dinosaur that was intimidating to look at, giving it an edge over many potential predators.Physical Attributes of KentrosaurusThe Kentrosaurus was somewhat awkwardly shaped and featured in terms of symmetry or what you might expect a dinosaur to look like off the top of your head. The rather longer hind legs (about twice the size of the fore legs) positioned the back of its body higher up, meaning that its neck and head were pointed down along its spine, bringing them close to the earth. Their greater size may have allowed the herbivore to stand up for brief periods of time on two legs, giving it freedom to reach up to eat higher foliage on trees and branches. But mostly the structure of this dinosaur was in place to make it easier for it to reach lower plants, particularly vegetation growing up from the ground.While it’s easy to identify the purpose of the famous spikes present in such members of the stegosaur family as the Kentrosaurus as protection from predators, it’s not quite as easy to pinpoint what the reason was for the plates. As each plate housed a large amount of blood vessels, it is possible that they existed to help regulate their body temperature, but it is also possible that they were used for showy displays during mating season or simply for neck protection. They also had very long, powerful tails beneath their spikes.What Did Kentrosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Delkarm As an herbivore with low access to the ground, the Kentrosaurus primarily ate the greenery sprouting up from the earth. Its beak was narrow and toothless and it had few cheek teeth beyond its beak, making it impossible for it to eat anything other than the generally low-lying plant materials it found close to its head.? There have been select traces of modest teeth deeper inside these dinosaurs’ mouths than their beaks, allowing for very minimal chewing. Consequently, the Kentrosaurus swallowed most of its plant matter in fairly large chunks. Due to their massive size, these creatures had to consume a substantial amount of food too keep them running, meaning they spent much of their active time looking for food or eating.Physical Attributes – Spikes, Plates, and TailIt’s easy to see why this dinosaur was such a fearsome defender. At two feet long, the two rows of spikes along over half of the Kentrosaurus’s body could have scared away opposition on their own, but if things got heated they would prevent larger carnivores from biting down on them easily. Imagine trying to bite down on a halved pineapple or a porcupine, and you can see why smarter hunters may have avoided attacking them altogether. The plates could have at least served a similar defensive service, but their presence makes this stegosaur very interesting and a bit puzzling to many researchers.Looking so much at those flashy protrusions also distracts from what may be the most dangerous aspect of the herbivore: its tail. Researchers have been compiling more and more data on the Kentrosaurus, and have begun to believe that most of its might came into play in the form of its powerful, spiked rear appendage. Its raw swinging ability alone would have caused problems with its enemies, as some speculate that the Kentrosaurus may have been able to strike with it at speeds of over 30 miles an hour (50 km), but factor in the two-foot long spikes jutting out from it and you can begin to see the type of damage it could do.Kentrosaurus’s Brain Power—or Lack ThereofLike the rest of its stegosaur brethren, the Kentrosaurus had a very small brain, particularly considering its body size. The walnut-sized (and somewhat walnut-shaped) organ in its mostly toothless head had to do a lot of work to keep the bulky body of its owner functioning. The one advantage of the Kentrosaurus’s brain was that it featured extremely advanced olfactory nerves, meaning that it had a tremendous sense of smell. While the Kentrosaurus may not have been intelligent enough to avoid predators, it was equipped more than well enough to hold them off; and though it may not have been intelligent enough to find food efficiently, its superb sense of smell helped it find food with relative ease. There is some reason to believe that Kentrosaurus developed a slightly larger brain over the course of its existence as a species, but even the youngest remains show that this dinosaur was no thinker.What Kind of Environment Did Kentrosaurus Live In?Kentrosauruses roamed around what is known today as Africa, particularly in the eastern region, where large carnivores like the Allosaurus would attempt to prey on them. The warm, lush forests of eastern Africa supplied Kentrosaurus with the sustenance it needed, so the species stayed close by, follow the inherent sense of smell and chomping on the thick vegetation.What Kentrosaurus’s Location Shows about GeographyMany other stegosaurs have been found in regions completely separate from Kentrosaurus’s eastern African home, most notable Stegosaurus, whose roaming grounds have been shown to exist in North America. Today these continents are separated by a vast ocean, making their link seem impossible, but at the time of their existence the world looked very different. Because the lands of Earth were joined together as the supercontinent known as Pangaea, it was possible for the two species to live close to each other before the earth separated after their extinction, taking their remains along for the ride.Kentrosaurus and Its PredatorsWith its somewhat large size and intimidating outward appearance and its ability to smell other dinosaurs approaching it, predators of the Kentrosaurus were few. Though smaller carnivores may have had an advantage by having easier access to the sides and underbelly of the spiked dinosaur, only the large, bold hunters posed a threat, and those brave enough to take it on were few.The Discovery of Kentrosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User j3tdillo The first remains of a Kentrosaurus were discovered by German explorer Werner Janensch in the early 1900s, though the image that we have of the dinosaur (as well as its name) was formed by another German several years later, paleontologist Edwin Hennig. He and his company found a large number of bones, many of which were damaged, unfortunately during wartime in Germany many years later. Still, the figure put in place by remains Hennig selected remained intact in a museum, and the biggest singular collection of remains from a single specimen have held strong through the years.The Importance of KentrosaurusKentrosaurus is an important paleontological discovery because it lends information pertinent to the diversity found within the stegosaur group of dinosaurs. Kentrosaurus also tells paleontologists a lot about the state of the world’s continents during the Jurassic period.8 More Awesome Dinosaur Wallpaper Designs HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Wallpaper" Dinosaur WallpaperA little less than a month ago I posted some great dinosaur wallpaper ideas here on DinoPit. So many of you let me know how much you loved those pictures, I wanted to share a few more of my favorites just in case the first 10 weren’t enough!Eight More Great HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Wallpaper" Dinosaur Wallpaper DesignsDinosaur Wallpaper #1: T-Rex Versus King Kong HYPERLINK "" If you’re a Peter Jackson fan or a King Kong fan you will get a kick out of this HD T-Rex versus King Kong wallpaper. At 1920 x 1080 this wallpaper is big enough for the biggest monitor and has some great detail.Dinosaur Wallpaper #2: Rawr Means I Love You In Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" This dinosaur wallpaper is a little too cutesy for me but I love the crumpled paper background. If you’re a cute dinosaur fan then you might like this one. At 1920 x 1080 this is another nicely sized wallpaper for your desktop.Dinosaur Wallpaper #3: Cthulhu Rex HYPERLINK "" Whether you’re a Cthulhu fan or a dinosaur fan, you’re going to love this wallpaper. The antiqued background is light enough to see your icons and the 1900 x 1200 resolution makes it large enough for most desktops.Dinosaur Wallpaper #4: Prehistoric Ocean Floor HYPERLINK "" If you’re a fan of marine reptiles then this “dinosaur” wallpaper is for you! Although it’s a little dark this is a rarely found theme and it’s a decent size at 1920 x 1200.Dinosaur Wallpaper #5: Angry Rex HYPERLINK "" ?Talk about anger issues! This is another rexy wallpaper for all of you Tyrannosaurus Rex wallpaper fans but it has a little more detail than some of those with more basic backgrounds. This is a 1066 x 800 background.Dinosaur Wallpaper #6: Love Your Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" ?This is a cute dinosaur wallpaper from HYPERLINK "" \l "/d16e280" \o "Dinosaur Wallpaper" Daniesque over at DeviantArt. If there is one thing I love as much as I love dinosaurs, it’s cupcakes and this unique background at a 1024 x 768 resolution has both!Dinosaur Wallpaper #7: Dinosaur Birthday HYPERLINK "" ?This Dinosaur Birthday wallpaper from HYPERLINK "" \o "Lordess Alicia At Deviant Art" Lordess Alicia at DeviantArt has to be one of my all time favorite dinosaur themed desktops. With an original size of 1920 x 1080 this is big enough for any monitor or laptop screen!Dinosaur Wallpaper #8: Dino Dino Pattern HYPERLINK "" ?I love this Dino Dino wallpaper by HYPERLINK "" \o "PronouncedYou over at DeviantArt" PronouncedYou over at DeviantArt. If you’re looking for a more traditional dinosaur wallpaper type of wallpaper then this 900 x 900 cute backdrop could be right for you, just set it to tile and you’re good to go!Dinosaurs vs. Aliens Dinosaurs vs. Aliens, Directed By Barry Sonnefeld HYPERLINK "" Bought to you by director/filmaker Barry Sonnefeld (The Addams Family, Men In Black) and graphic novel creator Grant Morrison (Batman, The Invisibles, All-Star Superman) together with sci-fi artist Mukesh Singh and the artists at Liquid Comics Dominion: Dinosaurs vs Aliens is a cross-platform sci-fi project like never seen before – Dinosaur loving sci-fi fans are in for a treat!Dinosaurs vs. Aliens is a Movie MashupDescribed a a mashup of the movies Jurassic Park and Apocalypse Now (together with a little bit of the Lion King,) Dinosaurs vs Aliens tells the story of mass extinction and a war over resources set 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs ruled the planet.In their last chance for survival the aliens must establish a new home on planet Earth but the dinosaurs are the natives and rule the planet and aren’t going to go down without a fight. When the shooting starts the dinosaurs learn to fight back using their own methods as they defend their planet.Dinosaurs vs. Aliens is a Cretaceous ShowdownAliens vs Dinosaurs is not just a spectacular Cretaceous showdown between two unexpected rivals, instead it also serves as a philosophical treatise which takes a look at manifesting destiny, genocide and revolution as we see an overreaching civilization at the edge of oblivion.The aliens are portrayed in the typical sci-fi fashion being bio-mechanical and insect-like with technology on their side. They are very human-like in the way they speak and interact though, experiencing feelings of conflict, bravery, hopefulness and more as they fight for their survival.The dinosaurs (separated into traditional and fantasy-based species) do not speak yet still manage to convey emotion with the individual characters and dino heroes coming across clearly, through being physically expressive as in a silent movie.Turning a Graphic Novel in to a FilmThough the storytelling is told over a variety of platforms (graphic novels, motion comics and a planned feature film movie trilogy) it is all derived from the same basic world. However there will be differences between the graphic novel and film in the same way that there are with book adaptations and variations of the same movie. For example in the comic the main character, Kit, is a scientist but in the movie he will be a soldier.Dinosaurs vs. Aliens is Told in PartsThe creators of Aliens vs Dinosaurs knew that the audience would automatically root for the dinosaurs so they have tried to avoid the “good dinosaurs / evil aliens” trap by shifting the audiences allegiance throughout the story which is told in parts.The comic versions have been made to be stand-alone items more focused on the science-fiction story with diary-type narration which makes it slower, almost calmer where as the movies will be more action-packed and fast-paced with bigger and more epic battles between spaceships and dinosaurs as well as featuring a huge back story involving everything from Babylonian mythology to Nazi flying saucers!For those new to the world of motion comics I should point out that this is different to film animation – Instead it combines traditional printed comic book art with animation and soundtracks meaning you’ll see stunning 2d artwork with a blinking eye or a stamping foot not an entire movie of animation ala Pixar.Dinosaurs vs. Aliens is Available in Book Form TooThe story is also available in traditional book-form too and features the stunning and rather breathtaking artwork of graphic novel artist Mukesh Singh and Jeevan Kang together with the graphic designers at Liquid Comics – Sci-fi art fans will love it! Dinosaurs vs. Aliens may not be for everyone but it’s worth checking out.Seven Dinosaur Children's Books Worth Reading Dinosaur Children’s Books Encourage ReadingWhen I was a kid I loved dinosaurs as you know. What you don’t know however, is that I had a considerable amount of trouble learning to read. No matter what anyone did to encourage me to read it simply posed too much difficulty and “starter” books held no interest for me. It took years for me to latch on to reading and as a result I am a huge advocate of teaching children to enjoy reading from an early age.For young dinosaur lovers dinosaur children’s books are a great way to do this.Seven Dinosaur Children’s Books You Should BuyHow Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen HYPERLINK "" This is one of the most popular dinosaur children’s books out there and just one of a series released by Jane Yolen. The rhyme of this story is enough to keep any youngster entertained and there is even a HYPERLINK "" \o "How Do Dinosaur Say Goodnight Plush" companion dinosaur plush to accompany the story of how young dinosaurs go to bed at night! HYPERLINK "" \o "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen" Buy How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen for $10.61 at AmazonDINOSAUR ?by Stephanie Stansbie HYPERLINK "" DINOSAUR by Stephanie Stansbie takes young readers back to the prehistoric days of the dinosaurs. This fact finding guide combines textures, flaps and interactive learning to tell the story of various dinosaur species. HYPERLINK "" \o "DINOSAUR by Stephanie Stansbie" Buy DINOSAUR by Stephanie Stansbie at Amazon for $14.99Dinosaur Roar? by Paul Stickland and Henrietta Stickland HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur Roar by Paul and Henrietta Stickland is a Puffin picture book featuring colorful dinosaurs of all colors, shapes and sizes. Fun rhymes tell of each of these dinosaurs as they make their way to the dinosaur picnic! HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Roar by Paul Stickland and Henrietta Stickland" Buy Dinosaur Roar by Paul and Henrietta Stickland from Amazon for $6.99Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow HYPERLINK "" Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow is a beautifully illustrated story of a boy named Harry who finds a bucketful of dinosaurs in his grandma’s attic. This tale tells what happens one day when Harry leaves his new friends on the train! HYPERLINK "" \o "Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow" Buy Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow from Amazon for $6.99Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp? by Carol Diggory Shields HYPERLINK "" Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields is a colorfully illustrated children’s picture book shows just what happens when these prehistoric dinosaurs need to let off some steam at the Saturday night dinosaur stomp! HYPERLINK "" \o "Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields" Buy Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields at Amazon for $6.99Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton HYPERLINK "" Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton is another great illustrated story that follows dancing dinosaurs as they rock the night away! A night of dancing leaves these dinosaurs all tired out and read for bed though! HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton" Buy Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton at Amazon now for $6.99Dinosaur’s Binkit by Sandra Boynton HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur’s Binkit by Sandra Boynton is another great board book from beloved children’s author Sandra Boynton. This book follows a sleepy dinosaur who refuses to go to bed without the right comfort object and incorporates texture and color in to the reading experience. HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur's Binkit by Sandra Boynton" Buy Dinosaur’s Binkit by Sandra Boynton at Amazon for $7.88Share Your Favorite Dinosaur Children’s Books in a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" Comment Below!Parasaurolophus Parasaurolophus was a Long-crested Duck-billed DinosaurParasaurolophus was an Ornithopod dinosaur that lived some 75 million years ago during the Cretaceous period in what is now North America. Parasaurolophus (pronounced pah-Ruhsaw-uh-lofe-Us) was a Hadrosaurid a group known for their bizarre head ornaments. In the case of Parasaurolophus, a large and elaborate cranial crest made it one of the most recognizable Hadrosaurs from the Cretaceous period.Parasaurolophus is made up of three species; the type species P. walkeri, P. tubicen and P. cyrtocristatus. Parasaurolophus translates to mean “near crested lizard” in reference to Saurolophus which Parasaurolophus was originally thought to be related to.Quick FactsNameParasaurolophusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeight3.5 short tons (3.17 tonnes)Length33 feet (10 meters)Height16 feet (4.88 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 25 mph TerritoryNorth America & Canada What did Parasaurolophus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Mike Souza Measuring around 16 feet tall, with a length of around 33 feet and weighing around 3.5 tons, Parasaurolophus was a relatively bulky dinosaur and is often depicted as standing upright on its two thick muscular back legs with a thick pointed tail and oval-shaped body. Parasaurolophus had a long narrow head with large eyes on a mid-length neck, a hard beak and a narrow snout with pebbly textured skin and uniform tubercle-like scales.Parasaurolophus is most recognizable by its large and elaborate cranial crest that researchers believe could have measured as long as 6 1/2 feet long.Physical Attributes of ParasaurolophusPalaeontologists think that Parasaurolophus had good eyesight and good hearing. Being an Ornithopod, Parasaurolophus would have had intermediate intelligence. Additionally, this herbivore didn’t have any weapons since it had no long whipped tail, claws or armor to protect itself with against predators. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Bolt of Blue The function of Parasaurolophus’ cranial crest has been debated by palaeontologists for centuries with several theories arising about its use – some far more ridiculous than others. It has been said that the crest could have been used to support and move the head, as a weapon in combat amongst individuals of the same species, it could have been used to throw jets of “chemical fire” at enemies similar to the modern day bombardier beetle, as well as being used by an aquatic lifestyle in the form of a snorkel or as an air-trap to keep water out of the lungs.However all of these theories have been discredited and the overall consensus today is that the crest had several different functions which changed with age. The crest is believed to have been used for visual recognition between species and sexes, for acoustic resonance and for sound amplification (used to create a foghorn-like sound) as well as for thermoregulation.The cranial crest of Parasaurolophus was hollow and was made up of the premaxilla and nasal bones with long distinct tubes leading from each nostril to the end of the crest and then back into the skull. Scientists believe that the two hollow tubes inside the crest would have been used to make distinctive sounds, distinctive enough to have been identified individually, so that they could call and communicate with others in the herd.The sound is thought to have been like a fog-horn sounding loud bellow created by exhaling air from the tubes, with females thought to have created sounds at lower-frequencies. Researcher David Weishampel has suggested that an adult Parasaurolophus may have been able to produce frequencies of between 48-240 Hz with juveniles creating higher frequencies of 75-375 Hz that the adult Parasaurolophus were more sensitive too.What did Parasaurolophus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User brianbrarian This dinosaur was an herbivore and most likely would have eaten pine needles from conifer trees as well as leaves and twigs. Its long neck would have enabled it to reach 13 feet up into the trees for food as well as being able to forage from the ground.Parasaurolophus had a tough beak which it would have used to snip off vegetation with hundreds of small teeth, arranged in batteries, in its cheeks which it would have used to grind up each mouthful. Because of the narrow beak that Parasaurolophus had it is thought that it was a more selective feeder than other crested broad-beaked Hadrosaurs.How did Parasaurolophus Move? It is thought that Parasaurolophus switched between bipedal and quadrupedal movement as it had unusually strong fore legs. The strong back legs of this species would have also made it a relatively fast moving dinosaur having an estimated speed of 25 mph.It is thought that Parasaurolophus would have been bipedal to walk and run so as to look out for danger as well as to defend itself. When feeding however, Parasaurolophus would have moved to a quadrupedal stance.Where did Parasaurolophus Live?Parasaurolophus lived in what is now North America with a span that ranged from Alberta, Canada to New Mexico USA.65 million years ago in what is now Alberta, Canada the climate would have been warmer without any frosts but with significant wet and dry seasons. Parasaurolophus would have lived in the forest region though would have also migrated to the plains and swamp regions and is thought to have moved to higher ground in order to reproduce and for females to nest.These dinosaurs would have lived in large herds and when faced with danger they would have moved quickly as these large herds to confuse their predators. One such predator of Parasaurolophus was Albertosaurus.The Discovery of Parasaurolophus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User LatinaLizAldana Parasaurolophus is one of the rarer known Hadrosaurids factually, being known from only a few good specimens.Parasaurolophus (P. walkeri the holotype) was first described and named in 1922 by William Parks after a skull and partial skeleton (which was missing most of the tail and hind legs below the knees) were discovered in Alberta, Canada. This discovery was made in 1920 by a field party from the University of Toronto. The remains were found along the Red Deer River near Sand Creek in an area now recognized as being the Campanian age, Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park FormationParasaurolophus was originally thought to be closely related to Saurolophus because of the superficially similar crest which is why it was so named. In later years palaeontologists reassessed Parasaurolophus and realized it was a member of the Lambeosaurine group, a subfamily of Hadrosaurids.The Importance of ParasaurolophusParasaurolophus is an important dinosaur because of its unique crest which has been helping palaeontologists to better understand how these dinosaurs communicated and structured their social groups.It is hoped that more Parasaurolophus fossils will be found in the future enabling palaeontologists to better understand the differences as well as similarities between the three separate species and? how the species relate to each other.Dinosaur T-Shirts From My Favorite Dinosaur Dinosaur T-Shirts Are a MustAny true, self respecting dinosaur lover has to have a couple of dinosaur t-shirts tucked away in their closet. Thanks to HYPERLINK "" \o "My Favorite Dinosaur" My Favorite Dinosaur I now have two.Dinosaur T-Shirts From My Favorite Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" I am a self admitted t-shirt snob – although not as much as The Dr. is.I don’t like wearing t-shirts that aren’t soft and I don’t like wearing t-shirts that don’t fit me the way I want them to. See? I told you I was a snob. When I ran across HYPERLINK "" \o "My Favorite Dinosaur" My Favorite Dinosaur’s website though, I knew that I would be happy with their shirts because they use Bella brand t’s. If you don’t know much about t-shirt makers, Bella makes soft t-shirts but they also make fitted t-shirts for women so we don’t have to get lost in oversized shapeless shirts.My Favorite Dinosaur Has a Good Selection of Dinosaur T-Shirts HYPERLINK "" While the selection of dinosaurs at My Favorite Dinosaur is not all encompassing, rest assured that it is growing. Currently however, there is a good selection to choose from including: Ankylosaurus, Brontosaurus (yes, we know it’s Apatosaurus now), Dimetrodon (okay, a synapsid rather than a dinosaur but “my favorite synapsid doesn’t quite have that ring to it), Iguanodon, Parasaurolophus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pterodactyl (yes, yes, a “flying reptile” we know), Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor and Albertosaurus. Shirts come in both men’s and women’s fit in addition to a youth, toddler and infant selection.After choosing your favorite from the selection of dinosaur t-shirts you have the option to choose your favorite colored shirt. There is a small swatch for each available color and once selected a large preview of your selection will appear at the top of the page. The color selection is quite considerable and if you can’t find a color to suit you then, quite honestly, you probably struggle with decision making and should just close your eyes and pick one. You also have the option to choose to add customized black text to your shirt design, customized colored text or have no text at all. By default your shirt will come with the dinosaur’s name printed in black underneath the dinosaur design.?My Dinosaur T-Shirts From My Favorite Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" When I purchased my first shirt a couple of the dinosaurs that are available now were not available – including Parasaurolophus. So I chose HYPERLINK "" \o "Triceratops T-shirt" Triceratops because it’s cute and also looks like he’s smiling. I chose the leaf green colored t-shirt and I also accidentally chose the men’s shirt rather than the woman’s. I didn’t realize this until after I received my shirt but it was far too comfortable to give up so I hung on to it for those sweatpants and take-out days at home.I love the quality of my Triceratops t-shirt and the color is perfect. The only wish I have for the one I ordered? I wish I’d opted not to have text underneath the design. But no matter because that’s exactly what I opted for with my second order. HYPERLINK "" You know that once I caught sight of the HYPERLINK "" \o "Parasaurolophus Dinosaur T-Shirt" Parasaurolophus design that I just had to have it. Only this time I got the women’s shirt in heather grey and I opted not to have the text underneath the dinosaur print as is shown above. The softness of this shirt is just as perfect as my first “men’s” shirt only this one is fitted to make me look a little more female and a little less – I never go out or wear makeup and I much prefer to read about dinosaurs than go to parties…even if it’s true, we can’t have people thinking the worst of me now can we?Why You Should Pick Up Dinosaur Shirts from My Favorite DinosaurI try not to push my readers to buy things, I share good finds and leave the final purchase decision up to you, but this is one dinosaur find that you need. You NEED a comfy shirt with your favorite dinosaur on it because you owe it to the other dinosaur geeks out there to share the dinosaur love. Plus, these dinosaur t-shirts ship quickly, are great quality, are really soft, wash well, are well designed, fit well and are affordable at $15 – $16 for adults and $12.50 for infants, toddlers and youth sizes. HYPERLINK "" \o "My Favorite Dinosaur" Check out your favorite Dinosaur T-Shirts nowFeathered Dinosaurs Were More Common Than We Thought Feathered Dinosaurs or Scaled Dinosaurs?Is the widespread concept of dinosaurs as big scaly lizards on its way out? New fossil findings suggest that paleontologists may have to rethink the idea. A recent discovery of an exceptionally well-preserved fossil of a meat-eating dinosaur shows evidence of having a fluffy feathered tail. The creature did not appear to be related to other species of feathered dinosaurs with known feathers and it suggests new possibilities for the proportion of dinosaurs that may have had the downy covering. The specimen was discovered from a limestone quarry in the Bavarian region of Germany and it was determined to be about 150 million years old.Feathered Dinosaurs: A Squirrel-tailed Specimen HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of GloboChannel The fossil is thought to be a hatchling dinosaur because of its small size combined with a head that is disproportionately large for its body. Scientists believe it may have drowned when it died, which would be a plausible explanation for the great preservation of the body. The lead paleontologist in the study, Oliver Rauhut, said of the extraordinary fossil “I was overwhelmed when I first saw it. Even apart from the preservation of the feathers, this is certainly one of the most beautiful dinosaur fossils ever found.” Even the bushy tail of the young dinosaur was depicted. It had primitive fuzzy feathers that were similar to hair. Paleontologists named it Sciurumimus albersdoerfi. “Scirius” is actually the scientific name for tree squirrel, which was obviously inspired by its fluffy tail.Were Feathered Dinosaurs Normal?Oliver Rauhut thinks the discovery of Sciurumimus suggests that paleontologists should take a new view of typical dinosaur coverings. He stated, “Probably all dinosaurs were feathered, and we should say good bye to the familiar image of the overgrown lizards.”Paleontologists had previously only found feathers on dinosaurs from the coelurosauria family, which consists of theropod dinosaurs closely related to birds. But Sciurumimus is considered to be a hatchling, or juvenile megalosaurid, which is not related to coelurosaurs. Megalosaurs were primitive carnivorous theropods that were believed to have more reptilian than bird-like features, such as feathers. Megalosaurs evolved earlier than coelurosaurs, which suggests that coelurosaurs were not the earliest bird-like dinosaurs. This in combination with the fact that megalosaurs and coelurosaurs were not closely related, indicates to paleontologists that feathers were more common among dinosaurs than they had originally thought.The authors of the study on Sciurumimus concluded that the common ancestors of dinosaurs had feathers, but not every paleontologist agreed. Corwin Sullivan, a paleontologist of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing called it more of an “obvious possibility, rather than an obvious conclusion”. It is still a significant discovery, as Dr. Rauhut pointed out, “This new theropod is probably the most significant fossil found on German soil since the discoveries of the original bird Archaeopteryx.” This specimen could mean quite a change in how we view feathered dinosaurs.Free Dinosaur Knitting Pattern A Free Dinosaur Knitting Pattern Is Great For Gift Ideas If you are like most people then money is tight this year and the thought of the holidays looming ever closer is a little worrying. Today’s make a dino Monday project is a good way to get a jump start on an affordable gift for the dinosaur lover in your life. Not only does a free dinosaur knitting pattern eliminate some of the cost of gift giving but it also means that you are making a gift from the heart.This Free Dinosaur Knitting Pattern is From Knitted Dinosaurs by Tina Barrett, published by STC Craft HYPERLINK "" I have to admit that I am a knitter, there is something that not only relaxes me about knitting but also something that inspires me when I can see my progress. That said, I have never tried my hand at anything that is not remotely scarf-shaped. When I saw this HYPERLINK "" \o "Knitted Dinosaurs by Tina Barrett" Knitted Dinosaurs book by Tina Barrett I had to share though because some of you out there may have a little more than scarf shaped talent. Those of you who do, or who are willing to test your knitting ability can try it out with this free PDF pattern from Tina Barrett for her HYPERLINK "" \o "Free Dinosaur Knitting Pattern" knitted Stegosaurus.Why I Won’t Be Trying This Free Dinosaur Knitting Pattern Just YetWhile I love to knit, I simply have not been able to make the time to do so for far too long. This means that not only am I out of practice, but it also means that I have not had the chance to try my luck at non-scarf shaped items. I hope someday to be able to venture in to the realm of three dimensional knitting, but for now I’ll leave that to the more experienced of you out there.If you try this free dinosaur knitting pattern, leave a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment and share your pictures below!Carnotaurus Carnotaurus Was a Cretaceous Period CarnivoreCarnotaurus may not have been as large nor as heavy as Tyrannosaurus Rex, but this carnivore would have made a formidable sight. From it’s bull like horns to it’s quite incredible speed on land Carnotaurus was a force to be reckoned with.Quick FactsNameCarnotaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationCarnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight1.6–2.9?short tons (1.45 tonnes)Length25 feet (7.5 meters)Height9.8 feet (2.98 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 31 mph TerritoryArgentina, South America What Did Carnotaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User retro traveler Carnotaurus was a very strange-looking dinosaur whose thick, bull-like horns eventually led to its name, as “Carnotaurus” means “meat-eating bull.” A large carnivore, Carnotaurus stood about 9.8 feet tall and weighed in at about 1.6–2.9 tons. Incredibly powerful hind legs, as well as a strong, muscular tail, allowed it to reach estimated speeds of up to 31 miles per hour. It’s also conjectured that Carnotaurus had an expandable lower jaw, almost like a snake, that could accommodate larger prey. Just imagine – a?1.6–2.9 ton dinosaur hurtling toward you at high speeds with a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth… it mustn’t’ have been fun to be the target of a Carnotaurus attack.Physical Attributes of CarnotaurusIt’s Carnotaurus’ more unusual physical attributes that set it apart from other dinosaurs of the period. As mentioned above, Carnotaurus sported two thick horns that projected from its skull where you would find eyebrows on a person. The strange thing about these horns, though, is that while they were made of bone (and thus incredibly hard), they were too small to be of much use in combat or predation. It’s thought that these horns may have possibly been used for mating purposes. The skull itself was thick and strong on top and weaker in the region of its slender, expandable jaw. Perhaps also contributing to its name, Carnotaurus had a blunt snout, comparable to a bulldog.But perhaps the strangest thing about Carnotaurus was its arms. These small and stubby appendages were even shorter than the arms of the T-Rex, and appear to be even less functional. Extremely thin, and almost ridiculously tiny, the arms of the Carnotaurus didn’t even bend. It’s as if Carnotaurus’ strange arms ended at the elbow, with four fingers that were just slightly smaller than the forearms, one of which was a spike. Some conjecture that the animal may have eventually lost these front limbs completely as they continued to evolve.Another interesting and distinguishing feature of the Carnotaurus was its eyes. The eyes of the Carnotaurus faced forward, rather than to the sides as most dinosaurs of the time. It’s thought that this characteristic may have given Carnotaurus binocular-like vision.The strange appearance of this dinosaur extends all the way to its skin, where well-preserved impressions found with the fossils tell paleontologists that Carnotaurus’ body was covered in bumpy protrusions, or “tubercles.” These two-inch tubercles became more concentrated near the region of the animal’s spine, and it’s not quite certain what purpose they may have served.What did Carnotaurus eat?It’s likely that Carnotaurus dined upon small and medium-sized herbivores (or plant-eaters). Its delicate but expanding jaw allowed it to swallow large amounts of meat at once. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User StrangeTikiGod Though its horns were too short and delicate to be used as a method of predation, it’s possible that the presence of these horns as a method of mating ritual point to the likelihood that Carnotaurus lived, and possibly even hunted, in groups. Carnotaurus’ long neck allowed it to swing its head, thus stunning prey with powerful blows and somewhat weaker bites. It’s long, muscular, powerful legs allowed it to chase after its prey. What is puzzling about the Carnotaurus is the juxtaposition of its heavy, powerful upper skull with its strange, snub-nosed snout and weak, delicate jaw.How did Carnotaurus move?The presence of a large, muscular tail, combined with the frontal characteristics of the Carnotaurus (large head, small and frail arm structures), suggest that the tail of the animal acted as a means of balance, helping to keep the dinosaur upright while walking and running. Its muscular back legs, combined with the balancing power of its heavy tail, allowed the Carnotaurus to reach incredibly speeds of up to 31 miles per hour. Its speed, combined with the weight and strength of its horned head, would have made Carnotaurus a formidable predator.Where did Carnotaurus live??Setting the StageDuring the Cretaceous period (145.5 to 65.5 million years ago), the world was very different from the way we experience it today. Pangaea, the landmass that was comprised from all of the Earth’s continents, was beginning to drift apart and the Earth itself was beginning to cool down from its tropical and sub-tropical state. By the end of the Cretaceous period, when the Earth experienced the extinction event that brought an end to the dinosaurs, Pangaea had broken into smaller continents and the Earth began to experience the meteorological beginnings of what would become the seasons we know today. The breaking up of Pangaea caused an increase in volcanic activity as tectonic plates pulled apart and slammed together, and many of the mountain ranges that we know today were created during those geological upheavals.In Argentina, where the Carnotaurus lived, the climate would have been warm and dry. The area would have been covered by subtropical forests and open, grassy badlands.History and Discovery of Carnotaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User StrangeTikiGod Only one specimen of the Carnotaurus has been uncovered, and it was found in 1985 by Joseph F. Bonaparte in the La Colonia Formation of Chubut, Argentia. The skeleton was remarkably complete, missing only small portions of the tip of the tail and portions of the lower legs. What excited paleontologists most about the remains of the Carnotaurus were the remarkably detailed skin impressions that represented almost the entire right side of the animal’s body. These impressions allowed scientists to study the strange tubercles that covered the body of the Carnotaurus, and led them to the conclusion that Carnotaurus was not covered in feathers, as many dinosaurs were.Significance of Carnotaurus in HistoryBecause this is the only Carnotaurus fossil to have yet been discovered, Bonaparte’s contribution to paleontology brought a new species to light. The fossilized remains of the Carnotaurus are one of the most complete specimens discovered to date. The fact that the skeleton was almost entirely intact, along with the discovery of such detailed fossilized skin impressions was a remarkable discovery that has allowed scientists to glean deep insights into the life of the dinosaur itself.Additionally, the Carnotaurus and other dinosaurs in its family (Abelisauridae) have helped to prove the theory of plate tectonics and continental drift. As mentioned above, the world’s continents began as one large landmass, known today as Pangaea, which then broke into the continents that we know today. Dinosaurs of the family Abelisauridae, which have now been found in Madagascar, Argentina, and India, help to demonstrate that these animals were once located in the same vicinity (when the continents were one landmass) and then evolved separately as they became isolated from on another (as the continents drifted apart over time).The Importance of CarnotaurusSo, in a very real way, the strange-looking Carnotaurus holds a special significance in history. As one of the most well-preserved specimens we have to date, Carnotaurus provides a unique opportunity for study, and as the only fossil of its kind, it has brought to light a new species of dinosaur that may have otherwise gone undiscovered.How Big Was Troodon? Troodon goes down in record as potentially being the smartest dinosaur to walk the Earth. This Cretaceous period Theropod was a late Cretaceous marvel and paleontologists believe that this bipedal carnivore was a nocturnal hunter. Researchers suggest that this lightweight Maniraptora was built for speed and its long fingers were likely used to catch and hold small prey items. Let’s take a look at the numbers on Troodon.The Numbers On Troodon! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut Troodon LengthThe approximated length of Troodon is around 7.9 feet long.7.9 feet is equal to:The length of a Pliosaur skull.The length of an Atlantic bottle nose dolphin.Approximately the length of a newborn orca.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 114 nickels.Troodon WeightEstimates of Troodon’s weight fall at around 110 pounds.110 lbs is equal to:The weight of a fully grown female Rottweiler.The same weight as a small great Dane.The weight of an average adult Newfoundland.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 88,000 average goose feathers.Troodon HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Troodon at around 3 feet tall at the hips and around 6 feet in total. There are questions however, as to whether these numbers are accurate.6 feet is equal to:The height of a newborn baby giraffe.The height of the average room divider.The height of a small ostrich.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 1180 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Troodon was by far the most intelligent of all dinosaur species according to current research data, you wouldn’t want to play hide and seek with this carnivore!Therizinosaurus Therizinosaurus was a Large Maniraptoran Theropod with Huge ClawsTherizinosaurus was an advanced herbivorous maniraptoran theropod, originally thought to be a strange sauropod, with a mix of both sauropod and theropod characteristics. These characteristics along with its large claws makes it rather unique and much of an oddity. The name Therizinosaurus, (pronounced Ther-uh-Zeen-oh-Sawr-us) comes from the Ancient Greek language and means scythe lizard or reaping lizard.Therizinosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period 70 million years ago and was one of the largest and also the last of its family group, Therizinosauria.? One of the most unique looking beasts of prehistoric times, Therizinosaurus has given its name to a whole family of rather bizarre dinosaurs, the therizinosaurs which were previously known as segnosaur.Quick FactsNameTherizinosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight5.5 short tons (4.99 tonnes)Length33 feet (10 meters)Height9.8 feet (2.98 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 17 mph TerritoryGobi Desert, Southern Mongolia What Did Therizinosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User AKMA Palaeontologists don’t know for sure what this dinosaur looked like having recovered few remains for it but, based on other members of the Therizinosauria family it is thought that Therizinosaurus had a small head with beaked skull on a long neck. It is most likely that Therizinosaurus stood upright on two large muscular hind legs having four toes on each bird-like structured foot to bear the weight of its body. Therizinosaurus had a heavy and broad body with a pot belly and a short tail.It is a known fact that Therizinosaurus had long arms measuring 8.2 feet long with a gigantic claw on each of its three-fingers which could measure up to 3.3 feet in length. These claws, including horn sheath, were approximately the length of a humans arm.Since the discovery of its close relative Beipiaosaurus which showed protofeathers (precursors of bird feathers) in its fossils it is thought that Therizinosaurus may have been feathered too – though no evidence of this has yet been found.It has been estimated by paleontologist Gregory Paul that the maximum size of Therizinosaurus would have been 33 feet in length with a height of roughly 9.8 feet weighing 5.5 tons making Therizinosaurus the largest of the Therizinosaurs as well as Maniraptorans.Physical Attributes of Therizinosaurus – The ClawsIts distinctive giant claws are the longest known from any animal in history and must have made a fearsome sight. Relatively straight, the narrow and transversely flattened, the claws gradually tapered into a point at the end. It is not known exactly what these claws were used for or why they were so long, though it is thought they could have been used to fend off predators such as the 39 foot long Tarbosaurus as well as perhaps during intra-specific battle when males would fight for territory during the mating season as well as to show reproductive maturity via the largest claw.Recently it has been said that Therizinosaurus was a gentle-giant rather like the modern day Panda and that it would have used its claws simply to assist in feeding. Using the claws to pull down branches and to strip bark off of trees. Some palaeontologists think that Therizinosaurus also used its claws to climb trees to collect fruit and leaves much like the modern day sloth – although though it would have been far too heavy to reach any great height. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Scott Hartman What did Therizinosaurus Eat?It’s unknown what Therizinosaurus ate since no skull and teeth have been discovered to date, however it is thought that this dinosaur was not a carnivore and like other Therizinosauria it was primarily a herbivore.Some palaeontologists have speculated that Therizinosaurus could have ripped open giant termite nests with its giant claws making it an insectivore, but it seems unlikely that a dinosaur the size of Therizinosaurus would have been able to live off of a diet of insects alone.Other members of Therizinosauria had leaf shaped teeth with some palaeontologists believing they had beaks used for either stripping vegetation from branches or snapping twigs and branches. The large claws and long arms would have been used to pull the branches down to its beak or to strip bark off of trees as previously mentioned.How did Therizinosaurus Move?It is believed by palaeontologists that Therizinosaurus was bipedal, walking upright on its two back legs. However due to the strange shape of its body and large pot belly (most common in quadrupedal sauropods) some people think that Therizinosaurus switched between bipedal and quadrupedal movement, but this would have been problematic due to the large claws on its forelimbs.It is not known if it was possible for Therizinosaurus to run or at what speed, though it is thought Therizinosaurus must have been a slow-moving dinosaur due to its large claws. In the same way that humans shouldn’t run with scissors it’s thought that Therizinosaurus wouldn’t have run with its claws as one trip would have resulted in a fatal accident.Where did Therizinosaurus Live?70 million years ago Therizinosaurus lived in the forests of Asia in what is now the Gobi Desert in Southern Mongolia. This area during the Cretaceous period had contrasting conditions, the forest areas would have been warm and wet though much of the total area would have still been desert or at the very least a very dry habitat with sub-tropical tendencies.The Discovery of Therizinosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi Few fossils have been found for Therizinosaurus meaning little is known about this dinosaur and as such it has caused much confusion to paleontologists for several years. Only the gigantic hand claws and parts of the pelvis, forelimbs and hind-limbs have been discovered so far. Without skull remains palaeontologists are left with a lot of unanswered questions and have had to base much of Therizinosaurus physical characteristics on related Therizinosauria and similarly sized dinosaurs contemporaries.Therizinosaurus fossils were first discovered in 1948 in the Nemegt Formation of the Gobi desert in Mongolia. 3 giant sickle-like claws were discovered by palaeontologists on a joint Soviet-Mongolian fossil expedition. Because of the shape of the claws, similar to those in some turtles and because the claws were found with large, flat bones, palaeontologists originally thought that this was some sort of turtle-like creature. For this reason it was given the species name of T. cheloniformis meaning “turtle-formed” by Evgeny Maleev, a Russian paleontologist, in 1954.It wasn’t until a few years later after part of a huge forearm was discovered (originally attributed as belonging to Deinocheirus) that it was realized that this was no ancient turtle but a theropod dinosaur, one of the strangest to have ever lived.Subsequent finds in the 1990’s of related species; Alxasaurus and Beipiaosaurus have helped to clarify the position of the Therizinosauria as a whole. New research shows that though this dinosaur was once thought to have been a vicious carnivore it was actually a rather docile creature – something atypical of large carnivorous dinosaurs.The Importance of TherizinosaurusTherizinosaurus is a unique discovery as an herbivorous maniraptoran theropod with unique long claws. Despite palaeontologists not knowing the exact reason why this dinosaur had such long claws, it is known that they would have evolved for a reason whether that be for foraging or defense helping palaeontologists to understand the evolution of dinosaurs.Currently Therizinosaurus is a rather elusive dinosaur, but it is hoped that in the future remains of a more complete Therizinosaurus skeleton will be found. This will enable paleontologists to piece together what Therizinosaurus really looked like and its true place within dinosaur society.The Newest in Dinosaur Backpacks The Newest in Dinosaur Backpacks: MadPax Spiketus Rex HYPERLINK "" MadPax is the big name in luggage, backpacks and lunch bags these days and if you’re looking for dinosaur backpacks then you’re going to be impressed with the MadPax Luggage Spiketus Rex Fullpack Bag. With one large center cavity and two smaller side pockets this is the perfect bookbag for everyday school use…although whether schools will actually let your child through the door with a spiky backpack on is another matter. You really can’t blame them though, it seems that everything is going to hell in a hand basket these days and given the choice I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t want a kid in a dinosaur backpack sending me there early.The Pros of Dinosaur Backpacks from MadPax HYPERLINK "" There seem to be a couple of dinosaur themed bags from Madpax and I have found a few “pros” to them.The dinosaur spikes are cool and there is no denying it.The range of colors include: lime, aqua, black, orange pink and purple – although they all have really nifty names like “orange peel.”They make the perfect gift for dinosaur lovers.These dinosaur backpacks are trendy enough for older kids to style them as well.Padded shoulders and center strap make this a comfortable pack to wear.The Cons of Dinosaur Backpacks from MadPaxUnfortunately, I have a few cons with these dinosaur backpacks from Madpax as well.?These packs are quite pricey and tend to average at around $50 for the full sized Spiketus Rex Fullpack Bag.The MadPax backpacks are made from PVC which can tear easily with rough wear although very few poor reviews exist on the durability of the product to date.The popularity of MadPax is skyrocketing making them quite difficult to find locally and they tend to sell out online quickly.My Final Thoughts on the MadPax Dinosaur BackpacksI really like the unique style to the MadPax Luggage Spiketus Rex Fullpack Bag and as a novelty type of gift I would consider it if it had a lower price point just because I’m a dinosaur nerd. Perhaps if I had a child I’d contemplate purchasing this backpack at its full price but I wouldn’t be doing it for any other reason but for the novelty factor. I’m not really familiar with the MadPax brand which would make me a little nervous as far as the durability of the pack – particularly when dropping $50. For the time being, at least until the price on these dinosaur backpacks drops, I’ll stick with my Oakley backpack for travel. HYPERLINK "" \o "Madpax Dinosaur Backpacks" Take a look at the MadPax dinosaur backpacks range on AmazonPaleontologists Take A Look At Dinosaur Arthritis Dinosaur Arthritis Existed 150 Million Years Ago HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User gvgoebel Palaeontologists from Bristol University, England have discovered that a degenerative condition similar to human arthritis existed 150 million years ago when the dinosaurs roamed the earth.Giant Marine Reptile Jaw Bone DiscoveredA fossilized jaw bone from a giant Pliosaurus dating back to the Upper Jurassic period was discovered in Westbury, Wiltshire in England. Research recently published in the International Palaeontological Journal shows just how this ancient reptile was affected by the chronic arthritis like disease.Pliosaurus was a strange looking ancient sea reptile that lived 150 million years ago. It measured eight meters long and had a large crocodile-like head on a whale-like body with a short neck, four powerful flippers and a huge jaw which held 8 inch long teeth.These giant marine predators, which would have lived in the seas in what is now recognized as England and mainland Europe (Kimmeridge Clay Formation), were at the top of the food chain. Though able to rip most other reptiles and dinosaurs living at the time to pieces with their sharp teeth, it is thought they would have mostly eaten fish, squid and other marine reptiles that they would scavenge.Dinosaur Arthritis Deduced From Marine Reptile BoneDr Judyth Sassoon of Bristol University, England first saw the Pliosaurus specimen at the City Museum and Art Gallery of Bristol and was fascinated by it. She, along with her team of researchers, studied the fossilized skeleton in depth and noticed that it showed signs of a condition similar to arthritis in humans through its eroded left jaw joint which had displaced the lower jaw to one side.Old Lady Pliosaurus had “Dinosaur Arthritis”It is thought that this Pliosaurus specimen was an ‘old lady’ who developed the arthritis-like disease due to old age just as humans do. The large size of the fossilized skeleton with fused bones suggests maturity in this ancient marine reptile whilst the deduction of it being female is due to its skull crest being quite low.Marks on the bone of the lower jaw where the upper jaw would have impacted when the Pliosaurus ate, show that this creature suffered with the chronic condition for many years but was able to carry on eating and living, in the same way that humans can live with the painful condition.An Arthritic Jaw Eventually Killed this PliosaurusPalaeontologists can see that an unhealed fracture on the jaw indicates that the arthritic-like jaw would have eventually weakened and then broken and prevented the Pliosaurus from eating, leading to her death.Modern Day Animals With “Dinosaur Arthritis”It is known that modern-day crocodiles and sperm whales suffer with a similar condition to this “dinosaur arthritis” in the same way but are able to carry on living for years so long as they are able to carry on feeding just like the Pliosaurus did.The Significance of This DiscoveryThis discovery is the first time that an arthritis-like disease has been discovered in Jurassic reptiles, though palaeontologists have discovered two fossils that show arthritis in the ankle joints of Iguandon – A 9 meter long and 5 meter tall Ornithopod that lived during the early Cretaceous period.No Evidence of Arthritis in Theropods or SauropodsThough the condition has been found in one Pliosaur and two individual Iguandon specimens, so far palaeontologists have not seen signs of this “dinosaur arthritis” in theropods, sauropods, ankylosaurs, hadrosaurs or stegosaurs.Ten of My Favorite Dinosaur Comics There Are Plenty of Funny Dinosaur ComicsOne of my favorite followers HYPERLINK "" \o "Jon Tennant AKA Protohedgehog" Jon Tennant recently?commented on the plethora of dinosaur comics that I post to my Facebook and Twitter accounts daily. So today I thought I would share with you ten of my all time favorite dinosaur comics…just keep in mind that if you follow my social networks closely then you have likely seen them all before!My 10 Favorite Dinosaur Comics HYPERLINK "" #1 – I Love You This Much HYPERLINK "" #2 – If My Childhood Plans Panned Out HYPERLINK "" #3 – How About That – a Carnivore and an Herbivore Best Friends! HYPERLINK "" #4 – How the Dinosaurs Missed Noah’s Ark HYPERLINK "" #5 – Superhero Rex HYPERLINK "" #6 – Unexpected Side Effects of Time Travel HYPERLINK "" #7 – How Dinosaur Fights Really Happened! HYPERLINK "" #8 – What if Dinosaurs Had Had Twitter? HYPERLINK "" #9 – Kittens Versus Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" #10 – Poorly Drawn DinosaursYour Favorite Dinosaur ComicsThere are so many great comics out there and I am always looking for new ones to share with my readers and social network followers. What is your favorite dinosaur comic? Drop a link in a comment below and share your favorite dinosaur comics and spread the word!Triceratops Triceratops was a Late Ceratopsid DinosaurA ceratopsid (horned) dinosaur, Triceratops lived during the late Cretaceous Period about 65 million years ago, in what is now known as North America. Meaning “three-horned face” when translated from the Greek language, Triceratops (pronounced Try-serra-tops) was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs to live before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction.Triceratops is one of the most recognizable of all dinosaur species and is the best known ceratopsid. This was also the most numerous of all the horned dinosaurs as well the largest, though it is now widely agreed upon that Triceratops was only a juvenile; its contemporary Torosaurus being the adult version of this horned herbivore.Quick FactsNameTriceratopsPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderCeratopsiaWeight7 short tons (6.3 tonnes)Length26 feet (7.9 meters)Height9.5 feet (2.9 meters) Maximum Speed20 mph TerritoryNorth America What did Triceratops Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mulf Similar in looks to a modern day rhinoceros Triceratops had a large sturdy body and was covered in a thick bumpy hide with a short pointed tail. This Ceratopsidae stood on four muscular yet short legs and had four “toed” hoofed feet and three “fingered” hoofed hands.Triceratops measured approximately 26 – 29 feet in length and stood at a height of 9.5 feet weighing around 7 tons. Triceratops had a large distinctive head which was adorned with a horn on its snout just above the nostrils and a pair of long double-re-curved horns on its head, one above each eye. These horns could have measured about 3 feet long. Triceratops had a long but relatively short (in height) bony plate growing out from the back of its skull, this neck frill was made from bone and spanned almost 7 feet.Physical Attributes of Triceratops A dinosaur of intermediate intelligence, Triceratops had a distinctively large skull measuring up to 8 feet in length meaning it comprised almost a third of the length of the animal.Triceratops had between 432-800 sharp teeth in its cheeks and had particularly powerful jaws, though only a fraction of these teeth were in use at any one time. Its teeth were arranged in groups called batteries with 36-40 teeth columns on each side of the jaw with 3-5 stacked teeth per column. The stacked teeth in these columns were constantly moving up to replace the older teeth above.The Function of Triceratops Horns and Frills HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Mr. T in DC The function of Triceratops frills and horns has long been debated over. Originally it was thought that they were used as defensive weapons in combat against each other as well as against predators such as T. Rex. Evidence exists that Triceratops and T. Rex did have aggressive head-on encounters.More recently, with the realization that blood vessels were present in the skull bones of these ceratopsids, it is thought that Triceratops adornments were used mostly in visual sexual and dominance displays. This is similar to the way that modern day deer use their horns. Evidence suggests that visual display was important to Triceratops, whether in courtship or other social circumstances such as for identification. This can be seen by the fact that horned dinosaurs have different adornments making each family distinctive. The frills and horns developed at an early age in Triceratops, pre-dating sexual development, so the theory that their adornments were important for visual communication and in recognizing different species is backed up.When Triceratops was first discovered it was thought that perhaps the frills served as anchor points for the jaw muscles to aid in chewing but this theory has been discredited. Further studies did not find evidence of large muscle attachments on the frill bones, however some palaeontologists do think that the frill may have helped to regulate the body temperature in the same way that a modern day African elephant uses its ears in thermo-regulation.Perhaps Triceratops frill and horns were used in each of these different ways and that they didn’t have just a single function but until more evidence is found palaeontologists will continue their debate.What did Triceratops Eat?Triceratops was a herbivore and would have eaten large amounts of fibrous plant material though palaeontologists aren’t sure of the exact plant matter it ate. Because of its low head, it is thought that its primary food source would have been low-growing plants – though Triceratops may have been able to knock down taller plants with the strength of its body along with its horns. This evidence points towards the fact that Triceratops would have eaten ferns or palms and cycads.Triceratops had a narrow beak similar to modern day parrots. It is thought by palaeontologists that this beak would have been used for grasping and plucking at the vegetation and its teeth would have been used to shred and grind the plants.How did Triceratops Move?Triceratops was quadrupedal, meaning it walked on four legs. Though this dinosaur had great strength and power it lacked speed with palaeontologist estimating a top speed of 20 miles per hour for Triceratops.Triceratops’ posture is, again, debated by palaeontologists. At first it was thought that Triceratops front legs would have been sprawled out slightly at angles to bear the weight of its large head. But evidence in the form of track-ways and recent reconstructions of skeletons show that Triceratops (along with other ceratopsids,) moved with the elbows flexed and slightly bowed outwards just like the modern day rhinoceros.Triceratops had primitive “hand” and forearm structures and walked with its fingers pointing out and away from the body, the weight of the body carried on just the first three fingers of each hand with the remaining two fingers being vestigial and lacking claws or hooves meaning they had become functionless in the course of evolution.Where did Triceratops Live?Triceratops lived in what is today recognized as North America ranging from the Western United States (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming) up into Western Canada (Alberta and Saskatchewan).It is thought that Triceratops lived in herds, a theory which is supported by the discovery of bone beds where large deposits of bones from many individual Triceratops were found in one area.Contemporaries of Triceratops include: Dryptosaurus, Corythosaurus, Ankylosaurus and Triceratops’ main predator the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex.The Discovery of Triceratops HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User d4vidbruce There are two valid species of Triceratops, T-horridus and T-prorsus though many other species have been named but are now thought to be male/female variants.Triceratops was first discovered in Denver, Colorado in 1887 from a fossil of? two brow horns attached to the roof skull. However this fossil was originally identified as coming from an extinct species of buffalo (Bison alticornis). It wasn’t until 1888 with the discovery of a Triceratops skull, discovered by John Bell Hatcher, that the original fossil was realized to be from a horned-dinosaur and not buffalo. In 1889 the first genus (T. horridus, named from Latin meaning rough for the roughened texture of the bones) was described, documented and named by Othniel Marsh.Many remains of Triceratops, including one partially complete skeleton have been recovered with specimens ranging from hatchlings to adults. Triceratops skeleton fossils are a very rare occurrence, though Triceratops skulls in fossil form are very common due to them being sturdy enough to survive over time. In just one decade (2000-2010) 47 complete or partial skulls were discovered in the Hell Creek Formation.The Importance of TriceratopsThrough palaeontologist’s continued work it is now believed that Triceratops was a juvenile dinosaur and that the mature version, once thought a different genus, is Torosaurus. With more evidence and palaeontologists re-examining evidence, re-classification and correcting mis-identification is possible helping us to find out more about the true evolution of these extinct creatures.Triceratops is also vitally important since in phylogenetic taxonomy the genus Triceratops has been used as a reference point in the definition of Dinosauria. Also the order Ornithiscia (bird-hipped dinosaurs), to which Triceratops belongs,? has been designated to mean all dinosaurs with a more recent common ancestor to Triceratops than modern birds.Dinosaur Toy List See What Toys Made the Top Dinosaur Toy ListThe holidays are just around the corner – seriously, have you seen the Christmas displays going up already? Well they’re going up right and left here and that means that it’s the right time to start thinking about gift ideas for that special someone. As a dinosaur lover, many of my friends are dinosaur nerds too and that means that they get just as much enjoyment out of geeky dinosaur toys as I Dinosaur Toy List for 2012 HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Pillow Pet" dinosaur pillow pet retails for $23.95 and is still one of the best selling dinosaur toys out there among young dinosaur lovers. Whether it’s used as a pillow or as a pet, this green triceratops is sure to make any dino lovers Christmas. Even Snorasaurus loves Pillow Pets! HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight plush" How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? plush retails for $16.99 and is a great companion to the hit children’s book HYPERLINK "" \o "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight Book by Jane Yolen" “How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen. Add this to your dinosaur lover’s Christmas list along with the companion book and encourage reading! HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Pteranodon dinosaur costume wings" pteranodon dinosaur costume wings retail for $16.22 and are a great addition to any young paleontologists wish list this year. These cute wings come with handles to hang on to and are sure to bring hours of active playtime. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton Casting Kit" Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton casting kit retails for $11.43 and is a good interactive addition for the young scientist to be or general dinosaur lover. This Dinoworks project lets users cast, paint, assemble and display a 19″ Tyrannosaurus Rex. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur stocking stuffer" Jumbo Growing Dinosaur Egg retails for $5.95 and is one of my favorite stocking stuffers for Christmas. I admit that the gelatinous dinosaur that finally breaks out of the egg is a little strange but the process of growing the dinosaur until it breaks out of the egg is definitely worth it! HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur paint and play set" dinosaur paint and play set retails for $12.99 and makes the perfect gift for any creative dinosaur lover. Part of the fun in studying dinosaurs is imagining the coloration of their skin…or feathers! This play set allows that creativity to flow! HYPERLINK "" This HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur foam hat" dinosaur foam hat retails for $10.99 and is a must have for any crazy dinosaur lover. Whether you’re looking to keep your five year old entertained on a rainy day or whether you’re looking to scare your co-workers at the office, this is an awesome way to do it! HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Dino House" Dino House retails for $20.05 and is a perfect gift for the plush dinosaur lovers out there. This plush dino house looks like a giant green egg and houses five cute 6 inch dinosaur plush toys filled with beans. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Gund Tristen T-Rex" Gund Tristen T-Rex retails for $19.99 and is a friendly and cute Tyrannosaurus Rex plush that stands 14 inches tall. This is one of my all time favorite features on the dinosaur toy list. Made from soft corduroy this soft green dino is the perfect sleeping companion for young dinosaur lovers or a great desk toy for those of us who are a little old to justify playing with plush toys!Your Recommendations for the Dinosaur Toy ListWhat recommendations do you have? Leave a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment and share your favorites that didn’t make today’s dinosaur toy list!Lighter Dinosaurs Make News Lighter Dinosaurs Could Have Been 75% Lighter HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Lehigh Valley, PA A team of international scientists have discovered that dinosaurs were actually much lighter in weight that previously though. Some of which weighed less than half of what was first estimated.Lighter Dinosaurs Calculated with Laser TechnologyBiologists at the University of Manchester in England together with U.S scientists have developed a new technique and mathematical formula to accurately measure the weight and size of dinosaurs by using laser technology to calculate their body mass.Through this new method it has been discovered that the giant Brachiosaurus, which lived in the late Jurassic period about 200 million years ago and was originally estimated to weigh up to 80 tons, would have actually only have weighed 23 tons making it 75% lighter than previously thought.Lighter Dinosaurs Discovery Was Surprisingly DifficultLead author Dr Bill Sellers who is based in Manchester’s Faculty of Life Science said that finding out about the lighter dinosaurs weight and body mass was was surprisingly difficult yet it was one of the most important things that palaeontologists needed to know.In the past palaeontologists didn’t have the technology that is available today so the way dinosaurs were depicted and described (as slow lumbering giant lizards) was very much subjective and the weights of each dinosaur was grossly overestimated.Previous Methods of Dinosaur DepictionOne previous method of measuring dinosaur mass was based on artistic interpretation – A reconstructed sculpture of the dinosaur would have been made and then dipped into water to measure the volume. Then the volume would have been multiplied by the density resulting in the mass. However the problem with this method was the artist’s reconstruction, which would vary slightly in form from person-to-person making it rather inaccurate so it was decided to try and find a new method of calculation that wasn’t based on estimating soft tissues.Lighter Dinosaurs: Animals Have 21% More Body Mass than ExpectedDr Bill Sellers study, which was published in the journal Biology Letters, explained how the biologists used 14 modern-day mammal skeletons (the mammal being the closest model to the dinosaur, similar in the way that they stand and move) to measure the minimum amount of skin needed to cover a skeleton through laser scanning each one. From this investigation they discovered that reindeer, giraffes, elephants as well as polar bears had almost exactly 21% more body mass than the minimum skeletal skin and bone wrap volume required.When they applied this technique to a Brachiosaur (Giraffatitan brancai) skeleton in the Berlin museum of Natural History, Germany, by calculating the skin and bone wrapping volume and then adding 21%? it was discovered that this equates to this dinosaur having weighed 23 tons when alive supporting the view that these prehistoric animals were much lighter than previously thought.The Importance of the Lighter Dinosaurs DiscoveryThis new technique can now be applied to other dinosaurs as well as other extinct animals where there is? a whole skeleton to analyze. This allows palaeontologists to get a better understanding of the extinct creatures that once roamed our land and to get a more accurate reading of their weight.Though not all dinosaurs are expected to weigh as much as 75% less they are going to be lighter than in previous estimates, meaning the traditionally portrayed dinosaurs, ferocious in looks and a gigantic heavy lumbering beast with thundering footsteps will need to be updated to portray much lighter dinosaurs.Build a Dinosaur Build a Dinosaur with ScholasticIt’s Monday and that means it’s time for make a dino Monday. Today I have a pretty nifty little site to share with you although the more “professional” of you might not be as easily impressed. If however, you are a kid at heart then you’ll get a few minutes of fun out of this Build a Dinosaur online application.My Build a Dinosaur Creation HYPERLINK "" I call it the Amysaurus. Using the HYPERLINK "" \o "Build a Dinosaur Application by Scholastic" Scholastic “Build a Dinosaur” application, creating this weird and wonderful Frankenstein of dinosaurs was easy and pretty entertaining. While the facts available through the online application are pretty limited and the dinosaur “parts” are from only a handful of species, it’s still fun to see just what you can come up with.Building Your Own CreationUsing the online building tool, you can select a body, limbs, head and tail of a few different dinosaur species. Among the species you can choose from are Iguanodon, Corythosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Apatosaurus, Triceratops and Stegosaurus.What Is My Build a Dinosaur Creation?My Amysaurus is made up of various dinosaur pieces. The body is that of the Ankylosaurus, slow but well armored to keep away those predators. The tail is the whip-like tail of the Apatosaurus to ensure predators keep their distance. Although I’m not exactly sure that this dinosaur creation could more at any more than a snail’s pace with a body this heavy and out of proportion! The limbs are those of Corythosaurus to give a speed advantage…although I’m pretty sure they’d snap under the weight of Ankylosaurus’ body. The head is that of Iguanodon. There really is no reasoning behind the Iguanodon head other than it looked cute and I didn’t want to replicate dinosaur pieces. More sensibly I would have opted for an Ankylosaurus skull or a Triceratops skull…but who said the Build a Dinosaur application had to be sensible?Pachycephalosaurus Pachycephalosaurus is a Rare Ornithiscian HerbivoreAn ornithischian dinosaur, Pachycephalosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period about 65 million years ago. It was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs living on earth before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. Known as the bone-headed, or dome-headed, dinosaur this is the largest dinosaur of the Pachycephalosaria family to date and is the most famous, even though very few fossils have been discovered for it.Pachycephalosaurus (pronounced? PACK-ee-seff-ah-low-SORE-uss ) translates as “thick headed lizard” from the Greek language and has given its name to an entire breed of “bone head dinosaurs” known as Pachycephalosauria which includes Stegoceras and Wannanosaurus as well as Dracorex and Stygimoloch.Quick FactsNamePachycephalosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivore / OmnivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderMarginocephaliaWeight2 short tons (1.8 tonnes)Length18 feet (5.5 meters)Height10 feet (3.1 meters) Maximum SpeedUnknown TerritoryWestern North America What did Pachycephalosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User EJP Photo It’s difficult for palaeontologists to know for sure what Pachycephalosaurus looked like as no skeletal remains have been found apart from skull pieces, so they have had to base all of their estimates on these few pieces. It is known that Pachycephalosaurus had a short skull with a large distinctive dome-shaped head and large eyes that faced forward suggesting good eyesight with binocular vision.It is thought that Pachycephalosaurus was a medium sized dinosaur with a bulky body and that it walked on two long hind legs, measuring roughly 18 feet long and was just over 10 feet tall with a weight of around 4,000 pounds.Pachycephalosaurus had a narrow face with a small muzzle which ended in a pointed beak. It also had a dome-shaped head which was very thick, measuring more than 9 inches thick which, along with the snout, was covered by bumps and wart-like knobs with a fringe of dull spikes measuring 5 inches tall.It is thought that Pachycephalosaurus would have been similar to other ornithopods having short forelimbs with five-fingered hands and three-toed feet. Additionally it would likely have had a long heavy and rigid tail and a fairly short yet thick neck which it would have held in an “S” or “U” shaped curve.Physical Attributes of Pachycephalosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User happy via Though it had a large head Pachycephalosaurus had a small brain giving it rather low intelligence compared with other dinosaurs from the same time, though it is thought it had a good sense of smell.Palaeontologists once thought that male Pachycephalosaur rammed each other with the top of their thick skulls, in battles over dominance as modern day rams and goats do with their horns. However it is now thought that ramming each other in this way would have resulted in a broken neck killing the dinosaur as its neck wouldn’t have been strong enough to survive such collisions. Additionally, the thick skull that was once thought to be rigid and solid has now been discovered to be porous and fragile when put under extreme pressure.Instead of head-butting it is now thought that these herding dinosaur’s used their thick skull to show who was the dominant male and also perhaps to flank-butt a rival in intrasectoral combat.? In this theory a Pachycephalosaurus may have stood parallel to or faced its rival in an attempt to intimidate it. If this failed, Pachycephalosaurus would have bent its head downwards and charged, striking the rival on its flank.What did Pachycephalosaurus Eat? This dinosaur was most likely a herbivore that lived off of a diet of low-growing berries, seeds, leaves and other soft plant vegetation as well as perhaps insects. Because of its very small yet sharp serrated teeth it is thought Pachycephalosaurus would have been able to shred plant matter effectively, yet wouldn’t have been able to easily chew tough fibrous plants. It is unlikely that this dinosaur was a meat-eater although it’s possible that Pachycephalosaurus could have been an omnivore, eating both plants and meat. Until more evidence of this species is found however, it is assumed that this dinosaur was most likely herbivorous.How did Pachycephalosaurus Move? It is thought that Pachycephalosaurus would have been a rather slow dinosaur but because of the lack of skeletal remains it’s difficult to know exactly how Pachycephalosaurus would have walked and run. Palaeontologists believe that this was a bipedal dinosaur, meaning it walked on its two back legs, but instead of walking upright it likely held its back level to the ground.Where did Pachycephalosaurus Live? Thought to have lived in small groups, Pachycephalosaurus would have lived in coastal and upland regions in what is now the Western U.S.A around the states of modern-day Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. All of the fossils of this dinosaur to date have been recovered from the Lance Formation and Hell Creek Formation.Pachycephalosaurus co-existed alongside what were perhaps juvenile Pachycephalosaurus; Dracorex and Stygimoloch. Other dinosaurs around at this time and in the same location would have included Triceratops, Ankylosaurus and Thescelosaurus as well as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Albertosaurus which would have preyed on Pachycephalosaurus.The Discovery of Pachycephalosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi A skull and several thick skull roof fragments have been discovered so far for Pachycephalosaurus with remains excavated in the Western U.S states of Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. No skeletons have been discovered so the anatomy of this dinosaur is relatively unknown and palaeontologists have to rely on estimates based on the skull remains and similar dinosaurs of the same time period.P. wyomingenis is the type species name of Pachycephalosaurus and is the only known and valid species today. The previous species of P. grangeri and P. reinheimeri have been considered specimens of P. wyomingensis since 1983.The species was named in 1931 by Charles Gilmore though was originally assigned to the family Troodontidae (T. wyomingensis). It wasn’t until 1943 that it was assigned to the Pachycephalosaurids family after newer and more complete material was established.Fossils attributable to Pachycephalosaurus (originally thought to have been, and called, Tylosteus) were found during the late 1850’s when Ferdinand Vandiveer Haydon collected a bone fragment near the head of the Missouri River, an area which today is known as the Lance Formation in South-East Montana. In 1938 William Winkley also discovered Pachycephalosaurus remains on his family ranch in Montana.The first remains found of Pachycephalosaurus in the 1800’s were described by Joseph Leidy over 20 years later in 1872 as “belonging to the dermal armor of a reptile or an armadillo-like animal.” It’s actual nature was not found until a century later when Donald Baird restudied the piece and identified it as a bone known as a squamosal, belonging to Pachycephalosaurus,? from the back of the skull.However in 2006 Robert Sullivan suggested that the squamosal is more similar to the bone of Dracorex than Pachycephalosaurus. It has since been proposed that Dracorex represents a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus.Pachycephalosaurus remains have so far only been found in the Western United States though other Pachycephalosaur remains have been found as far afield as Mongolia, Madagascar and the Isle of Wight in the UK as well as in Canada. This suggests that this family of dinosaurs roamed far and wide during the Cretaceous period.?The Importance of Pachycephalosaurus?Pachycephalosaurus is important because it was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs to have existed. Though little is known for sure about the species of P. wyomingensis due to a lack of skeletal remains, Palaeontologists have been able to see how this sub-family of dinosaur evolved. Additionally through study of similar remains being found from the U.S.A and Canada to as far away as Mongolia, researchers can estimate the range of unique species similar to Pachycephalosaurus.How Big Was Argentinosaurus? The great Titanosaur, Argentinosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period on what was then an island that we now recognize as the continent of South America. With minimal fossilized remains of this great herbivore discovered to date, much of what researchers understand about this great beast comes from similarly constructed sauropods. Some researchers hypothesize that despite it’s great size, Argentinosaurus would still have had to battle with one of the biggest carnivores of the period – Giganotosaurus. We’ve already taken a look at HYPERLINK "" \o "How Big was Giganotosaurus" how large Giganotosaurus was so let’s take a look at the numbers on Argentinosaurus!The Numbers On Argentinosaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Capt Kodak Argentinosaurus LengthThe approximated length of Argentinosaurus is around 120 feet long.120 feet is equal to:The length of a standard tennis court.The length of the length of eight large newborn North Atlantic right whales.Approximately 35 feet longer than a fully grown blue whale.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 1,725 nickels.Argentinosaurus WeightEstimates of Argentinosaurus’ weight fall at around 80 to 110 short tons or somewhere around 200,000 pounds.200,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of the average sized fully grown blue whale.The same weight as 22.5 fully grown large Indian rhinoceros.The weight of 45 large giraffes.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 160,000,000 average goose feathers.Argentinosaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Argentinosaurus at around 70 feet tall in total and around 15 feet tall at the hips with taller shoulders.70 feet is equal to:The height of 10 Bactrian camels.The height of 7 African elephants.The maximum height of an American persimmon tree.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 13,766 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Argentinosaurus was an incredibly large herbivore that had to feed so often that it was constantly on the move. You wouldn’t like to get trapped underfoot with one of these giant Argentinosaurus’ walking around!Giganotosaurus Giganotosaurus Was a Cretaceous TheropodGiganotosaurus was a theropod dinosaur that lived during the early Cenomanian stage during the mid to late Cretaceous period, about 97 million years ago. A member of the Carnosaur family Carcharodontosauridae, Giganotosaurus belonged to the subfamily Giganotosaurinae. Giganotosaurus is the largest meat-eating dinosaur to have been discovered in South America so far.Pronounced? GEE-gah-NOTE-oh-SORE-us the name Giganotosaurus comes from the Greek language and means “giant southern lizard”, not “giant lizard” as is often mistakenly thought. This carnivore’s name is also often mispronounced and misspelled as “Gigantosaurus” without the extra letter O.Quick FactsNameGiganotosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodWeight6-13 tons?(5.4 -11.79 tonnes)Length39 – 46 feet (12 – 14 meters)Height13 – 23 feet (4 – 7 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 31 MPH TerritoryArgentina, South America About Giganotosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Haplochromis Giganotosaurus was closely related to Carcharodontosaurus from North Africa and Tyrannotitan from South America though it is often compared with the better known Tyrannosaurus Rex.For many years it was thought that Tyrannosaurus Rex was the largest land-predator to have roamed our earth, that is until the Giganotosaurus was discovered. Palaeontologists think that Giganotosaurus outweighed T.Rex by 1 ton though this doesn’t make Giganotosaurus the largest carnivorous theropod of all time (the largest being Spinosaurus) but it does make it the largest meat-eating dinosaur and theropod of South America and the third largest terrestrial carnivore that is known to date.What did Giganotosaurus Look Like? Palaeontologists estimate that Giganotosaurus measured somewhere between 39 to 46 feet in length with original estimates of weighing between 6.5 and 13.3 tons. It is now questioned whether this weight range is accurate however since researchers have indicated that dinosaurs were not as heavy as previously thought.A dinosaur with a long neck and long head, Giganotosaurus walked upright on two large and powerful back legs and had a long tail. This giant carnivore had two short yet powerful arms with claws on the end of its three-fingered “hands” in addition to strong jaws which meant that it could easily grip and kill prey with its bite-force of more than 1,000 lbs – a force three times less than that of T. Rex.This dinosaur had the longest skull of any known theropod, measuring between 5.9 and and 6.56 feet in length – to put that into context it means that the Giganotosaurus head on its own was larger than most adult humans, meaning it could have eaten a human in a single bite.Physical Attributes of Giganotosaurus This meat-eating dinosaur had 8 inch long sharp arrow-tip shaped teeth which would have been used to slice through the thick hides and skins of its victims. Giganotosaurus would likely have used its hands and feet tipped with three claws to hold down or bring prey items to its mouth. This carnivore’s lower jaws were optimized to inflict wounds via a slicing method. Its mandibula (the part of the jaw that is hinged to open the mouth) was actually reinforced for this purpose.Considering its huge size and the large skull, Giganotosaurus has an unusually small brain. Based on the shape of it’s skull, palaeontologists think this Theropod’s brain was roughly the same shape as well as size of a banana, making this dinosaur less than intelligent.It is thought however that Giganotosaurus had a good sense of smell judging from the size of the well-developed olfactory region of the brain that was encased in ossified sphenethmoid (a rigid bone in the skull).What did Giganotosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Jeff Kubina Giganotosaurus was a carnivore. It has been difficult to date to pinpoint any small animals that Giganotosaurus would have preyed upon as there have not being any non-sauropod discoveries in South America for this time period. Palaeontologists have a theory though. Fossils belonging to Titanosaur and Argentinosaur – large herbivores measuring almost 75 feet long were recovered near the remains of Giganotosaurus. This finding leads palaeontologists to speculate that this giant meat-eater preyed on large plant-eating dinosaurs rather than those much smaller than itself.Some researchers even believe that Giganotosaurus would have hunted in packs similar in style to their relations, the Carcharodontosaurus’. This type of hunting behavior would have made hunting a 50 ton and 98 foot long Argentinosaurus much more feasible.How did Giganotosaurus Move? Giganotosaurus was bipedal and would have held its tail erect which provided it with more balance, particularly when running.Since fossilized track-ways have not been found for Giganotosaurus to date, scientists have to rely on estimating its speeds using morphology. Morphology uses leg length and body mass calculations to determine speed of locomotion. Some believe that due to its size, Giganotosaurus would not have been a particularly fast moving dinosaur.It has been estimated that Giganotosaurus could run at a maximum speed of 31mph. Any faster than this and it is thought that it’s minimal stability would have been lost. Without stability, Giganotosaurus could have fallen over and be badly injured itself or perhaps even killing itself since it’s short arms not being able to break its fall. Even a non-fatal fall could eventually lead to bone infection from a break or starvation due to an inability to hunt.Where did Giganotosaurus Live? Found in what is now Argentina in South America, Giganotosaurus would have lived in the Patagonian desert 97 million years ago on what was then the super continent Gondwana.Most palaeontologists think that Giganotosaurus would have been too large to have ventured too deep into the swamp forest and would have spent its time feeding out in the open or on the edge of the swamp forest.The Discovery of Giganotosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User pablodf In 1993 an amateur fossil hunter, Ruben Dario Carolini, who was a mechanic by profession, discovered an almost complete Giganotosaurus skeleton in Patagonia, South Argentina. This specimen was found at what is now considered the Candeleros Formation. The discovery of this dinosaur was scientifically reported a year later in 1994 after being excavated by palaeontologist Rodolfo Coria.This Giganotosaurus became the holotype and was approximately 70% complete with parts including the pelvis, back legs, most of the backbone, parts of the skull and the lower jaw. Giganotosaurus was named in 1995 to honor Ruben Carolini and was given the type species name of Giganotosaurus carolinii.A previous discovery of Giganotosaurus was made earlier in 1987 by Jorge Calvo but this specimen was more fragmentary having only mere fragments of skull remaining. This secondary individuals dentary, the bone of the lower jaw which holds the teeth, from the front part on the left hand side, was 8% bigger than the same bones in the holotype leading palaeontologist to believe that this specimen was larger, perhaps an older adult or male.The Importance of GiganotosaurusAs more dinosaurs including Giganotosaurus have been discovered it has allowed palaeontologists to gauge and compare sizes of dinosaurs species. The discovery of Giganotosaurus also allowed palaeontologists to deduce more information about the predator prey relationship of dinosaur species in South America during the Cretaceous period.Dinosaur Cake Pan The Perfect Dinosaur Cake PanFinding the perfect dinosaur cake pan can be a little tricky because for the most part most of the pans you will find are cartoon portrayals rather than scientific representations. Take a look at some of the best dinosaur cake pan options I have found to date.Some Cool Dinosaur Cake Pan Options HYPERLINK "" The Nordicware Pro Dinosaur Cakelette Pan is by far one of my favorites. This pan retails for around $28.09 on Amazon and is perfect for making smaller species specific mini cakes. Obviously this isn’t going to cut it if you’re looking for a large cake pan but it’s a great option for a cupcake option for a dinosaur themed party. I should also add that as a baker, I love the Nordicware brand and find them to be long lasting and hard wearing. HYPERLINK "" \o "Nordicware Dinosaur Cakelette Pan" Buy the Nordicware Pro Dinosaur Cakelette Pan at Amazon HYPERLINK "" The Wilton Partysaurus cake pan is a good pick if you’re looking for a friendly type of Theropod for your young dinosaur lover. This pan retails around $14 from Amazon. Wilton is another big name in quality bake ware and this pan is perfect for creating the centerpiece at any dinosaur themed party. HYPERLINK "" \o "Wilton Partysaurus Dinosaur Cake Pan" Buy the Wilton Partysaurus Dinosaur Cake Pan at Amazon HYPERLINK "" This John Wright and Co. dinosaur cake pan is a little harder to find but is currently available from a seller on Amazon for $25 or through eBay for around $30. This pan is another smaller cakelette pan and it features dinosaurs somewhere between cartoon and otherwise. This wouldn’t be my first pick for a dinosaur cake pan, but it’s still a good choice. HYPERLINK "" \o "John Wright Dinosaur Cake Pan'" Buy the John Wright and Co. Dinosaur Cake Pan on AmazonNot Finding a Dinosaur Cake Pan You Like?There’s slim pickin’s on good dinosaur cake pan options but there are a few alternatives to consider. If you are willing to spend the money you can always employ a local baker to sculpt your favorite dinosaur out of cake. If money is an obstacle however and you can’t settle on a good dinosaur cake pan, you can always consider cupcakes with cupcake toppers or you can consider a printed sheet cake topper as well like HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinsoaur Cake Toppers" these ones at Amazon or these at HYPERLINK "" \o "Edible Dinosaur Cake Toppers" ETSY!Dinosaur Flatulence Media Coverage Stinks Dinosaur Flatulence Story Gets Blows Out of Proportion HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User minwoo After the paper of a recent study about dinosaur flatulence was released by researchers David Wilkinson, Graeme Ruxton, and Euan Nisbet, several news outlets including FOX News, the Daily Mail, and Gawker blew the story way out of proportion. In the paper, the researchers speculated about the digestive processes of sauropods and proposed that dinosaur flatulence might have been the result, if alternative theories couldn’t be supported. They also proposed that the dinosaur flatulence would have caused warming of their environment. Although the researchers had not mentioned extinction in the article, multiple news sources claimed that the study suggested that dinosaurs went extinct from the warmer climate.Sauropods Biology and Dinosaur Flatulence?Sauropods are the well known infraorder of saurischian, or “lizard-hipped”, dinosaurs which includes the popular genera of Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus. Sauropod fossils have been found on every continent, even current day Antarctica, so paleontologists have many specimens from which to learn about the great herbivorous, quadrupeds. However, they remain largely undecided about how sauropods digested their plant-based diet. Sauropod teeth were too small for chewing or mashing up food, although they would have been able to pluck and grip plants, so it is unclear how they were able to break down the massive amounts of food they required. One theory has been that gastroliths were used, which are swallowed stones that aided in digestion, but recent reviews of the fossil evidence doesn’t substantiate that idea. An alternative theory has been proposed by some paleontologists, like Wilkinson et all, that microorganisms may break down ingested plant matter. The study then pointed out that methane could be produced from that process, which would result in sauropod flatulence.Could Dinosaur Flatulence have contributed to a Warmer Climate?David Wilkinson and the other authors of the study theorized that sauropod emissions could have had a warming effect on the prehistoric world since gas from livestock today contribute greenhouse gases to global warming. To test their theory, researchers looked at the estimated population size of sauropods, according to fossil records, and compared it with the estimate of methane produced from each dinosaur.? They had to look at rabbits and guinea pigs, which have similar diets to sauropods but on a much smaller scale. Researchers compared with these unlikely animals because modern avian relatives of dinosaurs don’t produce flatulence. Based on estimates, it was found that sauropods would have produced 520 million metric tons of methane a year. This is about the same amount that humans are currently putting into the atmosphere, so they concluded that dinosaur farts could have played a part in the warm climate the animals lived in.The Danger in Getting Carried AwayOther paleontologists have pointed out that the analysis in this case is not as conclusive as it would seem. Although the authors of this study weren’t the first to suggest that dinosaurs emitted gas, their premises still contain lofty assumptions, such as the estimates of sauropod populations worldwide. To make matters worse, there have been several news reports that make the assumptions of sauropod populations seem conservative. Fox news reported, “Dinosaurs may have farted themselves to extinction, according to a new study from British scientists.” But the study didn’t even mention extinction. Such headlines show how easy it is to get carried away with speculation about dinosaurs. Even paleontologists often don’t agree with each others theories, but at least they have direct access to the evidence. And it is probably best to leave the lofty speculations to them. For now there really is no telling how dinosaur flatulence influenced the environment, if it even did at all.The Dinosaur Creationism Debate The Dinosaur Creationism Debate is a Touchy Subject HYPERLINK "" I debated whether or not to touch this topic because it’s such a sensitive one for some people. The thing is though, that I have something to say to those who believe that all dinosaur lovers are “heathens” – we’re not.Can There Be Such a Thing as Dinosaur Creationism?There are plenty of ways the dinosaur creationism debate can go, you can believe that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. You can also believe that within those six days he created dinosaurs…although most of us who follow dinosaur research will disagree with you there. You can believe that there is no God…HEATHEN! (Relax, I kid.) Or you can believe that somehow there is a balance of the two concepts.I believe the latter.But What Does That Mean?What does that mean I hear you ask? I believe in God. I was raised in an Anglican protestant family and somewhere along the way I developed my own set of rules. Strict religious followers tend to frown on this concept so I don’t recommend advertising it to your nearest flock of church-goers.While I believe in God, I also believe in dinosaurs…I mean besides being pretty awesome, there is just no logical way? to refute the fact that dinosaurs ever existed.So how does one “balance” dinosaur creationism? I believe that the world was created by the big bang theory, that over time animals evolved. I believe in evolution.But what about creationism? There really is no way to reconcile the concept of dinosaurs AKA evolution and creationism for hardcore believers. With that being said however, the process of evolution does not have to mean that there is no God. I often wonder who it was who said that just because evolution led to the development of such a diverse planet of creatures, that the concept of God could not exist.But What About the Bible?If you’re a religious zealot then this is where you’re going to want to cover your ears. You see, I believe in the concept of the Bible, in the idea of teaching through example and exemplifying morals, but I believe that that is exactly what the Bible is. The Bible to me is a book written by men who wanted to exemplify what it meant to be a good Christian.So How Does the Dinosaur Creationism Concept Play Out?Keep in mind here that this is my opinion and my opinion only, I respect everyone’s right to do as they please as long as it doesn’t hurt others or infringe upon their rights. But I believe that God is a shepherd who does indeed watch over us, that perhaps he planted the initial seed that became life itself. That this seed went on to evolve in to dinosaurs, mammals and all other lifeforms that cover the surface of this great planet. I believe that perhaps one day I will go to Heaven but I also believe that I don’t have to believe in the Garden of Eden to get there.Pteranodon Pteranodon Wasn’t a Dinosaur at AllPteranodon, pronounced “ter-AN-o-DON”, was a flying carnivorous reptile that lived during the Late Cretaceous period about 75-85 million years ago. Its name means “Winged and Toothless”, referring to its toothless beak, which was like that of modern birds, and its huge wingspan, which was much larger than any modern day bird. Pteranodon was in the genus of Pterosaurs, which are often incorrectly referred to as dinosaurs, but dinosaurs technically belong to the groups Saurischia and Ornithischia, not Pterosauria. Pterosaurs were the earliest known vertebrates to have developed the ability to fly. Of all the pterosaurs, Pteronodons have the distinction of having the most fossil specimens found, all of which have been unearthed in North America.Quick FactsNamePteranodonPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationCarnivoreOrderPterosauriaSuborderPterodactyloideaWeight44 lbs (20 kgs)Length25 – 33 feet (7.8 – 10 meters)Height6 feet (1.8 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 70 MPH in the Air TerritoryNorth America What did Pteranodon look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Mark Witton Pteranodon was most distinctive for the massive wingspan and large crest of the males. The length of the wingspan was as large as 23 feet across. The crest was long and extended backward and upward from the skull. It was almost as long as its beak, which contained no teeth, like modern birds. The beaks were long, thin and pointed at the end. The upper jaw was longer than the lower jaw and curved upward. The smaller Pteranodons found to date would have been either female or juvenile males that hadn’t reached their full size or developed the large crest. The smaller crest was more triangular in shape. Weight estimates of Pteranodon have varied considerably, although it probably didn’t have very bulky musculature since it spent a lot of time in the air. It is also worth noting that its tail was relatively short.Physical attributes of PteranodonAs its name suggests, the Pteranodon, meaning “winged” and “toothless” had a beak containing no teeth, unlike? earlier pterosaurs like Pterodactlylus.? The beak of Pteranodon was slender and in all probability very sharp for use in feeding.? The Pteranodon had a distinct bite as well, as the protruding upper jaw and upward curve gave the ancient reptile a unique profile. Also distinctive are the cranial crests rising at the back of the head.? Consisting of three bones extended from the base of the spinal Columbus to right above the eyes, the crest was probably a display feature, and varied in size and tilt within different subspecies.? In almost all cases, the Pteranodon displays sexual dimorphism, in which the size and proportions of the animals are altered by gender.? In this case, the males had larger bodies and also larger crests. The average wingspan of an adult male Pteranodon was 18 feet, or 5.6 meters. They were about 1 and a half times larger than the females, which had wingspans of about 12 feet, or 3.8 meters, long.What did Pteranodon Eat?Although Pteranodon had no teeth, it was a carnivore. Paleontologists know that Pteranodon ate meat because its fossils were found in rocks formed in marine environments, which indicated that it flew a lot over the ocean in search of fish much like a seabird of today would do. Fossilized fish bones have been found in the stomach of one Pteranodon and in between the jaws of another. This flying reptile may have scooped the fish out of the water then ate them whole, like a pelican. It may also have fished like a diving bird, as one paleontologist pointed out: the Pteranodon is built like modern diving birds. In addition to fish, this Pterosauria could also have scavenged for invertebrates, like bugs or mollusks.How Did Pteranodon Move?Paleontologists obviously know that Pteranodon flew, but the question of whether it was bipedal or quadrupedal when standing or walking has long been under debate. However, experts on the Pterosaur genus mostly agree that the flying reptiles were quadrupedal, or used four legs to stand and walk. This indicates that they would have used their wings and wing digits as forelimbs.”? Researchers have discovered Pterosaur trackways that have indicated as much. In addition to flying, researchers have discussed the possibility that the ancient reptile may also have been able to swim.The Flight of PteranodonPaleontologists can often infer about primitive, extinct animal behavior from similarities between the fossil record and observations of modern animals. So even though Pteranodon is much larger than modern birds, scientists have noticed the high aspect ratio for its wing to chord length is comparable to an albatross, a modern-day above average sized seabird. The high aspect ratio, of the wingspan to chord length, results in a relatively long and skinny wing and consequently lower drag. What that means for Pteranodon is an ability to glide and soar over long distances, like albatrosses. Although studies have indicated that Pteranodon relied on more flapping than modern seabirds. Pteranodon took off into the air from standing on its four limbs, using mainly the strength of their forelimbs to power into flight.Male and Female Pteranodons HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User stevelewalready There are two main size variations in Pteranodons that were once thought to be indications of different species, but are now known to represent males and females of the same species. The male is about one and a half times bigger than the female, with a large crest that points upward and backward. Small Pteranodon fossils have been found twice as often as the larger ones, some of those are female and some are juvenile males. Both females and juveniles have smaller crests, but the females have differently structured pelvic bones. The female pelvic bones are relatively large and wide-set, indicating a spacious birth canal for producing eggs. Since immature males have similar skulls to females, paleontologists have only been able to establish gender of the remains for fossils with pelvic bones intact and present. Male Pteranodons developed larger crests upon reaching sexual maturity and becoming fully grown.What was the Purpose of the Crest?The Pteranodon’s crest would have been very distinctive in the male of the species, but paleontologists haven’t completely agreed on the function of the crest in general. The first interpretation of the crest’s purpose was in 1910 by George Francis Eaton. He proposed an aerodynamic counterbalance and a muscle attachment point. The problem with his theories, as pointed out later, is they didn’t take into account the varying sizes of crests among the species. Another theory, proposed by a later paleontologist was that it worked as a rudder. Other paleontologists liked the idea, but again, it didn’t take into account the smaller crests, just the large male crest. The best hypothesis seems to be the most obvious, that the males had larger crests for mating purposes in terms of sexual attraction and individual identification. This accounts for the large crest among fully grown Pteranodons and it explains why females and juvenile males would only have a small crest.The Discovery of Pteranodon HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Futureman1 The first Pteranodon fossils were found in 1870, by Othniel Charles Marsh, in the Smoky Hill Chalk deposits of western Kansas. The chalk beds were once at the bottom of the Western Interior Seaway, which was a large sea over the middle section of North America. The first fossil specimens were partial wing bones and a tooth from the Xiphactinus, a primitive fish which the paleontologist mistakenly attributed to the new flying reptile. In 1871, Marsh first named the fossil Pterodactlyus Oweni, which was a much smaller genus from Europe that was well known at the time. In 1876, after a dispute with a rival paleontologist who had also found Pteranodon fossils which he also misattributed, Marsh realized it was a new species and he called it Pteranodon.The Importance of PteranodonPteranodon was the first Pterosaur to be discovered outside of Europe. It also has the most fossil samples of any member of the Pterosaur family. Paleontologists have records of about 1,200 specimens and many of them are in good shape with almost whole and articulated skeletons. Pteranodon is also unique in the popular misconception that it was a dinosaur, although it was a reptile and relative of dinosaurs, nevertheless, it is still an interesting creature. Pteranodon has one of the largest wingspans of any known flying creature and it played a significant role in the ecosystem of the Western Interior Seaway.Funny Dinosaur Species Have You Ever Wondered About Those Funny Dinosaur Species?There is so much diversity in the dinosaur species that have been recreated from fossilized remains to date, but some are certainly much more unusual than others. Today I’m going to take a look at some of the most unusual dinosaur species there are!Some Interesting and Funny Dinosaur SpeciesTherizinosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User AKMA Therizinosaurus is always on the list of the most unusual dinosaur species in my opinion. There are a lot of different recreations of this late Cretaceous giant but all of them feature these incredibly long – and somewhat creepy – sloth-like claws.Stygimoloch HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User W9NED The Pachycephalosaurid Stygimoloch doesn’t look quite as unusual with it’s skin on in this recreation, but when you’re just staring at the sharp horned skull this Cretaceous dinosaur looks more like a creature from the horror movies.?Cryolophosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User AStrangerintheAlps Cryolophosaurus was native to Antarctica, but if that doesn’t make this unusual dinosaur strange enough this Jurassic Theropod had a small cranial fan giving it a look of the 1980’s.Corythosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ryan Somma While we’re on the topic of crazy looking 1980’s hair, Corythosaurus definitely deserves a mention. Take a look at this crescent shaped cranial crest. This member of the Lambeosaurinae family had some pretty unique headgear!?Gigantoraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Nobu Tamura Gigantoraptor may not be that shocking to some of you but to someone like me who a) shudders at the thought of a velociraptor and b) really doesn’t have much affection for birds, this giant theropod is not only funny looking but also terrifying. This 3,000lb dino-bird featured a powerful beak and sharp toe claws.What Is Your Favorite Funny Dinosaur?Real Jurassic Park? Clive Palmer Plans a Real Jurassic Park HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User davehunt82 Clive Palmer, an eccentric mining billionaire from Queensland, Australia, has been rumored to be planning a real-life Jurassic Park tourist attraction, an add on for his $3 billion luxury Palmer resort on the Sunshine Coast in Southern Queensland, north of Brisbane.This isn’t the first ambitious goal (read: wacky idea) that Palmer has had. Earlier in the year he said he wanted to build a replica of the Titanic for modern-day use, and if his plans go through the Titanic II will sail from London to New York in 2016.It is said that Palmer’s latest plans for the real Jurassic Park resort, which already has 9 swimming pools and a golf-course, would feature a dinosaur-park area with fenced-in enclosures to house the cloned dinosaurs forming a real-life version of the 1993 movie Jurassic Park.Palmer In Talks with Clone Scientists For His Real Jurassic ParkDescribed as being a controversial and ostentatious man, it has been rumored that the wealthy Australian has been in deep talks with a clone research institute and the scientists who cloned Dolly the sheep to see if they would be able to make his dreams of cloning a dinosaur, reality.No sources have been named, the press only citing “someone close to Palmer’s inner circle” has released the information so it’s unsure how true these plans, or rumors actually are, or whether Palmer’s plans for a real Jurassic Park could ever come to fruition.A Precursor to the Real Jurassic Park: Scientists Bringing Mammoths Back to LifeCloning dinosaurs sounds outrageous but Palmer has not been the first person to discuss the idea. The movie “Jurassic Park” first popularized the concept but it’s true that scientists really are trying to resurrect extinct animals.Scientists and researchers in Japan, Korea and Russia say that they’re planning to bring mammoths back from extinction by injecting their DNA into elephants. This is a controversial idea and so far has not been realized, but who knows what will happen in the future..Scientists say there’s currently not enough dinosaur DNA to do the same thing with dinosaurs, though palaeontologist Jack Horner is working on genetically engineering dinosaur descendants – birds – to realize their dinosaur-like qualities…Palmer’s Real Jurassic Park Outlandish Plans Expanded The real life Jurassic Park is not Palmer’s only outlandish plan for the resort though. Aimed at clientele from the Middle East the resort could instead house replicas of monuments and tourist attraction from around the world including the Sky Needle and the London Eye. There are also plans for a, more likely, casino complex though more unusually one that comes complete with hovercraft port and international airport.For several days Palmer neither confirmed nor denied the rumors for a real Jurassic Park but on August 3rd in a press conference he detailed what his actual plans were for the Palmer Resort and, sadly, or not, (depending on your views!), dinosaurs are off the list. Palmer personally denied claims that he was going to clone dinosaurs for a real-life Jurassic Park saying “It’s just a beat-up of a story and untrue”.The Impossibility of a Real Jurassic Park The Roslin Institute that works on cloning has said that resurrecting dinosaurs would be difficult for a number of reasons. First a surrogate mother to carry a baby dinosaur would be difficult to find. Secondly it’s unlikely that whole dinosaur cells still exist (even if the dinosaur carcass happened to be frozen,) and lastly over 100,000 whole dinosaur cells would be needed in order to even make an attempt at resurrecting these giants.So there’s no need to panic – Dinosaurs won’t be coming back to life at least not as a result of Palmer’s “real Jurassic Park” !Wooden Dinosaur Skeleton Kit The Wooden Dinosaur Skeleton KitIt’s make a dino Monday and today I want to share with you a “toy” that I loved as a kid, the wooden dinosaur skeleton kit. My parents loved it because it was affordable and I loved it because…let’s face it, I loved anything and everything dinosaur related. Whether you’re looking for a rainy day craft idea, a wood shop challenge, a stocking stuffer or just something dinosaur to take you back to your youth, this puzzle is a pretty good deal.Amazon Carries the Wooden Dinosaur Skeleton Kit HYPERLINK "" It should come as no surprise to those of you who shop on Amazon that they have the wooden dinosaur skeleton kit. What doesn’t Amazon have? Anyway, when I went looking for that Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur puzzle of my youth, I was very pleased to find that the range of dinosaurs has expanded. I’ve never been much of a Rexy fan, but when it came to a T-rex dinosaur skeleton puzzle or a cardboard doll that you put paper clothes on, the choice was obvious.A Good Selection of?Wooden Dinosaur Skeleton Kit ToysNo longer do you have to be simultaneously terrified and entertained as you piece together T-Rex’s ribcage because Amazon has a whole range of species to choose from. HYPERLINK "" There’s the HYPERLINK "" \o "Styracosaurus Wooden Dinosaur Puzzle" Styracosaurus wooden dinosaur puzzle. HYPERLINK "" Or the HYPERLINK "" \o "Parasaurolophus wooden dinosaur puzzle" Parasaurolophus wooden dinosaur puzzle. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Brachiosaurus wooden dinosaur puzzle" Brachiosaurus wooden dinosaur puzzle for those sauropod lovers out there. HYPERLINK "" The HYPERLINK "" \o "Triceratops wooden dinosaur puzzle" Triceratops wooden dinosaur puzzle for you Ceratopsian lovers!It doesn’t matter what species of dinosaur you are looking for, the chances are that you will be able to find it over at Amazon. Plus, if you’ve tried this brand of wooden dinosaur skeleton kit before and aren’t impressed, there are plenty more brands to choose from if you look around HYPERLINK "" \o "Wooden Dinosaur Puzzles" this page.Argentinosaurus Argentinosaurus was a Huge Cretaceous SauropodArgentinosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period about 95 million years ago and comes from the Titanosauria family of Sauropods, meaning armored giants. Occasionally known as the “Dino Don” the Argentinosaurus is one of the most famous sauropods of huge proportions that was discovered in the 1990’s.The name Argentinosaurus refers to the country in which it was discovered, Argentina, and comes from the Greek language which when translated literally means “Argentina Lizard”. Named in 1993 by Rodolpho Coria and Jose Bonaparte, Argentinosaurus is pronounced ahr-gen-TEEN-oh-SAWR-us. Quick FactsNameArgentinosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodaWeight80 – 110 Short Tons (72.57 – 99.79 Tonnes)Length120 feet (36.58 meters)Height70 feet (21.34 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 6 MPH TerritoryArgentina, South America What did Argentinosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Nobu Tamura Argentinosaurus was a very large dinosaur which had a long neck extending more than 29 feet, a relatively small head, a long tail and four rather short muscular legs.Palaeontologists know very little about Argentinosaurus as only a few fossilized bones have been recovered from a single individual. But basing their estimates on similar Titanosaur Sauropods, that of the Saltasaurus and Raperosaurus, they have estimated it’s size to be in the region of 72-120 feet long with a height of about 70 feet. Estimates of around 80 tons were recently given for Argentinosaurus weight though by the implementation of a new formula for calculating dinosaurs weight – this is now likely to be much less than previously thought.Until a complete skeleton of Argentinosaurus is found Palaeontologists can not know for certain how large this dinosaur actually was, nor exactly what it looked like though the bones discovered, along with comparing other Sauropods, prove that this dinosaur was one of the largest ever discovered (though not the largest as is often mistakenly thought.)Physical Attributes of ArgentinosaurusPalaeontologists measured a single vertebra (back-bone) from Argentinosaurus at more than 5.24 feet tall, its tibiae (the joints between knee and ankle) measured 4.9 feet long, the humerus (the bone of the forelimb which would have joined the shoulder and elbow) measured almost 5.9 feet long and an incomplete femur shaft measured 3.87 feet making this dinosaur extremely large and quite intimidating.Scientists have worked out that this dinosaurs back worked like a bridge made from bone, strong enough to support the weight of the animal but still light enough to produce a dinosaur of such immense size.Researchers have also discovered that Argentinosaurs bones were hollow, a very interesting characteristic. It is thought that this served as an evolutionary strategy for maximizing strength and size in relation to its weight.What did Argentinosaurus Eat?Argentinosaurus was an herbivore. This large sauropod had good teeth for grinding and chewing the tough plant material found in Cretaceous period Argentina.Some biologists believe that dinosaurs, particularly this large Argentinosaurus, were able to reach such a massive size due to the rate of their metabolism. It is thought that at the height of adolescence an Argentinosaurus would have been able to gain roughly 100 pounds per day – That’s a lot of plant matter!How did Argentinosaurus Move? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Hoyasmeg Argentinosaurus walked on four legs but little else is known about its method of locomotion due to a lack of fossil evidence. Some say that because this dinosaur was so big and heavy with rather short legs it may have had trouble moving and certainly wouldn’t have been able to run, but until more evidence is uncovered this is just speculation. We do know that close relatives to Argentinosaurus in the Titanosaur family with similar body shapes were slow movers so it is likely that Argentinosaurus was too.Where did Argentinosaurus Live?Argentinosaurus lived about 95 million years ago on the super continent of Gondwana in an area that we recognize today as Argentina, South America. During that period the Patagonian desert was a lush paradise for dinosaurs such as Argentinosaurus.The Patagonia region is one of the world’s hot-spots for the biggest dinosaurs, the 45 foot long carnivorous Giganotosaurus having also roamed here during the same time. It is possible that Giganotosaurus may have preyed on young or sick Argentinosaurus’ and that multiple Giganotosaurus’ may have hunted full-grown Argentinosaurus.The Discovery of Argentinosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User www78 This dinosaur was only recently discovered in the mid 1990’s at a farm in Patagonia, Southern Argentina, alongside a Giganotosaurus and not much is known about it.A shepherd called Guillermo Heredia discovered what he thought was a massive piece of fossilized wood from a tree trunk on his farm and called in palaeontologists from the nearby Carmen Funes Municipal Museum to take a closer look. It was discovered that this was no piece of wood, this was a huge shin bone (tibia) from a very large dinosaur who lived in the Cretaceous age, and a new species at that – A. huincelensis of the new genus Argentinosaurus.Palaeontologists went on to discover in total 3 anterior dorsal vertebrae, 3 posterior dorsal vertebrae (back bones), the 1st to 5th sacral vertebrae (the part of the backbone which is attached to the pelvis), sacral ribs of the right side, a major piece of fragmented dorsal rib and the right tibia (lower leg bone).Because only a few fragmentary bones have been found, making up only 5% of the skeleton and the fact that no skull has been found, palaeontologists still have a lot of unanswered questions about this dinosaur and have very few clues to go on as to what it looked like.Hopefully another Argentinosaurus specimen will be discovered in the future along with more pieces from the holotype, perhaps a skull, to enable palaeontologists to shed more light on this mighty long neck.The Importance of ArgentinosaurusThe discovery of a new dinosaur is always important as it helps palaeontologists to learn more about what was roaming the land in prehistoric times, shedding light on how future dinosaurs species evolved.The Titanosaur Sauropods were one of the most successful dinosaur families to live after the decline of their predecessors and the discovery of Argentinosaurus hollow bones may fill in some of the missing data on how the Sauropods evolved over time. Unfortunately however without a complete skeleton or at least a skull it is difficult to know exactly what Argentinosaurus really resembled.How Big Was Apatosaurus? Apatosaurus is one of the more popular dinosaur species, although for most people it is more recognizable as the “brontosaurus.” Native to the Jurassic period, Apatosaurus is known for four species that have been discovered to date: A. ajax, A. excelsus, A. louisae and A. parvus. While Apatosaurus is also known as Brontosaurus, it has another synonym as well: Elosaurus. A member of the Diplodocidae family, this sauropod is known for its incredible long neck which researchers believe it could not have held any higher than it’s body. Apatosaurus also had a considerably long tail which it may have used in a whip like motion to scare away predators. Let’s take a look at just how big this giant herbivore was!The Numbers On Apatosaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ubermoogle2006 Apatosaurus LengthThe approximated length of Apatosaurus is around 80 feet long.80 feet is equal to:The length of the average blue whale.The length of the length of a large 18 wheeler.The length of two giant prehistoric Titanoboa snakes.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 1150 nickels.Apatosaurus WeightEstimates of Apatosaurus’ weight fall at around 36.5 short tons or 73,000 pounds.73,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of six of NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite’s.The same weight as 6 six ton Toyota 3FD6D fork lifts.The weight of 73 large Jersey cows.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 58,400,000 average goose feathers.Apatosaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Apatosaurus at around 30 feet tall in total and around 16 feet tall at the hips.30 feet is equal to:The height of a fully grown flowering dogwood tree.The height of three fully grown polar bears.The height of three Triceratops.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 5,899 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Apatosaurus may have been incredibly large but amazingly, it was not the largest of all dinosaur species! With that said though, there’s still no way I’d like to be underfoot as this herbivore roamed the land. Can you imagine being trapped underneath Apatosaurus’ four huge columnar legs?Maiasaura Maiasaura was a Nurturing Duck-billed HerbivoreMaiasaura, pronounced “mah-ee-ah-sawr-uh”, was a large, duck-billed herbivore of average intelligence from the hadrosaur family. It’s name comes from the Greek words meaning “good mother lizard”, which refers to the evidence in the fossils showing that Maiasaura parents were nurturing of their young. This duck billed dinosaur lived in what is now the state of Montana in the United States during the Upper Cretaceous period, about 74 million years ago.Quick FactsNameMaiasauraPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivore OrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeight4 Short Tons (3.6 Tonnes)Length30 feet (9.1 meters)Height15 feet (4.6 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 28 MPH TerritoryNorth America What Did Maiasaura Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut Long, heavy and stocky, the Maiasaura may have looked like an easy meal to potential predators in the? Cretaceous period, but they flourished through their devotion to their young and by maintaining safety in numbers. Paleontologists believe that large herds played a role in predator defense as well as this dinosaur’s social nature. As part of the Hadrosaur family of dinosaurs, known for the presence of “duck bills”, the Maiasaura’s snout was flattened and, while the overall appearance and shape of the skull is much shorter and blunt, the resemblance to a duck’s bill can easily be seen. It was also unique in that it had a bony crest, possibly to protect the eyes and for head butting rivals.Maiasaura was large, over 9 meters long as an adult, including a hefty, rigidly extended tail, almost doubling the length of this herbivore’s body. Maiasaura weighed over 3 tons? and could walk or stand on two feet or run on all fours. The hind legs of this herbivore were significantly larger than the front appendages.The four appendages of Maiasaura ended in hoof like feet with three toes and four fingers.Physical Attributes of MaiasauraBecause Maiasaura were specialized herbivores,? they had highly developed teeth and skull structures designed for handling their food. The Maiasaura’s namesake bill was most likely the support for a beak or mandible like structure used for clipping off plants and small branches. The teeth of the Maiasaura were located solely on the sides of the dinosaur’s skull, with multiple teeth in cheek clusters for the grinding of food.Maiasaura Nesting HabitsMaiasaura is notable for being the first dinosaur found alongside its young, including a nest and eggs. This indicates that the adult Maiasaura were nurturing of their young. The nests were holes, about 6-7 feet wide (1.8-2m), dug out of the ground. Each nest would hold 20-40 ostrich-sized eggs, and the hatchlings were about 1 foot long (.3m). Instead of sitting on their eggs, Maiasaura parents placed decomposing vegetation into the nests which would produce heat in order to keep the eggs warm.It is likely that the temperature at which eggs were kept played a role in the determining the sex of the young much like modern day crocodiles.Baby Maiasaura HYPERLINK "" Images Courtesy of Flickr User fmpgoh When Maiasaura eggs hatched, the baby Maiasaura did not yet have sufficiently developed legs or teeth to care for themselves. The parents would have had to bring food to the nest, in addition to protecting them from predators. In the first year, the hatchlings had a rapid growth spurt from 16 to 58 inches, or 41 to 150 cm. Paleontologists believe this high growth rate could suggest that they were warm blooded. Researchers can determine age ranges in Maiasaura because the baby Maiasaura had differently proportioned features from the adults. Hatchlings had a proportionately larger head compared to the body, larger eyes and a shorter snout. These young dinosaurs were likely a lot of work for their parents.Maiasaura Social BehaviorThe close proximity of Maiasaura nests to each other indicate that Maiasaura was a social dinosaur. Their nests were about 25-30 feet apart, or approximately the size of an adult Maiasaura. In Montana fossils were found in groups of up to 40 nests spread over an area of 2.5 acres. Other evidence that Maiasaura was a social, or herding, animal includes a discovery of a huge fossil bed of about 10,000 fossils. Herding behavior would have been beneficial for evading predators and could suggest that the dinosaurs needed to make seasonal migrations in order to feed their large groups.What Did Maiasaura Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Wyoming_Jackrabbit Maiasaura was an herbivore, so its diet consisted of plant material and included leaves, seeds, and berries. It was pretty large for a hadrosaur, so paleontologists estimate that an adult would have to eat about 200 pounds of vegetation a day. However, the Maiasaura would also have to feed its hatchlings, so fully grown Maisaura would have been constantly clipping vegetation.How Did Maiasaura Move?Paleontologists believe that Maiasaura alternated between a bipedal stance and quadrupedal movement. Its hind legs were bigger and stronger and used to run, but it would have grazed using its front limbs. Like other hadrosaurs, Maiasaura was probably a fast runner, which was its main defense against predators. Scientists estimate that hadrosaurs like Maisaura could run at speeds up to 28 mph.Where Did Maiasaura Live?Maiasaura lived in what is now the state of Montana during the Upper Cretaceous period, in a semi-arid climate. Some of the common plants of the time were conifers, horsetail and ferns. Maiasaura herding patterns have been compared to those of bison, which roam the modern plains of Montana. There are a few differences between herding habits of these two creatures however. There was no grass in Montana during the Cretaceous period and two of the biggest areas of Maiasaura nest groupings, dubbed “egg mountain” and “egg island”, were both islands.The Discovery of Maiasaura HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Stuck in Customs Maiasaura was first discovered in 1978 by Laurie Trexler and later named and described by Jack Horner (who is best known as the paleontological advisor for the Jurassic Park films) and Robert Makela. The name Maiasaura, meaning “good mother lizard” in Greek, comes from a major discovery of nests with eggs, egg shells, and young dinosaurs as well as the adult female dinosaurs that had been looking after them. The ending of “a” in the name is feminine, as opposed to most dinosaur type specimens which are male and end in “us”. These fossils were found in the Two Medicine Formation of Montana and the specific area has since been called “Egg Mountain”. Over 200 specimens of this herbivore have been found since the initial discovery of Maiasaura.The Importance of Maiasaura HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User nikoretro Maiasaura has the distinction of being the first dinosaur ever found with its young. Prior to that discovery, paleontologists had different theories about how baby dinosaurs were raised. The finding of Maiasaura brought new evidence that dinosaurs were more maternal and nurturing than scientists had imagined them to be. Maiasaura also has the honor of being the first dinosaur in space! No, we haven’t found fossils on the moon but in 1985, astronaut Loren Acton brought bone fragments with her onto Spacelab 2. So Maiasaura was the first dinosaur to orbit the earth.Funny Dinosaur Jokes Dinosaur JokesThings here at the DinoPit headquarters have been pretty intense since Snorasaurus A.K.A Dinodog tore his CCL this weekend. With surgery scheduled and a long path of recovery ahead I know I could use a laugh so I went digging through the net and found a few dinosaur jokes to lighten the mood.Warning: No One Said These Dinosaur Jokes Were Good Ones HYPERLINK "" Even Dinosaurs Like to ROFL Sometimes, Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cybertoad Why did the dinosaur cross the road?Because the chicken hadn’t evolved yet!What makes more noise that a dinosaur?Two dinosaurs!What do you call a Blind Dinosaur?Do-ya-think-he-saurus!What do you call a Blind Dinosaur’s Dog??Do-ya-think-he-saurus-rex!What do dinosaurs have that no other animals have?Baby Dinosaurs!What has a spiked tail, plates on its back, and sixteen wheels?A Stegosaurus on roller skates!What do you do if you find a blue Ichthyosaur ?Cheer him up!Why was the Stegosaurus such a good volleyball player?Because he could really spike the ball!What game does the brontosaurus like to play with humans?SquashMe: I lost my pet dinosaur.You: Why don’t you put an ad in the newspaper?Me: What good would that do, she can’t read!What did you call a dinosaur that keeps you awake at night?Bronto-snore-us !Me: Knock knock.You: Who’s there?Me: Interrupting dinosaur.You: Interrupting dinosa—Me: ROOOOARR!!What do you get when you mix a dinosaur and fireworks?Dinomite!What did one dinosaur say to the other dinosaur?Rawr!How do you ask a Tyrannosaur out to lunch?Tea, Rex?Whats red on the outside and green on the inside?A dinosaur wearing red pajamas!What followed the dinosaurs?Their tails!What did the dinosaur say when he saw the volcano errupt?What a lavaly day!Share Your Dinosaur Jokes in a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment below!Dinosaur Sex Revealed Palaeontologists Discover Dinosaur Sex Theory HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Mario Modesto Paleontologists think they have now figured out how dinosaurs had sex. That has long been a challenge for scientists, even though they have been studying the fossils for centuries. Soft tissue is rarely found in fossils and it is even more rare to find skeletons that were in the midst of copulation when they were spontaneously buried. There is also the difference in morphology between the dinosaurs and modern animals. Scientists try to understand the unknown behavior of extinct animals by inferring from what they know about animals they can observe today. Many dinosaurs were bigger than anything humans have ever seen and had features that you don’t see in current animal life making dinosaur sex something of a mystery.How Dinosaur Genital Construction Plays in to Dinosaur SexLuckily for scientists, there is a feature that birds and reptiles have that dinosaurs have too, since they are related, and it provides a clue as to how they reproduced. Reptiles and birds have posterior openings called “cloaca’s”. The word comes from the Latin word meaning “sewer” and it is the only opening for the urinary, reproductive, and intestinal tract for such species. They mate by pressing their cloacas together. In some species, the male has a penis and in other species he squirts the semen into the females cloaca when they are pressed together. Scientists call it the “cloacal kiss”. If dinosaurs did have penises, they could have been very big. The Tyrannosaurus Rex would have been up to 12 feet long, according to paleontologists estimates.Dinosaur SexWhen dinosaurs had sex, the male probably mounted the female from behind. That is the view of many paleontologists, such as the English paleontologist Beverly Halstead. He was noted for talking openly about dinosaur mating habits until his death in 1991. In 1988 a science magazine of the time called “Omni” published an article of his. He wrote, “All dinosaurs used the same basic position to mate. Mounting from the rear, he put his forelimbs on her shoulders, lifting one hind limb across her back and twisting his tail under hers to align the cloaca.Can Science ever be Sure?Scientists may never find concrete proof of the specific way that dinosaurs had sex, although some prehistoric animal specimens have been “caught in the act”. A few pairs of prehistoric turtles died while copulating, about 47 million years ago. Prehistoric insects that were having sex when they died have been found in amber and some? mating sharks were fossilized 320 million years ago. In the case of these animals, it took some very special circumstances to create the very special fossils. The possibility is much higher for aquatic animals, like sharks and turtles. Either that, or the creature would have to be very small like insects. But dinosaurs lived predominantly on the ground and even the smallest dinosaur wasn’t small enough to be stuck inside amber. So paleontologists must be content with deriving some information about dinosaur sex from whatever methods they can find!4 Awesome Dinosaur Discoveries There Are Too Many Dinosaur Discoveries to NoteAs a true fan of dinosaurs you may find yourself asking just how one dinosaur discovery outdoes the other simply because they’re all so intriguing. The thing is though, that while all dinosaur discoveries are awe inspiring, some make such an impact that they stand out from the rest. Below I will take a look at? 4 amazing dinosaur discoveries in no particular order.Four Amazing Dinosaur Discoveries HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Deviant Art Artist Pilsator Dinosaur Discoveries List #1: YutyrannusYutyrannus was discovered in China and first described by Xu Xing et al. in 2012. This early-Cretaceous relative of Tyrannosaurus Rex makes the list as one of the top discoveries in paleontology because it backs up the theory that some Tyrannosaurs were actually feathered.Dinosaur Discoveries List #2: SueNo top 5 dinosaur discovery list would be complete without the mention of Sue. Sue was discovered by Sue Hendrickson in 1990 Sue is the largest and most well preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil to ever be discovered and she also makes history as the oldest T-rex specimen known to date. Sue died at 28 years old. Sue can now be viewed in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois.Dinosaur Discoveries List #3: Leonardo the BrachylophosaurusLeonardo the sub-adult Brachylophosaurus was discovered in 2000 in the Judith River Formation in Montana. What was remarkable about this specimen is that it was fully articulated and partially mummified. Brachylophosaurus specimens are few and far between, but Leonardo is special because not only does the specimen offer skin imprints but also offers evidence from it’s preserved internal organ structures!Dinosaur Discoveries List #4: Massospondylus Nest SiteThe discovery of a Massospondylus nesting site in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in South Africa was another significant dinosaur discovery. What was most amazing about this discovery of at least 10 nests with around 34 eggs per nest is that it has numerous implications as to what we believe about dinosaur parenting. Small footprints around the nesting site indicate that this prosauropod cared for its young as well as returned to communal nesting sites to lay eggs. This Massospondylus discovery marks the oldest known dinosaur nest discovery to date.Your TurnWhat are your favorite amazing dinosaur discoveries?Styracosaurus Styracosaurus Was a Cretaceous Period CeratopsianSyracosaurus, a member of the Centrosaurinae family, lived in the woodlands of North America in the late Cretaceous Period about 75 million years ago. This herbivore was amongst one of the last major dinosaurs to evolve before the end of the dinosaurs in the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction. Named Styracosaurus (pronounced STY-rack-oh-SORE-us) in 1913 by Lawrence Lambe who found the first skull of this dinosaur, the name is derived from the Greek language and can be translated to mean “spiked lizard”.Quick FactsNameStyracosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivoe OrderOrnithischiaSuborderCeratopsiaWeight3 Short Tons?(2.7 Tonnes)Length18 feet (5.5 meters)Height6 feet (1.8 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 20 MPH TerritoryCanada and North America Physical Attributes of Styracosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Patrick Ahles Styracosaurus was a bulky and ferocious looking dinosaur measuring up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) in length, 1.8 meters (6 feet) in height and weighing almost 3 tons. With a broad flat face and distinctive facial adornments made up of a neck frill and horns it is this dinosaur that is most recognizable today having featured heavily in books and films alongside the Triceratops.Four to six long horns protruded around this dinosaurs large neck frill starting with the upper pair which pointed upwards with lower ones gently curving out to the sides before reaching the smaller spikes pointing directly out to the sides. Styracosaurus also had a smaller horn on each cheek, close to the eye, as well as a prominent long and sharp nasal horn which is thought to have measured up to 2ft (60cm) long and 6inches (15cm) wide. Sub-adults would have had brow horns which were pyramid-shaped but by mature adulthood these would be replaced by pits.Individualsof this species could vary in their cranial horn arrangement though each would have the large protruding snout horn and at least four long spikes protruding from the upper part of the neck (parietosquamosal) frill. Some would have small hook-like projections and knobs at the rear margin of the frill, others less prominent tabs.This dinosaur can be compared in characteristics with the modern day rhinoceros having a short tail and big powerful shoulders. It stood on four short stubby legs with a hoof-like toe sheathed in horn on each foot with its hind legs longer than the front legs making its hips higher than the shoulders.It’s unknown whether Styracosaurus supported its body weight by keeping its legs directly below its body or if the forelegs were spread out to the sides slightly. Though it is thought, from evidence of tracks, that the Styracosaurus was a fairly fast dinosaur being able to move up to speeds of 32kph (20mph). What it had in speed it lacked in the brain department though, the Styracosaurus only considered to be of intermediate intelligence.Why Did Styracosaurus have a Frill and Horns? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ian.crowther The exact purpose and function of the Styracosaurus’s horns and frill has been debated over by palaeontologists ever since the first horned dinosaurs were discovered and there are several possible theories to date…Styracosaurus Frills and Horns As WeaponsMost people presume that the Styracosaurus used its horns as weapons and as a self defense mechanism to protect itself in combat from competition within the same species as well as against larger competition such as the Triceratops. Many palaeontologists think that this is actually the least feasible reason for the large horns however, since it’s only the head and neck which is protected, leaving the rest of the body vulnerable and open to attack. If this self-defense theory is correct though it is presumed that the Styracosaurus would have attacked its rival in the side, piercing it with its nose-horn by charging at it like a modern-day rhinoceros.Styracosaurus Frills and Horns As Muscle Anchor PointsAnother theory first pointed out in the early 20th century, and again backed up in 1996, was that the neck frill acted as anchor points for the dinosaurs jaw muscles giving the dinosaur its tremendous bite force in its beak, however clear muscle attachment points have not been observed in remains so this is not a widely accepted theory.Styracosaurus Frills and Horns As Intra-species Visual Identification Points And Sexual Display MethodThe most likely function believed by palaeontologists for the frill and horns is that it was used as a signaling device and a visual aid to communicate with other Styracosaurus whether used in mating rituals and courtship or to display rivalry and dominance.The large holes in the frill, known as fenestra, would have supported skin and tissue growth so it’s plausible that this flushed blood into the frill to produce vivid color displays that signaled the male dinosaurs virility.Styracosaurus Frills As A Thermoregulation MethodFinally the enormous frill could have also been used to help regulate its body temperature by increasing the body area allowing for rapid warming when faced towards the morning sun and rapid cooling during the heat of the day in the same way that the modern African elephant uses its ears in thermo-regulation.Styracosaurus – Safety in Numbers?As with other ceratopsia (horned dinosaurs) the Styracosaurus is thought to have been a herd animal, living and traveling together in groups. This idea is supported by the discovery of bone beds which housed large deposits of bones of the same species in a specific area. Some palaeontologists say that the fossil deposits in these bone beds only suggest that a large number of individuals came together at one time, perhaps as they tried to cross a swollen river, in which many individuals drowned. Meaning they were all found together or that the dinosaurs discovered in the bone beds were solitary individuals who met at a watering hole in the dry season and died together when the water dried up and not that they traveled in groups.However traveling together would have been beneficial for the Styracosaurus and a worthwhile defense strategy against predators such as the Daspletosaurus. Alone the Styracosaurus would have had trouble defending itself against the large Daspletosaurus dinosaur that was roaming the area at the same time but in a small group the Styracosaurus would have been able to cover each other forming a cluster which would create a? difficult target to attack.What Did Styracosaurus Eat and How?Though this dinosaur was a ferocious looking animal this was not a carnivorous meat-eater instead it was a peaceful herbivore eating a diet of low growing foliage such as cycads, palms, possibly ferns as well as other prehistoric foliage. Some palaeontologists think that this dinosaur was strong enough to knock down angiosperm trees enabling it to reach the softer vegetation found in the the tree canopy though it’s not a view shared by all.Styracosaurus had a tough beak at the front of its mouth with shearing cheek-teeth towards the back arranged in continuous groups called batteries in which older top teeth would continually be replaced by the teeth below. These teeth did not work in a grinding motion but instead sliced, shearing up the plant matter into smaller pieces to digest. It’s not known for sure what the beak was used for, with palaeontologists thinking it was used to either grip and then pull food from branches or to cut mouthfuls of plant matter.The Discovery and History of Styracosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy From analyzing various fossil discoveries over the centuries it is thought that Styracosaurus was related to Centrosaurus, with them both having the same ecological niche. According to this belief, Styracosaurus was the dinosaur that evolved to replace Centrosaurus.There is only one species of Styracosaurus known today, that of S. albertensis though in the past it was thought that there were more species though these have now been identified as being the same as S.albertensis or been reassigned to different genera.The first fossil remains discovered of Styracosaurus was of an almost complete skull recovered by Charles Sternberg from Alberta, Canada in 1913 in the area which is known today as the Dinosaur Park Formation. At a later visit in 1935 to the quarry the missing lower jaws and most of the post cranial skeleton was also recovered.In 1915 Barnum Brown collected an almost complete articulated skeleton with a partial skull from within the Dinosaur Park Formation. When comparing this specimen to previous finds however, it was discovered that this individual had a smaller tail bone and distinctively different cheekbones than Styracosaurus albertensis, as well as a more robust jaw and a different shaped frill. It was agreed that both specimens were from the same genus but this find was sufficiently distinct from the holotype and warranted a new species named Styracosaurus parksi though it is now accepted that this specimen is actually the same as S. albertensis.In 1930 Charles Gilmore found another species of Styracosaurus and named it S. ovatus but today this is regarded as being a male-female variant of the S. albertensisMore recently in 2006 Darren Tanke relocated and visited the long-lost S. parksi site and found pieces of skull abandoned by the 1915 crew. It is hoped that more evidence can be collected to determine for sure if S. albertensis and S. parksi are the same or not.The Importance of StyracosaurusStyracosaurus is a significant palaeontological find not only because it provides insight in to late Cretaceous life, but also because it exemplifies variation among the Ceratopsidae family. Although often confused with Triceratops by laymen, the Styracosaurus, offers a look at how different genera within this family split from each other and evolved with different and unique physical features.10 Awesome Dinosaur Wallpaper Designs Dinosaur WallpaperI am a fan of desktop wallpapers. As a computer person I spend a LOT of time staring at my computer screens every day of the week and a nice desktop wallpaper can really brighten things up a bit. I particularly like desktop dinosaur wallpaper because…well, it has dinosaur on 10 Dinosaur Wallpaper DesignsDinosaur Wallpaper #1: Mr. Cuddles HYPERLINK "" This HD wallpaper never fails to make me laugh and it’s huge in it’s original size, just click the image to get a 1920 x 1080 sized desktop wallpaper image.Dinosaur Wallpaper #2: T-Rex Skeleton HYPERLINK "" I like this wallpaper because it’s simple and clean, it has plenty of space for icons on the left without you having to try and use your x-ray vision to see them. The original size of this wallpaper is 1920 x 1200, just click the image for a full sized picture.Dinosaur Wallpaper #3: Sauropods Wading HYPERLINK "" This desktop wallpaper features a group of computer generated Sauropods wading in a valley pool. I generally don’t go for the computer generated look but there is something serene about this one. Clicking on the full sized image will allow you to save a full sized version of this wallpaper (1024 x 768.)Dinosaur Wallpaper #4: Another T-Rex Skeleton HYPERLINK "" Another cute T-Rex skeleton desktop wallpaper. Again I like that this one has plenty of room on the left for icon viewing. The full size of this wallpaper is 1024 x 768, click on the image to view it.?Dinosaur Wallpaper #5: Allosaurus Skeleton HYPERLINK "" This Allosaurus skeleton wallpaper is perfect for all of you Allosaurus lovers out there! The full size of this desktop if 1920 x 1440, just click the image to get the full dimensions.?Dinosaur Wallpaper #6: Triceratops HYPERLINK "" This one is for the herbivore lovers out there. Although the original size of this image is 2000 x 1333 it does come out a little blurry at that size, but don’t worry, you likely don’t need it that big anyway! Just click to get the full sized image!?Dinosaur Wallpaper #7: Patchwork Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" This is a cute piece although I have no idea who created it. The original image for this dinosaur wallpaper is 2560 x 1600 and is crystal clear so you shouldn’t have any trouble fitting it to your desktop size!?Dinosaur Wallpaper #8: Triceratops Rendering HYPERLINK "" This Triceratops rendering is just beautiful and would make the desktop of any dinosaur lover look absolutely amazing. The original image is 4500 x 3000 meaning it’s huge enough for any desktop to look amazing!?Dinosaur Wallpaper #9: Dinosaur Cowboy HYPERLINK "" I love this dinosaur desktop image although it’s a little too dark for me, I’d never find half of my icons! The original size for this picture is 1280 x 768.?Dinosaur Wallpaper #10: Angry Rex HYPERLINK "" Angrysaurus Rex is not having a good day. This HD wallpaper is stunning and perfect for all you angry carnivore lovers out there! The original image here is 1920 x 1080 so it’s perfect for just about any dinosaur wallpaper lover’s monitor!Scientists Solve Mystery of Diplodocus Feeding Behavior With Dinosaur 3d Modeling Dinosaur 3D Modeling Reveals Dinosaur Eating Habits HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User The Swedish Experience A team of British researchers have just discovered a secret of herbivorous dinosaur eating habits using CT scans and bio-mechanical analysis with FEA, or finite element analysis. FEA is most commonly used to design race cars,? airplanes, and for engineering of medical devices.The researchers, who were from the University of Bristol and the Natural History Museum, were focused on the eating habits of the herbivorous dinosaur Diplodocus in their study. Paul Barrett, one of the researchers, expressed the importance of the study for paleontology, “Using these techniques, borrowed from the worlds of engineering and medicine, we can start to examine the feeding behavior of this long-extinct animal in levels of detail which were simply impossible until recently.”Mysterious Eating Habits Revealed Through Dinosaur 3D ModelingPaleontologists know a lot about Diplodocus. It is one of the best known sauropods from the Jurassic period, thanks to a higher than average amount of fossils found in the upper Morrison Formation of Colorado. Paleontologists know that it was incredibly large and that it had a herbivorous diet. However, the exact way that Diplodocus ate its large, plant-based diet has remained a mystery. The herbivore had unusual teeth compared to other dinosaurs in the Sauropod family, so its feeding mechanism would have been much different. It also differed widely from any modern day animals, so scientists can’t infer things about its behavior from any similar animals that we can observe today. Scientists have been forced to speculate about the way it ate and come up with multiple theories, all with a fairly equal chance of being true, until more evidence could be discovered.Dinosaur 3D Modeling of a Diplodocus SkullTo figure out the elusive eating habits of Diplodocus, scientists made a 3D model developed using dinosaur 3D modeling techniques using a CT scan. Using the CT Scan, they scanned its skull, complete with its characteristic long snout and protruding teeth which were all crowded together at the front of its mouth. Then they used FEA to analyze three types of feeding habits. The analysis revealed the parts of the skull’s mouth that undergo the most stress and strain during feeding to determine the conditions that would cause the most damage.How did Diplodocus Eat?The feeding behavior model that was found to potentially cause the most harm to the skull and teeth was the act of stripping bark from trees. A deer is a well-known example of an animal that often strips bark to eat. However, Diplodocus would have found it too difficult. It makes sense, considering a bark-stripping animal, such as a deer or moose, needs that feeding adaptation in order to survive harsh and snowy winters. Diplodocus lived in the warm habitat of the Jurassic period, where leaves were abundant, and the 3D modeling confirmed that leaves are what it liked to eat. It would have experienced little stress raking leaves from branches or through simple biting. This technology provided some clues about feeding habits of herbivores like Diplodocus, but this could be just the beginning. What will researchers discover about dinosaurs next using dinosaur 3D modeling?Make A Dinosaur Tail Instructions Finding Make a Dinosaur Tail InstructionsIt’s make a dino Monday and today I’ve been checking out HYPERLINK "" \o "Tater Tots and Jello" Tater Tots and Jello! I ran across the idea of making dinosaur tails through Pinterest and that sent me on a mission to finding easy to understand “make a dinosaur tail” instructions. I eventually found what I was looking for on Tater Tots and Jello when I ran in to a guest post by Jessica from HYPERLINK "" \o "Running with Scissors" Running with Scissors.Make a Dinosaur Tail Instructions Can Be Tricky HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Tater Tots and Jello If you’re not sewing-capable then these make a dinosaur tail instructions are definitely not for you because this dinosaur themed project takes a LOT of sewing. Okay…maybe not that much, but if you don’t know how to sew then it will seem like a lot of sewing.I also want to mention that if you are going to use these make a dinosaur tail instructions provided by Jessica please do so only for personal use as per her request.Make a Dinosaur Tail InstructionsWhat You Will Need1/2 to 3/4 yard main fabric– pretty much any fabric?that’s not stretchy (this yellow is?polyester lining)1/4 yard spike fabric5″ velcroPolyfil batting (small bag)Detailed InstructionsDetailed instructions for making your own dinosaur tail can be found over at Tater Tots and Jello. Since this project is so detailed rather than copying someone else’s instructions step by step I want to give credit where credit is due and simply refer you directly to HYPERLINK "" \o "Make Your Own Dinosaur Tail" Jessica’s guest post on this project.Share Your ExperienceThe idea of this project is awesome for any dinosaur lover…yes even a 31 year old like me, but I’m fairly certain that The Dr. would commit me if I started walking around wearing a dinosaur tail. This is why I want you to share your experience with making your own tail. Leave a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment below and feel free to share pictures from your tail making experience! Don’t forget to let me know how easy or challenging you found these make a dinosaur tail instructions!Ornitholestes Ornitholestes is a Small Bipedal CarnivoreOrnitholestes, pronounced “or-NITH-o-less-teez”, was a small but fast bipedal dinosaur that lived in the areas of modern day Wyoming and Utah. It was a hunter of small game, like lizards, and its name comes from the Greek words meaning “bird robber”. This theropod lived in the late Jurassic period, about 154 million years ago. Paleontologists believe that ornitholestes is closely related to the line from which the birds originated – this dinosaur was able to tuck its hands up close to its body just like how a modern bird holds its wing.Quick FactsNameOrnitholestesPrehistoric EraLate Jurassic ClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight25 lbs (11.33 kg)Length6 feet (1.8 meters)Height3 feet (0.9 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 43 MPH TerritoryWestern North America What did Ornitholestes look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Greater Than Lapsed (Accuracy of this Portrayal is Disputed) You might not know by looking at Ornitholestes that it was a capable hunter. It was 6 feet long, but only about 3 feet tall and most of its length was in its long tail. This dinosaur’s body was lightly built, only weighing about 25 pounds, and its head was small. Paleontologists think this carnivore was fast and agile and capable of deftly chase its prey and grabbing it with its long-clawed fingers. Ornitholestes legs and arms were long, although its small head was proportionately smaller in relation to its body than most carnivores. This dinosaur’s skull was strong and tough with a sturdy jaw and its orbits, or eye sockets, were proportionately large, at over 25% of the skull’s size. This feature indicates keen eyesight. Ornitholestes also had sharply serrated back teeth that were characteristic of other theropods, most of which are meat eaters. The front teeth however, were round and less serrated .Physical Attributes of OrnitholestesOrnitholestes was a small bipedal meat eater. So, despite its slight build, it had the physical attributes of a carnivore, from very sharp teeth to long clawed fingers. It was once thought by scientist Gregory S. Paul to have a nasal horn from a broken skull specimen that seemed to bulge upward, but two other scientists, Oliver W.M Rauhut and Kenneth Carpenter, disagreed. They pointed out that the upward bulging was due to post-mortem damage to the skull and Paul later amended his writing to reflect that new interpretation. The most noticeable part of Ornitholestes is probably its tail, which was long, flexible, and made up over half of the body length.Guessing about Ornitholestes Skeletal RemainsThe case of the possible crest on the small theropods head was not the only time that paleontologists have guessed about the dinosaur’s skeletal structure, since fossils for this dinosaur have been very few and far between. Regarding the vertebrae, paleontologists know that it had an s-shaped curve in its neck and a long flexible tail, but the number of vertebrae has been debated since not all of them were preserved. In 1917, paleontologist Osborn estimated 9 or 10 vertebrae in its neck, thirteen back vertebrae, four hip vertebrae, and 39 to 44 tail vertebrae. In 2005, paleontologist Carpenter determined that the specimen actually had 5 hip vertebrae. More guessing has been done regarding lack of preservation of its third claw bone. Paleontologists extrapolated from the closest relatives of the dinosaur and now believe that it was shorter than the first two claw bones that were well preserved. Even more debate has occurred, centering on the nature of the claw on its second digits, the length of the dinosaur, and the weight.What did Ornitholestes Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy Ornitholestes was a carnivore, so it ate meat despite its small stature. Paleontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn, who named Ornitholestes in 1903, first noted the large teeth, its strong hands, and its tail that would have been used to balance while running. He concluded from these adaptations that the dinosaur could have preyed on contemporary birds, hence the “bird robber” meaning behind its name. However, he later went back on this idea and said in 1917 that the dinosaur was in the early transition from carnivore to herbivore. At the same time, Charles R. Knight had drawn a popular illustration depicting Ornitholestes chasing Archaeopteryx, operating under the same theory as Osborn’s first one about the small theropod. That idea eventually waned among paleontologists and most now think the dinosaur ate small animals like mammals, lizards and hatchling dinosaurs. Some paleontologists go even further, suggesting that its strong jaws would have allowed it to prey on larger animals, especially if it was a pack hunter.Did Ornitholestes have Feathers?The theory that Ornitholestes could have had feathers was first proposed by Percy Lowe, an ornithologist, in 1944. This interpretation was rejected for over 50 years, as the consensus was that theropod dinosaurs, like Ornitholestes, were more like reptiles than birds and had scaly skin. That consensus began to change in 1986 with Robert T Bakker’s “The Dinosaur Heresies” who stated that dromaeosaurids had feathers and would prove to be correct. He also argued that all dinosaurs were endothermic, although he didn’t include feathers on the illustration of Ornitholestes. Then the Sinosauropteryx was found in China in 1996. It was a well-preserved fossil proving the dinosaur had a coat of feathers. Now paleontologists believe that all coelurosaurs, like Sinosauropteryx, had insulating feathers or were related to ancestors that had them. John Foster suggested that Ornitholestes would have had primitive feathers, as a relative to other bird ancestors. He said of the feathers, “[they] would have covered the body except the legs in a short coat, perhaps with longer feathers lining the top of the skull or neck and the back edge of the forearms.” The feathers would have been used for brooding eggs and insulation.How did Ornitholestes Move?Ornitholestes was bipedal, so it moved on two legs on the ground. Paleontologists believe it was a fast runner and it is estimated to have been able to run as fast as an ostrich, up to 43 miles per hour. Its long tail was very flexible and would have been used to balance and aid in agility when chasing prey.In 2006 a study was done on articulated casts of Ornitholestes’ right arm to find out its range of motion. The dinosaur was found to be able to swing freely within a 95°?range. When the arm was bent inward at the elbow as much as it could, the upper arm and lower arm formed a 53° angle. The dinosaur’s ability to bend its forearm farther than? 90° is typical of more advanced theropods and not existent at all in primitive theropods. When the arm was straightened at the elbow, there wasn’t a straight angle and scientists concluded it couldn’t pronate, or twist its arm with the palm of its hand downward. That means its forearms moved inward when the elbows were bent and it could have used that ability to hold prey with both hands at once.The Discovery of Ornitholestes HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ryan Somma The first specimen of Ornitholestes was discovered in July of 1900 in the Bone Cabin Quarry of Wyoming. The excavation was conducted by Peter C. Kaisen, Paul Miller and Frederick Brewster Loomis who represented the American Museum of Natural History. The specimen was only a partial skeleton with the skull, many parts of the vertebrae, the arms, pelvis, and legs. Henry Fairfield Osborn named and described the skeleton in 1903, using a name meaning “bird robber” suggested by Theodore Gill, as the dinosaur was originally thought to prey on birds.Ornitholestes Tentative Hand DiscoveryA partial hand specimen was originally thought to belong to Ornitholestes as described by Osborn in 1903, but Gregory S. Paul noted in 1988 that the preservation was too poor in the specimen to be considered anything but “tentative” in the association with the dinosaur. In 2005, a new small theropod was found near the hand specimen and the match was much better than with Ornitholestes, so it was reassigned.The Importance of OrnitholestesUnfortunately, the fossil evidence of Ornitholestes is very scarce and the specimen that is available is incomplete. Paleontologists have had to infer a lot about the exact physical specifications of Ornitholestes, not to mention its behavior. But it does have the distinction of being the first theropod discovered in the 20th century. Ornitholestes is also considered to be one of the distant ancestors of modern birds, which helps paleontologists understand how animal life has transitioned from so many million years ago, to what it is today.How Big Was Parasaurolophus? Parasaurolophus is my personal favorite of all dinosaur species. This large herbivore is most commonly recognized for the incredible cranial crest that are believed to have been used as sounding chambers and for sexual display. These incredible crested dinosaurs of the late cretaceous period were herding Hadrosaurs that depended upon herd life for defense from predators. Although bipedal when moving or fleeing, Parasaurolophus would have grazed on grasslands using all four limbs. So how big was this Lambeosaurinae? Let’s take a look at the numbers.The Numbers On Parasaurolophus! HYPERLINK "" Image courtesy of Flickr User mulf Parasaurolophus LengthThe approximated length of Parasaurolophus is around 33 feet long.33 feet is equal to:The length of a full roll of wallpaper.The length of three large Bengal tigers.The length of 11 large dog crates.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 474 nickels.Parasaurolophus WeightEstimates of Parasaurolophus weight fall at around 3.5 short tons or 7,000 pounds.7,000 lbs is equal to:The weight of 23 ostriches.The same weight as 100 red tailed boa snakes.The weight of 1,400 five pound bags of sugar.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 5,600,000 average goose feathers.Parasaurolophus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Parasaurolophus at around 16 feet tall in total and around 9 feet tall at the hips.16 feet is equal to:The height of a small giraffe.The height of 8 giant anteaters.The height of 4 emperor penguins.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 3,146 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Although big, Parasaurolophus lacked the defensive mechanisms of many other herbivores such as the bony armor of Ankylosaurus or the huge horns of Triceratops. With that said, a herd of Parasaurolophus or any other 7,000 lb herbivore would still be a pretty intimidating experience particularly once they all began to run at the same time!Lambeosaurus Lambeosaurus was a Hollow-Crested HadrosaurLambeosaurus, pronounced “LAM-bee-uh-SOR-us”, was a bipedal and quadrupedal plant-eating dinosaur from the hadrosaurid family that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period in North America. It is the largest known duck-billed dinosaur, but its most distinguishing feature is a hollow crest on its cranium. The name “Lambeosaurus” means “Lambe’s lizard”. It was named in honor of Lawrence Lambe, an early Canadian paleontologist.Quick FactsNameLambeosaurusPrehistoric EraLate Cretaceous ClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeight4 – 6 short tons (3.6 – 5.4 tonnes)Length40 feet (12.2 meters)Height20 feet (6.1 centimeters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 28 MPH TerritoryNorth America What did Lambeosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image courtesy of Wikimedia User Dmitry Bogdanov The large, hollow and bony crest on its head would probably be the first thing you’d notice. It also had a bulky body, weighing over 4 tons. It was about 40 feet long and 20 feet tall. It was quadrupedal, with four legs, but its hind legs were much bigger than its arms and paleontologists believe it would primarily walk and run on its stronger hind legs, as a bipedal dinosaur using its long tail for balance. As a duck-billed dinosaur, Lambeosaurus had a wide and toothless bill, but with teeth inside its cheeks. Lambeosaurus is one of the few dinosaurs that has fossilized soft tissue imprints, so we know that its skin had a thick, rough, and pebbly texture.Physical Attributes of LambeosaurusThe hatchet-shaped bony crest on this herbivore’s skull was as big, or even bigger than its head. Lambeosaurus’ nostrils went up through the crest and its snout was narrow, while its bill was wide and blunt. Based on the relative sizes of its brain and body weight, scientists believe that Lambeosaurus was probably of average intelligence.Researchers also? know that its long tail was stiffened by ossified tendons. Studies also find that dome of the fingers on Lambeosaurus’ hands were bunched together, suggesting hooves, with one finger free for manipulating objects. There were three toes on each foot.The Distinctive CrestThe hollow and bony crest? of Lambeosaurus was hatchet shaped in fully grown male dinosaurs, and short and more rounded in the dinosaur specimens paleontologists interpret as females. The crest projected in front of the eyes and there was a bony rod that jutted out over the back of the head. There were two sections to the crest. There was the uppermost part, which was a thin coxcomb (similar to the male-specific growth on a rooster’s head) that grew in adulthood. The second section was the hollow part at the base of the crest that was a continuation of the nasal passages.What was the Purpose of the Crest? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User listentoreason Paleontologists have put forth a few educated theories about the functions that the crest had for a Lambeosaurus. The hollow sections could have housed salt glands, which is a feature found on many animals that ingest saltwater. It is an organ for excreting excess salt. If Lambeosaurus needed to drink saltwater, that would have been a necessary organ.? Other possibilities for the? hollow section could be to produce sounds, attract mates, identify individuals in the species or to enhance the sense of smell. It seems especially likely that the cranialcrest played in to mating rituals since the feature was more pronounced on males. The consensus is that the function was social, so producing sounds and gender recognition are the frontrunner theories. If they did produce sounds, there would be different sounds produced depending on the gender of the dinosaur since the crest shapes were different. That would also help with gender recognition.Strong Vision and Hearing in LambeosaurusThe eye sockets of Lambeosaurus, like other hadrosaurids were large. They also had sclerotic rings, which are bone rings found in the eyes of vertebrate animals such as reptiles. To scientists, those features suggest that hadrosaurids like Lambeosaurus relied on their vision and were probably diurnal, which means they were active during the day and slept at night. There is also evidence that they had strong hearing. The related Corythosaurus had a sensitive middle ear and the Lagena, also a hadrosaurid, had a sensitive inner ear.What did Lambeosaurus Eat?Lambeosaurus was an herbivore. Given its skull shape it probably ate the leaves of flowering trees, twigs, and pine needles with a grinding motion similar to how mammals chew. Its cheeks contained dental batteries that each held over 100 teeth that were constantly replaced and only a few of which were in use at one time. Plant material was held in the side of its jaws, using an organ like a cheek, and it used its beak to crop plants. It fed at a height of 13 feet above the ground and lower.How did Lambeosaurus Move?Most dinosaurs are either bipedal or quadrupedal, but paleontologists believe that Lambeosaurus was both. A characteristic shared by other hadrosaurids. Lambeosaurus walked and ran swiftly on his relatively stronger hind legs. The shorter front legs were likely used for support when foraging on the ground for plants.What kind of Environment did Lambeosaurus live in?Lambeosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 76 to 75 million years ago. They were known to live in what is now known as the Dinosaur Park Formation. Many other popular dinosaurs have been discovered and documented as having lived in the area at various times, such as Chasmosaurus, Edmontonia, and other duck-billed dinosaurs like Gryposaurus. Experts believe that when Lambeosaurus roamed the Formation it was warmer than modern day Canada and conifers were abundant, along with tree ferns, ferns, and angiosperms – also called “flowering plants”.Lambeosaurus and its PredatorsAs an herbivore, Lambeosaurus would have been susceptible to carnivorous predators. Lambeosaurus had strong hearing and sight, and fortunately it wasn’t the dumbest herbivore, but it didn’t have any other obviously effective defenses. Its best bet would have been to stick to its herd and run away in case of attack.The Discovery of Lambeosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Travis S When the first specimens of Lambeosaurus were discovered, they were attributed to different species. In 1902, Lawrence Lambe described some hadrosaurid fossils from Alberta, Canada as Trachodon marginatus. In the 1910s, paleontologists found other remains of hadrosaurids from the same area, which is now called the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation. Two more skulls were attributed to T. marginatus by Lambe, with the genus name described as Stephanosaurus, but there wasn’t enough information to put the new skulls with the earlier marginatus fossils. In 1923, paleontologist Williams Parks suggested a new genus and species for the fossils, but he named the generic and specific names in honor of Lambe, and called it Lambeosaurus Lambei.Reconsidering LambeosaurusIt is common for paleontologists to change the attribution of species as more information becomes available or new paleontologists on the scene see the same fossils differently. That happened a lot with Lambeosaurus. The early paleontologists working in Alberta, Canada around the turn of the 20th century initially thought that the remains of juvenile Lambeosaurus were? adults of the Cheneosaurinae line of hadrosaurids. It wasn’t until 1975, when Peter Dodson demonstrated that the “cheneosaurs” were the youth of other dinosaurs. Another dinosaur name, “procheneosaurus” – given to various specimens, is now thought to be a synonym for Lambeosaurus. In another case, in 1964 John Ostrom pointed out that an old species, called Hadrosaurus paucidens by Othniel Charles Marsh, was probably a Lambeosaurus specimen. An explanation for why there were so many species and genus labels used to describe Lambeosaurus fossils, in a short time frame and small area, was put forth by Peter Dodson in 1975. He studied and measured dozens of skulls and discovered? that the fossils made more sense as juveniles or as the different sexes of the same species. For example, L. clavinitialis was probably a female of L. lambei and Corythosaurus frontalis and Procheneosaurus praeceps were probably juveniles of Lambeosaurus.The Importance of LambeosaurusLambeosaurus is important to paleontology because it is the largest known Hadrosaurid. It is also interesting for the fossilized skin casts that it left behind, giving us rare knowledge of its skin texture. There is also it’s distinctive hollow crest of Lambeosaurus which sparks the imagination of paleontologists who love solving mysteries about the dinosaurs they uncover.Dinosaur Vigilantes And Why You Should Consider Doing A Guest Post For Me In Which Amy Falls Behind in Recent Research…Two days ago here on Dinopit I shared some of the HYPERLINK "" \o "Why Were Dinosaurs So Big?" “popular” theories on just why dinosaurs got to be so large. Not too long after posting I received a comment from a man that I greatly respect not only for his wealth of knowledge, but also because he actually gets to HYPERLINK "" \o "H_Mallison on Twitter" search for dinosaurs for a living. He was disappointed with my post because it overlooked the last 6 years of research in to the topic of dinosaur gigantism.(As an aside, I feel the need to mention that spell check refuses to note the word gigantism as an actual word and instead insists on the use of “vigilantism.” I’m fairly certain however, that Sauropods were not vigilantes…at least not all of them.) HYPERLINK "" My interpretation of a vigilante dinosaur – look at those Photoshop skills! I was disappointed that I had fallen short in my post but it was then that I realized two things:1) I am a freelance writer and blog designer by trade and should not be disappointed when I come up with limited knowledge on a topic. Instead I should take the opportunity to learn more about one of my favorite topics.2) It was the perfect opportunity for me to invite someone else to share their dinosaur knowledge with my readers.So that is just what I did and hopefully when Mr. Mallison (author of HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Palaeo" Dinosaur Palaeo) returns from his work in the field at the end of August he will be catching us all up on some of the most recent theories in why dinosaurs grew to such incredible proportions!Recommended ReadingIn the time being I will be checking out some recommended reading that he sent my way: HYPERLINK "" \o "Biology of the Sauropod Dinosaurs" Biology of the Sauropod Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" \o "Biology of the sauropod dinosaurs: the evolution of gigantism" Biology of the sauropod dinosaurs: the evolution of gigantismIf you are interested in learning more about the evolution of gigantism in Sauropods check out these two recommended resources and hang tight for more on the subject from HYPERLINK "" \o "Heinrich Mallison" Heinrich Mallison at a later date!Would You Like to Guest Post?If you feel that you have dinosaur knowledge that you would like to share with DinoPit readers or if you feel I have neglected to mention any information on any dinosaur related topic feel free to HYPERLINK "" \o "Contact " contact me about guest posting.280 Million Year Old Mesosaur Embryos Discovered Mesosaur Embryos Suspected To Be 280 Million Years OldEmbryos of fossil reptiles, from ca. 280 million years ago, have been discovered by a team of international palaeontologists. Their research article, published in the journal Historical Biology, contains reports of well-preserved mesosaur amniotic embryos. Mesosaurs are an ancient group of aquatic reptiles that lived during the Early Permian in Brazil and Paraguay. The discovery of the embryos points to mesosaurs either laying their eggs towards the advanced stages of development, or it means they were viviparous, a situation that could push back this way of reproduction by 60 million years. HYPERLINK "" \l "/oldest-mesosaur-dinosaur-embryos-found-diagram_51639_600x450.jpg" Illustration courtesy Inés Castiglioni Mesosaur Embryos Indicate In Uterine DevelopmentAdult amniote fossils date as far back as 315 million years; yet despite this there are not many fossil egg and embryonic fossils available for palaeontological study. The recent find was from Brazil, where the scientific team uncovered a fossil specimen in gestation. This showed clearly that the embryos of mesosaurs are retained inside the uterus during the bulk of development, which suggests they were likely to be viviparous.Mesosaur Embryos Are Difficult to InterpretIn Uruguay another 26 specimens of adult mesosaurs were discovered from a similar period to that of the fossil from Brazil. In all cases the adults were associated with embryos or with very young individuals. These specimens are not easy to interpret since they are mostly disarticulated, but it seems that they are likely to have embryos in the uterus, which backs up the viviparity hypothesis.Mesosaurs May Have Been Caring ParentsThere is also evidence of young animals that may have received parental care from at least one parent, but in contrast the site from Uruguay yielded one mesosaur egg that was isolated. The latter makes the viviparous hypothesis doubtful, since viviparity excludes the option of egg-laying. It rather suggests that mesosaurs in Uruguay were egg-layers that only laid their eggs once a more advanced developmental stage had been reached, with hatching occurring soon after (within a few minutes to a few days).The Impact of These Mesosaur EmbryosIn summary, this study shows the most ancient amniote embryos to occur in fossils from 543 – 250 million years ago (during the Paleozoic); it also reveals the first examples of retention of embryos, and possible viviparity, by pushing back the occurrence of this reproductive strategy by ca. 60 million years. In short, these mesosaur embryos could change our understanding of reptile reproduction as we know it.10 More Dinosaur Facts Every Dinosaur Lover Should Know There’s Always Room For More Dinosaur FactsBack in the beginning of July I made a post entitled “10 Dinosaur Facts Every Dinosaur Lover Should Know.” So popular was that post among my readers that I will be adding on to it over time. So here are 10 more dinosaur facts every dinosaur lover should know!10 More Awesome Dinosaur Facts HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Bolt of Blue 1. Velociraptor is believed to have been much more reminiscent of a 3 foot tall turkey as opposed to the media portrayals showing this dinosaur as being a much larger species.2. Despite being ridiculously large, Sauropod’s eggs had maximum size constraints that could not be exceeded without compromising the structure of the egg. To add a quick lesson in egg structure here – the larger eggs are, the thicker the shell needs to be to support the egg structure. Thicker shells are not conducive to air flow which keeps unhatched dinosaur babies alive.3. Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to ever be named (in 1824,) unfortunately, many other dinosaurs were mistakenly identified as Megalosaurus at the time causing quite a lot of confusion.4. Just like Plesiosaurs are not actually dinosaurs, Pterosaurs are not dinosaurs either. Pterosaurs are recognized as flying reptiles and not dinosaurs.5. Despite being recognized as the most intelligent dinosaur in terms of encephalization quotients, Troodon intelligence has been compared to that of a modern day ostrich.6. More than half of the dinosaurs we know today have been discovered in the last 20 years.7. While large, Tyrannosaurus Rex is believed to have been able to maintain faster than expected speeds due to a lighter skeleton featuring honeycombed bones and large fenestrae in the skull.8. Herbivores far outnumbered carnivores. One estimate puts the ration at 20:1.9. Ankylosaurus was so heavily armored that even its eyelids were armored with bony plates.10. A single back vertebrae from?Amphicoelias fragillimus measured 8.8?ft long.Want More Dinosaur Facts?If you want to know even more awesome dinosaur facts then stay tuned for further installments of this article or just read over any one of the articles here at HYPERLINK "" \o "" DinoPit and learn? about any dinosaur species!Eoraptor Eoraptor was a Very Primitive DinosaurEoraptor, pronounced “EE-oh-RAP-tor, was one of the earliest known dinosaurs. It’s name comes from the Greek, meaning “Dawn plunderer”. It lived in the Triassic period, about 228 million years ago. Eoraptor lived in what is today the northwestern region of South America. Eoraptor was from the saurischia, or “lizard-hipped”, order of dinosaurs and is considered to be a very primitive theropod-like species. It also belongs to the infraorder Herrerasauria which includes other early dinosaurs, like Herrerasaurus and Saltopus.Quick FactsNameEoraptorPrehistoric EraMiddle TriassicClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight10 – 20 lbs (4.5 – 9 kg)Length3 feet (1 meters)Height1 feet (30 centimeters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 25 MPH TerritorySouth America What did Eoraptor Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User infringer1 You could say that Eoraptor looked like a somewhat miniature model of larger raptor dinosaur species. There were no particular features that indicated a unique specialty and it was small, only about the size of a small to medium-sized dog, and about 3 feet long. But it was bipedal, so it stood on its back legs. Eoraptor’s body was lightly-built with long, thin legs and a long tail. Its arms had 5 fingers which may possibly have been used for scavenging. Two of the fingers were quite small. The remaining three fingers had sharp claws and could have been used to hold prey. Eoraptor’s feet had three toes, also with sharp claws.Physical Attributes of EoraptorPaleontologists look at Eoraptor’s generic appearance as being characteristic of the earliest known dinosaurs, whose evolutionary descendants would gradually develop more specialized features according to the environment they lived in. Perhaps the most unique feature, for a dinosaur, that could be attributed to Eoraptor would be its light, hollow bones, especially considering that its eventual descendants would be relatives of some of the biggest creatures known to walk the earth. With that said however, even the large theropods like Tyrannosaurus Rex had honeycombing within the bones to create a much lighter skeleton. If two words had to be used to describe Eoraptor, they would be “long” and “light”. It had long legs, a long tail, and a long head with many small, sharp teeth; however, it only weighed about 20 pounds.What did Eoraptor Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Willderbeast Like most theropods, Eoraptor ate meat. But paleontologists suspect that it ate plants too because it had teeth normally associated with herbivores, as well as teeth normally associated with carnivores. So paleontologists tend to conclude it was an omnivore. Paleontologists also suspect that it may have been a scavenger, which seems likely considering it was so small.Where did Eoraptor Live?Eoraptor lived in what is now modern day South America during the Triassic period. The first fossil of this small theropod-like dinosaur was found in the Ischigualasto Basin which is located in Argentina. The basin was formed from a river that was actually there during the time that Eoraptor would have lived. Now the area is a desert and not very supportive of wildlife, but the environment would have been milder and greener during the Triassic.How did Eoraptor Move?Eoraptor was bipedal and digitigrade, so it moved? upright on the ground using its two back legs. Its legs were small, but long, and its long tail was useful for maintaining balance. Therefore, it would have been a pretty fast runner for his size.Discovery of Eoraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mugley Eoraptor was first discovered by Ricardo Martinez in 1991 in the Ischigualasto Basin of Argentina, South America. He worked at the University of San Juan and was doing field work for them and the University of Chicago in the area. Another primitive theropod, Herrerasaurus, was found in the same rock formation as Eoraptor. A total of three Eoraptor skeletons have been found to date, all of which were found in the Basin. In 1993, the news of an almost whole, one-meter-long skeleton of the primitive bipedal theropod-like raptor was published by paleontologist Paul Sereno and his team. They determined it was a very early dinosaur because of its lack of specialized features, such as a sliding joint in the jaw that later predatory dinosaurs developed to hold larger prey items. Later carnivorous dinosaurs also had exclusively curved and saw-edged teeth, but Eoraptor only had some of those teeth. The type species name that they gave it, “Eoraptor lunensis”, means “dawn plunderer from the Valley of the Moon”. Valley of the moon is the English translation of the region’s Spanish nickname “Valle de la luna”. The name refers to the otherworldly appearance of the dry badlands around the Ischigualasto formation.The Importance of EoraptorIn an odd way, Eoraptor’s generic appearance is what makes it significant. That is how paleontologists knew what time period to place the dinosaur. They believe Eoraptor, and primitive dinosaurs like it, served as sort of a template for later dinosaurs. There is some debate that it might not have been technically a dinosaur, but a closely related archosaur. Other paleontologists point out that its functional three-fingered hand indicates a connection to theropod dinosaurs. Regardless of Eoraptor’s strict classification, it still provides a good example of where and when dinosaurs began, and what they looked like in the dawn of their creation.Why Were Dinosaurs So Big? Just Why Were Dinosaurs So Big? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Paul Williams (Iron Ammonite) One of the many factors that draws dinosaur lovers to dinosaurs is their sheer size. There is no animal that walks the Earth today that begins to compare to the largest dinosaurs of the late Jurassic period. Just what was it that made these prehistoric creatures grow to such incredible proportions?Why Were Dinosaurs So Big?: The Biggest of the DinosaursWhen trying to understand why were dinosaurs so big, it is important to take a look at the biggest dinosaurs there were – the sauropods. The sauropods reached their peak in the late Jurassic period and are believed to have maxed out with the incredible Amphicoelias Fragillimus. Amphicoelias Fragillimus could have reached close to 200 feet long and weighed around 135 short tons!Why Were Dinosaurs So Big?: How Did Amphicoelias Fragillimus Get So Big?There are a number of theories under debate for just how dinosaurs like Amphicoelias Fragillimus got to be so gigantic.Theory #1: Plentiful VegetationDuring the time when dinosaurs thrived the Earth’s atmosphere contained much higher levels of carbon dioxide than they do currently. Increased levels of carbon dioxide results in warmer temperatures and in turn that means incredible amounts of lush vegetation. Just how did mass amounts of food relate to the giant carnivores of the period however? As the gigantic herbivores increased in size, carnivores would also have had to grow in size in order to stand any chance of bringing down prey items as large as the Jurassic herbivores.Theory #2: The Evolutionary AdvantageAnother theory that suggests an explanation for the incredible size of dinosaurs is the theory of self preservation. In order to escape predation certain dinosaur species would have grown to incredible sizes in order to survive. This theory suggests that it is possible for larger sauropods to have continued their genetic lines by simply being too large for carnivores to risk attacking. While this took place for some dinosaurs others would have developed other evolutionary advantages such as the armor of the Ankylosauridae. This theory seems to present a more plausible explanation than theory #1 because it allows for different lineages of dinosaur families to develop different adaptations. This would explain why not all herbivores grew to such amazing proportions.?Theory #3: Coldblooded GigantismAnother theory proposed by those researching an answer for those asking “why were dinosaurs so big,” is that dinosaurs coldblooded metabolism allowed for gigantism. This theory gets its credence from the fact that using the research we currently have on warmblooded and coldblooded animals, were the giant dinosaurs warmblooded they would not possibly have been able to reach such incredible sizes. However, using a cold blooded model of metabolism it is possible that the giants of the Jurassic would have been able to warm themselves in the daytime sun and cooled their gigantic bodies slowly overnight, maintaining homeothermy. While this theory does explain how the Jurassic giants could attain such incredible size, it does not jive with current beliefs that certain carnivorous dinosaurs were warmblooded. Despite this fact, some evolutionary biologists and paleontologists believe that it is possible that not all dinosaurs had the same type of metabolism.So there you have it! A number of theories to answer the burning question – why were dinosaurs so big?Dicynodonts Lived On Every Continent Dicynodonts Fossil Found in TasmaniaA leisurely beach stroll on the Tasmanian Peninsula has led to a significant fossil discovery by a couple, Bob and Penny Tyson. The fossils are of a dicynodont, a strange-looking species that pre-dates the dinosaurs by 30 million years, and it confirms its existence in Australia. Furthermore, this discovery confirms the existence of dicynodonts on all the continents.Dicynodonts Were Herbivores HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User infringer1 Dicynodonts were plant-eaters that attained a size similar to that of a cow. They lived ca. 250 million years ago and survived for a very long time, becoming extinct ca. 20 million years ago.The Tasmanian discovery was of two pieces of skull and, with another fossil found in 1983 in Queensland, it forms the basis for scientists to deduce its existence in Australia.? In contrast, discoveries from South Africa and India have been of complete dicynodont fossils.Dicynodonts May Have Thrived in AustraliaDr Andrew Rozefelds, a palaeontologist at the Queensland Museum, speculates that these odd-looking beasts may have managed to survive for longer on the Australian continent than on any other. With Australia being an island continent it is likely that groups such as the monotremes (e.g. echidna and platypus) survived there while becoming extinct on other continents. Despite the presence of better dicynodont fossil remains on continents such as Antarctica, Dr Rozefelds is confident that more material of this group will be found in Australia.Dicynodonts Presence Only Confirmed in 2011The Tyson couple made their discovery of dicynodont tusk fragments some years ago; the pieces were lodged in rocks amongst some seaweeds at the low tide mark. According to Ms Tyson, the fragments were on top of the rock surface, ‘waiting to be knocked off’ since the rock that surrounded it had been worn away. The confirmation of its identity has finally been published by Australian researchers in late 2011.What Did Dicynodonts Look Like?Dicynodonts were creatures that typically had splayed legs, with the skull ending in a horned beak, and with the front of the skull adorned with a pair of tusks. The fossils from Tasmania point to a skull that was 10 – 12 inches long, with tusks reaching 6 inches in length. The remains of the Australian specimens lead scientists to suggest that these dicynodonts may have been the largest found on any continent. Dicynodonts are also believed to have lived and fed out in the open, rather than using the protection of burrows; this exposure could then explain why fossils have so far been scarce in Australia.Make a Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace How To: Make a Dinosaur Skeleton NecklaceIf you’re an ETSY fan then you have undoubtedly seen some pretty awesome dinosaur skeleton necklaces going around – in fact I’ve pinned at least one on my HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinopit on Pinterest" Pinterest account already. Since today is make a dino Monday, I wanted to share an awesome tutorial I came across on HYPERLINK "" \o "Tamed Raven's Blog" Tamed Raven’s blog for making your own dinosaur skeleton necklace. Now if you have the money to buy one then it’ll be a lot less hassle; however, if you’re not ready with your $100 plus and you want a little DIY fun then this is the project for you. HYPERLINK "" Image courtesy of Tamed Raven’s Blog What You Will Need For Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:– Shrink Plastic (think Shrinky Dink.)– An oven & a flat baking tray.– Pencil crayons, paints, or markers.– Sealer (an aerosol sealer like Krylon is most recommended) Krylon–? A single hole punch (the smaller the better.)– Chain, clasps, etc. for mounting your piece as a necklace.How to Make Your Dinosaur Skeleton NecklaceStep 1 in Making Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:Find a dinosaur skeleton image you like online and print it. Make sure you find a side profile view of the dinosaur you want to use and avoid images that have too much detail in them.Remember that Shrinky Dink type plastic becomes approximately three times smaller when heated so find a big enough image that your necklace won’t be tiny when finished.Step 2 in Making Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:Using Scotch tape, tape your image underneath the Shrinky Dink plastic and trace your dinosaur skeleton on to it. When doing this it is easier to create a few different sections of plastic rather than one single piece. Tamed Raven used four individual pieces to create hers, one for the head and arms, one for the ribs, one for the legs and one for the tail. Keep in mind that you will need to create hole punch holes to join the pieces together and to attach the necklace hardware, these holes will need to be further enough in to each piece that they will not be flimsy and snap off.Step 3 in Making Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:Cut out the individual pieces of your dinosaur skeleton from the Shrinky Dink plastic. Now you have the pieces cut out you want to create your “connection points” by using your hole punch. The holes you create here will be what connect your dinosaur pieces together as well as where you will be placing the necklace joints. After cutting out each piece you will want to color them in.Step 4 in Making Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:Put each colored piece of your dinosaur skeleton on a cookie sheet that has been covered in parchment paper – this keeps your cookie sheet clean! Now follow the directions on the Shrinky Dink packaging and cook your dinosaur skeleton necklace!Step 5 in Making Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:Once your skeleton pieces have completely cooled you will want to use your sealer to spray each piece. Now let the pieces sit and dry completely.Step 6 in Making Your Dinosaur Skeleton Necklace:Now take your necklace hardware and attach the jump rings and chain. Use jump rings to attach together each piece of your skeleton as well. Finish up by adding clasps and you’re finished with your dinosaur skeleton necklace!Dromaeosaurus Dromaeosaurus was a Small, Cretaceous TheropodDromaeosaurus, pronounced “DRO-me-uh-SAWR-us”, was a small theropod dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, about 76 to 75 million years ago. Its name comes from the Greek words “dromeos” meaning “runner” and “saurus” meaning lizard. The meaning behind the name refers to its long legs which were obviously built for speed. This dinosaur is not well-represented among the fossil records, so paleontologists tend to fill in gaps of information by looking at others in the Dromaeosauridae family, of which Dromaeosaurus was the first member.Quick FactsNameDromaeosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight100 lbs (45.4 kg)Length6 feet (1.8 meters)Height2.5 feet (0.8 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 20 – 40 MPH TerritoryWestern North America and Alberta, Canada What did Dromaeosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User etee Although Dromaeosaurus was only the approximate height of an average dog, it was a ferocious carnivore. While stalking on its hind feet, this predator hunted in the dense foliage of the late Cretaceous, preying on small animals and scavenging whatever was small or weak enough to kill. It also had very powerful, robust jaws that might have been able to take down bigger prey, especially if two or more hunted together.? Dromaeosaurus was like a small Velociraptor, but its jaws were estimated to be even stronger? It used the iconic sickle claw, located on the first digit of the foot, to help trap and hunt prey.? However, it weighed only about 35lbs, which would have somewhat limited its ability to take medium to large sized game.? Its relatively large head held two large eyes and a blunt snout, with a jaw lined with tiny serrated teeth, and was not a pleasant sight for its prey.Physical attributes of the Dromaeosaurus HYPERLINK "" Rendering Courtesy of Wikimedia User El fosilmaníaco Dromaeosaurus was a highly adapted and evolved predator, with a mix of avian and dinosaur characteristics.? The highly adapted first toe held an inwardly curved claw, or talon.? While the claw was smaller in proportion to the claw wielded by its larger cousin the Velociraptor, it still would have been used in much the same fashion.? Digging the claws into the back of an unsuspecting prey animal, the two talons would be used to grip the prey, and maintain the precarious position to deliver a decisive blow with its jaws. It had adapted jaws and skull specializations as well. The jaw was very powerful, estimated to be several times the strength of Velociraptor. Its teeth were large and there were only nine in its skull, although more probably would not be necessary given the strength of its jaw. There is also speculation as to whether or not Dromaeosaurus had primitive feathers leading to a link between late Theropods and early birds.What did Dromaeosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User edustus Dromaeosaurus was a carnivore, so it ate meat. Its hands were useful for catching and grasping prey. Like its relative, Velociraptor, Dromaeosaurus had talons on its feet that were used in capturing or tearing prey, but paleontologists believe the dinosaurs relied on these talons differently. When Dromaeosaurus attacked its prey, the talons played a secondary role to its teeth, which were estimated to be three times more powerful than Velociraptor. The fossils also indicate that Dromaeosaurus teeth showed heavy wear and tear, much more than its other relative, Saurornitholestes. That suggested that its jaws were used for crushing and tearing, as opposed to slicing through meat.How did Dromaeosaurus Move?Dromaeosaurus was bipedal with long legs that suggested that it was one of the fastest running dinosaur species. Based on what paleontologists know about the physiology of theropods and members of the Dromaeosauridae family, Dromaeosaurus relied on its speed to catch prey. Especially considering it didn’t have the advantage of size.Where did Dromaeosaurus Live?Dromaeosaurus lived in what is now western North America and Alberta, Canada during the late Cretaceous period. The fossils discovered to date have been pretty scarce, so paleontologists have estimated the relatively narrow date range of 75-76 million years for when Dromaeosaurus thrived. The habitat of Dromaeosaurus was warmer than it was today, with many flowering plants and trees and lots of herbivores to feed on the foliage. With its strong jaws, Dromaeosaurus probably had many food sources.The Discovery of Dromaeosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy The first Dromaeosaurus specimen was discovered in 1914 by the paleontologist Barnum Brown during an expedition to Red Deer River. The spot where the fossils were found is now in Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada. The place was so named because it is one of the richest sources of dinosaur fossils in the world. The fossil that Brown discovered consisted of a partial skull that was 9.4 inches long, a mandible, two hyoids, foot bones, and a first metacarpal. The skull was missing most of the top part of the snout. Other fossil finds of the dinosaur consist of several pieces of skull and thirty isolated teeth. They were found in subsequent expeditions in Alberta and Montana.Dromaeosaurus changes FamiliesDromaeosaurus was named by Barnum Brown and William Diller Matthew in 1922. They originally categorized Dromaeosaurus within the “Deinodontidae” family because of similarities in the skull, but that would only last until 1969. In that year, John H. Ostrom noticed many similarities between Dromaeosaurus and Velociraptor and Deinonychus, so he placed the dinosaurs into a new family. He called it Dromaeosauridae, named after the dinosaur that sparked the new category.The Importance of DromaeosaurusDromaeosaurus is important because it was the member for which the Dromaeosaurid family was named and the first of the family with good descriptions of cranial fossils. It is fortunate that the similarity between it and Velociraptor and Deinonychus was found, since Dromaeosaurus seems to be so rare in its time and place compared to other small Theropods. Because of this link, paleontologists have been able to infer what Dromaeosaurus looked like and make reasonable recreations of its skeleton for museums and exhibitions.Just How Big Was Stegosaurus? Stegosaurus is one of the more famous names in dinosaur history and makes the favorite dinosaur list for millions of dinosaur lovers world wide. Most commonly recognized for the incredible and beautiful plates on it’s back, this Jurassic period herbivore was a formidable opponent to any meat eater willing to take it on. With a maximum land speed of around 5 miles per hour, this Stegosaurid had no choice but to stand it’s ground and use it’s bony armored plates to defend itself from predators. Let’s take a look at the numbers shall we?The Numbers On Stegosaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User EJP Photo Stegosaurus LengthThe approximated length of Stegosaurus is around 26 to 30 feet long.The median of these two numbers is 28 feet.28 feet is equal to:The length of three RAM missiles.The length of two and a half black rhinos.Four feet longer than a fully grown bull African elephant.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of? 403 nickels.Stegosaurus WeightEstimates of Stegosaurus’ weight fall at around 3.4 short tons or 6,800 pounds.6,800 lbs is equal to:Two times? the weight of the average NASCAR race car.The same weight as 100 fully grown English bulldogs.The weight of 1,360 five pound bags of sugar.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 5,440,000 average goose feathers.Stegosaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the height of Stegosaurus at around 14 feet tall in total and around 9 feet tall at the hips.14 feet is equal to:The standing height of the largest Kodiac bear known to date.The height of two Bactrian camels.Three feet taller than a fully grown African bull elephant.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 2,753 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" It must have taken some real guts for a carnivore to tackle this armored herbivore, Stegosaurus was no easy prey!Edmontosaurus Edmontosaurus is a Cretaceous Hadrosaur?Edmontosaurus, pronounced “ed-MON-toh-Sawr-us” was a crestless hadrosaurid, or duck-billed, herbivorous dinosaur. It consists of two species, Edmontosaurus regalis and Edmontosaurus annectens. It lived over a wide area in western North America during the Cretaceous Period. The fossils of the first species, E. Regalis, were identified as living 73 million years ago, about 8 million years after the second species was dated.Quick FactsNameEdmontosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivore OrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeight3.5 – 4 Short Tons (3.2 – 3.6 Tonnes)Length43 feet (13.1 meters)Height20 feet (6.1 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 28 mph TerritoryWestern North America What did Edmontosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr user ubermoogle2006 Edmontosaurus was a large, four-legged, scaled, herbivorous dinosaur.? The Edmontosaurus would eat plants and grasses, and chew up its meal in its uniquely shaped jaw, while trying not to become a meal itself.? Its mouth closely resembled a duck’s bill and the flattened and prominent nose is a defining characteristic of the species.? Their elongated skulls were supported by a hefty spinal column and massive rear legs.? The front legs did not have the girth of the back legs, and were not as long either. Despite the front legs being used for locomotion at slow speeds, the Edmontosaurus most likely propelled itself to a reasonably fast gait using only its rear legs.? The Edmontosaurus had a tail, positioned high on the hips, and held rigidly extended due to ossified tendons to help balance the dinosaur when running on two legs.? At a height of over two and a half meters at the hip, the Edmontosaurus was estimated to weigh over four and a half tons.? Its shear size would have kept it safe from all but the biggest and most powerful of theropods (T-Rex and the like).? This made it one of the dominant herbivores of the era, second to Triceratops.What are the physical characteristics of the Edmontosaurus?As a member of the Hadroauridae family, Edmontosaurus’ shared the name sake “duck bill” common in this family of dinosaurs.? The flattened nose jaw helped direct food to its grinding surfaces between top and bottom teeth, and to store chewed food in its cheek pouches. Teeth however, were only placed along the sides of the mouth, in the middle a hardened non-bony beak would have been present.? This beak could be quite large, sometimes extending as much as eight inches past the bones of the skull.? Teeth were constantly discarded and replaced due to wear, from a row of already developed teeth suspended above the teeth, with new teeth taking only six months to form.To support the massive weight of the Edmontosaurus there were several adaptions to its hip and tail bones.? The nine vertebrae directly above the hip joint were fused together, forming a strong bony structure with which to distribute the giant creature’s weight.? The tail was also altered to improve its posture as such a large animal.? The tendons between vertebrae were ossified or hardened, to limit range of motion and increase rigidity along the tail.? The combination of these two factors would have limited the Edmontosaurus’ ability to stand completely erect on its hind legs, making it possible only with support or while running.? As an odd feature, it also had more fingers than toes, with four fingers per forearm and only three toes per foot.? Also, each toe was covered in a soft, abrasive resistant pad, similar to a camel’s hoof.What did Edmontosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr user Big Dave Diode Edmontosaurus was a terrestrial herbivore, which means it ate plants from the ground. It used its broad beak to grab foliage and it had hundreds of teeth in rows that were not always in use. The teeth were deeply indented in the jaw which leads paleontologists to believe that they had cheek structures or “pouches” to keep food in the mouth. There is evidence of stomach contents containing fossilized plant matter, but paleontologists are not decided about whether it was eaten by the dinosaur, or washed into the “stomach'” after it died.How did Edmontosaurus Move?Edmontosaurus is believed to have been a facultative biped, which means that it could move from movement on four legs to a bipedal stance when sitting or moving slowly. This was a common trait among hadrosaurids. In 2007, research was done with computer modeling on the movement of Edmontosaurus and it suggested that the hadrosaur could run very fast, up to 28 mph, albeit quadrupedally. It was once thought that hadrosaurids was at least partially aquatic, but an inspection of their slim hands suggests that they were not equipped for propulsion underwater, their tail was not suited for propulsion either.Edmontosaurus could have been MigratoryPaleontologists look at the wide distribution of Edmontosaurus, combined with the fact that some of its territory had little sunlight during a substantial part of the year, and believe it is very possible that it was migratory. A 2008 report of dinosaur migration asserted that it could make 1,600 miles (2,600 km) round-trip if it had the right metabolism, fat deposition rates, and it could make the required speeds per hour, 1-6 mph (2-10 kmh). However, other scientists believe that Edmontosaurus “overwintered”, or waited through the low-light season.Edmontosaurus was a Social DinosaurEdmontosaurus fossils have been found in bone beds, or groups of many skeletons in the same area, in Alaska, Alberta, South Dakota, and Wyoming. This is a strong indicator that the dinosaur was social and formed herds. In Wyoming, a really high concentration of this dinosaur was found. Paleontologists found the remains of an estimated 10,000 to 25,000 Edmontosaurus in a little over a square kilometer, although most were in only .15 miles of that area.Predators of EdmontosaurusThe fossil evidence shows that Edmontosaurus was a favorite snack for theropods. A skeleton on display at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science shows evidence of a theropod bite in the tail and other damage to the spines from an attack that came from the rear. Luckily for this particular Edmontosaurus, it was able to escape it’s attacker. Paleontologists believe it may have outmaneuvered the predator or used it’s tail as defense. The wounds had time to partially heal before the dinosaur died. Most were not so lucky, tooth marks have been found at several bone beds and another skeleton found in South Dakota escaped some small attacking theropod, only to succumb to the injuries shortly thereafter.Where did Edmontosaurus Live?Edmontosaurus was a very common dinosaur during the last interval before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which caused the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs. It has been reported to have made up one-seventh of the sample of dinosaurs that we know lived during the time. Edmontosaurus lived on the coastal plain extending from Colorado to Saskatchewan. Triceratops was the only dinosaur that was more prevalent in the area during this time period. The area is thought to have been flat, with forests and a subtropical climate with many varieties of plants, like conifers, palmettos and ferns, and animals like turtles, monitor lizards, and tree-dwelling mammals.The Discovery of Edmontosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr user Linden Tea Edmontosaurus was first described by Lawrence Lambe in 1917, although in the 19th century many fossils of the species had been found and attributed to different species. Two partial skeletons were found, one in 1912 and one in 1916, in what used to be called the Edmonton Formation of Alberta Canada. The name of the formation was how the dinosaur got its name. Thanks to Lambe’s new classification of Edmontosaurus, that led to other previously misnamed fossils finally getting their recognition as belonging to the new species. Edmontosaurus fossils have been found in several states in the western United States and as far south as Texas.The Importance of EdmontosaurusEdmontosaurus was important because it was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs before the great extinction at the end of the late Cretaceous. It was also very widely distributed across the western North America, so paleontologists have the advantage of many fossils in many conditions to study, including near-perfect fossils. In 1994, the author Kraig Derstler even described Edmontosaurus annectens as “perhaps the most perfectly-known dinosaur to date”. Paleontologists should be so lucky with other species! However, it is still great for paleontology when even one species is so well-represented in the fossil records. We can learn a lot about dinosaurs in general from these records and the exotic time period that Edmontosaurus lived in so long ago.Dinosaur Coloring Pages Dinosaur Coloring Pages For Creative PaleontologistsHere at DinoPit I make an effort to share just about everything dinosaur I find. That means sharing information for the young paleontologists out there who are looking for fun dinosaur facts and activities as well as the older dinosaur lovers looking for research ideas. Today I’m sharing a little something for the smallest of paleontologists, a collection of dinosaur coloring pages from across the net. Although that’s not to say that everyone couldn’t use a little time with a box of crayons now and again.Enchanted Learning Dinosaur Coloring Pages HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Enchanted Learning Dinosaur Coloring Pages" Enchanted Learning has a great selection of dinosaur coloring pages and unlike a lot of sites they allow you to color pictures directly through your browser. This is a great idea for eco-conscious families or simply those who don’t want to go through paper like crazy! I also really love the wealth of dinosaurs offered by Enchanted Learning. Some of the dinosaurs available on the Enchanted Learning coloring selection are: Ankylosaurus, Carnotaurus, Eoraptor, Lambeosaurus, Ornitholestes and Saurolophus.Free Coloring Pages Dinosaur Coloring Pages HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Free Coloring Pages" Free Coloring Pages has a minimal selection of dinosaur coloring pages but what they do have are nicely put together images. Included in the dinosaurs they have to offer are: Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex and a really cute Styracosaurus.Ivy Joy Dinosaur Coloring Pages HYPERLINK "" HYPERLINK "" \o "Ivy Joy Dinosaur Coloring Pages" Ivy Joy has some cute dinosaur coloring pages that include a number of dinosaurs in “natural” settings rather than just the dinosaur silhouette that a lot of websites offer. Some of the dinosaurs included in these coloring pages are: Brachiosaurus, Gigonotosaurus, Velociraptor and Apatosaurus. The print-outs on this site are a little rough but they are cute all the same.Some Other Neat Dinosaur Coloring Pages to Try HYPERLINK "" \o " Dinosaur Coloring Pages" Dinosaur Pages to Color HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Coloring Pages at " Coloring Pages HYPERLINK "" \o "Primary Games Dinosaur Coloring Pages" Primary Games Dinosaur Coloring Pages HYPERLINK "" \o "First-School.ws Dinosaur Coloring Pages" First-School.Ws Dinosaur Coloring Pages?Online Paleontology Programs Online Paleontology Programs Are Becoming More Popular? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User skeggy Palaeontology: Studying fossils ranging in age from any number of thousand years to several billion years, followed by a reconstruction of the history of life on earth from early forms of life through to the Palaeolithic. More and more this study field is becoming an important part of historical biology, by explaining possible aspects of the evolution of life, and by investigating changes that shaped the earth as we know it today. It is a potentially exciting career with a lot of fascinating aspects, so it will be useful to know how to go about becoming a Palaeontologist.Online Paleontology Programs Require Patience and ImaginationTo create a thriving career opportunity, first consideration should be given to the patience and diligence required to continue working on tedious projects.? The exciting exhibits that we see in natural history museums belie the decades of hard work that feed into the knowledge that creates each exhibit. One needs to have imagination, persistence, and a rigorous understanding of scientific method, and one needs to look into further studies towards a degree that has been accredited for the study field.Applicants to Online Paleontology Programs Should Understand That the Word Can be TediousThose people that have had the privilege of working on a ‘dinosaur’ field site know that this is difficult work that can become very tedious. Each inch or quarter inch of substrate is recorded and analyzed in meticulous fashion. Such a dig could take years to complete, rather than days or weeks, but those that have successfully hunted for dinosaurs confirm that it is worth every moment when they achieve success. One forgets the years of discomfort in the form of dust, heat, cold and wind when a new discovery is made, such as a new species, or a new fact about a species. Boredom and frustration are forgotten in the face of an exciting find.Online Paleontology Programs Highlight Geology and BiologyThe training required by palaeontologists includes unique expertise in Geology and Biology, coupled with a graduate or post-graduate degree (e.g. Masters, PhD) to allow entry into the employment market. Popular jobs include being the Curator of a Museum, teaching at lower or professorial level, becoming a researcher, or a field worker. However, most Colleges and Universities in the U.S. do not offer a degree in Palaeontology, but rather offer it as a minor subject in the disciplines of Geology, Biology and Earth science.Online Paleontology Programs Offer Flexibility in EducationSome people find it impractical to attend full-time lectures, and for some even part-time classes are not possible. Course work and/or an on-line degree through online paleontology programs is a good solution in such cases. This allows classes to happen without having to travel long distances, it may be generally cheaper, and it does not need the physical presence of the student at lectures. However, most courses in Botany and Geology include a laboratory-based practical component that cannot be done via distance education, which means that purely on-line courses in this field are rare. A few “online paleontology” programs do exist, with on-line Bachelor’s degree in Geology and Botany offered at: Ohlone College, MUST University, Grand Canyon University and University of Nebraska Kearny.Paleontology is Not As Seen on TVPalaeontology, as practiced with painstaking patience in the real world, is not the career that everyone dreams of. It does, however, offer a rewarding and exciting career option to those that wish to learn more about early life on earth, up to millions of years ago. It is now possible to master this field by taking online degrees in Biology and Geology that are seen as the basis of online paleontology programs, and starting the journey of dinosaur discovery.Disclaimer: Some people caution against on-line degrees of this kind. Grand Canyon University, for example, is said to be a poor choice since the Biology degrees specialize in health and medical care, not Palaeontology, while Geology is only covered in an introductory one-semester class. Such on-line degrees may be cheaper and more convenient, but they are generally not accepted as sufficient preparation for study at the graduate level. For Master of Science or PhD programs in science one needs to have a full under-graduate course with real laboratory experience and online paleontology programs do not offer this.Red Bubble Dinosaur Hoodie Favorites Red Bubble Has Some Awesome Dinosaur Hoodie Options!I fully admit to being a dinosaur geek when it comes to t-shirts but summer is fast coming to an end and that means that it’s time to start stocking up on warmer clothing. Recently I came upon one of my most favorite dinosaur t-shirt designs (see #1) at Red Bubble and I couldn’t help but notice that they have dinosaur hoodie options as well. So if you’re cold natured like me when those winter months roll around, you’ll be thankful for some awesome warm dinosaur wear! Take a look at some of my favorites.Dinosaur Hoodie #1 : JurassiCon HYPERLINK "" It’s no surprise that this JurassiCon hoodie design by Jeremy Kohrs is one of my favorite dinosaur hoodie choices on Red Bubble because I’m just that much of a nerd. With that said, the logo is awesome and even if you’re not a Jurassic Park fan you can appreciate the connection between ComiCon and JurassiCon. Take a look at other color options for the JurassiCon hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "JurassiCon Dinosaur Hoodie at Red Bubble" Red Bubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #2 : Time to Feed HYPERLINK "" If you’re looking for a simpler or slightly more subdued statement that still professes your dinosaur geekiness then this Time To Feed dinosaur hoodie design by slicepotato is a nice choice. I like the simplicity of the design as well as the fact that Tyrannosaurus Rex is ready to om-nom-nom. Take a look at other color options for the Time to Feed hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "Time to Feed Hoodie" Red Bubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #3 : T-Rex Pet Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" I know what you’re thinking – ANOTHER T-rex dinosaur hoodie, but you have to admit that this one is pretty awesome, I mean who wouldn’t walk their pet T-rex on a leash? The simple silhouette design of T-Rex Pet Dinosaur by personalized makes this an easy to see devotion to your love of carnivores everywhere! Take a look at other color options for the T-Rex Pet Dinosaur hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "Pet T-Rex Dinosaur Hoodie at Rex Bubble" Red Bubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #4 : Batman Pterodactyl Badge HYPERLINK "" Finally a non-T-Rex design! This one is made extra-awesome by the fact that it is a twist on the logo of my favorite comic book hero – Batman. The Batman Pterodactyl Badge dinosaur hoodie by jezkemp is simple, funny and perfect for the dual dinosaur / comic book geek in your life. View other color options (although I highly recommend sticking with the black!) for the Batman Pterodactyl Badge hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "Batman Pterodactyl Badge" Red Bubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #5 :Longnecks Unite HYPERLINK "" This one is a dinosaur hoodie for all of you longneck lovers out there. This comical design by LTDesignStudio features an ostrich, Sauropod, giraffe and flamingo (although quite out of scale) uniting against longneck oppression! Check out some other color options for the Longnecks Unite Dinosaur hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "Longnecks Unite Dinosaur Hoodie" Red Bubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #6 : They Took It – Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" Are you a conspiracy theorist looking for another explanation for the extinction of the dinosaurs? Then the “They Took It – Dinosaur” hoodie by FMelo is just what you’re looking for. I love this shirt because it’s just too funny and the basic design is easy for those who are less dino-savvy to understand. Take a look at other color options for this dinosaur hoodie now at HYPERLINK "" \o "They Took It - Dinosaur Hoodie at RedBubble" RedBubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #7 : Northbridge Riding Academy HYPERLINK "" I could well be missing out on something with this design but as far as I know Northbridge is located in Massachusetts and the concept of a dinosaur riding academy is funny so I’m going to go with it. The Northbridge Riding Academy dinosaur hoodie by possumgirl is a simple and funny design for anyone who has ever wanted to ride a dinosaur or their own. Take a look at other color options for this hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "Northbridge Riding Academy dinosaur hoodie at RedBubble" RedBubble.Dinosaur Hoodie #8 :My Other Pterodactyl is a Quetzalcoatlus HYPERLINK "" You may possibly have to be the biggest dinosaur geek ever to wear the “My Other Pterodactyl is a Quetzalcoatlus” dinosaur hoodie design by jezkemp…but I won’t tell if you don’t. Unfortunately I think this design only really works well on a white hoodie and I am far too fair skinned to remotely pull off that look. Take a look at other color options for this dinosaur hoodie at HYPERLINK "" \o "My other Pterodactyl is a Quetzalcoatlus Dinosaur Hoodie by jezkemp at RedBubble" RedBubble.Plenty More Dinosaur Hoodie Designs to Choose FromI have never actually ordered anything from RedBubble before so I can’t attest to the quality of their shirts or the quality of their print, but I do like their selection of dinosaur hoodie designs. Whether you are looking for something super geeky or a little more subtle you will find a dinosaur hoodie to match your tastes at RedBubble.Gallimimus Gallimimus is the Largest Ornithomimid DinosaurGallimimus pronounced “Gal-ih-MY-mus”, was a dinosaur from the Ornithomimidae family, which was a genus of theropod dinosaurs that looked like modern day ostriches. It was actually the largest of the Ornithomimids. Its name comes from the Greek words meaning “rooster mimic”, referring to its similarity to a flightless bird. Gallimimmus lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 65-70 million years ago. Although it was a theropod, paleontologists don’t believe it was carnivorous, like most theropods. Its beak was toothless, like a birds, so it was thought to be an omnivore.Quick FactsNameGallimimusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationOmnivore / Herbivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight260 lbs (118 kg)Length11-26 feet (3.4 – 8meters)Height11 feet (3.4 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 50 mph TerritoryMongoliaWhat did Gallimimus look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia user Steveoc 86 If you were standing on the plains in the warm, humid ecosystem that is now Mongolia during the late Cretaceous, you might see Gallimimus feeding among the tropical foliage. It was a digigrade bipedal omnivore, meaning that it walked on its toes on two feet, eating plants and small aquatic life. It was incredibly long for its size, while only on average 2 meters tall, some specimens have reached 8 meters from snout to tail. Propelled by abnormally large hips and a long femur (hip bone) the Gallimimus would have been similar to a modern day ostrich. Like the ostrich, the Gallimimus could run from predators, and its long legs and beak complete the look.Physical characteristics of the Gallimimus.The long physique of the Gallimimus, and in particular the curvature of the neck, similar to a chicken, lead to the name of the Gallimimus. The creature also had an elongated snout, that apparently grew the most during adulthood. To offset the mass of the torso and skull, the Gallimimus had a thick, sinuous tail, used for balance. Its eyes were set on opposite sides of the skull, ensuring that its vision was better at detecting movement around it. It may not have had the binocular vision of an eagle, but that would have been offset by its herd mentality and group numbers.Uncertainty about GallimimusThe front arms and the beak of the Gallimimus have caused some debate among paleontologists. The first assumption upon finding Gallimimus remains was that the short, three fingered forelimbs were used for hunting and foraging in the dense undergrowth, then prevalent in the area. Its beak was also thought to be ideally suited, due to thin ribs present on the inside of the beak, to sift the tiny water living creatures, like mollocks, vegetation, insects, etc. making the Gallimimus a omnivore. It is commonly thought now however, that the adaptation was an unused feature of the family of Ornithominidae it belonged to. This is evidenced by the presence of similar structures on known herbivore animals, and casts doubt as to whether the Gallimimus was not an herbivore instead. The classification of diet is still under debate however, until more complete specimens are found.What did Gallimimus Eat?The Gallimimus has, at various times, been described as carnivore, omnivore, and herbivore. The original scientists who described it thought it was a carnivore, but in the past decade, or so, the general opinion has vacillated between omnivore and herbivore. In 2001, a beak specimen of Gallimimus, with preserved soft tissue, was shown to have the same kinds of vertical ridges that ducks use to strain plants as well as meat such as mollusks. The environment that Gallimimus lived in also indicates to paleontologists that it was an omnivore since its region would have contained a lot of water. That suggests that the similarity of its beak to a duck’s beak was not just coincidental. Gallimimus has also been suspected to be a herbivore due to the fact that other herbivores have similar qualities to their mouths, namely turtles and Edmontosaurus. On the other hand, if Gallimimus was an omnivore, that would help to explain its long grasping claws, which would be useful for catching and holding prey or digging in the dirt for insects.How did Gallimimus move? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Wikimedia User Dropzink Gallimimus was bipedal, so it moved along the ground on its two back legs and toes, and it could move fast. We know that Gallimimus was a fast runner because of the similarity of its leg proportions to other fast animals, like ostriches and horses. Its speed would have come in handy for catching prey and fleeing predators.Predators of GallimimusTwo predators that Gallimimus had to fear were Saurornithoides and Tarbosaurus. They were both ferocious theropod carnivores that lived in Mongolia during the late Cretaceous period, at the same time that Gallimimus lived. Luckily, Gallimimus was a fast runner which would have been a very helpful defense.Where did Gallimimus Live?Gallimimus lived in what is now Mongolia. They probably lived in plains or lowlands so that they could run long distances without being impeded by lots of vegetation. The fossil records also indicate that dinosaurs in the Ornithiminidae family were in Mesic environments, meaning that there was a good supply of water in the area, so Gallimimus had lots of water available to find aquatic organisms to eat.The Discovery of Gallimimus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User FrogDNA Gallimimus was first discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in August of 1963. It was a Polish-Mongolian expedition led by Professor Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska, who reported it in 1965. In 1972, three other paleontologists named the species “Gallimimus Bullatus”. The “rooster mimic” meaning behind the name came from a similarity in the neural arches between the dinosaur and Galliformes, which is an order of bird more commonly known as game fowl. The holotype specimen is the largest known example of the dinosaur, but several smaller specimens have been found and determined to be juveniles.The Importance of GallimimusThe Gallimimus has the distinction of being represented in the popular film Jurassic Park, so you may be more familiar with what it looks like than you thought. The film makers portrayed the Gallimimus grazing in a herd, only to be disrupted by the giant theropod, Tyrannosaurus. However, the evidence isn’t sufficient to state with confidence that Gallimimus did live in herds. Paleontologists don’t have much information about the behavior of Gallimimus, but hopefully that will change as more fossils are discovered.The Dinosaur Project Movie Trailer The Dinosaur Project is Slated For August 10, 2012 Release HYPERLINK "" The Dinosaur Project first attracted me when I caught this promo poster while surfing the web. Unfortunately from the trailer that I have seen, the poster looks to be just about the only part of this movie worth praise.The Dinosaur Project Focuses on the Legend of Mokele MbembeThe Dinosaur Project Focuses On the Search For Mokele Mbembe in the Congo. Mokele Mbembe is a creature of legend that is long believed to have lived in the depths of the Congo and by all accounts by locals it resembles a Sauropod. (Note, the Mokele Mbembe has not been created for this movie, it is an actual creature of local legend for the Congolese.) According to African legend, Mokele Mbembe is described as having four thick columnar legs and the incredible size of a Sauropod. Unfortunately, this seems not to be something the producers of The Dinosaur Project researched because they refer to the creature as Africa’s Loch Ness Monster (a Plesiosaur like creature.) Now if you’re a dinosaur lover you don’t need to ask why this is such a big deal but if you found yourself here while looking for a movie review of The Dinosaur Project, let me explain. Plesiosaurs thrived from the early?Jurassic to the late Cretaceous, they are classified as marine reptiles, had four large flippers and fed on a piscivorous diet.? Sauropods thrived from the late Triassic to the late Cretaceous, they are classified as dinosaurs, had four columnar shaped legs and fed on an herbivorous diet.The Dinosaur Project is Shot POV StyleAs the movie begins it takes on a Blair Witch format with it being shot from a handheld camera point of view. While this POV type filming doesn’t really bother me, I have heard from a number of people that it is enough to turn them off seeing the movie.The Plot Is Far From BelievableThe plot for The Dinosaur Project isn’t too original or believable. I know a lot of people will complain that it’s difficult to come up with something new or believable, particularly where dinosaurs are concerned, but the idea of a lost colony of dinosaurs thriving in the Congo is just too far fetched. Entertaining? Perhaps.The storyline tracks a group of researchers as they search for Mokele Mbembe but soon find themselves in a deserted village that has been picked over by a colony of dinosaurs. Exactly what these dinosaurs are it’s difficult to tell for two reasons. #1: the trailer shows limited footage of these creatures and #2: what it does show isn’t really distinguishable. There is what looks to be a Plesiosaur, a few Pterodons and an interpretation of a Raptor that is likely to be more irritating to a true dinosaur lover than anything else (think of the frill necked raptor of Jurassic Park.) As the storyline continues the crew of six find themselves surrounded by dinosaurs and trapped in the Congo.I Hate to be Cynical But…I know it’s unfair to write this movie off before it’s even released but as a true dinosaur lover (and as someone who watches far too many movies) I’m just not excited for the release of The Dinosaur Project.Disney Pixar's The Good Dinosaur The Good Dinosaur is Slated For 2014 Release HYPERLINK "" News of a new dinosaur movie by Disney’s Pixar studio was announced in April this year. With a release date of 30 May 2014, ‘The Good Dinosaur’ is a much-anticipated movie that has been the subject of much speculation. The plot revolves around a scenario where that fateful giant asteroid actually misses planet Earth, sparing the giant dinosaurs from being doomed to extinction. This makes for an original story-line that is said to be both hilarious and heartfelt, i.e. with all the ingredients of a good Disney plot.The Good Dinosaur is Being Directed By Bob PetersonDirection for ‘The Good Dinosaur’ falls under Bob Peterson, with Peter Sohn as co-director. It is written by Enrico Casarosa (who directed ‘La Luna’), with Bob Peterson as co-writer. Peterson was co-director and writer for ‘Up’ and writer for ‘Finding Nemo’, which makes him the ideal candidate for this project. John Walker, who produced ‘The Iron Giant’ and ‘The Incredibles’, will be the person in charge of production. HYPERLINK "" The movie had an initial tongue-in-cheek working title of ‘The Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs’, with a mock-up title illustration to match. In 2009 a promotional clip for the movie ‘Up’ (called ‘B-roll 1’) showed four background images that stood out in the office of sculptor Greg Dykstra. Image 1, a clay sculpture of a typically long-necked sauropod, had a person next to it; images 2 and 3 showed clay sculptures of a boy; and image 4 was an unclear illustration of a sauropod. This suggests that early 2009 could have seen the start of production for this movie.The Good Dinosaur Gets Its Release Date Pushed BackIn June 2011 the first release date was announced to be 27 November 2013. Then details about the plot, directors, producer and the like were announced on 20 August 2011. On 24 April 2012 the final title was announced, and the new release date of May 2014.With the popularity of dinosaurs with children, and dinosaur movies with the movie-going public in general, this is one potential release that is sure to be a hit. This dinosaur lover is already gearing up to see The Good Dinosaur in 2014!10 Dinosaur Birthday Cake Ideas For Any Age It’s make a dino Monday and today I’m going with a picture based approach. One thing that I get asked quite a lot is what the best dinosaur cake ideas out there are. Most commonly this question comes from friends who know that I am both a dinosaur fiend and a baker – well at least cake, cupcake and cookie baker. This is something of a personal preference type of question though, but in my infinite web searching for dinosaur goodness I have come across some great dinosaur cake ideas. Take a look at ten of my favorites…Dinosaur Cake Idea #1: A Sparkly Blue Stegosaurus-Like Cake HYPERLINK "" Image Thanks to Chris Glass’ Website Sure, this Stegosaurus like dino is blue and glittery, but it’s still a cute idea for a sculpted dinosaur cake if you’re up for the challenge of sculpting cake! Make sure to take a look at HYPERLINK "" \o "Chris Glass" Chris’s website where he shares the story behind the cake.Dinosaur Cake Idea #2: A Sauropod, Theropod and Caveman Cake Idea HYPERLINK "" Image thanks to StudioCake This dinosaur cake idea is a great one for twins or just for those who love Sauropods and Theropods both! Okay, so it’s not periodically accurate but the cavemen give this cake a little personalization and if you’re a stickler for the facts then just leave them out! Make sure you take a look at some more of HYPERLINK "" \o "Studio Cake Cake Designs" Studio Cake’s amazing cake designs.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #3: Theropod Cake Topper HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Nikki’s Just Sugar Art I found this cake on Nikki’s Just Sugar Art website. Nikki makes cake toppers like the Tyrannosaurus Rex on top of this cake. While the cake topper is cute and cartoony for younger kids, I was more attracted to the placement of fondant dinosaurs around the cake base. This is a pretty good idea for those of you like me who are not ready to take on cake sculpture. In love with the cake topper? Take a look at HYPERLINK "" \o "Nikki's Just Sugar Art" Nikki’s Just Sugar Art website.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #4: Tyrannosaurus Rex Cake Diorama HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of JellyCake I really love this Tyrannosaurus Rex cake idea because it has the artsy look that many great dinosaur cake ideas have but it also has a little more of a scientific appearance and less of a cartoony appearance. This is one of my favorite dinosaur cakes. Take a look at some more of the amazing cakes made by HYPERLINK "" \o "JellyCake.Co.Uk" JellyCake.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #5: Sculpted Tyrannosaurus Rex Cake HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Layers of Love Another Tyrannosaurus Rex cake idea and this one is a large sculpted cake. It’s a cartoony but cute T-Rex cake that is sure to get the attention of party goers and please the birthday boy/girl but while I think it’s cute, I’d rather see a Parasaurolophus! Take a look at more cakes from HYPERLINK "" \o "Layers of Love" Layers of Love.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #6: Dinosaur Wedding Cake HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of BayShore Cakes When The Doctor and I get married I will do everything in my power to convince him that this is the most awesome dinosaur wedding cake idea ever…because it is. This is a clean dinosaur cake design with the specimens being painted directly on to the cake so if you’re not talented with sculpture but are talented with drawing then this is the cake for you! Have I mentioned that I LOVE this one? Take a look at some of the other amazing wedding cake designs from HYPERLINK "" \o "BayShore Cakes" BayShore Cakes.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #7: Dinosaur Excavation Cake HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Smarter Daily Deal This is a cute and unique dinosaur cake idea for those true paleontologists at heart. This chocolate excavation themed cake is perfect for dinosaur bone lovers and switching out dinosaur species is easier than ever with this cake! Take a look at some more of Donna Hay’s cake designs at HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Cakes at Smarter Daily Deal" Smarter Daily Deal.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #8:Carnivore Meal Time Cake HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Richmond Dental Clinic Not a dinosaur cake for the weak of heart and probably not the youngest of your family members, this cake depicts carnivore meal time in cake! A great sculpted dinosaur cake this one is certain to thrill party goers but be prepared to put a lot of hours in to designing and sculpting!?Dinosaur Cake Idea #9: Triceratops Sculpted Cake Idea HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Debbie Bone This is a cute “Triceratops” cake although technically it depicts an extra horny Triceratops – get your mind out of the gutter. I love this sculpted cake though because it depicts a non-Tyrannosaurus Rex and you don’t see that everyday! Take a look at some more of Debbie Bone’s work at her HYPERLINK "" \o "Debbie Bone" website.?Dinosaur Cake Idea #10: Sculpted Stegosaurus Cake Idea HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Cakes Decor This has to be my favorite sculpted dinosaur cake because it’s beautifully sculpted, nicely colored and more scientific than cartoony. This one will take a lot of man hours and talent to complete but the look on party goers faces will definitely be worth it! The only thing I’m not a fan of? The bones beside this herbivore. Find another great dinosaur cake idea at HYPERLINK "" \o "Cakes Decor" Cakes Decor.Chasmosaurus Chasmosaurus was a Creataceous Period Ceratopsid DinosaurChasmosaurus, pronounced “KAZ-mo-SAWR-us”, is a North American dinosaur that lived during the upper Cretaceous period, about 70-75 million years ago. Its name is from the Greek words meaning “cleft” or “opening” and “lizard”. The name refers to the fenestration in the frill around its neck. It was part of the Ceratopsid family, which is made up of dinosaurs who are primarily characterized by horns and an exclusive taste for plants. It was among the last of the dinosaur species before the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction, about 65 million years ago.Quick FactsNameChasmosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivore OrderOrnithischiaSuborderCeratopsiaWeight4 short tons (3.6 tonnes)Length16-20 feet (5-6 meters)Height8 feet (2.5 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 35 mph TerritoryNorth AmericaWhat did Chasmosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy Chasmosaurus had small and blunt horns compared to other ceratopsians, especially the triceratops. It was a quadruped with a protruding jaw and three horns on its long face. Two forms of Chasmosaurus have had different lengths of the horns found on their faces and it has been suggested that they one was male and the other female. Last but definitely not least, Chasmosaurus had a frill on its neck.A Collar that was Hard to Miss HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy Chasmosaurus would have been most recognized visually for the shape of the huge, boxy frill on its neck that spread out, like a canopy made of bone and skin, over its neck and part of its back. Paleontologists suspect that the purpose for it was primarily in mating rituals. It may have even turned different colors during mating season or used as a signal for other members of the herd. It also probably looked threatening to any other dinosaurs that might think to attack. Another theory holds that it functioned as a thermo-regulating device for its body temperature.Physical Attributes of ChasmosaurusChasmosaurus was a frill-necked ceratopsian of intermediate intelligence. Paleontologists can tell intelligence from how large the brain was in proportion to the body. It is evidence that is usually apparent from dinosaur skeletons, assuming both the skull and the body are complete, but paleontologists have discovered other things about Chasmosaurus that they aren’t usually fortunate enough to find with other skeletons. A specimen was discovered that showed impressions of skin. The specimens show regular spaced rows of alternating large and small circular bumps. At up to 20 feet in length and 4 tons in weight, Chasmosaurus was a medium-sized ceratopsian.What did Chasmosaurus Eat?Chasmosaurus was a herbivore, so it ate plants. It used its tough beak-like mouth to grab the vegetation and then it chewed with the teeth in the side of its mouth. Other dinosaurs in the Ceratopsid family can do this, but most dinosaurs can’t. Some of the prehistoric plants that were likely part of its diet were cycads, ferns, and palms, but there were probably many more considering that it lived in a wooded region.How did Chasmosaurus Move?Chasmosaurus was quadrupedal, which means it walked on its four stout but powerful legs. There is some debate about how fast it moved. Some scientists speculate that ceratopsians, like Chasmosaurus, may have been able to run as fast as rhinos, or up to 35 mph.? It was thought to live in herds, like other ceratopsians. Paleontologists have found bone beds of Chasmosaurus fossils, which are groups of skeletons of the same animal that are found together. Herding indicates the Chasmosaurus had a social disposition and it was helpful for protecting the young or weak members of a species from predators.Predators of ChasmosaurusA very famous dinosaur probably preyed on Chasmosaurus, none other than Tyrannosaurus Rex. They both lived at the same time period, during the late Cretaceous era. Chasmosaurus had an intimidating-looking defense against predators, but younger members would have been more vulnerable. The adults probably charged with their horns, like the modern day rhinoceros does, at oncoming threats.Where did Chasmosaurus Live?Paleontologists know that Chasmosaurus lived in North America, primarily Canada. The environment was much different than it was today, much warmer and more humid. There were tropical prehistoric plants like cycads and palm trees, but many others that we wouldn’t recognize today. The massive extinction that occurred after Chasmosaurus lived caused over half of the plants to die out.The Discovery of Chasmosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy Chasmosaurus was one of the earliest ceratopsians to be discovered, although it was not known by that name at first. The first part of Chasmosaurus to be discovered was its distinctive neck frill. Lawrence M. Lambe of the Geological Survey of Canada discovered it in 1898. At first, he assigned the neck frill to another dinosaur from the Ceratopsid suborder and he named the new species Monoclonius belli. Finally, in 1914 it was correctly renamed, after Charles Sternberg and his sons found several more skulls of the same species in Alberta, Canada. More Chasmosaurus fossils have been found since that date, although there is some variation among the bones, such as different sized horns. They have been classified as different species, but there is some speculation that they are different genders of the same species.The Importance of ChasmosaurusChasmosaurus is important because it was one of the last dinosaurs to have evolved before the great extinction that occurred about 65 million years ago. It is sometimes called the K-T extinction, K stands for kreide, which is German for chalk and describes the chalky sediment of the environment at the time. T stands for tertiary, which is the name for the next period. All land animals over 55 pounds, and some smaller organisms, went extinct. Chasmosaurus and its contemporaries were the last stage in development of an animal that was once very abundant.Just How Big Was Giganotosaurus? Giganotosaurus is a somewhat forgotten late Cretaceous theropod that is often overshadowed by the smaller theropod Tyrannosaurus Rex. Giganotosaurus may have been larger overall than T-Rex; however, in terms of bite force, this Carcharodontosauridae had a bite force of three times less than that of Tyrannosaurus Rex! Not impressed by this carnivore yet? You will be once you take a look at the numbers.The Numbers On Giganotosaurus! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User hoyasmeg Giganotosaurus LengthThe estimated length of Giganotosaurus is believed to have been around 42 – 43 feet.43 feet is equal to:The length of the fossilized super snake Titanoboa discovered in Columbia in 2009.The maximum length of a full sized female giant squid.The length of 1.75 fully grown male African bull elephants.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of? 618 nickels.Giganotosaurus WeightEstimates of Giganotosaurus’s weight fall at around 8.8 short tons or 17,600 pounds.17,600 lbs is equal to:100 newborn narwhals.The same weight as 2 fully grown Anototitan hadrosaur dinosaurs.The weight of 3,520 five pound bags of sugar.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 14,080,000 average goose feathers.Giganotosaurus carolini HeightCurrent estimates put the Giganotosaurus carolinii at around 20 feet tall in total and around 13 feet tall at the hips. There is a little give and take on this height; however, note that Tyrannosaurus Rex and Giganotosaurus carolinii were within the same height range.20 feet is equal to:Two feet taller than the average giraffe.The height of a two story home without the roof.Just about two and a half of Sultan K?sen – the current tallest man in the world (8 feet 3 inches tall.)…and just for fun: equal to the height of 3922 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Who do you think would win in a match up between Giganotosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex?Avimimus Avimimus was a Bird-like Theropod from the CretaceousAvimimus (pronounced AH-vee-MIME-us) was a feathered theropod dinosaur that lived about 95 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period in what is now Mongolia. It’s name comes from the Greek words meaning “bird mimic” because of its distinction as the first discovered dinosaur, with so many features like modern day birds, but still having enough theropod characteristics to be more dinosaur than bird. The Avimimus could be seen as an intermediary link between avian and dinosaur evolution. When originally discovered in the 1970s, the Avimimus was considered to be a descendant of the Archaeopteryx, but this was later disproved by evidence pointing to Avimimus’ more primitive bone composition and structure, making him part of a new class of bird-like dinosaur, the oviraptor family.Quick FactsNameAvimimusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivore or Omnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight45 lbs (20.4 kg)Length5 feet (1.5 meters)Height2 – 3 feet (0.6 – 0.9 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 43 mph TerritoryMongoliaWhat did Avimimus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Illustration of Avimimus portentosus, a basal oviraptorosaurian dinosaur. Skull based on specimen PIN 3907/3. Credit Matt Martyniuk Avimimus was an interesting creature, like a modern ostrich or roadrunner. It was a two-legged feathered theropod, capable of running from predators, but not flight. The dinosaur was smaller than an ostrich, at only 3 to 4 feet tall. It is known from remains excavated from Mongolia that the Avimimus had a short rounded beak, placed on a relatively large head for its size. It also had abnormally large eyes, presumably to be able to detect predators or possibly insects as prey.? It supported its head on a long slender neck and used its feathered tail to balance itself when running.Physical Characteristics of AvimimusNot being able to fly might seem a disadvantage when compared to other dinosaurs, but the Avimimus? had some useful adaptions of its own.? First of all it was smart, scientists at least know that the brain of the Avimimus? was very large relative to its size, and that it was well protected by a bony skull.? Avimimus would need these smarts to evade predators and catch prey on the ground.? The legs of the Avimimus were longer than its other relatives in the Avimimidae family, indicating that it was a flightless bird long enough to evolve specialist running limbs. It ran on three toed feet, a characteristic known as digigrade.What Kind of Environment Did Avimimus Live In?The area where paleontologists found Avimimus was much different at the time they found the dinosaur than it would have been when it lived. The unique habitat of the late Cretaceous period was starkly different from both the time before, when its Oviraptor relatives lived and in the time after. The long clawed toes on the legs of Avimimus are just one indication to scientists that its habitat was something of a wet, marshy forested region. Evidence that Avimimus lived in large flocks also suggests of a wetlands environment. Gregarious birds, and indeed all animals, love to gather around water such as ponds and marshes.What did Avimimus Eat?Avimimus has variously been labeled as herbivore, omnivore, and insectivore. Scientists haven’t been able to infer very much about an Avimimus diet from the fossil records except for what they know from other Oviraptors, the larger category Avimimus belongs to of bird-like theropods from Mongolia. Like other Oviraptors, Avimimus was probably an omnivore. Its mouth was a toothless beak that could have been used to scavenge for a variety of food. Sergei Kurzanov, the scientist who first described Avimimus speculated that, since the upper portion of its beak had a serrated edge, there was a good chance that it ate insects. It would have also been useful for tearing into vegetation. Another idea for its diet is that it stole the eggs of other animals. This theory comes from its status as an Oviraptor, which actually means “egg stealer”. The consensus among paleontologists is usually that Avimimus is an omnivore.How did Avimimus Move? HYPERLINK "" Size comparison between the oviraptorosaurian dinosaur Avimimus and a human. Image Copyright to Wikimedia user Conty. With its similarity to the modern roadrunner, Avimimus was likely capable of fast and extended running. It was a bipedal with two very long slender legs. The proportions of the thigh bones also indicate that it was fast. The skeletons show that the shin bones were proportionately longer than the thighs, which is just like modern cursorial birds that spend most, to all, of their time running along the ground. Muscle scars found on leg bones also indicate that Avimimus specialized in running.Avimimus Did Not Fly much, if at AllKurzanov believed that Avimimus was capable of weak flight. Feathers had not been found on the specimens that he wrote about, but quill knobs were present. The hand bones were fused together like modern birds and he interpreted a ridge on the lower arm bone as having had feathers attached to it. He also pointed out that the joints of the skeletons were exactly like birds, but other features indicated that the wings were too short to sustain flight. He called it a cursorial bipedal theropod and compared it’s ability to fly to that of a chicken, only? employing weak flight occasionally for hunting or when in danger. Today however, many paleontologists don’t believe it was capable of any flight at all. Morphological evidence of Avimimus tends to indicate that the dinosaur was adapted for moving along the ground.Disagreement on Feathers and a TailAlthough paleontologists did not agree with Sergei Kurzanov about whether Avimimus could fly, there is consensus that it did have feathers. They were probably used for either insulation or perhaps a colorful plumage in mating. He was shown to be mistaken about believing Avimimus had no tail, though. At the time of his description of the dinosaur, there was no evidence of a tail, but since then fossil evidence of a short tail has been discovered.The Discovery of Avimimus HYPERLINK "" Fossil Avimimus, a theropod from Wikimedia User Ghedoghedo During the summer of 1973, the Joint Soviet-Mongolian paleontological expedition found a mostly complete specimen of the new genus and species Avimimus portentosus. They found the theropod skeleton at Udan-Sayr in the southern Gobi of Mongolia. This was a major discovery due to the fact that it was the first dinosaur found with distinctive and significant amounts of bird-like features. It was also the first theropod with its particular hip structure. These new features caused the paleontologists to create a new family to categorize it, the Avimimidae family.An Amazing Bird-like DinosaurSergei Kurzanov, a Russian paleontologist who was part of the expedition, described the dinosaur in 1981. Upon it’s initial discovery, it was thought to be a bird until further study and subsequent fossil discoveries later in the 70s indicated that it was really a theropod with bird features. He named it Avimimus portensosus, which translates to “portentous bird mimic”. Portentous means to elicit amazement, but the meaning of the root word “portent” is also apt. Portent is a sign of things to come, just like Avimimus was only the beginning of discoveries of dinosaurs with strikingly bird-like features.Avimimus Bone Bed DiscoveryAn exhibition of Mongolian, Canadian, and American paleontologists reported that they found a gathering of at least 10 Avimimus skeletons in one spot, also called a bone bed. The discovery was significant not just because of the sheer number of specimens but because of what it tells us about how the dinosaur lived. Since there was little variation in the size of the specimens, it indicates that they were gregarious creatures, or flocked together. There was also muscle scarring on the leg bones, providing evidence that the dinosaur was capable of fast and prolonged running.The Importance of AvimimusThe discovery of Avimimus signaled a breakthrough in paleontologists understanding of dinosaurs and their connection with birds. It was the first dinosaur to show such distinctively bird-like features and in such large numbers. In the years since it was first discovered it has been a challenge for paleontologists to categorize, showing similarities to birds and multiple categories of dinosaur. Usually Avimimus is considered an Oviraptor and an important link between dinosaurs and birds.Was Tyrannosaurus Rex a Hunter or Scavenger? People Want to Know: Was Tyrannosaurus Rex a Hunter or Scavenger?One of the questions most commonly asked about one of the world’s most beloved dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex, is whether or not it was a hunter or scavenger. While there are a number of different viewpoints on the issue, the general consensus when answering the question “was Tyrannosaurus Rex a hunter or scavenger” tends to be that T-Rex was most likely both a hunter and a scavenger. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Dan Stephenson Was Tyrannosaurus Rex a Hunter or Scavenger? Wasn’t Tyrannosaurus Too Big to Catch Prey?One of the most common arguments against Tyrannosaurus Rex being an active hunter is that it was simply too big and too slow to catch up with prey items. The fact that T-Rex was a slow and lumbering creature is actually a common misconception. Certainly this considerable creature could not have outrun Gallimimus, but it wasn’t known for running at a snail’s pace either. Research finds that many of the bones of Tyrannosaurus Rex were actually hollow and honeycombed leading to a lighter frame and a faster running speed. Current estimates believe that this Jurassic beast was capable of running at speeds of around 25 MPH. The body of the Tyrannosaurus Rex was built for hunting supporting that this carnivore was an active hunter.What Stopped Tyrannosaurus Rex From Just Scavenging?Many dinosaur lovers question why the Tyrannosaurus Rex wouldn’t have just been a scavenger because it was easier. Preying on carcasses that something else had expended the energy to kill would certainly have meant less energy expansion for T-Rex but it also came with its own petitionOne of the biggest concern when scavenging on existing kills would be the presence of competition. There is the competition from whatever made the kill in the first place as well as competition from other scavengers. If one T-Rex smelled the kill then it is very likely that others did too and this could lead to dangerous confrontation that could lead to injury or death.Lack of FoodLack of food would also have been a significant concern for a scavenger only Tyrannosaurus Rex. Despite the number of carcasses that may be out there, the T-Rex requires a significant amount of meat to sustain it’s body mass and energy levels. While there is no doubt that herbivores greatly outnumbered carnivores, there were still simply too many large carnivores around for Tyrannosaurus Rex to have survived on scavenging alone.Would this 7.2 ton beast have passed up a free carcass? No, but in a time of so many large carnivores free meals didn’t come about often enough to sustain the Tyrannosaurus population.Was Tyrannosaurus Rex a Hunter or Scavenger? The Answer is Both Hunter and ScavengerEvidence supports the fact that Tyrannosaurus Rex was both a hunter and a scavenger but in the grand scheme of things it was far more of an active hunter than it was a scavenger.So ask no more “was Tyrannosaurus Rex a hunter or scavenger” !Was Climate Change Caused By Dinosaur Gas? Did Dinosaur Gas Contribute to Global Warming? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ednl New research is making the startling claim that enough greenhouse gases were produced by large plant-eating dinosaurs passing wind, for a change in climate to be possible.Sauropods Are Being Labeled As the Biggest Dinosaur Gas ProducersThe culprits were sauropods, a widespread group of vegetarian dinosaurs that lived 150 million years ago. With their typically long necks and tails, this group included genera such as the well-known Diplodocus. At a weight of up to 45 tonnes, and body length reaching 150 feet, Diplodocus is one of the biggest animals to have ever walked the Earth.Sauropods are now believed to have functioned like large cows, with a system of fermentation in place to assist with digestion, and – like cows – the bacteria produced large quantities of methane.Dinosaur Gas Caused an Increase in Methane Levels Says WilkensonDr Dave Wilkenson, leader of the study based at Liverpool John Moores University, said that a simple mathematical model has shown that the microbial action involved in sauropod digestion could have generated sufficient levels of methane to make an impact on the climate of the Mesozoic. The research was recently published by Wilkenson in the journal ‘Current Biology’, with Professor Graeme Ruxton of the University of St Andrews, Scotland.The mathematical calculations even suggest that sauropod digestion could have generated larger quantities of methane than a combination of current natural and man-made sources. As a greenhouse gas, methane is more effective than carbon dioxide and exhibits better heat-trapping abilities.The researchers became curious about methane-levels present in the Mesozoic during an initial project on the ecology of sauropods. A range of extant species has been studied to determine levels of methane generation, and this baseline has then be used as a predictive tool to determine the amount of methane that animals of various sizes can produce. It turns out that the total body weight of an animal is the determining factor in this equation.472 Million Tonnes of Dinosaur GasSauropods of medium size weighed in at ca. 20 tonnes, and they are predicted to have lived in herd sizes of up to a few tens of individuals per km2. Using this data, the researchers predicted that ca. 472 million tonnes of methane would be generated globally by sauropods in a year. This figure is similar to modern-day emissions, which is a combination of natural and man-made sources. By comparison, the ruminant animals of today, such as cows, giraffes and goats, produce a combined amount of 45 – 90 million tonnes of methane per year.Pre-industrial levels of methane emission stood at ca. 181 million tonnes a year. The researchers suggest that sauropod digestion alone may have contributed one to two parts per million towards atmospheric methane concentration. Another four parts per million may have been added by leaks from natural gas fields, as well as forest fires in the wet, warm climate of the Mesozoic. This means that a total methane mixing ratio of six to eight parts per million was entirely possible during the Mesozoic.?Dinosaur Gas = Global WarmingThe Mesozoic saw the evolution of increasing size in sauropods, which led to the development of giant species in these plant-eating dinosaurs. They effectively became enormous vessels of microbial activity of the kind that has not been seen since in land animals. Methane was most likely an important factor in greenhouse warming during this era.The scientists maintain that their ‘simple proof-of-concept model’ points towards a greenhouse warming effect being caused by mega-herbivores such as the sauropods, and that this dinosaur gas may have been important in maintaining warm climates.What Is The Biggest Dinosaur? Everyone Wants To Know: What is the Biggest Dinosaur?Yesterday I covered HYPERLINK "" \o "Ten dinosaur facts that every dinosaur lover should know" ten dinosaur facts that every dinosaur lover should know and it got me to thinking about the biggest dinosaur species out there. One of the most often asked questions among dinosaur lovers and even those less intrigued by dinosaurs is: what is the biggest dinosaur? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi There’s a Trick to Finding the Biggest Dinosaur SpeciesSince dinosaur species are so varied there really isn’t one answer to this question, rather there are multiple answers depending upon how you define the word “big.” There is the tallest dinosaur, the heaviest dinosaur and the dinosaur with the longest skull etc. Below we will take a look at all of these record holders.?The Heaviest HerbivoreAmphicoelias fragillimus goes down as being the biggest dinosaur in the herbivore category in terms of weight, weighing in at 122.4 tons. Amphicoelias fragillimus is a late Jurassic Sauropod; however, since their discovery this dinosaurs remains have been lost and only graphic representations of this herbivore remain.The Heaviest CarnivoreSpinosaurus Aegyptiacus is the biggest dinosaur in the carnivore category in terms of weight, weighing in at between 12 to 19 tons. Spinosaurus aegyptiacus is a late Cretaceous Theropod known for the giant sail that protruded from it’s back.The Tallest HerbivoreAmphicoelias fragillimus most likely also goes down as being the tallest herbivore because of it’s overall size and the fact that it’s estimated femur length was 10–13?ft.The Tallest CarnivoreGiganotosaurus carolinii and Spinosaurus aegyptiacus could both be the winners of the tallest carnivore award depending upon which estimate is used for each species. It is estimates that Giganotosaurus carolinii stood at between 18 – 20 feet and Spinosaurus aegyptiacus stood at between 17-24 feet.The Longest HerbivoreAmphicoelias fragillimus wins again, measuring in at between 130 – 200 feet long!The Longest CarnivoreSpinosaurus Aegypiacus wins again, measuring approximately 46 feet long (Giganotosaurus is approximated to have measured in at 40 – 42 feet long.)The Carnivore with the Longest SkullGiganotosaurus carolinii is the carnivore with the longest skull measuring in at 6.3 feet long.The Herbivore with the Longest SkullTo date it is believed that Torosaurus latus is the herbivore with the longest skull measuring in at a whopping 8.5 ft in length. Torosaurus is a Ceratopsian of the late Cretaceous period.The Dinosaur with the Largest WingspanQuetzalcoatlus had an incredible wingspan of 52.2?feet and wins the award for the biggest dinosaur in terms of wingspan hands down.The Herbivore with the Longest TailAmphicoelias fragillimus wins again with a tail that is estimated to have been approximately 105 feet long!The Carnivore with the Longest TailData is scarce on the length of carnivorous dinosaur tails; however, it is believed that Giganotosaurus carolinii would most likely have ranked at the top of it’s class.The Dinosaur with the Longest NeckAmphicoelias fragillimus wins as the biggest dinosaur in terms of neck length with a neck that is estimated at 55 feet long!Note: Bruhathkayosaurus matleyi has not been included in this biggest dinosaur comparison due to a lack of available information on this dinosaur to date.Brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus was a High Browsing Sauropod From the Late JurassicBrachiosaurus, pronounced “BRACK-ee-uh-Sawr-us”, was a large quadrapedal sauropod dinosaur. It was a herbivore from the late Jurassic period, living about 140-155 million years ago. The name Brachiosaurus comes from the Greek meaning “arm lizard”. It’s front limbs were quite long in relation to the rest of its body, kind of like arms. With those long limbs and its long neck, it shared an intriguing physical similarity with the modern-day giraffe. Because of that similarity, paleontologists suppose that Brachiosaurus probably was what they call a “high browser”, meaning they grazed from the leaves of tall trees like giraffes do.Quick FactsNameBrachiosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodomorphaWeight60 Tons (54.4 tonnes)Length100 feet (30.5 meters)Height50 feet (15.24 meters) Maximum SpeedApproximately 10mphTerritoryNorth AmericaWhat did Brachiosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User judith74 Brachiosaurus was an extremely large quadrapedal dinosaur, with a long neck and proportionately small head. In this way it was similar to other sauropods. However, it differed from other sauropods in a couple ways. It had longer forelimbs than hind limbs. In this way it was more like a modern giraffe. Also, although it had a long tail it was not as long as the tails of most sauropods. Brachiosaurus is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs among herbivores due to its very long neck and giant body.Brachiosaurus Had An Unusually Long Neck HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ladybugbkt Brachiosaurus had a neck that could stretch up to about 30 feet. Twelve individual vertebrae supported it, with each vertebral bone measuring about three feet. The length was useful for reaching tall and leafy tree branches to graze on. Scientists aren’t in total agreement about how its heart could have supplied enough blood to the head if it was elevated so high above the rest of the body. Frequent fainting or burst blood vessels would be a common occurrence if it wasn’t sufficiently adapted. Many scientists infer, from the fact that giraffes require such powerful hearts, that Brachiosaurus must have had a powerful heart as well, especially considering the physical similarities between the two animals. This theory also makes sense considering a close relative to Brachiosaurus is the bird, which is an animal with an extraordinarily powerful heart for its size.Physical AttributesTo put it simply, Brachiosaurus was huge. Scientists speculate that an adult may have had the weight equivalent to six or more elephants. With its very long front limbs, shoulder height was almost 24 feet. Its legs were over 13 feet which means they were among the longest in the history of the animal kingdom. Its ribs were deep as well, at 9 feet long and 7 feet wide. Despite its great size, its head was proportionately very small. Even at its small size, there were many holes in the skull to keep it? light for ease of movement. As you can probably imagine, it had a proportionately small brain too.Predators of BrachiosaurusLuckily, Brachiosaurus did not need to be very smart to outwit predators. A large size has its advantages and the average adult Brachiosaurus was probably safe from predators who were intimidated by it. The young, old and weak were probably not safe, though. It is estimated that, from the beginning to the end of a Brachiosaurus physical maturation, it ended up increasing its weight 2,000 times so the young Brachiosaurus was much smaller and more vulnerable than the adult. The young and weak were probably preyed upon by aggressive carnivorous dinosaurs like Allosaurus. If Brachiosaurus traveled in packs, which is a likely scenario, the adults could have provided protection to the more vulnerable members of the herd. They also had sharp claws on their feet which could have provided a pretty effective defense against would-be predators just by kicking them.What Did Brachiosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Falashad Brachiosaurus was a herbivore, which meant it exclusively ate plants and it ate a lot. Scientists estimate that, because of its weight, Brachiosaurus needed to eat over 400 pounds of food every day. The majority of its day was probably spent nipping leaves from treetop branches over 16 feet above ground, and chewing with its spoon-shaped but sharp teeth. It didn’t have teeth capable of grinding its food, so it used small rough stones in its stomach to help it digest food. The late Jurassic period had mostly different plant life than we have today. It was a very warm and humid Tropical environment. The trees it enjoyed were conifers, tree ferns, ginkgoes and cycads.The Metabolism of a BrachiosaurusBrachiosaurus was once thought to be emblematic of why dinosaurs couldn’t be endothermic, or controlling body temperature internally, due to its great size and because of the high caloric needs. However, this was found out to be a miscalculation due to lack of knowledge at the time about the large air sacs in the sauropod that would have provided a cooling effect to offset possible overheating from the large size. Scientists had also overestimated its body mass. Now we have a better idea of how the dinosaur gained and lost heat and it lends support to the idea that sauropods were endothermic, including Brachiosaurus.How Did Brachiosaurus Move?Many sauropods can rear on its hindlimbs, which could be one reason why Brachiosaurus was depicted in the film Jurassic Park as being capable of rearing on its back legs as well. However, scientists know that it was unsuited for such movement because of its size and the distribution of its weight.A Fairly Slow QuadrapedBrachiosaurus was quadrapedal, which means it walked on its four legs. It probably wasn’t able to move as fast as many dinosaurs that were smaller, many estimates say 6-10 miles per hour. Fortunately, the Brachiosaurus didn’t need to move fast. When defending the young from predators, the adults probably signaled to them, surrounded them and swiped at attackers with their huge clawed legs.The Discovery of Brachiosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User brianbrarian In 1900, Elmer S. Riggs and his crew, from what is now the Field Museum of Natural History, found the skeleton of Brachiosaurus altithorax among some rocks in the Morrison Formation of Colorado River valley of western Colorado. In 1901, Elmer S. Riggs wrote a report describing the unusual length of the humerus compared to the femur. A photograph was taken showing Riggs’ assistant laying down next to the humerus, which looks to be at least a foot or two longer than the height of the assistant. Riggs also described the huge size overall, plus the strikingly similar way that the overall skeleton compared to a giraffe. He did not name the dinosaur until 1903, calling it Brachiosaurus altithorax and “the largest known dinosaur”. Among sauropods, it is rare and the specimen that Riggs named is the most complete skeleton to this day. Other type species have been found in Africa and Europe and other sauropods, such as Dinodocus and Ultrasaurus- to name a few, have at times been grouped in with Brachiosaurus, but currently none of them are thought to belong in the same genus.Name that Dinosaur BoneBrachiosaurus bones had been found before the findings of Riggs and the museum crew, but at the time it was not known to belong to a new animal. A sauropod skull was found in 1883 at Felch Quarry near Garden Park in Colorado and sent to the renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh, who used the skull in his restoration which he had called Brontosaurus (but was later named Apotosaurus). Then it became part of The National Museum of Natural History and in the 1970s the skull was reevaluated to be called part of Carnarasaurus. In 1998 it was reevaluated again and finally recognized as a Brachiosaurus skull by Kenneth Carpenter and Virginia Tidwell. Discoveries of Brachiosaurus bones in North America have been so rare that we only have a handful of bones attributed to it. Paleontologists have described bones from Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Utah. Other bones found in the area that were initially thought to be Brachiosaurus were later renamed as other dinosaurs, such as Supersaurus and Ultrasaurus.The Importance of BrachiosaurusBrachiosaurus may be a rare dinosaur, but we have enough information about it to have learned a great deal about the species and about dinosaurs in general. The cooling potential of air sacs of Brachiosaurus, for example, provided valuable evidence that an endothermic metabolism is possible in dinosaurs. We also know from the giraffe-like features of Brachiosaurus that, even though the existence of two species may be separated by eons, we can still know a lot about the more distant one by comparing their strikingly similar features.10 Dinosaur Facts Every Dinosaur Lover Should Know How Many Dinosaur Facts Can We Fit in Your Brain?The topic of dinosaurs is so incredibly broad that very few dinosaur lovers can possibly know all of the dinosaur facts out there. Once in a while here at HYPERLINK "" \o "" DinoPit however, I will drop in with 10 Dinosaur Facts that every dinosaur lover should know and hopefully your brain will soon be stuffed full of as much awesome dinosaur information as mine is.10 Awesome Dinosaur Facts HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ianturton 1. There are currently over 700 named dinosaur species that have been discovered to date and paleontologists believe that we are only just scratching the surface.2. Amphicoelias fragillimus is the heaviest and longest dinosaur to be discovered to date. This giant Sauropod weighed in at?122.4?t and measured between?130–200 feet long.3. The largest dinosaur skeleton to ever be mounted in a museum is that of Brachiosaurus.4. Troodon is believed to have been the most intelligent dinosaur based upon it’s EQ (encephalization quotient.) EQ is a ratio between actual brain mass and predicted brain mass of an animal based upon its physical size.5. Dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurs may well have had downy fur as young hatchlings. See the news article on HYPERLINK "" \o "Yutyrannus" Yutyrannus for more on this fact.6. Although Plesiosaurs are often referred to as dinosaurs, they are actually marine reptiles. The biggest known Plesiosaur was Elasmosaurus.7. Contrary to popular belief, paleontologists primarily classify dinosaurs as Ornithischian and Saurischian rather than carnivores and herbivores.8. Spinosaurus goes down as being one of the longest and one of the heaviest Theropods. Spinosaurus measured around 46 feet long and weighed in at between 12 and 19 tons. Giganotosaurus had a maximum length of around 46 feet as well but weighed in at much less.9. Dinosaurs and mammals coexisted; however, there is no evidence that “cavemen” ever existed alongside dinosaurs.10. Dinosaurs thrived on Earth for more than 150 million years.Want More Dinosaur Facts?If you’re looking for more dinosaur facts stay tuned for further installments of this article or just read over any one of the articles here at DinoPit and learn something new about any dinosaur!Yutyrannus: The Fuzzy Dinosaur Yutyrannus Had Primitive Feathers HYPERLINK "" Image Credit: Brian Choo Isn’t science awesome?? Palaeontologists announced that a giant, feather-covered dinosaur (a type of tyrannosaur) has recently been discovered and described. It was named Yutyrannus huali by the authors of the description, Xu Xing et al. Three well-preserved skeletons were found of the carnivorous species that reached nearly 30 feet in adult form; it lived about 125 million years ago. The remarkable feature of this find is that the body was clad in wispy, fine feathers unlike those of modern birds; the simple feather structure is rather described as ‘dino-fuzz’. Yutyrannus is thus far the biggest animal with plumage that has ever been found.Yutyrannus is Not the First Dinosaur with FuzzThis amazing discovery is not entirely unexpected, since it confirms a previously-stated hypothesis from eight years ago. In 2004 another discovery of a smaller tyrant (named Dilong paradoxus) was made by Xu and co-workers. It was a small coelurosaur that lived ca. five million years earlier than Yutyrannus, and it was also covered with simple fuzz. Dilong was most likely an ancient tyrannosauroid, situated basally within the family that produced later tyrants (e.g. Teratophoneus and Gorgosaurus). If Dilong, and hence tyrannosauroids, sported feathers, then most lineages that are closely related to it are also likely to have had feathers. This means that even Tyrannosaurus rex could have had a partial coating of feathers.Young Tyrannosaurs May Have Been Fluffy Like YutyrannusThe idea that giant tyrannosaurs may have had feathers has been considered before, but evidence was lacking. North American fossils of tyrannosaurs did not form in the type of environments that were conducive to the accurate preservation of feathers. Although never published, there have been rumours that adult tyrannosaur skin samples pointed towards them having naked hides. It is possible that young tyrannosaurs (chicks) were fluffy with dino-fuzz, but that feathers were lost in adult forms once insulation was no longer needed.It’s Hard For Many to Believe Dinosaurs May Have Had FeathersThe idea of feathered tyrannosaurs has not been welcomed in all quarters. On the humor site a drawing of a feathered Tyrannosaurus is included as one of ’17 Images That Will Ruin Your Childhood’, while strong negative response was received when the same image was posted on BuzzFeed. Most people tend to cling to the smooth-skinned image of tyrannosaurs, popularised by movies such as ‘Jurassic Park’. There are, however, some supporters of the idea that large tyrannosaurs could have been at least partially feathered with dino-fuzz. While this could change the image of drab-looking, scaly dinosaurs, there is no doubt that they would still demand respect.No One Is Sure How Fuzzy Yutyrannus WasIt is not certain how much of the Yutyrannus body was clad with dino-fuzz. The drawings by Brian Choo are great, and it is fair to assume a full covering of fuzz, but the three fossils only had feather patches in a few spots – on the neck, arm, foot, hip and tail. Despite the temptation to assume full coverage from this evidence, it is always possible that non-avian dinosaurs had feathers restricted to certain areas only.Feathers Can Indicate a Dinosaur’s ColorThe feather discovery may shed light on what color Yutyrannus was. The color schemes of small feathered dinosaurs (e.g. Microraptor, Archaeopteryx, Anchiornis) have been determined from feathers, so it should be possible in this case too. Will Yutyrannus turn out to be dark like previously studied species, or did it have a different hue? Time will tell, since the research is already being carried out by Xu and co-workers.Yutyrannus May Not Be a TyrannosaurThere are two potential twists in this tale. Firstly, it is possible that Yutyrannus may not be a tyrannosaur. According to palaeontologist Darren Naish, this species shares slight similarities with the carcharodontosaurids, which is a sub-group of larger predators with close relations to Allosaurus. Future studies will have to confirm to which exact lineage Yutyrannus belongs.If it is confirmed that the predatory Yutyrannus is not a tyrannosauroid after all, then it would become even more important. Initial research showed that only the coelurosaurs (which includes tyrannosauroids and a few other theropod clades, such as birds) possessed feathers. Subsequent discoveries then revealed the presence of feather-like structures on two dinosaurs that are far removed in terms of lineage. These are Psittacosaurus (a small ceratopsian dinosaur) and Tianyulong (a tiny, bipedal, herbivorous dinosaur).Feathers Can Tell A Lot About Dinosaur LineageThe distribution of feather-like structures across dinosaur lineages may suggest that these secondary body coverings have evolved more than once on different parts of the family tree. It may also suggest that this is a basal character state that has been lost in some dinosaur clades, but retained in others. This is where the placing of Yutyrannus on the family tree becomes important: if new evidence shows that is does not belong in the coelurosaur clade, but rather with carcharodontosaurids or elsewhere, then it forms another unique placement of feathers on the family tree, which means that an even broader range of species had feathers.Juravenator Also Had Dino-FuzzAnother find of an earlier and smaller theropod (called Juravenator) also showed traces of dino-fuzz. Like Yutyrannus, it may also not be a coelurosaur, which means that a few lineages of dinosaurs (with distant relations to birds) show the presence of feather-like coverings. Yutyrannus may support this view in future, but for now it is assumed to be an ancient form of tyrant dinosaur.Yutyrannus May Have Been Pack HuntersThe second possible twist is that Yutyrannus may have been hunters that move in well-coordinated packs. This is suggested by the fact that all three fossils, representing individuals of varying sizes, were found together. Previously the discovery of many tyrannosaurs in one bone bed has been used to make this conclusion. Xu suggests that the presence of a sauropod skeleton also shows that the three Yutyrannus were part of a pack that attacked the larger sauropod, and all four happened to die at the same time.There is some skepticism about this theory, especially since bone beds can be misleading. Multiple skeletons may occur together since storms or floods forced them there, dead bodies from elsewhere may have washed to the same point, or they could all have been drawn to a predator trap. It is dangerous to make conclusions based on circumstantial evidence without carefully analyzing the geology and taphonomy of such sites.Whether they hunted alone or in packs, all would agree that Yutyrannus would have been a fantastic sight to behold. Without previous studies that hinted at the possibility that such a feathered / fuzzy hyper-carnivore of a dinosaur could exit, no-one would have imagined it. This type of discovery reminds us again how truly awe inspiring creatures like Yutyrannus were.Make A Paper Pteranodon Make a Paper Pteranodon Using Origami HYPERLINK "" I can’t say that I have ever really tried my hand at origami. I tried making lucky stars from those glittery strips of paper once and I’ve folded a few paper hats and airplanes but never anything that takes real talent. Today I ran across a really great video tutorial on how to make a paper pteranodon using origami. If you’re like me, when you attempt something potentially complicated or tedious you find it much easier to do with a step by step visual tutorial.Wonder How To Origami Video Instructions For A Paper PteranodonPart 1 Paper Pteranodon Video TutorialPart 2 Paper Pteranodon Video TutorialIf you want to add a little something extra to your Pteranodon run to your local crafts store (Joanns, Michaels or Hobby Lobby) and snag some colored crafting paper.There are plenty of paper dinosaur origami tutorials out there but there are a few things that I really like about this tutorial. The first thing I like about this tutorial is that it’s easy to follow and origami seems like it can be so difficult to get the hang of. I can’t say that this is the “best” tutorial because like I said, I’ve never really tried origami before, but I can say that I managed to make my paper Pteranodon without redoing it a million times and that must count for something. The second thing I like about this tutorial is that it gives instruction for an origami Pteranodon that moves.If you’re not a fan of origami see if you can’t persuade a friend to give this one a try and donate their Pteranodon to you because this is a really neat little desk toy.On the other hand, if you have a talent for paper folding take a look at some of the other paper dinosaur origami folding HYPERLINK "" \o "Wonder How To Paper Dinosaur Origami" tutorials at Wonder How To and build yourself an army of paper dinosaurs to join your paper Pteranodon.Plateosaurus Plateosaurus is a Late Triassic DinosaurPlateosaurus, pronounced PLAT-ee-oh-SAW-rus, was a sauropodomorph which lived around 204 to 214 million years ago during the Late Triassic period. It was discovered in 1834 by Johann Friedrich Engelhardt when paleontology was still a new science, in fact, the first known use of the word “paleontology” was not until a few years later. Consequently, confusion prevailed for many years regarding the information for the dinosaur. For instance, numerous type species were described that were eventually found to be invalid names or junior synonyms. But, fortunately, now it is one of the most well understood dinosaurs. We have benefited from over 100 skeleton specimens of Plateosaurus having been recovered, some are almost complete.Quick FactsNamePlateosaurusPrehistoric EraLate TriassicClassificationHerbivore (Possible Omnivore) OrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodomorphaWeight2 Tons (1.8 tonnes)Length26 feet (7.9 meters)Height10 feet (3 meters) Maximum Speed40 mph TerritoryEurope and Eastern AsiaWhat did the Plateosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mhaller1979 This large, late Triassic dinosaur may have had a superficial resemblance to carnivorous theropods, like Tyrannosaurus. But there was no need to fear this gentle giant, which was a herbivore and fed only on plants.? The plateosaurus was tall, and could use its height to eat higher flowering plants and fruit.? Easily adaptable to its environment, adult sizes could vary greatly, and is believed to have corresponded to the availability of food sources.? Plateosaurus walked on two legs and used its short, but powerful forelimbs, for foraging and possibly defense.Physical Attributes of PlateosaurusThe Plateosaurus was a tall, lean, leaf eating machine. It had a small skull and a long, flexible neck. Its hind limbs were very strong as were its arms, but the latter were short and unsuitable for walking on, as a bipedal. On its hands were large claws that may have been used for feeding and defensive purposes. There used to be widespread confusion about the identity of Plateosaurus and there was a lot of disagreement about how it looked, but luckily it is now one of the best understood dinosaurs.There have been a large number of finds that provide today’s scientists with an unprecedented look at how these animals lived.?? For instance, previous models of reconstructed skeletons often portrayed the Plateosaurus on all fours, as a quadruped animal.? This model is now know to be incorrect.? The creature was in fact a bipedal animal, and therefore walked on two legs all the time.? The eye sockets were set on opposite sides of the skull, allowing the Plateosaurus good all-round vision to spot predators.? It was also adapted with bird-like lungs, and the unusually large volume of air it contained help the Plateosaurus look larger than it really was.What did Plateosaurus eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User edustus From the shape of the tooth crown, which is similar to modern day herbivorous or omnivorous iguanas, we can be sure that Plateosaurus were one or the other. The diet of the Plateosaurus consisted mostly of plants and fruits.? The Plateosaurus came equipped with teeth that were excellent for chewing and grinding plants, but scientist Paul Barrett suggested that prosauropods supplemented their plant diets with carrion and small prey. Plateosaurus was also thought to be cathemeral, which means they were active (such as with feeding) during the day and night, possibly while trying to avoid the hottest part of the day.Plateosaurus had a growth pattern that was similar to the other non-avian dinosaurs that scientists have studied to date. Their growth rate and final mature adult size varied, probably due to environmental factors like the availability of food sources. Some Plateosaurus reached their full size at 16 feet in length, while others were fully grown at 33 feet. Evidence of rapid growth in the bone structures of Plateosaurus also suggests it may have been capable of thermoregulation, which is how well an animal can keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, and endothermy, or the colloquial “warm blooded”.How did Plateosaurus move?The locomotion of Plateosaurus was for awhile unknown. Theories abounded about the way that Plateosaurus moved. At one point, it was thought to be able to move quadruped-ally. At another point, it was proposed that it could hop like a kangaroo, albeit a clumsy one. (Needless to say that idea was ridiculed by at least one other scientist) Yet another theory suggested that it might have been able to alternate between walking biped-ally and quadruped-ally. The bipedal and quadrupedal was consensus for awhile, until a study of the forelimbs of Plateosaurus by the scientists Bonnan and Senter was conducted in 2007. The study showed that Plateosaurus wasn’t able to pronate its hands, which would have been required for quadrupedal walking. Therefore, they concluded that Plateosaurus was bipedal and only moved along the ground on it’s hind limbs. Scientists also believe that Plateosaurus could run fast as evidenced by its proportionally long lower hind limbs and metatarsus.Discovery and History of Plateosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User VSmithUK The Plateosaurus was discovered in 1834, and named “Englehardti” in reference to the scientist who found the first fossils, Johann Freidrich?? ? Englehardt.? Most skeletal finds have been located in Germany, but there are also some important discoveries that have occurred in Switzerland and Austria as well.? More than 100 different skeletons of this creature have been discovered, but all in Europe.? The location and number of Plateosaurus finds have been the subject of some debate.? Scientists were interested to know why the Plateosaurus was found the way it was. Finds indicate that the dinosaur deaths all happened to occur at the same location, of all the same type of dinosaur, and with no juvenile members present at all.? Of the many theories meant to explain theses curiosities, the one that has the most credence is the mud pit theory.? The story goes like this: Plateosaurus, traveling in herds, or attracted as a herd to available water sources, soon trampled the watering hole into a swampy mire.? The bigger heavier animals got stuck in the deep mud, and were trapped.? Lighter, younger members of Plateosaurus could escape the mud, and hence no juvenile remains.? Scientists also found loose theropod teeth around the finds, indicating that lighter weight scavengers had been able to eat their fill, while still not getting trapped by the mud.Historical Significance of PlateosaurusAs an early type of sauropodomorph during the Triassic period, Plateosaurus was one of the earliest dinosaur species. It was also one of the first dinosaurs to be discovered in the history of modern paleontology. As such, the attempts by scientists to understand Plateosaurus in the approximately 180 years we have known about it have not always gone smoothly. Fortunately we understand Plateosaurus much better today than we did in the beginning. The history of our knowledge of Plateosaurus is almost as much of an indication about how far paleontology itself has come as it is an education in the development of dinosaurs.Just How Big Was Tyrannosaurus Rex? Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the most popular and well known dinosaurs in the world. Over the years there has been much debate about whether this muscular beast was in fact a predator or a scavenger. What we do know however, with the help of numerous complete and near complete specimens is just how large this dinosaur was. This incredible Jurassic period carnivore has inspired children over the globe to pursue careers in paleontology and today we’re going to take a look at the basic facts about this famous theropod.The Basic Numbers On Tyrannosaurus Rex! HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Ian McKenzie Tyrannosaurus Rex LengthThe estimated length of Tyrannosaurus Rex is believed to have been around 42 feet.42 feet is equal to:The width of a junior high basketball court.The length of the right arm of the Statue of Liberty.2 feet longer than the length of a double decker bus (40 feet).…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 604 nickels.Tyrannosaurus Rex WeightEstimates of Tyrannosaurus Rex’s weight fall at around 7.9 short tons or 15,800 pounds.15,800 lbs is equal to:31 adult male silver back gorillas.The same weight as 77 of the UFC fighter Tito Ortiz.The weight of 3,160 five pound bags of sugar.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 12,640,000 average goose feathers.Tyrannosaurus Rex HeightCurrent estimates put the Tyrannosaurus Rex at 20 feet tall in total and 13.1 feet tall at the hips.20 feet is equal to:Two feet taller than the average giraffe.The height of a two story home without the roof.Just about two and a half of Sultan K?sen – the current tallest man in the world (8 feet 3 inches tall.)…and just for fun: equal to the height of 3922 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Can you imagine if Tyrannosaurus Rex still roamed the Earth today?Apatosaurus From Brontosaurus To Apatosaurus – The Name Change?When the first Apatosaurus fossil was discovered in 1877, the name was bestowed but forgotten because the archeologist who named this dinosaur became enraptured with another discovery. The second set of fossils were called Brontosaurus and thought to be a different dinosaur altogether.When researchers discovered these two were one in the same, the name Brontosaurus was already more popular than the title Apatosaurus. Therefore, there’s understandably confusion when someone is talking about the Brontosaurus but using the Apatosaurus title. Most people are more familiar with the television coined term “long neck,” when either name is acceptable because it’s describing the same dinosaur. That doesn’t stop some scientists from petitioning to have the name “Brontosaurus” alone as these dinosaurs’ main identity — a name most paleontologists grew up being familiar with. Below we’ll discuss what makes this double-dubbed dinosaur unique to the late Jurassic period and how it’s discovery has impacted science.Quick FactsNameApatosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodomorphaWeight33-40 Tons?(30 – 36 tonnes)Length70-90 feet?(21 – 27 meters)Height15 – 17 feet?(4.5 – 5 meters) Maximum Speed7 – 9 mph TerritoryNorth American WoodlandsWhat Did Apatosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Apatosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User EJP Photo Apatosaurus Was A Late Jurassic SauropodApatosaurus has been described as the original ‘gentle giant.’ Huge and harmless, these late Jurassic sauropods were easy prey for vicious predators — their only defenses being a thick whip-like tail and sheer body mass. With all the controversy surrounding their names, it’s no surprise that the meaning of Apatosaurus is “deceptive lizard,” but not for the mix-up reasons that most people would assume.Instead, the term ‘deceptive’ here describes how the original archeologist who found the fossils was deceived to believe this was an underwater dinosaur. With a vertebrae reminiscent of mosasaurs, the Apatosaurus was once thought to be a sleek and fierce marine carnivore, rather than a lumbering herbivore. Albeit, the Apatosaurus’s other name (Brontosaurus) means “thunder lizard” — a definition that more accurately describes the elephantine plant-eater. Physical Attributes of ApatosaurusAs one of the largest land animals to have ever existed, the Apatosaurus towered over the biggest predator; an Allosaurus who was shorter by 3 inches to the herbivore’s estimated highest height of 17 feet. Weighing in betwixt 33-40 tons, the Apatosaurus was gigantic!Measuring between 70-90 feet long, the Apatosaurus had an extremely long neck with a smaller head, complete with pencil-shaped teeth that were perfect for munching leaves. It’s unknown whether the Apatosaurus walked with it’s head up or kept it’s neck out straight while walking. Also unknown is why the dinosaur’s nostrils were located on the top of their head.The Long Neck of ApatosaurusThe long neck of the Apatosaurus had surprising limited mobility. It’s theorized that if the Apatosaurus extended it’s neck in an upright position, it could put too much stress on their heart — resulting in instantaneous death. Instead, the 40 foot long appendage could only be lifted a maximum of 15 feet off the ground; a far-cry from the popular myths in modern movies.What Did Apatosaurus Eat?Going with the theory that the Apatosaurus held it’s neck parallel to the ground, the dinosaur may have eaten vegetation in a “mowing” fashion — devouring large swaths of leaves off lower branches. The purpose of the long neck was to ‘peek’ into overgrown woodland areas where other herbivores would have trouble going. If swamp-like conditions kept the other dinosaurs from eating the horsetails and ferns, the Apatosaurus could maneuver through on? a longer neck — snagging more vegetation and eating their fill of untouched foliage.Apatosaurus was also one of the only large dinosaurs to officially use “gastroliths” — an ingestion of rough stones that the dinosaur would swallow to help grind up tough plant matter in their digestive tract.How Did Apatosaurus Move? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User happy via The Apatosaurus walked on 4 legs — moving at a slow trudge but covering quite a bit of distance in a short span of time with trunk-like appendages. Fossilized footprints of these dinosaurs have been measured at up to a yard long and imprinted deeply into the ground.Most of their weight was carried around their midsections and legs — however, it was all muscle. With the effort it took to move, these dinosaurs never accumulated fat — constantly burning the calories they had eaten while on the search for more fuel for their large body. It’s estimated that the Apatosaurus? couldn’t move any faster than 9 mph.Interestingly enough, the Apatosaurus hatchlings were light on their feet — considered bi-pedal through their first few months of life. Afterwards, they’d start developing like the adults, becoming heavier as time wore on and losing the ability to walk comfortably or safely on their hind-legs.Apatosaurus PredatorsApatosaurus had one main predator — the Allosaurus; an intelligent carnivore who would disregard the size of an herbivore if it were easy prey. Despite fossilized remains of the Allosaurus showing fractures from the tail of the Apatosaurus, it’s still believed that the Apatosaurus was it’s main menu herbivore. Unfortunately, because the plant-eater was so big, it would fall hard — meaning if a predator could maneuver in just the right way and bring the Apatosaurus down, it would be at the mercy of aforementioned predator.Sometimes, size was also on the herbivore’s side. Lesser predators avoid the Apatosaurus because of it’s long tail that could do damage when swung like a giant whip. There was also the defense of a much higher neck, giving protection from being fatally bitten in an essential artery while standing.The History Of Apatosaurus DiscoveryWhere Did Apatosaurus Live?It’s said that if these dinosaurs didn’t succumb to death in any number of ways, they had a life-span of a century or more. Their most frequent habitats were in the North American woodlands — places where vegetation flourished; there was plenty to eat, small lakes provided ideal drinking water, and there were a few places to hide in case of predatory attack. The majority of fossils have (thus far) been found in Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.Apatosaurus Specimen Discovery HYPERLINK "photos/via/2207063748/sizes/m/in/photostream/" Image Courtesy of Flickr User happy via The infamous paleontologist, Othniel C. Marsh, unearthed the first Apatosaurus fossils in 1877. Coincidentally, after the name was coined, he discovered another set of fossils and accidentally assumed these two dinosaurs were different. Thus, the double-name for the Apatosaurus was born. The vertebrae bones found by Marsh had distinct teeth marks in them that were later said to have been made by the Allosaurus.Unfortunately, a complete fossilized Apatosaurus wasn’t found until 1915 — when Earl Douglass found the first skeleton with a Apatosaurus skull still attached. The proverbial wires between archeologists were crossed and when Douglass died in 1932, the wrong skull was used in an Apatosaurus exhibit. It wasn’t until 1975 that a paleontologist by the name of Jack McIntosh realized the mistake and had the real Apatosaurus skull sent to the museum where it resides on the first fully fossilized Apatosaurus remains to this day.The Importance of the ApatosaurusApatosaurus has caused dispute because of the century-old naming mistake. Despite the many labels associated with this dinosaur, the characteristics and unique nature of the Apatosaurus has made it one of the most popular creatures to have ever existed. Featured in movies, books, and interesting television specials, Apatosaurus is one of the first dinosaurs ever taught to children — one of the first to ever be familiarized within the paleontological field.Velociraptors Love Cupcakes! I’m willing to bet that you never knew that Velociraptors love cupcakes!If you are a regular DinoPit reader then by now you already know my feelings on Velociraptors. If you are new here then you should know this: the very thought of a velociraptor tapping it’s talon as it seeks out it’s prey is, for me, a culmination of the clown from IT and the sensation of being dangled over the Grand Canyon on a quickly fraying bungee line.With that said, I am a huge fan of cupcakes. In fact we have a local cupcake store (GiGi’s Cupcakes) that makes the most delicious (albeit non-dinosaur themed) cupcakes. My favorite of which is their Key Lime Pie cupcake.It’s True – Velociraptors Love CupcakesNow did you know that Velociraptors love cupcakes too? I’m fairly sure you didn’t…in fact I can’t say that I did either until I ran across this awesome shirt from HYPERLINK "" \o "Design By Humans" Design By Humans. HYPERLINK "" Cupcakus Velociraptus – dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous period. Archeologists insist that this predator terrified cupcakes for millennia, eventually scaring them into bakeries across the world, until humans evolved into the #1 cupcake predator. My better half, the Doctor, argues that the print is too big but I have to disagree.Dinosaurs + cupcakes = awesome.Buy Your Velociraptors Love Cupcakes T-ShirtApparently this has been a pretty popular t-shirt print so right now it’s only available in women’s XL and men’s S and XL but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a reprint since I’d be lost in the XL.The Velociraptor Loves Cupcakes shirt costs $20 for either size and right now they have a buy 2 get 1 free offer and free shipping on offers over $75 at when you use coupon code JULY42012. HYPERLINK "" \o "Velociraptors Love Cupcakes" Get your Velociraptors Love Cupcakes t-shirt nowThe Age of the Dinosaurs What is the Age of the Dinosaurs? HYPERLINK "" How would one understand dinosaurs without having a concept of time? To understand how a species of dinosaur fitted into the greater scheme of things it is important to know when it lived. Yet estimates of ‘Deep Time’, spanning millions of years, are frequently bandied about, making it easy to lose sight of the bigger picture of the history of life.The Age of the Dinosaurs was the Mesozoic EraThe so-called ‘Age of the Dinosaurs’ refers to the Mesozoic area, which stretched from ca. 250 million to 66 million years before present. This conjures up an image of a long, endless summer that allowed the dinosaurs to flourish. Books usually paint a picture of one of three periods during this stretch of time to depict the life of dinosaurs, which gives the impression that stretches of millions of years seem shorter than it is. The Triassic is associated with the small Coelophysis; the Jurassic is synonymous with the large therapods and sauropods that were discovered in the Morrison Foundation; and the Cretaceous is known for Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops.Detailing the Age of the DinosaursLooking at time in more detail, we find that about 150 million years ago – during the latter part of the Jurassic – western North America was home to Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus. Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops – the most famous inhabitants of the Cretaceous era, only evolved about 67 million years before present. If one were to imagine an evolutionary timeline, these dates fall alongside and show, for example, that the time space between Tyrannosaurus and Apatosaurus was 83 million years, and that the same holds for Triceratops and Allosaurus.The Age of the MammalsThe extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs saw the start of the ‘Age of Mammals’, which happened ca. 66 million years ago. This means that there is less time between us and Tyrannosaurus rex, than there is between Stegosaurus and T. rex. This is a sobering thought when one thinks about how much life has changed over the past 66 million years. Ancient mammals came, flourished, and went before the advent of our modern fauna.? These included knobbly-headed and sabre-fanged herbivores (e.g. Uintatherium), lemur-like primates (e.g. adaptiforms), carnivores with razor jaws (e.g. creodonts), and a multitude of other strange creatures. Even some lineages that we know from modern times (e.g. rhinos, elephants, horses) have become more diverse through evolution and what we see now represents the leftover fragments of what once was.Consider the enormous evolutionary changes seen between the last Triceratops and the present, and then imagine the 83 million years that separate the giants of the Jurassic and the Cretaceous eras.? This stretch of time saw the first flowering of the angiosperms; it witnessed the disappearance of the fish-like ichthyosaurs and the rise of mosasaurs and plesiosaurs as dominant sea-predators; sauropods that dominated certain areas made way for large herds of ceratopsids and hadrosaurs; small dinosaur tyrants became apex predators; and the early forms of birds increased in variety and established themselves amongst their dinosaur relatives.We Can Only View the Age of the Dinosaurs in Highlighted EventsHighlights. That is what the above gives us, and that is what makes it both wonderful and so frustrating to track history for life on our planet. We only see glimpses of a picture that keeps changing and when seen in isolation these glimpses make us forget that they are all ultimately related to each other. We need to take a step back to see how all the glimpses fit together to reveal the wonderfully long and constantly changing history of life that has been supported by our planet including the age of the dinosaurs.Free Dinosaur Games The Web Is Ripe With Free Dinosaur GamesI’m not too much of a game player…well, I can kill a game of Scrabble but when it comes to video games I tend to throw down the remote and run away screaming then things pop out at me. The problem with this is that in dinosaur games things always pop out at you. Anyway, just because I’m not a gamer doesn’t mean that you aren’t so today I wanted to share some free dinosaur games that I came across.Free Dinosaur Games HYPERLINK "" Free Dinosaur Games: Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" \o "Battle of the Giants: Dinosaurs" Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs is a free game where players get to design their own dinosaur by choosing the body type, coloration, pattern and name. Then a countdown clock begins and your dinosaur is pitted against another dinosaur. I can’t say that the game is thrilling or that the graphics are great but you may think differently. HYPERLINK "" Free Dinosaur Games: Dino Panic HYPERLINK "" \o "Free Dinosaur Games: Dino Panic" Dino Panic is a story mode game where you play the part of a “cave man” who has a Pteranodon sidekick. Complete the story mode missions and save the ancient tribe while you get chased by prehistoric dinosaurs. This game requires pretty good reaction times which I certainly don’t have. HYPERLINK "" Free Dinosaur Games: Dinosaur King: Dino Dig 3.0 HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur King: Dino Dig 3.0" Dinosaur King: Dino Dig 3.0 is a slow going game where reflexes aren’t an issue. Use a computer screen to scan the dig site for fossils and then zoom in on objects you find. One you zoom in you dig up the items to reveal what may or may not be a dinosaur. I didn’t give this one much of a fair chance because I just kept digging up rocks but if you’re patient you might have more fun with this one. HYPERLINK "" Free Dinosur Games: Dinosaur Identification HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Identification Game" Dinosaur Identification isn’t a video game so much as it is a quiz to see just how much you know about dinosaurs. As the clock ticks down dinosaur names pop up and it’s up to you to identify each species.If you’re looking for more advanced free dinosaur games you can also find some at HYPERLINK "" \o "Purely Games Dinosaur Games" Purely-Allosaurus Allosaurus – The Commonly Overlooked CarnivoreNamed with the Grecian term meaning “different lizard,” Allosaurus perplexed archeologists with a unique bone structure and vertebrae pattern. It’s for this difference and the debate those differences provoked that many paleontologists opted out of further discovery and discussion of this particular dinosaur. Classified as simply “a huge carnivore,” Allosaurus research fell to the knowledge of few remaining paleontologists, making the dinosaur one of science’s most overlooked creatures.Quick FactsNameAllosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationCarnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight4.5 tons (4 tonnes)Length35 – 40 feet (10.5 – 12 meters)Height9 – 11 feet (2.7 – 3.3 meters) Maximum Speed12 – 13 mph TerritoryWestern North America, AustraliaWhat Did Allosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User jimdeane Allosaurus Was A Jurassic Period Meat-EaterReferred to as the “Great Great Grandfather” of the T-Rex, Allosaurus was supposedly far more frightening and vicious. This carnivorous dinosaur of the late Jurassic period feasted on large meat-eaters; however, these were eaten in different ways than that of a normal meat eating dinosaur of this time. Instead of directly tearing chunks from an herbivore’s hide, this giant predator would rip into it’s prey — shaking it’s head from side to side violently and often embedding teeth into the herbivore’s bones. Numerous plant-eater fossils have been discovered with Allosaurus teeth firmly immortalized in the fossilized remains.Physical Attributes of AllosaurusAllosaurus was a powerful predator; a fact that was made prevalent with the length of 2 trunk-like legs, rippled with muscle. The vertebrae of this Jurassic beast was unlike the spine of any other dinosaur – hence a name that means “different lizard.” Shaped much like it’s later carnivorous cousin, T-Rex, these beasts had S-shaped necks that extended from bulky midsection. Their bones were especially heavy – leading down from a chunky torso to a thick tail, built for the purpose of defense and destruction.The Allosaurus had what scientists deemed “Gastralia” — translating to ‘hanging belly ribs.’ Instead of being attached to the spinal column, these ribs grew to the skin around the dinosaur’s abdomen. Their purpose was to support the internal organs, which were especially delicate and prone to fatal injury if the Allosaurus took a tumble while pursing prey.The Teeth of Allosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User andylangager Allosaurus teeth were similar to modern serrated blades, with a length of up to 4 inches per tooth. The average count of a dinosaur’s teeth was between 14 and 17 — however, Allosaurus was a creature of renewal. Much like a shark, these dinosaurs would constantly shed their teeth in exchange for newer, sharper ones.Archeologists have found countless Allosaurus teeth due to the fact that these dinosaur were always losing and replacing theirs. One interesting tidbit about Allosaurus teeth regards their shape — towards the front, their teeth were almost completely straight, but their teeth started curving inwards towards the back. This indicates that the straighter teeth were meant to hold the prey, while the curvier teeth did the work hooking the most chunks of meat.Allosaurus In Pop-CultureAllosaurus bones have been unearthed around areas of Western North America for over a century, making this dinosaur one of the best examples of a dominant species. They were everywhere! Popular culture has made the Allosaurus almost as popular and well-known as the T-Rex. Film adaptations, fictitious novels, and kid-friendly dino books began appearing around 1912, beginning with the predatory story of the Allosaurus in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. Most recently, the BBC and Discovery channels composed specials entitled The Ballad of Big Al and Dinosaur Revolution. The television shows presented realistic evidence of the existence of Allosaurus, complete with information on fossils and finds. The evidence was then followed up with theories and speculations, discussing the habits of living Allosaurus and extinction possibilities based on the injuries prevalent on “Big Al’s” bones.What Did Allosaurus Eat? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User rynoceras Bluntly, Allosaurus ate whatever wasn’t fast enough to get away. As a fierce and vicious carnivore, these dinosaurs are speculated to have eaten their own young if the mood struck them. When a dinosaur is cannibalistic, you can bet the rest of their menu selection is nondiscriminatory. As long as that night’s dinner item had meat attached, this predator probably had no qualms about eating it.How Did Allosaurus Move?Like the overrated T-Rex, the Allosaurus had powerful legs and smaller arms. This means they relied mostly on their toe-claws for running and grasping at food as they pursued it — putting a damper on their speed. It’s been estimated that larger carnivores could reach their top gait of 12-13 mph. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t last long as their massive bulk made it hard for them to maintain this velocity for long periods of time — the main reason their prey was often smaller and much slower than them.Predators & Prey of AllosaurusAs stated before, the Allosaurus had few predators, but plenty of prey. Albeit, there is one dinosaur this beast had to live in the same environment with — one that wasn’t a predator but intimidated the Allosaurus with sheer size and defense weaponry. The Stegosaurus! The steel plated amour and spiked tail of the Stegosaurus made it an unappetizing option for the Allosaurus.It’s believed that the Allosaurus would have only attacked the Stegosaurus if there were absolutely no other prey-options available at the time. Otherwise, these dinosaurs would have not dared to take on a fully grown Stegosaurus on their own. It’s uncertain whether Allosaurus hunted in packs — but if they did, it would have been an easier but still a very difficult feat to take down one of those massive herbivores.The Discovery of Allosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User martin_kalfatovic Where Did Allosaurus Live?Allosaurus fossils were discovered in several areas of western North America, mainly in what would have been dry climates in the Jurassic period. The most notable discovery of a large quantity of Allosaurus fossils have been found in a quarry in Utah; therefore, it’s believed that these dinosaurs favored woodlands and desert-like plains.Allosaurus Specimen DiscoveryThe discovery of Allosaurus is rife with controversy because no one knows exactly when the first specimen was obtained. There are several paleontologists and archeologists who have deemed the Allosaurus fossils their own; however, the one on the forefront of the discovery was Othniel C. Marsh. While this paleontologist didn’t unearth many new specimens of the Allosaurus, he was the first to coin it’s name and give the dinosaur an identity with the bones that had already been discovered.It wasn’t until 1883, an entire 6 years after Marsh named Allosaurus, that a rancher in Colorado uncovered a complete Allosaurus skeleton, although deteriorated and in poor condition. Further investigation around that area led to the discovery of several more Allosaurus fossils, ranging from juvenile to adult. Yet, these still weren’t the most significant fossilized finds regarding the Allosaurus.In 1991, researchers unearthed an Allosaurus skeleton that had been perfectly preserved by the sands and compact dirt of Wyoming. Judging by an analysis of the Allosaurus bones, the fossils were from a teenaged dinosaur who had taken quite a few tumbles. Inevitably, that particular Allosaurus had fallen prey to bacterial infections caused by his latest hard falls. The fossil was 26-foot-long and an estimated 95% finished with growth when tragedy struck. Dubbed “Big Al,” the fossils are now on display in a museum near the Wyoming area where it had been originally uncovered.The Significance of AllosaurusAllosaurus is a popular and often-mistaken dinosaur; the subject of many an archeological discussion and debate between scientists. The discovery of ‘Big Al’ allowed researchers to speculate about injury and why these dinosaurs may have gone extinct — besides the meteorite theory. Allosaurus remains one of the most studied dinosaurs, as researchers continue to find sub-species and descendants of the original dinosaurs all the time.Dinosaur Party Ideas Dinosaur Party Ideas Will Improve Any PartyBeing that I am particularly obsessed with dinosaurs I tend to be a little uncomfortable when I walk in to a formal party filled with stuffy people talking about the latest fashion or celebrity break up. I would much rather they check out some of the dinosaur party ideas I’ve been looking at lately. Okay, so most of these ideas are for kids parties but until I win over my friends children to the dinosaur side, you all are going to be subjected to my dinosaur party ideas for your next dinosaur party.Edible Dinosaur Party Ideas HYPERLINK "" A stegosaurus dinosaur cake makes a great centerpiece for any birthday party. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur cupcakes are a great solution if you prefer not to do a larger cake and these cupcakes are easy to make and look amazing. HYPERLINK "" These dinosaur cookies are a colorful addition to the food table at a dinosaur themed party. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur shaped sandwiches because there has to be some “real” food at every party to satisfy those picky parents.Decor for Dinosaur Party Ideas HYPERLINK "" This dinosaur themed play table gives an authentic look to your dinosaur party while providing a fun play place for kids and parents alike, just place your favorite plastic dinosaurs on to your table when you’re done! HYPERLINK "" Not all of us could afford such an elaborate table layout for our dinosaur party theme, but this layout has some really great ideas to take from! HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur footprints are a great way to lead to the party!Dinosaur Party Ideas For Crafts and Activities HYPERLINK "" These great Triceratops masks are sure to be a hit at any dinosaur party. HYPERLINK "" This dinosaur excavation might be better suited for outdoor activities but it looks like a fun addition to any dinosaur themed party! HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur tails are obviously a mandatory part of any good dinosaur party.Looking for some more great ideas? Take a look at the DinoPit Dinosaur party ideas board on HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinosaur Party Ideas at Dinopit" Pinterest!Largest Dinosaur Eggs Ever Discovered Up to 40 of the World’s Largest Dinosaur Eggs Were Discovered HYPERLINK "" Yelena Fitkulina / Reuters The largest dinosaur eggs in the world have been discovered in Russia. That is the claim made by scientists based at the Chechen State University, in the Chechnya republic. The cluster of fossils was found in a mountainside during the process of blasting through rock for road building. At least 40 of the elliptical fossils were found, with diameters of up to 1 m (3 ft), dating to ca. 60 million years ago.This exciting news and positive media spinoffs are very welcome in Chechnya, an area that has suffered two decades of violence and brutality as a result of two separatist wars and an Islamist insurgency. In an attempt to improve the public image of Chechnya, the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, has spent many millions of dollars on preservation, construction and projects in the tourism field.Skeptics Voice Concern Over the Discovery of the World’s Largest Dinosaur EggsIt now seems as though this good press may not last. The news announcement was soon followed by sceptics in the palaeontological community voicing their concern. Valentina Nazarova, a palaeontologist at the Moscow State University, says that this find is untrue. Dinosaurs apparently laid small eggs, and the locality is also suspect. She was quoted to say that dinosaurs did not lay their eggs while ‘jumping around like mountain goats’.Dr Aleksandr Averianov, of the Institute of Zoology in St. Petersburg, told Russia’s NTV channel that the find was a kind of sand rock, that real dinosaur eggs would have a different type of structure to the shell.All this negative press is not stopping Kadyrov and his government. They plan to preserve the area as a nature reserve, hoping that it would bring more tourists and improve the reputation of this troubled area.If these aren’t the largest dinosaur eggs ever discovered one wonders where the facts about them became scrambled .Make You Own Dinosaur Planter HYPERLINK "" Make Your Own Dinosaur Planter Idea From Pinterest Make Your Own Dinosaur Planter?I like to think that I have a green thumb, but the fact of the matter is that my green thumb is quite limited in it’s domain. I can bake like no one’s business and I can even keep a Phalaenopsis orchid quite beautiful until it decides to drop its flowers and turn in to a stick in a pot. I have never had much luck with any other type of flowers though which is why I think maybe…just maybe I might have some luck with a generic fern or cactus. I found this dinosaur planter idea on none other than Pinterest and after clicking through a few links I found my way to HYPERLINK "" \o "The Thrillz of Hillz blog " The Thrillz of Hillz blog with a pretty awesome tutorial for making your own dinosaur planter.How to Make Your Dinosaur PlanterWhat You Need for Your Dinosaur Planter– One large hollow hard plastic dinosaur that you don’t mind cutting in to– A large knife – or if like me you can’t be trusted with one, go for the Dremel instead– Sandpaper– Spray paint-Newspaper– A Small plant (Hillary advises using a succulent, this is a plant that retains water and does well in small spaces such as a dinosaur planter. I like the idea of using a dinosaur plant but I’m not sure how well it would thrive – I may just have to test this out.)– Modeling clay– Soil that is appropriate for your plant type (you may already have enough in the pot that your plant came in)Getting StartedTake your dinosaur toy and very carefully cup a hole in the back of it around 2 inches by two inches or larger if you desire. Just remember that you are going to put your plant inside this hole so make it large enough but also keep it deep enough to secure the plant. Hillary makes sure to point out that this cutting process should always be done in a well ventilated area and you should make sure not to inhale any plastic shavings. While you have your tools primed, also make sure that you put in a couple of drainage holes at the bottom of your planter to allow for water to drain out.Now that your dinosaur is on its way to becoming a dinosaur planter use sandpaper to round off the edges of your cuts. Next make sure you empty out all plastic shavings and wash and dry your planter thoroughly.Take your dinosaur outside and put down your newspaper so that you can apply your spray paint. You don’t have to spray paint your planter but Hillary did and it looks AMAZING! I’m all about a gold triceratops!Once the paint has dried you want to look at the internal structure of your dinosaur to make sure that there is no where for water to become trapped such as in the tail or in the head. If you find any of these areas use the modeling clay to fill these spaces to prevent standing water which can rot your plant and also smell really really bad.Now is the fun part! Put a little soil in to your planter and then place your plant inside. Top off the plant with a little extra soil making sure not to pack it too firmly. Now all you have to do is water your plant as often as the plant you selected requires…or as often as you remember.Thanks Hillary for an AWESOME Dinosaur Planter Idea!Hillary has some really awesome do it yourself ideas in addition to this dinosaur planter over at HYPERLINK "" \o "The Thrillz of Hillz blog" her blog so make sure that you check her out!Ceratosaurus Ceratosaurus was a Horned Jurassic Predatory TheropodCeratosaurus (pronounced sayr-AT-oh-sawr-us) means “horned lizard”. It’s from the Greek keratos, meaning “horn”, and sauros meaning “lizard”. It was a fearful predator that lived during the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago, with a huge tail, strong and stocky body, and heavy bones. The biggest rival of Allosaurus, another carnivorous theropod, they were similar in appearance except for an extra toe on each of Ceratosaurus’ legs. They were also both scavengers and predatory whenever the opportunity presented itself.Quick FactsNameCeratosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationCarnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight1,500 pounds (680 kg)Length21.3 feet (6.5 meters)Height9.8 feet (3 meters) Maximum Speed60 mph TerritoryNorth America, Tanzania and PortugalWhat did Ceratosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Ceratosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User Greater Than Lapsed Ceratosaurus was a Bipedal Theropod with a Horned NoseCeratosaurus was bipedal with a large tail and head, both unusually disproportionate to a typical theropod’s body. It had a. prominent horn on its nose that came from protruding nasal bones and hornlike ridges in front of its eyes, like allosaurus, from protruding facial bones.It also had a large jaw with knife-like teeth and strong but short forelimbs. Ceratosaurus was distantly related to birds among theropods, but the fossil evidence still shows bird-like features including a more avian-esque ankle joint than Allosaurus. Also, it’s skeletal structure was fused in a way that we see a lot in modern day birds.Physical Attributes of CeratosaurusThe exact length of Ceratosaurus is still under debate. Estimations range from 15 to a little over 20 feet. There have been different specimens found at different times that varied in length by several feet. One smaller specimen may have been not quite fully grown. It was found to be 18 feet and one British Paleontologist, David B. Norman, estimated that the Ceratosaurus could reach a maximum length of 20 feet, although another specimen was thought to be part of a 22 foot long, or more, Ceratosaurus assuming the same proportions as other known specimen at the time.Relative to the wide-ranging lengths of Ceratosaurus, the verdict is also out as to how heavy it was. The 18 foot specimen was estimated to be half a ton and the 22 foot specimen estimated to be a full ton.A very low estimate for weight was developed by John Foster in 2007. He estimated mass from femur length which resulted in a figure of 606 lb for one specimen and 996 lb for the larger specimen.What was the Point of the Nasal Horn? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Pathien There is some speculation among paleontologists about whether the nasal horn on the Ceratosaurus was functional. 100 years ago, it was considered by a couple prominent paleontologists to be a powerful weapon. But that interpretation is no longer considered plausible. In 1985, Norman theorized the horn might have, instead, been for male ceratosaurs fighting amongst each other for breeding rights.A theory that was proposed by two other paleontologists a few years later expressed that it was probably for display only and served no combative purposes.What did Ceratosaurus eat?Ceratosaurus was a Carnivore, Comfortable on both Land and WaterThe paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh, who named him in 1884, first observed that Ceratosaurus had a physique very similar to crocodiles, with its long thin crocodile-like tail and flexible body, and was probably a good swimmer. Recent research provides more evidence backing Marsh up and suggests that Ceratosaurus often preyed on aquatic animals like fish and crocodiles. It also was capable of hunting large animals like sauropods and could have been a pack hunter. It’s main rival was Allosaurus. They both are known to have eaten sauropods, stegosaurus, dryosaurus, and iguanadonts. Scavenging on corpses was also common. Ceratosaurus took the opportunity to eat from anywhere it could.History and Discovery of Ceratosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User brianbrarian Ceratosaurus is a rare fossil to find, but one reliable source has been the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Utah. The dinosaur quarry is rich in fossils, many belonging to predators that are even rarer than the Ceratosaurus. Paleontologist O.C. Marsh first described the type species Ceratosaurus nasicornis in 1884, making a restoration of it a few years later in his 1896 book “The Dinosaurs of North America”. Several more type species have been described since then. Two of the type species were described by paleontologists James Masden and Samuel Welles in 2000 in a detailed monotgraph. One was found in the Fruita Paleontological Area in Colorado and named Ceratosaurus magnicornis. The other was found in the Cleveland-Lloyd dinosaur quarry and called Ceratosaurus dentisulcatus.The Ceratosaurus dentisulcatis was unique in several ways. Unlike the first type species, this one took Madsen and Welles many years to put the skeleton together from scattered fossils. Secondly, when the parts were viewed as a whole, they were amazed by the size of this Ceratosaurus. It was much bigger than any that had been discovered before. Lastly, the Ceratosaurus dentisulcatus was different from other species anatomically. It had larger teeth that curved inward and a lower set nasal opening, but the horned features were not preserved, so it is unknown how that aspect of it’s skull was different.Significance of Ceratosaurus in HistoryCeratosaurus has been a popular dinosaur in the media, especially in movies, including D.W. Griffith’s Brute Force in 1914. It was the first live action movie to ever feature dinosaurs. Considering Ceratosaurus fossils are so rare, in combination with it’s long film career, it is possible that the dinosaur has been seen more in film than in fossil-form. But, hopefully, that will change. As paleontologists increase the known fossil inventory for Ceratosaurus, our understanding of the real Ceratosaurus will increase as well.Just How Big Was Ankylosaurus? Ankylosaurus is likened by many paleontologists to a tank, not only due to the thick armor that shielded its body from attacking carnivores, but also due to it’s size. This late Cretaceous herbivore may seem as though it was peaceful, but there was nothing peaceful about it when a predator set it in it’s sights. Ankylosaurus would have fought to the death using its bony plated armor for protection and the thick bony club on its tail as a defensive weapon. Below we will take a look at just how big this armored Ankylosaurid was.Let’s Look at Those Ankylosaurus Numbers! HYPERLINK "" Ankylosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User eteeAnkylosaurus LengthThe estimated length of Ankylosaurus is believed to have been around 20.5 feet.20.5 feet is equal to:The length of a 2004 Bayliner boat.The length of the longest known saltwater crocodile found in 1982.The length of a 1959 Lincoln Continental.…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 288 nickels.Ankylosaurus WeightEstimates of Ankylosaurus’ weight fall at around 6.5 short tons or 13,000 pounds.13,000 lbs is equal to:2,600 five pound bags of sugar.The same weight as a fully matured African bull elephant.The weight of the Knight XV armored, hand built, SUV by Conquest Vehicles.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 10,400,000 average goose feathers.Ankylosaurus HeightCurrent estimates put the Ankylosaurus at 11 feet tall in total and 5.5 feet tall at the hips.11 feet is equal to:Just over a quarter of the size of the Statue of Liberty.The height of a male African elephant.One foot taller than a single story building without roof height.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 2,163 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Do you still think a pet Ankylosaurus is a good idea?Utahraptor Utahraptor was a Large Cretaceous TheropodUtahraptor, which means “Utah’s predator”, is a theropod dinosaur that lived about 125 million years ago in the early Cretaceous era. It’s thought to have been the largest raptor that ever lived (ironically, the two ton “Gigantoraptor” from central Asia isn’t even in the running because it was just a large theropod dinosaur, not a raptor). Adult Utahraptors measured about 25 feet from head to tail and weighed 1 to 2 tonsQuick FactsNameUtahraptorPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationCarnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight1,100 lbs (500 kg)Length23 feet (7 meters)Height16 feet (4 meters) Maximum Speed40 mph TerritoryUnited States and CanadaWhat did Utahraptor Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User nollpunkt The Utahraptor is the largest in the family of Dromaeosauridae, of which Velociraptor is also a member, and as such display a number of physical characteristics unique to the order.? First, throw out the notions of Jurassic Park, and the tall reptilian looking Velociraptors that hunted in packs and had highly evolved social and linguistic skills.? There is no evidence to support that.? There is however a much more interesting dinosaur at the truth of the matter.? The Utahraptor was a sleek, feathered, bipedial? carnivore. It is significantly larger than the velociraptor, at least as tall as a human and many times heavier. It also had a narrow, sharply defined snout, and forward looking eyes.? Its tail would stretch out behind it to stabilize the massive animal at high speeds.Physical Attributes of UtahraptorThe specialized second toe of the Utahraptor was its main device for catching prey.? On its foot, the first and third digit were placed on the ground, transferring all of the weight of the animal through those two toes on each foot.? The middle claw held a slicing/puncturing talon, held retracted while moving.? This adaption was common among Dromaeosauridae.? The eye placement in the skull was also an adaption used to hunt prey.? The binocular effect made the Utahraptor have excellent vision. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User nollpunkt Utahraptor Had FeathersThe Utahraptor was covered in feathers, a legacy of its avian lineage.? The evolutionary process had robbed the dinosaur of the main flight feathers seen in flying birds, and instead it had shorter, proto-feathers covering its upper body.? It would have had some use for these feathers however, as the Utahraptor may have flapped its wings to run faster, jump higher, and maintain balance atop prey animals.What did Utahraptor eat?The Utahraptor was the dominant carnivore in its ecosystem.? Scientists have found no evidence of a larger land predator during the animals lifespan. There is evidence of a close relative of Utahraptor, the North American raptor called Deinonychus, hunting in packs. Although Utahraptor has only been found in isolated fossils. It’s very possible that Utahraptor wouldn’t have needed to hunt in packs since it was so large. Scientists believe that the diet of Utahraptor was comprised mostly of Iguanadons, a large herbivore of the same Early Cretaceous period. They also think that it had some kind of warm-blooded metabolism. Perhaps not to the extent of modern mammals, but something between reptiles and mammals. Considering it’s size, level of activity, and the presence of feathers it would be very sensible to conclude that Utahraptor had a metabolism that was endothermic.History and Discovery of Utahraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User ZacharyTirrell The First Utahraptor fossils were found by Jim Jensen in 1975 at the Dalton wells Quarry in east-central Utah, but this news mostly slipped under the radar. Further Utahraptor remains were found in 1991 spurred on by the find of a large foot-claw by Carl Limoni. Brigham Young University now has the biggest collection of Utahraptor bones, but the official type fossil is at the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum. Utahraptor is a single named species, known as Utahraptor ostrommaysorum. The name honors both John Ostrom, the famous American paleontologist, and Chris Mays, the pioneer of dinosaur robotics. Ostrom was one of the first to speculate that raptors shared significant traits with birds.Utahraptor is obviously named after the state, but it almost had another famous name attached to it. The species was originally going to be named “Utahraptor spielbergi” after the movie director Steven Spielberg, in exchange for him funding palaeontological research. But there was no agreement on the amount of funding.Historical Significance of UtahraptorThe history of this dinosaur is relatively new.? Filmmakers of the blockbuster hit “Jurassic Park” made the controversial move to double the size of the Velociraptor, approximately the size of the Utahraptor, this dinosaur had yet to be discovered.? If it had, it is likely that they would have replaced Velociraptor with the Utahraptor and it would be as well known as the Velociraptor is today.Dinosaur Videos YouTube is Filled with Dinosaur Videos…or Why I Didn’t Finish My Boss’s Last Project on TimeI was procrastinating on looking through YouTube the other day when I ran in to a couple of pretty awesome dinosaur videos that I thought my fellow dinosaur lovers would appreciate.Some of My Favorite YouTube Dinosaur VideosParasaurolophus SoundThis dinosaur video clip is pretty awesome not only because it’s about my favorite dino of all time, but also because it recreates the sound of the Parasaurolophus. There are a couple of dinosaur videos on YouTube that feature the Parasaurolophus sound but this one is pretty in depth and is also from one of my favorite Discovery pieces on dinosaurs: Clash of the Dinosaurs.The Last Day of the DinosaursThis is actually one of the longer dinosaur videos that I ran across on YouTube from another Discovery piece called “The Last Day of the Dinosaurs.” If I remember rightly I found this piece to be pretty interesting, although don’t hold me to it because as I recall it was also 7am on a Saturday morning and I was also “resting my eyes”.Planet DinosaurI also ran across the trailer for Planet Dinosaur from 10 months ago while spending far too long watching YouTube dinosaur videos! I have no idea how I missed this one because a) I love BBC One productions (no, not only because I’m British by birth) and b) dinosaurs. I can’t find this series on Netflix yet, but I did find a number of episodes on YouTube if you search for “Planet Dinosaur” or it’s available for HYPERLINK "" \o "Planet Dinosaur DVD" pre-order from Amazon for $19.96. Also note, you will see a Blu-ray version of this available now but it is not the correct region to play on a U.S DVD player. For now I’m going to settle in and watch as many episodes as I can find on YouTube but I’m certain this one will make it in to my Dinosaur DVD collection as soon as it’s released. HYPERLINK "" The six episode DVD is set to be released in the U.S. on August 21st. I’ll feature more about this upcoming release early next week, until then, enjoy the dinosaur videos YouTube has to offer from this series.An Early Decline of the Dinosaurs How the Decline of the Dinosaurs Occurred is a MysteryThe cause of extinction for the non-avian dinosaurs remains a mystery. Yes, there are many theories about this, and palaeontologists have whittled them down to a few, e.g. an asteroid striking the Earth, huge volcanic eruptions, changes in sea level and climate change; yet how these possible occurrences actually caused the extinction of complete lineages of organisms, is still under discussion. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Edoardo Forneris Were Dinosaurs Thriving Before the End of the Cretaceous Period?One of the hot questions concerns whether dinosaurs were actually thriving up to the end of the Cretaceous, or whether there were signs before then that indicates some kind of decline of the dinosaurs. Evidence from the Hell Creek Formation in western North America, where paleontological finds are made from rock that is 66 million years old, suggests that dinosaur diversity – based on number of species – is less pronounced than evidence from 10 million years earlier in the same area suggests. Such evidence of decline of the dinosaurs, however, relies on the methods used to identify species before counting them, which in turn relies on the way in which we distinguish between different species of dinosaur (or other groups) that are only described from fossils.For example, Triceratops and Torosaurus are known as two different genera, which means that two large ceratopsid genera existed towards the end of the Cretaceous in western North America. However, should we believe that the taxon we call Torosaurus actually represents the more mature form of Triceratops, based on skeletal evidence, then there is only half of the originally suggested diversity in ceratopsids. Considering that records of fossilized remains are never perfect, and even in the best conditions for preservation we are merely sampling a few bits and pieces, then equating species counts to actual diversity is complicated.Did Variety in Form Contribute to the Decline of the Dinosaurs?In a recent paper in the journal ‘Nature Communications’, four palaeontologists approach the matter differently. Instead of tracking number of species and genera, the authors – Stephen Brusatte, Richard Butler, Albert Prieto-Márquez and Mark Norell – investigated differences in morphology by studying variation across seven major clades from a regional and global perspective. The theory is that variety in form relates to different kinds of behavior and lifestyle, which allows an estimation of diversity at a particular time, without the need for taxonomic certainty. This allows researchers to gauge which dinosaur clades may have been thriving, and which may have been showing decline over time.Data Analysis Helps to Explain the Decline of the DinosaursThe authors analysed trends in morphological disparity from the late Campanian to the Maastrichtian age (i.e. the 12 million years at the end of the Cretaceous), in the following seven dinosaur groups: ankylosaurs, ceratopsids, hadrosauroids, pachycephalosaurids, sauropods, tyrannosauroids and the non-avian coelurosaurs. They found that no one pattern fits all the groups; there was decline of the dinosaurs in some groups, but others were stable. The latter proved true for the ankylosaurs (a group with heavy armour), pachycephalosaurs (with their domed heads), coelurosaurs (that were small and feathery) and the infamous tyrannosaurs. These groups did not exhibit obvious changes in disparity, and in the sauropods (with their long necks and large size) there was only a slight increase in disparity. On both a local and a global level, there was no evidence that these groups were affected by the decline of the dinosaurs suspected prior to extinction.Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsids Showed Signs of Being Affected by the Decline of the Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Linden Tea A different picture emerged for the hadrosaurs (with their shovel beaks) and the ceratopsids (with their horns). Ceratopsids exhibit a noticeable drop in disparity from the Campanian to the Maastrichtian, which is partially explained by the loss of an entire subgroup of ceratopsids. The Campanian age saw both centrosaurines (e.g. Centrosaurus) and chasmosaurines (e.g. Chasmosaurus) roaming North America, while only the chasmosaurines survived to see the Maastrichtian.Globally the hadrosaurs only dipped slightly in terms of disparity, but different continents show different patterns for this group. Asian hadrosaurs exhibit a small increase in disparity, while North American hadrosaurs show a marked decline over the last 12 million years of the Cretaceous. However, the situation for North American dinosaurs cannot be extrapolated to a global level.This Evidence Shows Not All Dinosaurs Were Equal Prior to ExtinctionThe authors point out that past studies concentrated on faunal abundance or richness of species, while their current study on levels of disparity gives a ‘more nuanced picture’ of the ultimate 12 million years of the history of the dinosaurs. It debunks the idea that a decline of the dinosaurs came about for all species or that all species were thriving. It rather shows the last 12 million years to be a period of flux for dinosaurs, particularly in North America. Here certain lineages remained in stable state, while others (the largest and most abundant herbivores) exhibited a decline in variability.The increase in disparity showed by the sauropods at the end of the Cretaceous is of particular note. The popular image is one of sauropods being titans of the Jurassic that were replaced by groups with superlative plant-shearing ability (e.g. hadrosaurs and ceratopsids). New evidence seems to suggest that sauropods actually clung on and may even have expanded again, while the hadrosaurs and ceratopsids were considerably affected by the “decline of the dinosaurs.”What Would the Decline of the Dinosaurs Meant if the Cretaceous Extinction Event Never Happened?What would have happened if the Cretaceous extinction never took place? We will never know, but if the non-avian dinosaurs had survived, human kind may never have evolved to ask this very question. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Vilseskogen One thing is clear: one should never consider the dinosaurs as a monolithic group. There is variability everywhere – in the pressures that lay behind their evolution, in the reasons they went extinct, between groups, and between geographic locations. The more we research them the more we realise that their history is complex, and that there is still so much more to learn. ?Our present understanding of the non-avian dinosaur extinction is based on evidence from sites in western North America. These sites are relatively accessible and give scientists a record that spans the final days of the dinosaurs to a time where mammals dominate the world. No matter how well we study these sites, they will always give only a small glimpse of the global dinosaur extinction; the situation in North America may not represent what happened across the globe. It is possible that these North American sites and fossil records reflect a local anomaly influenced by ‘extreme fluctuations of the inland Western Sea’, the formation of mountains, and a unique biogeography – all factors that could affect the local evolution of dinosaurs in ways that differ from other continents.To truly understand dinosaur evolution and ultimate extinction, scientists will have to adopt a different approach – one that does not lump all dinosaurs in one group, that considers localised evidence and that operates at a more refined level. Despite years of study and speculation about the evolution and decline of the dinosaurs, we are only starting to put together an image of the last days of the Cretaceous.Dinosaur DVD's For Dinosaur Lovers When it comes to dinosaur DVD’s there are a good many out there to choose from. I tend not to be too picky about the ones I choose to watch though since I have a constant stream of dinosaur DVD’s playing as I work. If I do want a good one to watch when I’m not multi-tasking though, a few of my favorites are listed below.Dinosaur DVD’s to Check Out HYPERLINK "" National Geographic: Prehistoric Predators is something of a new find for me. I caught this one on Netflix last week and found it pretty entertaining although only two of the episodes featured predators that intrigued me (Terror Bird and Monster Shark) but I really liked how the whole thing was put together. This was intended to be a seasoned show but never made it past the seven episodes included on the DVD. Issues with this series? Repetition of CGI footage, not enough dinosaur love and some segments have audio hiccups. HYPERLINK "" National Geographic: Dinosaurs Unearthed is a collection of two documentaries: Dino Autopsy and Dino Death Trap. While this DVD does tend to be over-explanatory the footage is still interesting and worth watching for the price of this disc. Of the two episodes the Dino Autopsy intrigued me the most, as researchers take an in depth look at a mummified dinosaur specimen. HYPERLINK "" Discovery: Clash of the Dinosaurs is one of my favorite pieces that I have seen lately. This DVD features four episodes that highlight various dinosaurs and how they survived and thrived in their prehistoric era. This is one of the better dinosaur “documentaries” out these days, particularly since it comes with a price tag of less than $5. HYPERLINK "" Walking With Dinosaurs is one of the most well known dinosaur “documentaries” and I couldn’t help but throw it on the list of good dinosaur DVD’s for dino lovers. I like this DVD because the animation footage is much less repetitive than many other DVD’s and it highlights a good number of dinosaur species. If you’re just starting out with dinosaur DVD’s then this is a good one to start with in my opinion.Not big on purchasing DVD’s ? You can check out a few of these dinosaur DVD’s on HYPERLINK "" \o "Netflix" Netflix!Quetzalcoatlus Quetzalcoatlus is the Largest Flying PterosaurQuetzalcoatlus, pronounced “KWET-zal-koh-AT-lus” was a huge pterosaur which lived about 65-68 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period in North America. It had the distinguishing honor of being the biggest known flying animal to have ever lived. Douglas A. Lawson named it in 1975 after a god in Central American mythology that was called Quetzalcoatl. The deity was associated with the wind and air and depicted by a flying feathered serpent. Unlike the figure it was named after, Quetzalcoatlus did not have feathers and was cold-blooded, like all pterosaurs. However, the reference is still definitely fitting for a creature of such an awesome size. It’s wingspan is thought to have been as wide as a private jet and it’s height was thought to be taller than a giraffe.Quick FactsNameQuetzalCoatlusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivore OrderPterosauriaSuborderPterodactyloideaWeight220 lbs (99.8 kg)Length15.9 Meter Wingspan (52.2 Feet)Height5.5 Meters (18 feet) Maximum Speed80 MPH in Flight TerritoryNorth America (particularly Texas)What did Quetzalcoatlus look like? HYPERLINK "" Quetzalcoatlus Image Courtesy of Flickr User breathedontbreathe Quetzalcoatlus was an Azhdarchid in North America.Quetzalcoatlus was from the Azhdarchae family, which was a family of especially large pterosaurs in the late Cretaceous period known for their extremely elongated and stiff neck vertabrae and long legs.Paleontologists know for sure about the very long limbs of the Quetzalcoatlus and that it was the biggest of the Azhdarchids, but they are less sure about the mass of the dinosaur. It’s difficult to speculate about the weight of something that has no modern animal to compare with it. Some estimates have been very low, between 100 and 200 pounds. More recent estimates have been in the realm of 500 pounds.Physical attributes of QuetzalcoatlusThe most incredible physical attribute of Quetzalcoatlus is, without a doubt, it’s wingspan. Although scientists do not agree on the exact proportions, they agree that the length exceeded 30 feet. That is three times the length of the wingspan of the largest flying bird that exists today, the Andean Condor.Two versions of Quetzalcoatlus have been found at the same site. The fossil material we have for each, appears to be reinforced by the other, but they are in different scales of size. It’s unclear to paleontologists whether the small is young and the large one fully grown, or if they are different species. From the fossils of the smaller species we have ascertained the shape of the beak as being sharp and pointed. Earlier reconstructions showed a blunt shaped beak, but we now know the jaw parts for those reconstructions were taken from fossils of different pterosaur species. Quetzalcoatlus is also known to be toothless, like other pterosaurs.What did Quetzalcoatlus eat?Paleontologists know that Quetzalcoatlus was a carnivore, but they are not agreed on it’s eating habits. Douglas Lawson, who discovered Quetzalcoatlus, first proposed that it scavenged like a Marabou Stork , but on the carcasses of titanosaur sauropods. He didn’t believe it was a fish eater due to the fact that the fossil site was so far from the coastline or any signs of large rivers or deep lakes being close at the time it was alive.The Way Quetzalcoatlus Hunted is Still a MysteryThe scavenging idea was believed for over 20 years, but finally rejected by the paleontologists Lehman and Langston in 1996. They argued that the lower jaw of the Quetzalcoatlus was bent down in such a way that there was a gap between the upper and lower parts, even when closed. They proposed that it fed more like skimmers, such as gulls, who “skim” fish from the waves while flying just over the surface of bodies of water.But, despite the popularity of the idea, it was also thrown out eventually for the same reason that Quetzalcoatlus are thought to be gliders, not flappers, when flying. The energy cost for skimming is too high for large cold-blooded pterosaurs because of the scientific principle of drag. In 2008 a study showing possible feeding habits of azhdarchids was published. The writers pointed out that the remains of this dinosaur family are not found close enough to large bodies of water that would be required for skimming. They also showed that the anatomy is not at all similar to any known skimmers. The report concluded that their anatomy was similar to modern day storks and they probably stalked and hunted small animals on land.Where did Quetzalcoatlus live?Although Quetzalcoatlus was found in Texas, it is thought to have had an enormous range across multiple continents, from North America to Europe. The fossil samples of the dinosaur sometimes overlap considerably with the Hatzegopteryx, which is an azhdarchid pterosaur found in Transylvania, Romania.Quetzalcoatlus was Probably Cold-BloodedQuetzalcoatlus had large, bare flaps of skin for wings, not feathers like flying animals of today. It was like all pterosaurs in that way. Due to the fact that the dinosaur had no insulation, that means he had a reptile’s metabolism.How did Quetzalcoatlus move?One of the unique challenges of understanding Quetzalcoatlus is in the difficulty that paleontologists have in knowing how Quetzalcoatlus launched itself from the ground into flight. One recent theory is that Quetzalcoatlus launched itself into the air with its very strong front legs and was only assisted by it’s long and relatively skinny hind legs. Another interesting thing about Quetzalcoatlus is it’s got the unique combination of being widely considered a flier, as well as cold-blooded. That means the dinosaur couldn’t flap its wings while in flight since that would require more energy than reptiles are afforded. Birds flap their wings because they have the massive energy stores that are by virtue of being warm-blooded. A theory therefore holds that Quetzalcoatlus glided at elevations of up to 15,000 feet through the air. It was also thought to be capable of speeds as high as 80 miles per hour.The History and Discovery of Quetzalcoatlus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Le No The Quetzalcoatlus was discovered by Douglas A. Lawson in 1971. He was a student at the University of Texas student who was performing geological field work at Big Bend National Park when he found a fossil bone in an arroyo bank. His professor determined that the particular kind of bone was from the wing of a pterosaur. It was long and hollow with extremely thin walls. Corresponding body bones were never found, although later excavations turned up more wing bones from smaller scaled versions of the first fossil of Quetzalcoatlus with the huge wingspan.The Historical Significance of QuetzalcoatlusQuetzalcoatlus is a fascinating dinosaur that has been the subject of much debate among paleontologists. Luckily, advances in biomechanics have increased our understanding somewhat, from an early aerodynamics test in 1984 conducted with a model flying machine, that is now being exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum, to a 2010 biomechanical investigation by a Professor Habib using a sophisticated computer program. The most recent theory was developed by Habib, who surmised that large pterosaurs use short bursts to power their launch into flight and then transitioning into thermal soaring. Who knows what else we will learn about these incredible prehistoric beasts? Only time and future technological advances may tell the secrets of gigantic flying pterosaurs like Quetzalcoatlus.5 Hot Dinosaur Pinterest Finds There Are Tons of Great Dinosaur Pinterest Finds!I have a slight problem with Pinterest…I’m addicted. When it comes to awesome dinosaur finds Pinterest is a great place to be. One of my favorite things to look for on Pinterest is dinosaur themed cake and cookie ideas because I am always looking for new ideas to bring my love of dinosaurs in to my friends lives! So today I decided I would dedicate a post to 5 of my most favorite dinosaur pinterest pins!Hot Dinosaur Pinterest Find #1 HYPERLINK "" I am always finding awesome dinosaur Pinterest cake ideas but this one is by far my favorite to date. I just can’t fall for a Dinosaur Train cake the way I can for a raptor in it’s death throws cake!Hot Dinosaur Pinterest Find #2 HYPERLINK "" This Photoshopped dinosaur picture makes me laugh EVERY single time I see it so I just had to give it a place on my hottest dinosaur Pinterest find’s post. Just look at that poor kid’s face!Hot Dinosaur Pinterest Find #3 HYPERLINK "" This is by far my favorite dinosaur comic to date just because it’s true. No matter how much I love you, there is just no competing with riding a pet dinosaur…so long as I don’t have to pick up after it.Hot Dinosaur Pinterest Find #4 HYPERLINK "" Stegosaurus meets Transformers meets a VW bug…what’s not to like? I love the metallic look of this piece and if it was possible to drive it, I wouldn’t hesitate!Hot Dinosaur Pinterest Find #5 HYPERLINK "" This is one dinosaur cookie idea that I can’t wait to try out. Cookie dough and a plastic dinosaur model makes for cheap and awesome cookies for your next bring a dish date!Your TurnDo you have a favorite dinosaur find from Pinterest? Leave a HYPERLINK \l "comments" \o "Leave a Comment" comment below and share your favorite Dinosaur Pinterest finds with other Dinopit readers!?Pachycephalosaur Head Butting In The News Pachycephalosaur Head Butting is a Well Rumored Theory HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Reini68 Pachycephalosaurus. A thick-skulled dinosaur with a head shaped like a dome. Could the purpose of such a dome be to butt heads with an opponent? Bighorn sheep indulge in such behavior nowadays, but did these dinosaurs ever do so? This question may seem trivial, but it has been the subject of divided opinion. Some scientists believe that these pachycephalosaurs were capable of bashing each other’s skulls, while other palaeontologists differ since they believe the dome-shaped heads would not stand up as good weapons in a fight.Evidence for Pachycephalosaur Head Butting is ScantThis ambiguity is evident from bone histological study and estimations of pachycephalosaur defense ability. What is, however, clear is that there seems to be a lack of skull pathologies, which means that the ‘butting head’ theory is unlikely. An alternative explanation is that these dinosaurs rammed into their opponents’ flanks, or that the dome-shaped skull shape merely acted as an embellishment. If pachycephalosaur head butting was the norm, one should be seeing many skulls with evidence of impact caused by butting. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User listentoreason A Recent Study Reveals Potential Pachycephalosaur Head Butting EvidenceSuch evidence of injuries pachycephalosaur head butting remained elusive for several years, but finally emerged recently with a publication by J. Peterson and C. Vittore. In a research paper entitled ‘Cranial pathologies in a specimen of Pachycephalosaurus’, published in’ PLoS One’, the authors examine a portion of a skull from one of the largest and best-known dome-heads, and find it to be damaged. It looks as though someone has bashed it with a hammer. The top of the dome shows two large depressions, and many smaller pits line the margins and inside area of these hollows.The authors’ attempts to explain this phenomenon includes damage sustained by the skull after the animal died, resorption of bone, and a traumatic experience during the life of the individual dinosaur. However, an injury to the skull, followed by an infection of the area, is the most likely explanation that fits the evidence. It also turns out that this skull may not be one of a kind. Peterson and Vittore mention a skull from Gravitholus and one from Texacephale (both pachycephalosaurs) that show similar-looking damage to the upper surface of each.No One Can Prove This Behavior Without a DoubtTempting as it is, one has to be careful to interpret such evidence – it is not definitely certain that these dome-shaped dinosaurs butted heads. One skull is not enough for basing a hypothesis on and while the injuries to the studied skull correspond with the notion that pachycephalosaurs butted heads, it is not to say that this particular specimen experienced this fate. The ‘head-butting theory’ has certainly been strengthened by this discovery, but one cannot say for sure that this did, or did not, happen as a rule.If head-butting was a common practice in pachycephalosaurs, then more of these damaged skull fossils will exist, ready to be discovered in ancient rocks, or already waiting on museum shelves for someone to recognize as such.Either way, it is probably safe to say that the dinosaur to which Peterson and Vittore’s studied skull belonged, must have had a whopping big headache! Researchers hope to learn more about Pachycephalosaur head butting as more specimens are examined.Making Dinosaur Cupcakes Who doesn’t enjoy cupcakes? Well, today’s “make a dino Monday” post is all about making delicious and tasty dinosaur cupcakes! You can use just about any type of cake mix when making the base of your dinosaur cupcakes so if you have special dietary needs you can cater this make a dino idea to your family’s needs!Making Your Dinosaur CupcakesIngredients:Your favorite cake mix and necessary ingredients to make that mixCupcake paper or foil holdersGreen buttercream icing or buttercream icing and green food coloringPiping bag with a grass piping tipEdible decorations (optional)Small plastic dinosaurs (if your party guest has a favorite dinosaur why not ensure that all of your dinosaurs are the favorite one!)Bake Your Dinosaur Cupcakes BaseBegin making your dinosaur cupcakes by baking them as you usually would in the cupcake holders and allowing them to cool so that your decorative icing will not melt.Allow the Cakes to Cool Then Try Your Grass Icing TechniqueOnce your cupcakes have completely cooled you will want to pull out your icing and your grass style icing tip. Follow the video posted above to create your own grass layer on top of the cupcakes.Add Your Edible DecorationsAdding edible decorations is an optional step in creating your dinosaur cupcakes, some people like to add flowers or sprinkles to give a little more color to their cakes!Add Your Non-Edible Dinosaur Cupcake ToppersTake one of your small plastic dinosaurs, wash it thoroughly and dry it completely. Press the dinosaur firmly in to the grass icing you added to each dinosaur cupcake.?Dinosaur Cupcake Tip:If you want to add a little more fun to your cupcakes add jellybeans or similar small candy as dinosaur eggs. You can even use brown butter cream icing to make a dinosaur “nest” to put these small eggs in to!Stegosaurus Stegosaurus is a Stegosaurid from the Late Jurassic EraStegosaurus, pronounced STEG-o-SAWR-us, was named by Othniel Marsh in 1877. The name means “roof lizard” or “plated lizard” after the distinctive plates sticking out of it’s back. It is an armored stegosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic era about 150 to 155 million years ago. Specimens of Stegosaurus fossils have been found in North America, Europe, and Africa. Marsh originally considered Stegosaurus to be bipedal because of its short forelimbs, but he later changed his mind and decided it must be quadrupedal after taking into account the massive build of the dinosaur.Quick FactsNameStegosaurusPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationHerbivore OrderOrnithischiaSuborderStegosauriaWeight3.4 Short Tons (3.1 Tonnes)Length8-9 Meters (26-30 Feet)Height4.3 Meters (14 foot) Maximum Speed5 MPH TerritoryNorth America, Western Europe, Southern India, China, Southern AfricaWhat did Stegosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Stegosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User EJP Photo The stegosaurus has one of the most recognizable silhouettes of any dinosaur.? Its twin rows of bony plates running along the spine make the look of this dinosaur unmistakable.? Whether these plates were used for protection, display or temperature regulation is still under debate.? But we do know that the Stegosaurus had exactly 17 of these plates on its back, and each plate could be up to 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide.? If you saw one in real life, you would also probably notice the menacing tail this creature had.? The four spikes on stegosaurus’ tail were held high above the height of an average human.? And at sizes reaching up to 30 feet long, you would be glad that this giant doesn’t bite.Stegosaurus was a powerfully built herbivoreThe quadrupedal, or four-legged, herbivore was well adapted to the environment it lived in.? It held its head low to the ground. Supported by a short and sturdy neck, the head of the stegosaurus was elongated and chiseled.? Riding on two short forelimbs and two much longer and more powerful hindquarters, the stegosaurus must have been quite a sight. The stegosaurus was a massive animal too, with adults estimated to weigh up to 5 metric tons.Physical AttributesMost of the inquiry into the life of the stegosaurus revolves around the plates it wore along its spine.? These plates, which always numbered 17, were not attached directly to the skeleton of the animal.? The plates were composed of one large hardened scale that was a part of its skin.? It has been found that the plates were also grooved to allow blood to flow around the scales, possibly for display when threatened or for the relegation of body heat.? It has been theorized that the plates would not be carried upright against the creatures back for normal activity.? The plates lack sufficient width to remain in this posture without continuous muscle exertion from the animal. The largest of the plates were located directly above the animal’s hip.What were the tail spikes of a stegosaurus used for? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User stevelewalready Whether the tail spikes were used for combat or display has also undergone recent scrutiny.? Early indicators pointed to the spikes being too weak to sustain fighting blows.? The arrangement of the spikes were also incorrectly placed by early paleontologists, and the new model of horizontally opposed spikes supports the theory that they were used for combat.? The scientific community seems to be leaning toward this view.? Remains of the predator animal, allosaurus, with wounds approximately matching the puncture marks of a stegosaurus spine lend provide further evidence to that theory.? Also, as the tail was not limited by the usually ossified (fused) tendons, it had a much greater range of motion and flexibility.? The unusually proportioned hind legs may have also been used to quickly and deftly maneuver the animal while attacking with its tail.Did Stegosaurus Have a Second Brain?The relatively small head, when compared to the total body size, has also been the cause for some study.? The very low brain mass to body mass ratio has led some to speculate that the unknown cavity located in the posterior of the tail could have housed a brain-like structure, used to control the mechanics of walking and tail posture.? This theory is under debate, however, and it has also been suggested that the chamber was used to store glycerin, which is an adaption for blood regulation found in birds.What did Stegosaurus eat?Scientists believe that the low lying head was used to graze on the brush and plant matter close to the ground.? It has been speculated that the stegosaurus may have been able to support its weight on its back legs enabling it to graze foliage at much higher levels than the neck and head posture would suggest. It did not eat grass however, as grass didn’t evolve until much later than the late Jurassic period.? The bite force of stegosaurus teeth has been calculated to reach levels capable of biting through smaller branches and twigs. However, jaw movement was limited. While it was greater than tooth grinding dinosaurs – where movement to chew food is a mortar and pestle-like grinding action, it was not enough for eating more than soft plant matter and twigs.How did Stegosaurus move?Stegosaurus walked slowly compared to other dinosaurs, at a maximum speed of only about 5 mph.? Because of the awkward arrangement of short forelimbs and long hindquarters, the natural gait of the animal was shortened artificially.? If the hindquarters moved at the natural range of motion, the stegosaurus would trip over itself.? These same hindquarters would however, help the stegosaurus move its giant tail nimbly.? And the short forelimbs would act as stabilizers planted into the ground.? It is interesting to note that most dinosaurs, including stegosaurus were adapted to walk on their toes, called digitigrade. Humans on the other hand, walk on their palms, called plantigrade.Stegosaurus Probably Moved in GroupsMatthew Mossbrucker, a scientist of Morrison Natural History Museum in Colorado, discovered Stegosaurus tracks indicating that Stegosaurus lived in herds representing multiple age groups of the dinosaur. One set of tracks show four to five baby stegosaurus moving together in the same direction. Another set shows a young stegosaurus track with an adult track imprinted over it. Herd movement would have provided the dinosaurs, particularly the young, extra protection from predators.History and Discovery of Stegosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mcwetboy The first remains of the stegosaurus, were found by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in 1877. They were uncovered in Colorado, United States. At first, Marsh thought the bones were from a new species of aquatic animal similar to a turtle. This idea was behind the name “roof lizard”, as he believed the plates lay flat over the animal’s back like roofing tiles. Several subspecies of stegosaurus were also located in Wyoming and Utah. In 1886, the best known species of Stegosaurus: the Stegosaurus stenops, which means “narrow-faced roof lizard” was collected by Marshal Felch at Garden Park in Colorado. Othniel Marsh named it in 1887. These remains included a complete and fully articulated skeleton. It had the distinctive large, broad plates and four spikes on its tail. Othniel Marsh said, about the Stegosaurus, “The series of vertical plates which extended above the neck, along the back, and over two-thirds of the tail,is a most remarkable feature, which could not have been anticipated, and would hardly have been credited had not the plates themselves been found in position.”Historical Significance of StegosaurusThanks to its charming and unique shape, Stegosaurus is one of the most popular of all dinosaurs. The state of Colorado even declared it as their State Dinosaur in 1982. It is especially well represented among cartoons and children toys. The Stegosaurus is probably at least partially responsible for making many future paleontologists and dinosaur lovers!Just How Big Was Seismosaurus? Seismosaurus goes down in the record books as one of the longest land mammals to ever live. One of the most impressive features of this sauropod (beside its incredible size) is the exceptionally long and whip shaped tail that was likely utilized to stun predators. Researchers believe that the sound alone from a whipping Seismosaurus tail would have deafened predators while getting caught in it’s line of fire would have been brutal! Let’s take a look at just how huge this giant sauropod was.Take a look at some Seismosaurus Numbers! HYPERLINK "" Seismosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User jimmywayne Seismosaurus LengthThe estimated length of Seismosaurus is approximated to be 130 – 170 feet.Taking the average of this size range, 150 feet is equal to:The height of 25 six foot tall people.The length of six fully grown male African elephants (24.6 feet per elephant)The length of the? fuselage of a Boeing 747-8 (40 feet)…and just for fun: equal to the length of the diameter of 2156 nickels.Seismosaurus WeightEstimates of Seismosaurus’ weight vary but it is believed to have weighed in at around 100 tons or 200,000 lbs.200,000 lbs is equal to:40,000 five pound bags of sugar.The same weight as a small fully grown adult blue whale.Just more than 105 1967 Volkswagon Beetles…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 160,000,000 average goose feathers.Seismosaurus HeightCurrent estimates state that Seismosaurus stood at approximately 84 feet tall.84 feet is equal to:Just over a quarter of the size of the Statue of Liberty.Around one and a quarter of the size of the height of the Egyptian Sphinx.Just under five average height giraffes.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 16,470 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Would you want to share the city with a fully grown Seismosaurus?Carcharodontosaurus Carcharodontosaurus Lived over 93 million years agoCarcharodontosaurus (pronounced Car-kah-roe-don-to sore-us ) was one of the biggest carnivorous dinosaurs of the North African region where it called home. It lived 93 to 100 million years ago and was found to be second in size for predatory dinosaurs. Carcharodontosaurus was larger than Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus, although probably with a smaller brain, and smaller than Spinosaurus. It was named after its long sharp teeth by Ernst Stromer von Reichenbbach in 1931. The root word, Carcharodon, comes from the shark genus- most notably the Great White Shark (Carcharadon Carcharias) and refers to the dinosaur’s shark-like, or jagged, teeth.Quick FactsNameCarcharodontosaurusPrehistoric EraMiddle CretaceousClassificationCarnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight6 – 8 Short Tons (5.4 – 7.25 Tonnes)Length8-14 Meters (26-44 Feet)Height3.6 Meters?(12 foot) Maximum Speed20 MPH TerritoryNorth AfricaWhat did Carcharodontosaurus look like? HYPERLINK "" Carcharodontosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User julian_j_2011 Carcharodontosaurus was a Deadly North African TheropodCarcharodontosaurus was best known for it’s enormous size and deadly serrated teeth. They made him a ferocious and very successful predatory dinosaur. It has been sometimes referred to as the “African Tyrannosaurus Rex”, but that is misleading because the only similarities between the two are that they are dinosaurs and carnivorous theropods. Besides the Carcharadontosaurus being larger, the two predators also had different teeth for different purposes. Tyrannosaurus had round teeth for crushing bone and Carcharadontosaurus had long, sharp but flattened teeth for slicing through flesh. The latter was also bigger with different body proportions and skull shape.Physical AttributesCarcharodontosaurus had physical attributes that made it well equipped for it’s main job of hunting. At it’s length of up to 14 meters, it was very long. It was extremely heavy as well. It was at least 6 tons and some estimates put its weight as high as 15 tons. Its enormous jaws and shark-like teeth, that could reach up to 8 inches in length, were also important hunting tools. Paleontologists once thought that Carcharodontosaurus had the longest skull of all the theropods, but it was later found that the fossils were misinterpreted. Now the skull is believed to have been about 1.6 meters in length. The longest theropod skull does belong to a closely related dinosaur, the Giganotosaurus. ?Hans C. E. Larsson has studied the body to brain ratios of dinosaurs and found that as the bodies of non-avian reptiles get larger, the brain gets proportionately smaller. That is true if one compares Carcharodontosaurus to Tyrannosaurus. Carcharodontosaurus had a larger body than Tyrannosaurus. But Tyrannosaurus had a larger brain than Carcharodontosaurus.What did Carcharodontosaurus eat?Carcharadontosaurus were territorial meat eatersCarcharadontosaurus was a meat eater, and an enormous one, so it needed an enormous range for hunting. Experts estimate that each one may have needed up to 500 square km, or 310 square miles, to find food. Territorial fights would have been common among individual Carcharadontosaurus since competition was so fierce. In addition to them fighting each other, there would have been fights between different species. Paleontologists have found deep bite marks on the heads of carnivorous dinosaur fossils all over the world. Fighting for territory was the norm among all huge meat eaters.Special Lungs made it a Highly Active HunterPaleontologists found evidence of air sacs in a thorough bone analysis of? Carcharadontosaurus fossils. Similar to modern birds, a system of air sacs would have been used in breathing. Oxygen would have been constantly flowing through the lungs allowing Carcharadontosaurus an efficient and very active lifestyle. It would have covered a lot of ground throughout the day to get all of the meat it needed to survive and this kind of breathing system was essential. The quantity of meat that a dinosaur of that size would need has been estimated at about 132 pounds per day. In addition to being chased quickly, the prey was also killed quickly. Carcharodontosaurus used its especially sharp teeth and huge jaws to instantly create a massive wound that bled so fast that the animal was put into shock at once. It also benefited from a large optic nerve and is thought to have been a primarily visual hunter as well as needing the aid of smell, like other predators.How did Carcharodontosaurus move?Thanks to its efficient breathing system and huge build, Carcharodontosaurus was able to cover a large distance everyday which he needed in order to hunt, as mentioned above. It was bipedal and ran across the dry ground on it’s rear limbs, like other therapod dinosaurs.History and Discovery of Carcharodontosaurus HYPERLINK "" Carcharodontosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User bentleywg The first fossils of Carcharodontosaurus were found 4 years before it received it’s current name. Charles Depéret and J. Savornin found them in 1927 in Algeria. It was originally mistakenly referred to as Megalosaurus until later Stromer renamed it after the shark genus, describing the teeth as “not recurved, almost bilaterally symmetrical but with convex edges.”More Carcharodontosaurus fossils were discovered in central Egypt, but these, along with the Algerian remains were destroyed in World War II. Fortunately, more fossils have been recovered since then. First in Morocco’s Kem Kem Formation in 1995, then in Niger’s Echkar Formation in 1997.The Historical Significance of CarcharodontosaurusCarcharodontosaurus has increased in popularity since the mid 1990s when new Carcharodontosaurus fossils were discovered. The new Carcharodontosaurus material helped paleontologists learn more about the dinosaur’s brain in particular, and more about non-avian reptile brains in particular.DinoPit's Dinosaur Infographic Timeline HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur Infographic Timeline by HYPERLINK "" is licensed under a HYPERLINK "" Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.Refer to the dinosaur infographic pictured above for a visual representation of the information below.Permian–Triassic extinction eventThe “Great Dying” is the only time Earth has seen a mass extinction of insects. It also caused the extinction of 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates.Triassic Approximately 250 to 200 Ma (million years ago) As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic AboveReptiles begin to dominate.The climate during the Triassic period was hot, dry and desert like on the single super continent, Pangea.Lower Triassic Period or the Early Triassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Induan 251.0 to 249.7 Ma? Olenekian 249.7 to 245.0 MaLife was struggling following the “Great Dying,” much more basic life existed including: corals, mollusks and synapsids.Middle Triassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Anisian 245.0 to 237.0 Ma? Ladinian 237.0 to 228.0 MaThe middle Triassic period saw some of the first dinosaur species: Coelophysis and Eoraptor.Upper Triassic Period or the Late Triassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Carnian 228.0 to 216.5 Ma? Norian 216.5 to 203.6 Ma? Rhaetian 203.6 to 199.6 MaThe late Triassic period saw the beginnings of Plesiosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Saltopus and Plateosaurus.The Late Triassic extinction eventThe breakup of the supercontinent Pangea occurred at this time.This extinction event had a devastating effect on marine life, less adaptable dinosaur species, synapsids, small reptiles and larger amphibians. Surviving species would soon become more diverse and specialized.Jurassic 199.6±?0.6 Ma (million years ago) As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic AboveSmall and furry creatures first begin to appear.The climate during the Jurassic period was warm and humid. The former supercontinent of Pangea is now broken in to Laurasia and Gondwana.Lower Jurassic Period or the Early Jurassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Hettangian 199.6 to 196.5 Ma? Sinemurian 196.5 to 189.6 Ma? Pliensbachian 189.6 to 183.0 Ma? Toarcian 183.0 to 175.6 MaThe Lower Jurassic period saw large growth and domination among ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs.Many new dinosaurs began life in this era including the stegosaurs, pterosaurs and heterodontosaurids.Middle Jurassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Aalenian 175.6 to 171.6 Ma? Bajocian 171.6 to 167.7 Ma? Bathonian 167.7 to 164.7 Ma? Callovian 164.7 to 161.2 MaThe middle of the Jurassic period saw the formation of the Atlantic Ocean.A dominant form of marine life, the Ichthyosaurs showed a decline in diversity but many new dinosaur species appeared including: brachiosaurs, hypsilophodonts and megalosaurs.Upper Jurassic Period or the Late Jurassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Oxfordian 161.2 to 155.7 Ma? Kimmeridgian 155.7 to 150.8 Ma?Tithonian 150.8 to 145.5 MaThe late Jurassic period saw the boom of many “famous” dinosaur species including: Ankylosaurs, Allosaurus, Archaeopteryx, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus.Cretaceous 145.5 ± 4 to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma (million years ago) As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic AboveBird-like species take to the skies and blooming plant life appears.The climate during the Cretaceous period was warm due to volcanic activity.Sea levels had begun to rise.The continents of today were formed from the breaking up of Gondwana and Laurasia.Lower Cretaceous Period or the Early Cretaceous Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Berriasian 145.5 to 140.2 Ma? Valanginian 140.2 to 136.4 Ma? Hauterivian 136.4 to 130.0 Ma? Barremian 130.0 to 125.0 Ma? Aptian 125.0 to 112.0 Ma? Albian 112.0 to 99.6 MaMuch more dinosaur diversity was seen during the early Cretaceous period. Dinosaurs that appeared during this period include: Iguanadon, Utahraptor and Compsognathus.Upper Cretaceous Period or the Late Cretaceous Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above? Cenomanian 99.6 to 93.5 Ma? Turonian 93.5 to 89.3 Ma? Coniacian 89.3 to 85.8 Ma? Santonian 85.8 to 83.5 Ma? Campanian 83.5 to 70.6 Ma?Maastrichtian 70.6 to 65.5 MaDuring the beginning of the late Cretaceous Ichthyosaurs died out while many more diverse dinosaur species thrived including: Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Dromaeosaurus, Parasaurolophus and Triceratops.Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction eventThe end of the age of the dinosaurs.30% of Cretaceous species survived this event. Many mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, plant life, amphibians, marine invertebrates and insects survived by having omnivorous, insectivorous and carrion based diets or being able to feed from detritus.Dinosaurs Unearthed, a Dinosaur Vacation Destination HYPERLINK "" Dinosaurs Unearthed Showcases at the Connecticut Science CenterInhabitants of Hartford may have been puzzled by the recent arrival of a new feature along Columbus Boulevard. If you have not seen it yet, take a drive down to the corner of Grove and Columbus, where an animated dinosaur will greet you. The life-size model is a direction post to the Connecticut Science Center in downtown Hartford, where the current exhibit features “Dinosaurs Unearthed”. The exhibition is sponsored by Travelers and runs until the 2nd of September.This remarkable exhibit is the brainchild and product of Dinosaurs Unearthed, a Canadian company with special skills in creating venue-specific traveling exhibits made to custom orders. Tracy Shirer, Director of Marketing and Public Relations of the Connecticut Science Center, said that up-to-date dinosaur research is captured in the exhibit of dinosaur replicas, which includes a selection of creatures that are likely to have inhabited the Connecticut region in prehistoric times.Dinosaurs Unearthed Features 12 Life Size Animated Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" The Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit incorporates a dedicated showroom, housing about twelve animated dinosaurs built to be life size, plus a selection of fossils and skeletons.? The dinosaurs are recreated in a very realistic way, with lifelike movements, roaring and even breathing motion in the rib cages. In addition, a compilation of the sound of prehistoric dinosaurs fills the exhibition space; these were created using current research into ‘dino-sound’. Visitors are able to see and hear life-like replicas of the likes of Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Allosaurus, Shunosaurus and Stegosaurus.Shirer explained that two dedicated technicians were provided by the Canadian company to assist with the setting up of the exhibit. She praised them for the work they have done, calling it a mixture of ecology and engineering, art and science – a real art form. Of the four tractor trailer trucks that transported the pieces of the exhibit during the ten days that it took to set it all up, Shirer said “It was like clockwork”. The process seemed seamless since the technicians had done this before and stuck to a specific plan.Dinosaurs Unearthed is the Perfect Stay-cation Idea!If you are staying home during this summer vacation you are well advised to include this exhibition on your list of field trips – it will appeal to anyone with a curiosity and fascination for dinosaurs. Be sure to catch the film “Flying Monsters 3D” as well, since it corresponds to the theme and provides an educational background. A visit to this ‘Land of the Lost’ will make you feel as though you have traveled far through time, and makes for the perfect adventure during your “stay-cation”.For the duration of the exhibition there is an ongoing program of events and dinosaur days planned, so be sure to sign up for the newsletter at HYPERLINK "" . This will inform you of admission fees, exhibits and events at the Connecticut Science Center. The physical address for the museum is 250 Columbus Road, Hartford, and the phone number is 860-science (724-3623). Let your prehistoric journey will begin with Dinosaurs Unearthed!5 Awesome Pieces of Cool Dinosaur Art From DeviantArt If I Could I’d Buy All Cool Dinosaur Art Out ThereI am always on the lookout for cool dinosaur art. It’s not that I actually have room in my house to fill the walls with more art, but I can appreciate cool dinosaur art and the effort that goes in to it.Take a Look at DeviantArt ArtistsOne of my favorite places to go to look for upcoming artists and overall awesomeness is DeviantArt. I love that it’s bursting with raw talent just waiting to be discovered. I have to admit though that when I head over that way I’m not always indulging in cool dinosaur art, once in a while I indulge in my second love – superheros…why yes, I am a nerd, thank you very much.Anyway, take a look at some of my favorite DeviantArt cool dinosaur art pieces.5 of My Favorite Cool Dinosaur Art Pieces From DeviantArt HYPERLINK "" Cretaceous Sunset by DeviantArt Artist Kerembeyit I love the detail in Cretaceous Sunset, can you believe it only took 40 hours with Photoshop CS2 and Vue 6 xStream to make this piece? You can check out Kerembeyit’s DeviantArt profile HYPERLINK "" \o "Kerembeyit at Deviant Art" here. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur and the Underground by DeviantArt Artist Hirschpiel I love the animated look of Hirschpiel’s Dinosaur and the Underground piece. You can check out Hirschpiel’s DeviantArt profile HYPERLINK "" \o "Hirschpiel at DeviantArt" here. HYPERLINK "" Beladron Dinosaur by DeviantArt Artist Mike Corriero I love this fantasy concept dinosaur piece by Mike Corriero, he cites iguana and cow skeletons for inspiration in the creation of the Beladron. Take a look at Mike Corriero’s DeviantArt profile HYPERLINK "" \o "Mike Corriero at DeviantArt" here. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur by DeviantArt Artist chvacher The mist effect is what gets me in this piece titled “Dinosaur” by DeviantArt artist chvacher, that plus the details on the vegetation. Take a look through chvacher’s DeviantArt profile HYPERLINK "" \o "Chvacher at DeviantArt" here. HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur... Thing...by DeviantArt Artist animalartist16 No one could blame the artist for watermarking this piece because I find it absolutely breathtaking. The amount of detail that went in to this fantasy drawing is incredible. Take a look at animalartist16’s DeviantArt profile HYPERLINK "" \o "AnimalArtist16 at DeviantArt" here.?Drop over to HYPERLINK "" \o "DeviantArt" DeviantArt and support upcoming artists by taking a look at their cool dinosaur art too!Archaeopteryx Archaeopteryx was a Bird-Like Theropod DinosaurArchaeopteryx lived around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic era, in what is now southern Germany. It lived before the continental shift and, at the time, Europe was a group of tropical islands much closer to the equator. Archaeopteryx (pronounced AR-kee-OP-ter-iks) comes from the Ancient Greek: archaios, meaning “ancient”, and pteryx, meaning “feather”. Due to the discovery of Archaeopteryx in what is now Germany, it’s German name Urvogel, or “original bird”, is also often used in reference. However, recent research suggests that, although it might be related to the origin of birds, it is in fact a non-avian dinosaur. We do know that it shares a lot of the features of birds, similar to other theropod dinosaurs like it. But it was still more of a dinosaur than a bird.Quick FactsNameArchaeopteryxPrehistoric EraLate JurassicClassificationCarnivore Possibly Omnivore OrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight300 – 500 grams (11 – 8 ounces)Length.3 meters (1 foot)Height0.3 meters (1 foot) Maximum Speed4.47 MPH TerritorySouthern GermanyWhat Did Archaeopteryx Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Archaeopteryx Image Courtesy of Flickr User FlickrDelusions Archaeopteryx had characteristics of both birds and dinosaursArchaeopteryx was small, with broad, feathered wings like modern birds. However, unlike living birds, Archaeopteryx had teeth, a flat breastbone, a long and bony tail, and three claws on its wing for hunting or climbing. It had many theropod dinosaur features. Because of the characteristics Archaeopteryx shared with both birds and theropod dinosaurs, scientist John Ostrom argued in the 1970s that Archaeopteryx was a crucial piece of evidence that birds evolved within theropod dinosaurs, in particular the theropod family of Dromaeosauridae.Physical Attributes of ArchaeopteryxArchaeopteryx has been compared in size to some modern birds like a raven and European magpie. It could reach up to about 20 inches (500 mm) in the length of its body and it’s weight has been estimated from 1.8 to 2.2 lb (.8 to 1 kg). In 2011 the first study of its kind was carried out to assess the coloration of this feathered dinosaur. The research team detected the structure of melanosomes in the specimen that was described in 1861 from a single feather. Melanosomes contain melanin, which is a light absorbing pigment commonly found in animals. When compared to 87 living bird species, the structure was found to very probably be black in color. That means Archaeopteryx had at least some black on its feathers, which the primary researcher pointed out would have strengthened them for flight, given the strengthening properties of black melanosomes (which is why many birds have some black coloration).What Did Archaeopteryx Eat?Archaeopteryx was a small carnivoreArchaeopteryx was a meat eater, indicated by its full teeth and claws, but it was a small one. Therefore, it probably fed on small prey. Fossil evidence indicates that a large number of insects and small lizards lived in the same region, at the same point in history. Both species would have appealed to Archaeopteryx. We may also know what time of day Archaeopteryx liked to hunt. A study that was published in 2010 indicated that Archaeopteryx might have been nocturnal, or an animal that hunts at night. Lars Schmitz from the University of California studied 77 bird species and discovered that the shapes of eye sockets in birds directly correlate to what time of day or night they feed. Archaeopteryx was found to have similar shaped eye sockets to nocturnal bird species.Where Did Archaeopteryx Live?Although discovered and known to live in what is now Bavaria, Archaeopteryx did not live in a setting that would be familiar to modern-day Germans. The fossil evidence indicate that the region was starkly different to what it is now. The latitude was closer to the equator, although drier than Florida as shown by evidence of semi-arid conditions. Archaeopteryx was thought to be a tree climber, due to its claws, but large trees were mostly absent from where it lived according to the fossil record. There were primarily low shrubs, which Archaeopteryx still may have called home.How Did Archaeopteryx Move?Did Archaeopteryx fly?The flight feathers of Archaeopteryx were similar to the wings of birds today with their asymmetry and and broad tail feathers. Paleontologists interpret this to mean that the wings and tail were used to generate lift for flight. However, it’s unknown whether it could glide or flap its wings to fly. The fact that the breastbone is not shaped like breastbones seen in birds capable of flight indicates that it wasn’t a particularly strong flier, but the flight muscles could have attached elsewhere on its body. The wings were relatively large for its body which scientists say would create a low stall speed and reduced turning radius. Drag would increase from the short, rounded shape of the wings, but the dinosaur’s ability to fly through trees and bush would be improved.Archaeopteryx had a good brain for flightA study of the braincase of Archaeopteryx in 2004 resulted in scientists concluding that its brain was much larger than the brains of most dinosaurs. They used a CT scan to reconstruct the brain anatomy and the reconstruction showed highly developed areas for vision, hearing, and muscle coordination in the brain of the Archaeopteryx. The structure of the inner ear was also shown to more closely resemble modern birds than non-avian reptiles. The developed areas in the reconstructed brain anatomy are all important for flight which provides sound evidence for the Archaeopteryx being a flying dinosaur.History and Discovery of Archaeopteryx HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Changhua Coast Conservation Action The first Archaeopteryx specimensAll of the specimens of Archaeopteryx that have been found came from the limestone deposits near Solnhofen in Germany. The first discovery was one fossilized feather, described by Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1861. It is commonly attributed to the Archaeopteryx as it’s the only proto-bird species we know of in the region. The first skeleton was discovered in Germany in 1861? and is known as the London Specimen. It is thought to have been given to a local doctor Karl Haberlein in exchange for medical services. He sold it for ?700 to London’s Natural History Museum where it remains today. It was described by Richard Owen as Archaeopteryx macrura in 1863, who allowed the species of the feather to remain unidentified.A more complete Archaeopteryx specimenInterestingly, the next Archaeopteryx skeleton to be found was also sold. Farmer Jakob Niemeyer discovered it in 1874 or 1875 and sold the fossil to an inn-keeper. Then he used the money to buy a cow. It was bought and sold several more times until it was bought for 20,000 Goldmark by the Humboldt Museum fur Naturkunde, where it is on display today. Called The Berlin Specimen, It has the distinction of being the most complete skeleton, including the head, which the previous specimen lacked. It was described in 1884 by Wilhelm Dames and named by him as a new species in 1897.The Thermopolis SpecimenA well preserved Archaeopteryx specimen was discovered in Bavaria described in 2005. It became known as the Thermopolis Specimen after being donated to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyoming. Of any specimen, it has the best preserved head and feet, although most of the neck and the lower jaw were not intact. An article in a 2005 Science journal article described it as “A well-preserved Archaeopteryx specimen with theropod features”, referring to the specimen having no reversed toe, which is a universal bird characteristic. This meant the Archaeopteryx was incapable of perching on branches and it probably had a terrestrial lifestyle. Paleontologists use this as evidence to show that Archaeopteryx had theropod ancestors.Significance of the Archaeopteryx in HistoryScientists, and those who study dinosaurs, have long known about the historical and biological link between dinosaurs and birds. The Archaeopteryx specimens perhaps embody that discovery better than any other known evidence. Although paleontologists have found other contenders for the place of “first bird”, particularly among the so-named“feathered dinosaurs” in China, Archaeopteryx specimens will always retain the legacy of being the first dinosaurs of their kind known to science. After all, it was the Archaeopteryx which inspired Charles Darwin to say, “Hardly any recent discovery shows more forcibly than this how little we as yet know of the former inhabitants of the world”Primeval Seasons 1 and 2 Primeval Has Potential HYPERLINK "" I almost always work with background noise which is why I love my Netflix subscription. Late last week after I’d finished my latest DVD series on Netflix I went looking for something new to watch and found myself testing out Primeval. I wasn’t sure that I’d like it and to be honest I’m still not certain I do…but then I loved the first season. I’m a late starter to the Primeval series, in fact there are already five seasons out on DVD, but that just leaves more for me to watch now.The First Season of Primeval Had Me HookedI admit to watching the first season of Primeval all the way through. I wanted more and (thanks to Netflix) there was more so I just kept hitting the play button. There was plenty of variety in the dinosaur species they featured and the whole concept of rifts in time had me sucked in. If you are new to the series let me recap:Anomalies keep appearing in present day England. These anomalies are actually rifts in time that provide access to and from history – and we later find out the future as well. A group of individuals get thrown together when a giant prehistoric beast makes it through one of these anomalies and wrecks havoc on a small English town. As the series progresses the team is charged with chasing down “creatures” that come through these anomalies and either throwing them back or capturing them. The only problem is that as time goes on the anomalies are becoming much more frequent and soon the general public is going to find out. The question is, can the team charged with spotting and monitoring these anomalies keep things under wraps?The Second Season of Primeval…Not So MuchI likened Primeval to Dr Who meets Fringe meets Jurassic Park meets a little bit of Jack Bauer when I watched the first season. The problem with the second season so far is that things are getting a little too much like Fringe for my liking. Remember how Fringe used to be pretty awesome? Then they took it and mashed it all up with some crazy parallel universe characters and things just got…weird? The second season of Primeval started mashing things up and I can’t say that I like it so far. I’m still vested in the characters and the story line so I’m still watching but certainly not with as much excitement as I was during the first season.I find myself a little disappointed by the future creatures, having flashbacks to old school Dr. Who. I can’t help wanting more dinosaurs but even if they couldn’t oblige that, I’d like to see a little more…something and a little less crazy rubber costumes going on.My final peeve with this season so far? Lucy Brown. I don’t want to dislike her but her acting just doesn’t do it for me. Now Hannah Spearritt I can live with.The Third Season of Primeval…You’re going to have to wait for this one because I still have two episodes to go before I finish season 2.Want to check out Primeval for yourself? Watch Primeval HYPERLINK "" \o "Watch Primeval Live on Amazon" live through Amazon for free if you have Amazon Prime, or check it out on Netflix!Was It Just An Asteroid That Killed The Dinosaurs? The Asteroid that “Killed the Dinosaurs” was 6 Miles Wide HYPERLINK "" When your time is up, your time is up. For the dinosaurs the end came in the form of an asteroid, 65.5 million years ago. With a diameter of 10 km (6 miles), the asteroid created a crater 180 km (110 miles) wide off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The result was a cloud of debris that encircled the Earth, plunging it in darkness and dropping its temperature. This killed the dinosaurs living on the warm, sunny globe at the time; it also allowed the subsequent rise of the mammals.The Asteroid May Not Have Killed the Dinosaurs All OffUntil recently the asteroid theory has been the most popular one to explain the demise of the dinosaurs. A new publication in the journal ‘Nature Communications’ has, however, cast a different light on the original theory, by suggesting that not all dinosaurs would have been affected in the same way by the asteroid. Research scientists from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City showed that the well-known triceratops and the duck-billed dinosaurs may already have shown signs of decline before the asteroid finished them off. Finding the cause of their weakened state has given the researchers new methods for studying dinosaurs and their surrounds, while pointing to new insights into their ultimate fate.The famous asteroid strike caused the K-T (Cretaceous-Tertiary) Extinction, an event that was always assumed to have had an equal impact on all species, and there was seemingly sufficient proof for this. The rise and fall of the dinosaurs was studied in the simple way of plotting the number of species present at any given time; i.e. when there were many species the lineage was doing well, but when species numbers dwindled – especially after the K-T – they were moving closer to extinction. This simple method has proved to be not quite reliable since palaeontologists tend to work and dig for fossil remains in a variety of different places. According to Steve Brusatte, this uneven sampling of the fossil record can lead to bias in the results of palaeontologists; Brusatte is a graduate student at Columbia University that contributed towards this new study. He explains that more fossil species are found in areas such as the Great Plains of America, where conditions are conducive to fossil formation, than in areas where fossilisation did not happen easily. In such areas one may find an under-representation of fossil species, even if many animal species lived there at some point in time.Researchers Studied 150 Species to Determine what Killed the DinosaursThis potential flaw in research methodology led to an alternate approach to the problem.? The researchers from American Museum of Natural History, under leadership of Mark Norell, examined the biodiversity present within the various groups (or lineages) of dinosaurs. The theory is that a group that is doing well (the carnivores, for example) should be evolving more species than other groups that are battling to hang in there. The researchers studied a sample of 150 species across seven major dinosaur lineages, using this method, which showed a different and more varied picture of dinosaur well-being before the fateful asteroid strike killed the dinosaurs.The study revealed that three groups spanning five lineages were doing well by either maintaining a steady state or increasing in species number. These are the Small Herbivores (ankylosaurs and pachycephalosaurs), the Largest Herbivores (sauropods) and the Carnivores (tyrannosaurs and coelurosaurs). The hadrosaurs and ceratopsids, on the other hand, were not faring so well. These Slightly Smaller Herbivores were bulk feeders, consuming a wide range of vegetation. They showed a steady decline in species number for at least 12 million years before the asteroid impact killed the dinosaurs off.Dinosaurs Likely Evolved Very DifferentlyRichard Butler of the Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, who was another collaborator in the study, notes that we tend to think of dinosaurs in monolithic terms, by using phrases such as “The dinosaurs did this, the dinosaurs did that”. We forget that the term dinosaur circumscribes a very diverse group of animals, with lineages that most likely evolved differently – a situation that is certainly confirmed by the present study.The Sea and Changes in Ecosystems Could Have Killed the Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User jonarcher What, then, created the problem for the ceratopsid and hadrosaur lineages? It seems that geography accounts for some of it, since the bulk feeders were particularly prevalent in the continent of North America. North America was, at the time, divided in two by the Western Interior Seaway which formed a deep, wide water body from (what is currently) the Arctic Ocean to the current Gulf of Mexico. It is possible that changes in the width, depth and temperature of the sea could have adversely affected food supply for these herbivores; or that such changes caused ecosystems to alter in ways that killed the dinosaurs in question: ceratopsids and hadrosaurs. Likewise, tectonic collisions – such as those that formed the Rockies and other mountains in the west – may also have played a similar role.Had the Asteroid not Killed the Dinosaurs of all Species, They Would have Died AnywayRegardless of the cause of decline, there is no certainty that the end result for these two groups would have been extinction. They may have somehow managed a stable state if the asteroid impact had not intervened. In fact, dinosaur diversity was known to fluctuate a fair amount through the whole of the Mesozoic (a period from 250 million to 65 million years ago). According to Norell, the relative importance of small decreases and increases between two or three intervals of time may not be significant across the entire history of these groups, when seen in context.Ultimately this debate is purely academic, since the asteroid and its devastating effects put an end to it all. This study does, however, leave us with a different view of the evolution of lineages within the dinosaurs, making us realize that things were possibly more difficult for some groups than for others. This does open up the debate a little more for what ultimately killed the dinosaurs though!Make Your Own Farmville Dinosaurs Now Farmville Players Can Make Farmville Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Today’s “make a dino Monday” post is a little unorthodox because it doesn’t actually involve making anything at all. If you have been sucked in to Farmville – or, if like me your mother convinced you she needed someone to send her things – AND you are a dinosaur lover then you’ll be happy to know that you can now make Farmville dinosaurs. I seriously contemplated destroying everything on my generic Farmville farm to replace it with everything dinosaur until I thought of just how devastated my mother might be to find a lack of animal variety for her to “visit” on my farm. Anyway, now Farmville offers users the option to build a “dinolab.” As with every building in Farmville you have to pay to get an instantly functioning lab or you can ask your friends for supplies to build your dinolab.Farmville Dinosaurs are Limited in Selection so FarOnce your lab is build you can start adding your Farmville dinosaurs. The selection is a little limited but cute all the same. Each Farmville Dinosaur comes at a cost. Take a look at the Farmville dinosaurs you can add to your Dinolab. HYPERLINK "" Brachiosaurus 50,000 coinsCarnotaurus 40,000 coinsCoelophysis 40,000 coinsDilophosaurus 14 Farmville CashEuoplocephalus 12 Farmville CashGallimimus 50,000 coins HYPERLINK "" Iguanodon 20 Farmville CashMinmi 45,000 coinsOviraptor 10 Farmville CashParasaurolophus 18 Farmville CashStegosaurus 18 Farmville CashAlbertosaurus 112 Farmville Cash HYPERLINK "" Allosaurus 20 Farmville CashApatosaurus 64 Farmville CashArchaeopteryx 52 Farmville CashArgentinosaurus 20 Farmville CashBaryonyx 34 Farmville CashBlue Dilophosaurus 92 Farmville Cash HYPERLINK "" Compsognathus 20 Farmville CashCorythosaurus 42 Farmville CashDeinonychus 18 Farmville CashKentrosaurus 20 Farmville CashMamenchisaurus 18 Farmville CashMonoclonius 34 Farmville Cash HYPERLINK "" Plateosaurus 40 Farmville CashSeismosaurus 26 Farmville CashSpinosaurus 28 Farmville CashStyracosaurus 74 Farmville CashTroodontidae 20 Farmville CashAnkylosaurus Currently Not AvailableCreating Your Farmville Dinosaurs HYPERLINK "" Once you have placed your Farmville dinosaurs in to the Dinolab you can click on the lab and select “Look Inside.” This gives you two options, you are taken straight to the DinoLab option but you will also notice a “Pen” option at the top. The Pen option takes you to the dinosaur view where you can see which dinosaurs you have in your lab as well as purchase more Farmville dinosaurs through the marketplace.The Dinolab option is where you can see how much DNA you have harvested from your Farmville dinosaurs. Just like you farm your farm’s aviary, pet run, wildlife habitat etc, you will farm your dinolab and each time you will find DNA. The more DNA you collect the more Farmville dinosaurs you will be able to create.The Dinolab works much the same as the craftshop. As you collect different strands of DNA you obtain enough to create new dinosaurs for your dinosaur pen. You can also receive Farmville dinosaur DNA strands by claiming them from friends feeds.I have yet to create any Farmville dinosaurs from DNA but I have collected quite a few dinos!Troodon Troodon Was The Most Intelligent Dinosaur To Ever LiveTroodon was an eye-opener for palentologists and scientists who believed dinosaurs had been destined to be dumb creatures. When this dino was dug up, the Dromaeosaurids reigned supreme in the brains department as the smartest dinosaur ever found — however, Troodon was soon confirmed to have been 6 times smarter than the average dino, including the “Droma” which scientists had always deemed the most intelligent. Below we’ll explore how the Troodon broke the proverbial mold and went beyond the expectations of researchers around the world.Quick FactsNameTroodonPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight50 kg (110 lbs)Length2.4 meters (7.9 feet)Height0.91 meters (3 feet) at the hips Maximum Speed30 mph-40mph TerritoryCanada, New Mexico, & Western AmericaWhat Did Troodon Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Troodon Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut Troodon Was A Smart Cretaceous CarnivoreDubbed the smartest dinosaur in history, Troodon was a bi-pedal carnivore who lived during the late Cretaceous period — towards what is considered the ultimate end of all dinosaurs. The Troodon was also classified as a Coelurosauria; a light-built dinosaur with hollow bones and a large brain. With excellent hearing and binocular vision, this meat-eater proved a force to be reckoned with. Physical Attributes of TroodonTroodon is often compared to modern humans in height — standing 3ft tall at the hips with a length that could reach between 6.5 to 11.5 feet. Equipped with long hind legs and a slender stiff tail, these dinosaurs were quick at their highest weight of 140 pounds. Three clawed fingers on each short hand were ideal for grasping prey, while sickle-shaped claws defined each middle toe. Troodon teeth had serrated edges and measured 2 cm in width and 3 cm in length — perfect for ripping and tearing into the tough hide of their meals. These teeth were hidden behind narrow, powerful jaws; complete with large eyes atop a lithe skull and slender neck.The Intelligence of TroodonTroodon was a genius among dinosaurs in the late Cretaceous period. It’s believed that these dinosaurs would have gotten smarter as the evolutionary process took them forward, if it had not been for their extinction. When Troodon died out, they were 6 times smarter than the average dinosaur — which means their intelligence then was the equivalent to a modern parrot with the capabilities to mimic and learn.Troodon had the ability to gain knowledge through trial and error. For example, if prey slipped away from this deadly predator by weaving through trees or diving underwater, the Troodon would make this a memory before mapping out a strategy to eliminate the possibility of their prey using those methods again.What Did Troodon Eat?Since the Troodon was such an intelligent carnivore, it likely had it’s pick of what to eat. Scientists believe it’s diet consisted of herbivorous and omnivorous dinosaurs — however, it’s also possible that it would attack infant carnivores if they had been left behind by their parents for extended periods of time. Meat-eaters like Troodon also had a tendency to munch on fresh eggs and their own young if they were hungry enough.How Did Troodon Move?Troodon was built for speed! These smaller dinosaurs could move at an estimated 30 to 40 mph. Their feet were jointed specifically for running — while it ran, the Troodon would rotate the larger middle-toe upwards to gain leverage while running on the other toes. When it sprang, it would bury the middle-toe claws in the hide of it’s prey and hang on until the animal collapsed. These dinosaurs could have easily outrun the majority of herbivores in the late Creaceous period.Troodon Predators & PreyAs a smart and quick-witted carnivore, Troodon had more prey than predators. If these dinosaurs ever became someone’s dinner, it was likely due to their size and vulnerability in the infant phase. When the Troodon grew to it’s full height and intelligence, it feasted on mainly herbivores and omnivores, with the occasional egg or newborn carnivore. It was the ultimate predator — more than likely towards the tip-top of the Cretaceous period’s food chain.The History of Discovering TroodonWhere Did Troodon Live?It remains unclear how many species of Troodon existed; therefore, it’s unsure where this dinosaur could have resided. Fossils have mainly been found in Canada, New Mexico, and Western America, with some teeth found in colder climated areas like Alaska. These are dinosaurs that could have thrived in winter weather because of their bird-like qualities and likely spattering of warm feathers (a theorized attribute that has never been proven).Troodon Specimen DiscoveryThe discovery of Troodon was made by Ferdinand V. Hayden in 1855 and gained it’s name in 1856; a title that means “wounding tooth” in Greek. This name was given to Troodon after a serrated teeth and fossilized skulls were uncovered across the expanse of North America. The entire discovery process of the Troodon? has been an odd one — palentologists around the world have tried to gain credit for the original fossil finds and no one really knows exactly where it all began. The 1856 palentologist, Joseph Leidy, originally thought he was researching a small, inoffensive lizard rather than one of the most intelligent carnivorous dinosaurs to have ever existed. HYPERLINK "" Troodon Egg Clutch Image Courtesy of Flickr User www78 In the early 1930’s, fossils of Troodon were found seated atop eggs — suggesting these dinosaurs were devoted parents to their young. The preserved nesting grounds consisted of between 16 to 24 perfectly preserved eggs; this led to the speculation that female Troodon laid 2 to 4 eggs per day for the span of about a week. Further evidence found at the fossil sites suggests after the female was done laying the eggs, the male Troodon would brood on them — enhancing the theory that both parents were prevalent in the lives of their young ones.The Importance of the TroodonTroodon was one of the most amazing discoveries ever! When the dinosaur’s intelligence level was confirmed, theories began to culminate about what this dinosaur would have developed into in the process of evolution. If Troodon had never gone extinct, it’s believed that these dinosaurs would have evolved into something resembling human beings — with the exception of a green-tint to their skin, scales, and blade-like teeth. It’s theorizes these creatures would have walked upright — possibly feeding on modern human beings and rising to the top of what we know as the food chain. This rumored evolutionary idea of the Troodon? was deemed a “Dinosauroid.”The importance of these theories about the evolution of the Troodon is what helps scientists and archeologists understand the process of improvement in nature. If the Troodon species were to have evolved, our world would be a completely different place — perhaps dominated by highly-intelligent, carnivorous “Dinosauroid” beings. The discoveries and speculations have allowed us to delve deeper into the “what if’s” of the evolutionary system with animals like Troodon that have been extinct for thousands of years.Just How Big Was Spinosaurus? Spinosaurus goes down in the record books as the largest carnivorous dinosaur to be discovered to date. Perhaps one of the most characteristic features of Spinosaurus is the incredible sail that jutted from its back and added to this carnivores height. This sail is believed to have played a role in thermoregulation. Let’s take a look at just how enormous this prehistoric beast was. HYPERLINK "" Spinosaurus Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi Take a look at some Spinosaurus Numbers!Spinosaurus LengthThe estimated length of Spinosaurus is approximated to be 46 feet.46 feet is equal to:Just over the length of four average male American alligators (11.2 feet)Just less than the length of two fully grown male African elephants (24.6 feet per elephant)6 feet longer than the length of a double decker bus (40 feet)…and just for fun: equal to the length of 661 nickels.Spinosaurus WeightEstimates of Spinosaurus’ weight vary considerably but it is believed to have weighed in at between 12 and 19 tons or 24,000 to 38,000 lbs.31,000 lbs (the mid point between these two estimates) is equal to:6,200 five pound bags of sugar.The approximate weight of a Mesco SOLAR/DX 140-V excavator.2583 average 12lb housecats.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 24,800,000 average goose feathers.Spinosaurus HeightCurrent estimates state that Spinosaurus with its spine included stood approximately 18 feet tall, that’s the average height of a giraffe and the same height as Quetzalcoatlus.18 feet is equal to:A little more than three Ryan Seacrest’s (why choose him? Go to Google and type “how tall is” and you’ll get the answer.)The approximate size of two stories of a building (roof not included.)Just over ten of the shortest person in the world in 2012.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 3,541 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" Would you challenge Spinosaurus for the biggest fish in the pond?Dinosaur Fleas Didn't Jump Dinosaur Fleas Were Ten Times Bigger Than Fleas Today HYPERLINK "" The discovery of large flea-like fossils, about ten times bigger than the fleas we see today, is enough to make your skin crawl. Imagine the poor dinosaur that had to endure a painful bite from such a paleo-pest crawling onto its soft under-belly. The only consolation is that these blood-sucking organisms could not jump like their modern counterparts, but previous research indicates that they were not spared the additional torment of lice.Dinosaur Fleas Fossils Were Located in Inner MongoliaThe flea-like pests had large mouthparts, making a bite similar to being injected by a hypodermic needle. George Poinar Jr., Zoology Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University, likens it to a ‘flea shot, if not a flu shot’ in his comment that accompanies the recent article from the journal ‘Current Biology’. The authors, Chungkun Shih and Dong Ren, conducted research at the Capital Normal University in Beijing and described two new species of flea-like insect from fossils found in Inner Mongolia.Pseudopulex jurassicus and P. magnus were described from ‘compression fossils’ that differ from impressions, since they are the actual insects that were preserved through the fossilization process over time. This type of fossil offers a great level of detail and preservation of the body structure, akin to taking high-resolution photos of these ancient insect species that lived 165 million years ago.What Did Dinosaur Fleas Look Like?These paleo-pests appear to have had dorso-ventrally flattened bodies, similar to that of ticks and bedbugs, which is quite the opposite to the laterally flattened bodies of modern fleas. The paleo-pests would have had long claws for reaching over dinosaur scales in order to hold on while feeding, by sucking blood. The body shape and shorter antennae of modern fleas, on the other hand, are properties that adapt them to quick movement through the feathers or fur of their modern-day hosts.Pseudopulex jurassicus (loosely translated as the ‘pseudo-flea from the Jurassic’) is the smaller of the two newly discovered ecto-parasitic taxa, with a body length of 0.7 inches (17 mm), excluding the antennae. Its mouthparts are 0.13 inches (3.4 mm) long, reaching over double its head length. The larger of the two species, P. magnus, has a body 0.9 inches (22.8 mm) long, with mouthparts reaching a length of about 0.2 inches (5.2 mm). The overall large-sized body and serrated, long mouthparts of these paleo-pests allowed them to pierce through the thick, tough hides and skin of their hosts. These were probably quite large pterosaurs or feathered dinosaurs, or they may have been mammals of medium size from the Early Cretaceous (but according to Shih the latter would not be from the Middle Jurassic).Which Dinosaurs Hosted these Dinosaur Fleas?To ascertain which dinosaurs would have acted as hosts, the researchers studied evidence showing what other animals may have coexisted with these insects at similar locality over the same time. The Middle Jurassic yielded possible feathered dinosaurs as hosts, e.g. Epidexipteryx hui and Pedopenna daohugouenis. Pseudopulex magnus, however, lived during the Early Cretaceous and may have used Microraptor gui and Sinosauropteryx prima as hosts for blood meals.Three Dinosaur Fleas Have Previously Been DiscoveredThis discovery is not the first of its kind. Recently the journal ‘Nature’ carried an article by Diying Huang et al., from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, that describes similar ‘dinosaur fleas’. Shih comments that their two new species bear some resemblance to the three previously known taxa, but also mentions that there are some noticeable differences. Despite studying the ‘Nature’ paper with its figures and online supplemental information, Shih can only speculate on whether all of these fossils are the same species. He would need high-resolution microscopy and images, as well as access to the actual fossil material, to determine this.One similarity is clear – neither the flea-like taxa from the ‘Nature’ article, nor the two new taxa, had hind legs modified for jumping. The ability to jump distances of 50 to 100 times that of their body length would have evolved some time between the existence of these early flea-like taxa, and the species we see today.? Modern fleas appear to avoid the bigger beasts; of a possible 2 300 species, about 94 percent feed on mammals and the rest feed on birds. It is truly amazing to see how fleas have evolved from dinosaur fleas to the fleas of today!The Evolution Store The Evolution Store Has A Great Dinosaur CollectionOnce in a while…okay, quite a lot of the time I find myself searching for new and awesome dinosaur finds. The other day I happened to run in to The Evolution Store after they HYPERLINK "" \o "DinoPit on Facebook" fanned me on Facebook. The rest of the afternoon from that point on was something of a blur as I scoured through some really cool dinosaur finds. So cool were the things I found in the Evolution Store that I had to share them.Some of My Favorite Dinosaur Goodies from The Evolution Store HYPERLINK "" A T-Rex Skull Replica from The Evolution Store This HYPERLINK "" \o "T-Rex skull replica" T-Rex skull replica is definitely one of my favorite The Evolution Store offerings especially at $ 179.00. It is a 1/9 scale model and is 4.5″ tall, 3.5″ wide and 6.5″ long. It’s currently on backorder but keep an eye out and you might get your hands on one.? HYPERLINK "" The Evolution Store Anatomical Velociraptor I’ve mentioned before just how much I HATE Velociraptor, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this is one amazing and enrapturing beast. I have never seen an anatomical dinosaur before and while they also have an HYPERLINK "" \o "Anatomical Snap-Together Kit" Anatomical Snap-Together Kit of the T-Rex, I prefer this one of the Velociraptor because it’s just too awesome. This piece will set you back $ 129.00 but in my opinion, it’s totally worth it. Veloci-snaptor here stands at 14.5″ high, 4″ wide and 20″ long and it’s available RIGHT NOW. HYPERLINK "" The Evolution Store Allosaurus Skull This full HYPERLINK "" \o "Allosaurus fragilis skull" Allosaurus fragilis skull comes from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, in Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry, Utah. Standing at 33x12x18 in and running $ 2695.00 this is every dino-lovers dream and a must have…although there is just one in stock so if you want it you’d better make it yours now…or just send it to me and I’ll be happy to hold on to it for you.Drop in to The Evolution Store in Person!If you are in or around New York City then drop in to The Evolution Store and have yourself a little shopping spree.The Evolution Store120 Spring StreetNew York, NY10012United StatesHours:11am – 7pmOpen Every Day!Phone:(212) 343-1114Fax:(212) 343-1815Email:info@Not around NYC? Then head over to HYPERLINK "" \o "The Evolution Store" their website and check out the dinosaur goodies The Evolution Store has to offer.New Smithsonian Dinosaur Hall Funded $35 Million Funds New Smithsonian Dinosaur Hall$ 35 million. The single largest donation made to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in its 102-year history. And it is all in aid of building a new Smithsonian Dinosaur Hall. This exciting news was recently made public, and in response to this the Smithsonian Board of Regents decided to name the new hall in honor of its generous benefactor – David H. Koch. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User sulfababy Who is the Smithsonian Dinosaur Hall Benefactor?Koch is a businessman in the energy sector, serving as Executive Vice President of Koch Industries Inc. (Wichita, Kan.)? This billionaire trained as an engineer at MIT and resides in New York. In 1980 he stood as vice presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party; he has made significant donations towards political causes that are conservative, targeting the policies of President Obama; and he also donates to medical, cultural and educational causes.Koch developed a fascination with dinosaurs when, at the age of 14, he visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York with his brother and father. This love of dinosaurs became his hobby and has taken him on museum visits around the globe, as far afield as fossil fields in central Africa to visit paleontological digs. “Dazzled by dinosaurs”, he served on the board of the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum for five years and realized that the Smithsonian dinosaur halls had exhibits that were up to 100 years old, making them increasingly obsolete.The New Dinosaur Hall isn’t Koch’s First Generous DonationKoch’s first donation to the Smithsonian came in 2009 when $ 15 million was put towards the Hall of Human Origins, a new exhibit that explored the past six million years of human evolution. This is another of Koch’s interests and the hall was named to honor him. Prior to that, in 2006, he donated $ 20 million to set up the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Another New York project involved a $ 100 million donation in 2008, to the Lincoln Center to fund renovation of the former New York State Theater.The New Smithsonian Dinosaur Hall will Highlight Current ResearchRenovation of the Dinosaur Hall at the Smithsonian will highlight the extensive collection of 46 million fossils and will showcase current research by its well-respected paleo-biology staff. Cristian Samper, Director of the Museum, says that the dinosaur exhibits have been of the most popular for many years, yet have remained static for over 30 years, becoming scientifically outdated.The New Smithsonian Dinosaur Hall Will Take 7 Years to CompleteRandall Kremer, spokesman for the Museum, says that the dinosaur hall overhaul will take about seven years to complete, but that the current hall will stay open to visitors until the spring of 2014. Thereafter an estimated 10 000 fragile bones and specimens will be relocated elsewhere before construction commences. Major updates have taken place in all the public areas in the Museum, with the Mammal and Oceans halls being renovated during the past ten years. A selection of dinosaur specimens will stay on view to the public in other areas while construction is in full swing. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History receives about seven million visitors per year and the dinosaur hall project is budgeted at ca. $ 45 million.Controversy Surrounding Koch and His BrotherDespite their generosity, David Koch and his brother, Charles, have received criticism for donations made towards funding efforts that fight climate change legislation. Koch Industries were listed as one of the top ten air polluters in the country, by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Koch claims a fascination of climate change and wants the public to be educated about it. He admits that there is a debate as to the contribution made by human activity versus contributions made by natural climate fluctuation cycles across the world.When questioned about his contributions towards political causes, versus those to museums and cultural groups, Koch says that they are completely independent of each other. He explains that he has eclectic interests, giving away large percentages of his income to help institutions that are worthy. He attempts to assist in the most important ways possible to make a better place of the world and the new Smithsonian dinosaur hall is just one of those projects.Origami Dinosaur by Tran Trung Hieu HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Jon_Tucker An Origami Dinosaur SightingGo ahead, take a good long look at that picture above. I found it while I was looking for some great Velociraptor images for this morning’s article and I had to share because it’s just amazing. Yes, you read that right, this Velociraptor statue is made from 54 pieces of paper. It is an origami dinosaur!I’m too much of a perfectionist for origami dinosaur making…well that and my frustration tolerance is fairly low so soon enough it would be origami dinosaur pieces of paper. I can’t get over just how amazing this piece is though. Just 54 pieces of paper is all it took for Tran Trung Hieu to put this masterpiece together.Who is this Origami Dinosaur Maker?Tran Trung Hieu is a well known origami artist who makes the most incredible origami dinosaur sculptures you’ve ever seen. You can find some of them over on HYPERLINK "" \o "Origami dinosaur by Tran Trung Hieu" Tumblr and more on his personal HYPERLINK "" \o "Tran Trung Hieu" Flickr account. Tran was born in 1984 in Ho Chi Minh city and while he currently teaches high school chemistry, he has been origami folding since he was 4 years old. Tran has shared his love for more complex origami folding? and proves this love in his origami dinosaur models as well as other origami skeletons.Some of my favorite pieces of Tran’s next to the Velociraptor skeleton include his: Giraffatitan brancai, Supersaurus vivianae, Archaeopteryx lithographica, Balaur bondoc, Giant Mosasaur and Therizinosaurus cheloniformis V2.Make Your Own Origami Dinosaur HYPERLINK "" Origami Dinosaur Image Courtesy of Origami- Have you ever considered making your own origami dinosaur? Take a look at how easy Origami- makes it look. Think you have the patience to do all that intricate folding? Then HYPERLINK "" \o "Make an origami dinosaur" click here to head on over and give it a shot yourself and don’t be afraid to share pictures with me here so I can live vicariously through your origami dinosaur talent!Velociraptor Velociraptor is Mostly Known By Fictional PortrayalsThe little information that most people know about the Velociraptor can usually be traced to the 1993 film Jurassic Park, but there is more fiction to the film than most realize. One of the most frequently cited inaccuracies is the size of the depicted Velociraptor. Although the film makers got the ferocious predator part right, the Velociraptor was actually much smaller in real life than in the film, in which the creature was depicted as a larger animal probably to increase the scariness factor. The Velociraptor in the film is actually more like its larger cousin, the Deinonychus, which is in the same dromaeosaur family but was found in North America. Other aspects of the film’s portrayal of the creature were misleading too, but if you enjoyed the Velociraptor from the film, don’t fret. The real Velociraptor is more interesting than what could be dreamed up by any screenwriter.Quick FactsNameVelociraptorPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight91 kg?(200 lbs)Length1.8 meters (5.9 feet)Height0.8 meters?(2.5 feet) at the hips Maximum Speed24 mph-40mph TerritoryMongolia, China and Russia What did Velociraptor look like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User TarValanion Velociraptor was a Bipedal Carnivore in Mongolia 71-75 Million Years AgoScientists have recently found evidence in Mongolia that points to the Velociraptor having feathers. A fossil of a forelimb, which was exceptionally well preserved, was discovered to have quill knobs. The quill knobs show where ligaments attached flight figures to bone. Scientists had long suspected Velociraptor to have this. Specimens up until that point had no quill knobs, the lack of which wouldn’t prove an animal didn’t have feathers, but the finding of those quill knobs means that scientists now they have proof that Velociraptor indeed had a feathered coat, just like most other members of the dromaeosaur family. There are several speculations about the purpose of the feathers, such as colorful plumage for mating or body temperature regulation. The theory of body temperature regulation is also what leads scientists to believe that the Velociraptor was warm-blooded. Their feathers are much like those of modern birds. But don’t worry, Velociraptors can’t fly. Evidence points to the Velociraptor being flightless. It has similar “hands”, or manus, to modern birds, but doesn’t have the wings to support flight because of its disproportionately large weight for its size. If an average person happened to see a Velociraptor today, they might mistake it for a strange bird, perhaps a cross between an ostrich and a rooster.Physical Attributes of Velociraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User The Velociraptor was smaller than other dinosaurs of the same dromaeosaur family but it had similar attributes which were used to the same predatory advantage. It was bipedal, with a large hook-like claw on each hind foot used to kill prey. Physically, it was different from other dromaeosaurs with the shape of it’s long and low shaped head. There were about 28 widely spaced teeth on each side of it’s skull, getting progressively stronger and sharper towards the back, which aided in gripping it’s prey. The tail was about 60 percent of the total length and it extended rigidly. A Velociraptor was only capable of side to side movement with their tails. Scientists believe that this was for stability while running and turning at high speeds.What did Velociraptor eat?Velociraptor was a “Fighting Dinosaur”The specimen of two dinosaurs, one of which is a Velociraptor, shows the two skeletons in a struggle. It was preserved in an ancient burial of sand that happened very suddenly, such as a collapsing dune. Thus, the pose was preserved along with the skeletal structures. The specimen provides valuable proof of the Velociraptor’s predatory behavior. In the pose, the Velociraptor is lying underneath the other skeleton, Protoceratops, an herbivore. The claw of the first is imbedded in the throat of the second, which means that Velociraptor’s preferred attacking method could have been to “go for the jugular” in an attempt to do the most damage in the fastest time.Predatory VelociraptorsVelociraptor was a carnivore, so it ate plenty of meat besides Protoceratops. It was smaller than many other dinosaurs, but very fast so it was probably able to eat a wide variety of meat. Scientists note the similarity between dromaeosaurs and eagles and hawks. Recently they have developed a model of predation called “raptor prey restraint”. Because of the similarity in feet and claws between Velociraptors and some birds of prey, it is now thought that Velociraptor leaped onto its prey and held it captive with its huge claws and body weight.Scavenging VelociraptorsIn addition to hunting it’s prey, the Velociraptor is thought to be a scavenger. “Late stage carcass consumption” was interpreted to be the reason for a discovery of some dromaeosaurid teeth that had been shed near the Protoceratops bone which had tooth marks on it. Scientists say that is evidence for scavenging behavior as well as further evidence that Velociraptor ate Protoceratops. Scientists also found a bone of a Pterosaur in the belly of a Velociraptor skeleton in the Gobi desert of Mongolia. Normally, a Velociraptor wouldn’t attack a Pterosaur because it flies and has a huge wingspan. That also points to the Velociraptor having some scavenging tendencies.The Metabolism of VelociraptorsThe Velociraptor had extremely high energy requirements when it hunted for prey and that is one reason it was probably warm blooded. Another sign of being warm blooded is that feather or fur covered animals typically need that feature for insulation.How did Velociraptor move?Velociraptor was bipedal, which means two-footed. It ran on it’s hind legs and was very fast, over 20 mph. Some scientists theorize that it could have reached speeds of even 40 mph in short bursts. That is actually how it got it’s name. “Velociraptor” comes from the Latin words velox, which means ‘swift’, and raptor, which means ‘robber’. It’s amazing speed at running more than made up for the fact that it’s forelimbs were too short for flight. The tail is believed to have provided a counterbalance effect.Did the Velociraptor hunt together or individually?There is some debate about whether the Velociraptor hunted in packs or individually. It is commonly believed to be a pack animal, but there is no specific evidence in the fossil records of the Velociraptor hunting in packs. There is evidence of other dromaeosaurs hunting in packs. The pack hunter theory came about when three dromaeosaurs called Deinonychus were found around a herbivorous dinosaur in Montana. But paleontologists disagree on even that detail. Some argue that the three Deinonychus were actually fighting over feeding rights. They weren’t working together at all.History and Discovery of Velociraptor HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Bolt of Blue The First Velociraptor DiscoveryThe first Velociraptor fossil was found by Peter Kaisen in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia on 11 August 1923. He was a paleontology technician at the American Museum of Natural History and he was on an expedition with the AMNH when he recovered the specimen. It was a complete but broken skull. Also found was a claw from the toe of what was assumed to be the same skeleton. The next year, the museum president announced his new genus Velociraptor and gave that name to the creature from which the claw and skull had originated.The “Fighting Dinosaur” DiscoveryThe incredible specimens in found action mentioned above are considered a national treasure in Mongolia, where they were discovered. A team of Polish and Mongolian scientists found the skeletons in the white sandstone cliffs of the Gobi Desert, which is known for the close to perfection preservation of fossils in it’s sandy dunes. The dinosaur foes were preserved in their combative pose about 80 million years ago.IchabodcraniosaurusA well preserved skeleton that strongly resembles a Velociraptor, except it can’t be completely verified without a skull, was found in 1990 by Mongolian and Chinese researchers on an exhibition in Mongolia. The fossil was dubbed the Ichabodcraniosaurus as a literary reference to the headless character of Ichabod Crane from the short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving.Significance of the Velociraptor in HistoryMany people know about the Velociraptor from the scary scenes in Jurassic Park, and although seeing the dinosaur would be terrifying in real life, there is much more to know about the Velociraptor than what the film portrays. We have learned that Velociraptors have feathers and that we can look at modern birds of prey to tell us clues about the hunting methods of these carnivores. But there is still much that remains to be discovered about the Velociraptor.If I Could Buy a Dinosaur... ? HYPERLINK "" A T-Rex Replica Skull from the Dinosaur Store If I Could Buy a Dinosaur, I’m Pretty Sure I WouldAs I? am want to do when I should be working on something with a very pressing deadline, I found myself surfing dinosaur stuff last night. I say stuff because there is no other catch all term that comes to mind that encompasses shoes, shirts, toys, wall art and dinosaur remains. Yes, you heard me right – dinosaur remains. I found two websites in particular that specialize in selling dinosaur remains although they both tend toward replicas more than actual prehistoric pieces. This got me to thinking, if I could shell out the cash that these guys would ask for a real live…well, dead piece of history would I? The answer of course is that if I could buy a dinosaur, I’m pretty sure I would.Forget the Financial Aspect Let’s look at the Logistics if I were to Buy a DinosaurAs I was perusing the selection of replica skulls and fossils I was caught in the act by my significant other who is all too familiar with my procrastination. I tried to explain to him the awesomeness of actually owning a Parasaurolophus skull, alas, I was met with a glassy glaze similar to the one I get when he tries to explain football. I explained to him that if it were financially feasible…hell, if it were even slightly feasible, I would jump at the chance to own my favorite dinosaur…or at least part of one. Then came the big question: “but where would you put it?”…But Where Do We Put It? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Cryptonaut You see the thing is that the skull of Parasaurolophus can max out at around 6 feet 7 inches tall and while there are no figures available on just how heavy the skull alone was, we can assume that sort of size is accompanied by weight. This leaves a couple of problems if I were to buy a dinosaur skull…there is very little “wiggle room” when it comes to maneuvering up the stairwell to my office. Then there is the consideration of where it would be hung…assuming it could be hung at all. Something that large would most certainly put a strain on the wall structure and I’m confident my black Lab doesn’t want his end to come as a result of falling dinosaur skull. So it would most probably sit on the floor.The floor doesn’t seem like a very majestic place for such a majestic creature.…So Would I Really Buy a Dinosaur?True, there would be something incredibly awe inspiring about owning a real dinosaur skull, but in the same breath it would be haunting as well. I’m not talking about ghosts here either, I’m talking along the same lines of taxidermy. Taxidermy is creepy. Under no circumstances would I ever want a once dead, now stuffed full of…something, animal staring at me from up on my wall. Now I have to ask myself how much different would it be if I got my hands on a once living Parasaurolophus skull. There is still part of me in awe of the possibility of the opportunity to buy a dinosaur…but for now that part is locked in battle with the totally creeped out part of me that thinks about someone keeping my skull on their bookshelf millions of years from now.Because seriously, that’s not how I want to be remembered.So for now I think, perhaps if I were to buy a dinosaur, I’d go for the replica…that is, unless the real thing came along and then I might have to think about it a little more.The Truth About Dinosaur Parenting Researchers Say Dinosaur Parenting Involved Nesting HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User simpologist Early dinosaur mothers cared for their young in nests, according to a recent research article published in the Journal of the National Academy of Science. This discovery was made in South Africa’s Golden Gate Highlands National Park, where numerous clutches of fossil eggs were found. Nesting behavior has previously been recorded in dinosaur parenting, but was known much more recently in the fossil record. This discovery pushes the date of known nesting back by 100 million years; the nests belong to a species of sauropod, of the genus Massospondylus, which lived 190 million years ago. These long-necked dinosaurs reached 20 feet in height, but despite their size, have now been shown to be caring mothers. Evidence of small footprints also shows that newborns remained in the nest for at least as long as it took to grow double their initial size.Dinosaur Parenting Featured Colony Type Nesting BehaviorThe study suggests that dinosaur parenting took place in colonies and that dinosaur parents may have returned to the same place to nest each breeding season. This is believed due to the fact that the ten discovered nests occurred at different levels in the rock and contained as many as 34 eggs in each. The series of nests is a wonderful discovery since it sheds more light on the reproduction of dinosaurs, especially in the early stages of their evolution as well as dinosaur parenting tactics. It shows that the strategy of nesting is much older that previously shown. Dr David Evans, who curates Vertebrate Palaeontology at the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, says that little fossil evidence of dinosaur reproductive biology exists, despite the extensive nature of dinosaur fossils in general. This new discovery in dinosaur parenting significantly changes our previous perceptions on the topic.Make Your Own Dinosaur Fossil HYPERLINK "" Make Your Own Dinosaur FossilWhen I was a kid every single “wish list” I had for my birthday and Christmas had at least one dinosaur themed book on it. Ironically, I hated to read. Today’s “make a dino Monday” post is something I really would have loved as a kid though and mom would be proud because it’s a thrifty crafting idea. I caught this make your own dinosaur fossil idea over on Pinterest.For Your Make Your Own Dinosaur Fossil You Will Need:– A margarine, ice cream or butter container– Modeling clay– A plastic toy dinosaur– Plaster of Paris– Paints (tempera or watercolor)– An old toothbrushMake Sure to Cover Your Work Area – Make Your Own Dinosaur Fossil Fun Can Get Messy!The first thing you’ll want to do is get plaster mix. Plaster mix is available in most crafting stores and comes in quite large bags so one bag will tide you over for quite a while. Next, you’ll want to get yourself set up for pouring out that plaster.The original make your own dinosaur fossil post that inspired this picture can be found over at the HYPERLINK "" \o "Art projects for kids" Art Projects for Kids blog and they suggest using thick craft paper and cardboard to set up a pouring mold. I much prefer using old kitchen containers – butter containers, margarine containers, ice cream containers etc. since it allows you to recycle and it makes clean up easier.With your container on hand, now take a lump of modeling clay (available at any craft store) and a cheap plastic dinosaur toy. Flatten the clay while maintaining an adequate thickness and make your own dinosaur fossil mold by pressing the dinosaur down in to the clay. Be sure not to press too hard, you want an imprint without breaking through the clay.Place the clay imprint, imprint side up in the bottom of your container making sure to remove the plastic dinosaur. Now you want to mix up your plaster mix and pour it in to the container on top of the make your own dinosaur fossil clay mold you created before. Your plaster should be around an inch thick.After allowing your plaster to dry (drying time varies depending upon the plaster mix you use,) you will want to cut away your container from the dried plaster. If you used a cardboard container you may find that you can simply rip the container away. Once you have removed your container you can pull away the modeling clay and you will find your dinosaur fossil!If your make your own dinosaur fossil still has some clay stuck to it, give it a night to dry and then use an old dry toothbrush to brush off the remaining clay. Once your make your own dinosaur fossil project is completely dry you can get to work painting your dinosaur!A special thanks to Kathy Barbro for her make your own dinosaur fossil inspiration!Sauroposeidon Sauroposeidon is the Tallest Dinosaur KnownSauroposeidon was the last of the giant sauropods in the early cretaceous period. Thanks to its long neck, this herbivore has won the title of “tallest dinosaur known to date”. The reconstruction process, based on the discovery of only four vertebrae, is a great display of the ingenuity with which scientists have been able to bring to life these animals which roamed the earth millions of years ago.Quick FactsNameSauroposeidonPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderSauropodomorphaWeight50–60 metric tons (55–66 short tons)Length28 to 34 meters ?(92 to 110 ft)Height6.75 meters (22.14 ft) at the hips Maximum Speed3.1 mphTerritoryEastern North America What did Sauroposeidon look like? HYPERLINK "" Sauroposeidon was a Quadrupedal Saurischian DinosaurIt is no wonder that the name of this dinosaur comes from the mighty Greek god Poseidon, who was not only the king of the sea, but also had the power to cause earthquakes. When the massive Sauroposeidon walked, the earth shook!Its complete scientific name is Sauroposeidon proteles, a greek word meaning “perfect before the end”, as it is believed that Sauroposeidon was the last and most specialized giant sauropod to live in North America.There is little fossil evidence from the early Cretaceous period, but scientists have managed to reconstruct Sauroposeidon from four neck vertebrae they found in southeast Oklahoma. A brachiosaurid, sauroposeidon was quadrupedal -with its front legs longer than its hind legs-, a hervibore, and had a very long neck of up to 12 meters (39 ft.) -the longest of any known vertebrate. Its body structure has been compared to that of a giraffe.Physical attributes of SauroposeidonAs there are so little fossil remains of Sauroposeidon, a great deal of what we see in reconstruction of this herbivore comes from comparisons with other brachiosaurids, such as the Giraffatitan brancai from the late Jurassic period. The vertebrae which were the base of the reconstruction, show that Sauroposeidon’s bones were very thin and honeycombed, ie. filled with small air cells, making them both light and strong at the same time. Thanks to this feature, it is estimated that it could lift its long neck up to 17 meters (56 ft.) off the ground. However, it’s unknown whether it kept its neck elongated at all times, since this would have put too much stress on its heart, or whether it kept it parallel to the ground most of the time.Its long neck makes Sauroposeidon the tallest dinosaur known to date, although not the largest or heaviest, as that honour belongs to the Argentinosaurus. Its shoulder height was of about 7 meters (23 ft.) and the total length of its body between 28 and 34 meters (92 to 111 ft.).It is estimated that Sauroposeidon’s weight was about 50 to 60 metric tons (55–66 short tons), although this estimate is not precise as only the bones of its neck are known, and they could have differed from those in the rest of its body.What did Sauroposeidon eat?Sauroposeidon was an herbivore, and its long neck would have allowed it to eat leaves from the tops of trees, probably conifers, magnolias, palms and sycamores. It would have needed about one ton of plant material per day to remain healthy. ?If, as suggested by some, Sauroposeidon had not been able to keep his neck elongated, it’s most likely that it would have eaten low lying vegetation.How did Sauroposeidon move? HYPERLINK "" As the body of Sauroposeidon has not been reconstructed due to a lack of fossil evidence (bones from its body) there is no information available as to how it moved. However, other brachiosaurids of similar shape -very large animals with short legs- are thought to be among the slowest of dinosaurs, so it’s likely that this characterization could apply to Sauroposeidon as well.Predators of SauroposeidonIt is unlikely that this herbivore would have had any predators, as no other animal could have taken on a full grown Sauroposeidon. Juveniles, however, could have been preyed on by the Acrocanthosaurus atokensis, a large bipedal theropod which lived in the same area and preyed on large sauropods and ornithopods, and the much smaller and agile coelurosaur Deinonychus antirrhopus. The Deinonychus was only about a tenth of the size of an adult Sauroposeidon!The History of Discovering SauroposeidonWhere did Sauroposeidon live?Sauroposeidon lived about 110 million years ago in the Aptian to Albian stages of the early Cretaceous. It lived in a swampy environment, at a river delta on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, which at the time extended through what is today Oklahoma.Sauroposeidon specimen discoveryWhen Sauroposeidon’s four vertebrae were discovered in a claystone outcrop in Oklahoma, near the Texan border, in 1994, the team at the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History thought them too large to be dinosaur bones and assumed they were fossilized tree trunks. These bones were stored until 1999, when a graduate student, Matt Wedel, analyzed them as part of a project. Once they realized they had found this massive animal, in an era when sauropods were normally subcompact, Sauroposeidon jumped to fame as “the biggest dinosaur ever found”, though this was incorrect, as the Argentinosaurus had already been discovered and documented by then.These four cervical vertebrae, the longest of which measures 1.4 meters are the only remains of Sauroposeidon found so far. Therefore, very little is known about this dinosaur, and much of the information available is based on comparisons with better known brachiosaurids.The importance of SauroposeidonProfessor Robert Cifelli of the University of Oklahoma, one of the discoverers of Sauroposeidon, has stated that “[Sauroposeion] is an old design. By this time, that body plan is just not working anymore. By the time this guy comes along, they are dying out in North America. He is pretty much the last of his kind.” The discovery of Sauroposeidon has provided one more step to the understanding of Sauropod evolution and extinction in the Early Cretaceous of North America, a task which has proven quite difficult due to the lack of fossil material from that era.The Incredible Size of Quetzalcoatlus HYPERLINK "" Quetzalcoatlus Image Courtesy of Flickr User Mugley Quetzalcoatlus remains one of the most mind blowing dinosaur species in terms of sheer size. It is not only that this incredible pterosaur had such an amazing size to it however, but also that it was able to get airborne. Let’s take a look at just how enormous this prehistoric beast was.Take a look at some Quetzalcoatlus Numbers!Quetzalcoatlus WingspanThe estimated wingspan of the Quetzalcoatlus is approximated to be 52.2?feet.52.2?feet is equal to:More than the length of 2 African elephants.Three and a half times the length of the average sized sports utility vehicle..6 times the length of a blue whale.…and just for fun: equal to the length of 10,440 fleas.Quetzalcoatlus WeightWhile no one really knows how much this giant azhdarchid pterosaur weighed since specimens are rare and those that have been found have all varied in size. Estimates currently find that the average weight of this beast however, fell at aroudn 220lbs.220 lbs is equal to:44 five pound bags of sugar.The average weight of a newborn African elephant.3 average sized field bred Labrador Retrievers.…and just for fun: equal to the weight of 176,000 average goose feathers.Quetzalcoatlus HeightCurrent estimates state that Quetzalcoatlus stood as tall as the average giraffe, that’s around 18 feet tall.18 feet is equal to:A little more than three Ryan Seacrest’s (why choose him? Go to Google and type “how tall is” and you’ll get the answer.)The approximate size of two stories of a building (roof not included.)Just over ten of the shortest person in the world in 2012.…and just for fun: equal to the height of 3,541 pennies stacked on top of each other. HYPERLINK "" So what do you say?? Think you’d like to run in to Quetzalcoatlus on a dark night?Oviraptor Oviraptor – The Egg SnatcherThe Oviraptor is one of the most controversially studied dinosaurs to ever be discovered. As a Cretaceous period creature, these animals and their habits have been the focal point of long disputes within the Palentology world. Below you’ll discover everything you ever wanted to know about the Oviraptor and the arguments surrounding their species.Quick FactsNameOviraptorPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationOmnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight25 – 34 kg (55-75 lbs)Length1.5 meters (5 ft)Height1 – 1.5 meters (3 – 5 ft) Maximum Speed43 mphTerritoryCentral & Southern Asia What Did Oviraptor Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User W9NED Oviraptor was a bird-like Bipedal Saurischia DinosaurClassified in the Saurischia category, these dinosaurs were bi-pedal, meaning they ran and walked on 2 legs that were slender and bird-like in appearance. This is unusual for a dinosaur that was unable to fly and unrelated to other avian-like species. Although, the process of evolution could have given new Oviraptors feathers and a curvier beak to use to crack open seeds. They were multi-colored around their head, but green and brown were the main hues of the Oviraptor’s body. Scientist and fellow discoverer, Henry Fairfield Osborn, described the Oviraptor as a mimicker of birds, stating that it likely made a squawking sound to communicate.Physical Attributes of OviraptorThe Oviraptor was a light-weight animal, only weighing in at a maximum of 75 pounds and standing as tall as 8 feet. It’s body type made it adept at moving quickly, much like an Ostrich would today, with the ability to run at up to 43 mph. Topped with short arms, the Oviraptor had three fingers and toes for power and strength. When in pursuit of prey, it would pursue a smaller and slower moving animal for miles before grasping it with taloned feet and working it’s clawed hands into the other dinosaur’s hide.A curved and flexible neck allowed the Oviraptor to see prey and predators from all angles. Huge owl-like eyes gave them a keen sense of sight. Capable of twisting it’s head at an almost 180 degree angle, these dinosaurs used their parrot-shaped beaks to intimidate predators. Snapping their powerful jaws together in rapid succession would usually ward off carnivores.The Crest of OviraptorOviraptors also used their beaks to tell each other apart with a small crest-like nub that sat on top of their heads. Differences in color and size allowed the Oviraptors to distinguish which among them were female or male and if a particular dinosaur was of their species. These crests changed color and plumped in size when a male reached puberty or when a female came into heat. It was a signal to other Oviraptors that their fellow dinosaur was ready for a mate. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User frankblacknoir Oviraptor Parenting HabitsWhat makes the Oviraptors so controversial in the world of Dino studies is the fact that the fossilized eggs underneath the first Oviraptor discovery had no embryos. Later, a clutch of Oviraptor eggs were found not far from the original site in Mongolia, each one containing a perfectly fossilized embryo. It’s been argued that because the first Oviraptor fossil was seated on top of a clutch of eggs, it was a nurturer with hopes of hatching the eggs rather than eating them. The leading dispute on this is that the original eggs without embryos were actually Oviraptor eggs that had been misidentified.It’s unknown whether the male or female was the one to sit with and keep the eggs warm. Unfortunately, there’s just not enough evidence for researchers to distinguish a male Oviraptor from a female. The “mom” would lay 15-20 eggs at one time, but not all of them would survive. Some would be eaten by predators and others would simply never hatch. However, speculation points to both parents being present through the baby Oviraptor’s first years of life, teaching it to hunt and protecting it in a group from predators. Like birds do, matured Oviraptors would eventually leave their family in search of finding a mate and beginning a new family of their own.What Did Oviraptor Eat?Initially, it was believed that Oviraptors only ate eggs, based on the clutch that was originally found with the first fossil. Oviraptors were later deemed omnivores; a type of dinosaur who eats everything from plants and seeds to insects and smaller dinosaurs. They had large-brains and are considered one of the more intelligent species of dinosaur; therefore, it was easier for them to acquire food in less than satisfactory conditions.Around the same time, the part of Mongolia where the Oviraptors lived has been thought to have been covered by water in some parts. This means that the Oviraptors would have also had access to mollusks, oysters, and other tasty crustaceans. While Oviraptors probably also ate the eggs of other dinosaurs, they were caring parents to their own young and aren’t rumored to have ever resorted to cannibalism like so many other species in that period.How Did Oviraptor Move?The Oviraptor relied on lithe legs to carry it’s light-weighted body across great distances. Reaching a speed of 43 mph, these animals could outrun the majority of their fellow dinosaurs. A forward lean gave the Oviraptor leverage and it could navigate easily with the slightest turn of it’s body. With only three toes, these dinosaurs counted on their three-inch long talons for climbing and speeding over rough terrain. When walking, the Oviraptor had a distinctive waddle similar to chickens and ducks.Predators of OviraptorAs an omnivore, the Oviraptor was a neutral target for meat-eaters. Larger carnivores, such as a Tyrannosaurus Rex, would have been able to easily take down a lone Oviraptor because the omnivore would have been naturally weaker. Fortunately, Oviraptors were likely pack animals who stayed in groups for protection and nurtured their young; therefore, carnivores and predators would have had a harder time picking one to eat. Even natural enemies would have had a hard time chowing down on an Oviraptor because of the claws, talons, and hard beak that would have been used in defense.The History Of Discovering OviraptorWhere Did Oviraptor Live?Oviraptors are believed to have walked the Earth around the Cretaceous period. Evolution of some animals was taking place while others, such as many species of dinosaurs, would end in extinction. The diversity of the Cretaceous period made an interesting backdrop for the Oviraptor because the temperatures were changing and all life seemed to be evolving. The first discovery was made in the Mongolian desert, meaning these animals could thrive in sweltering daytime climates and chilling evening winds.Palentologists believed this natural anomaly would have resulted in changes of Oviraptors, perhaps making new hatchlings stronger and more capable of surviving the changing world around them. This means they could have lived anywhere there was shelter, namely caves and leafy areas for easy concealment. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Kabacchi Ovipator Specimen DiscoveryIn 1924, a surge of paleontologists and archeologists were directed to a digging spot in the Mongolian desert. Once there, they unearthed the remains of the first fossilized Oviraptor under 4 inches of sand and dirt. The group was headed by palentologist, Roy Chapman Andrews, who passed his discovery on to Henry Fairfield Osborn; a scientist responsibility for the description and analysis of the Oviraptor’s structure and personality.Bits and pieces of the dinosaur’s skeleton were found seated atop a clutch of Protoceratops eggs; hence the name Oviraptor, which roughly translates to “egg snatcher” in Greek. It was presumed that the Oviraptor had intentions of devouring the eggs but instead met with an untimely and unfortunate end.The Importance Of The OviraptorOviraptors were reported to live in a time right before the extinction of the dinosaurs from Earth. This gives scientists a look into how these animals dealt with evolution and how the hatchlings would have evolved right before extinction. They can only speculate what these creatures would have become over years of progress and change. Some researchers think by studying and understanding the Oviraptor, we can better understand the anatomy and mechanics of modern birds.Build Your Own Dinosaur Terrarium HYPERLINK "" This Jurassic Dinosaur Terrarium was built by David @ I have always been crafty. One of my favorite childhood projects was building a pterodactyl out of coat hangers and papier-m?ché – now that I think of it, that’s another project I’ll have to share soon. So when I stumbled on this build your own dinosaur terrarium project over at the HYPERLINK "" \o "Craft Foxes" website I had to share.Creativity is Key When Building Your Dinosaur TerrariumThis is a fairly simple build your own dinosaur terrarium project but it leaves so much room for creativity. You aren’t limited to using a mason jar, in fact you can use just about any glass or plastic container you like. If you’re looking for the perfect accent piece for a dino loving kids room you can put your dinosaur terrarium in a real fish tank – they’re cheap enough at most pet stores. If you’re looking for a smaller accent piece, a glass bowl from any craft store will work. Wanting to do a true DIY project on a budget? Build your dinosaur terrarium using an old spaghetti sauce jar.Building Your Own Dinosaur TerrariumFor this dinosaur terrarium project you need:– A see through container of some sort– Dirt, rocks or decorative pebbles – feeling creative? Use fish tank gravel.– Your Favorite small plastic dinosaurs– Greenery – I prefer the idea of using fake aquarium plants so we don’t experience a great dying of our ownTake your container. Fill it with dirty, rocks, pebbles, gravel – whatever you like. Stick a little greenery in there and strategically place your dinosaurs in their new world.My Dinosaur TerrariumI haven’t built my terrarium yet but I have already planned a craft store trip to get it started. Lucky for me my local Michaels is right next door to the pet store so snagging some gravel will be easy and cheap. While I think dirt gives this project a more authentic look, I’m not all about sitting a container of dirt on my desk so I’m going with a zen dinosaur terrarium – a little OCD-a-saurus.The Power of a Tyrannosaurus Rex Bite The Tyrannosaurus Rex Bite was the Most Powerful Bite to Ever Exist HYPERLINK "" It’s official. The most powerful bite that ever existed was the Tyrannosaurus rex bite. Generating a bite force of up to 13,000 Pounds (or 57 000 Newtons), it is three and a half times greater than the bite of the Great White Shark, which generates 3 600 Pounds (or 1.8 Tons). This new research, published in the Royal Society journal ‘Biology? Letters’ by Dr Karl Bates of Liverpool University, shows that T.rex could close its jaws with four times more force than previously thought. It places T. rex up there as one of the world’s most dangerous predatory animals of all puter Generations Aid in Estimating the Tyrannosaurus Rex BiteDr Bates, a musculoskeletal biologist, and his researchers, generated computer models of the jaw of T. rex. Since musculature does not preserve with fossil remains, researchers only have skeletal remains available to study bite mechanics. This leads scientists to use indirect methods such as statistical analyses, and comparisons to skeletons of extant species with varying shapes and size, which makes it difficult to gain objective insights into the capabilities of T. rex. The research team built on current knowledge of the T. rex skeleton as well as past methods of analysis to generate a computer model that took into account major physiological and anatomical factors involved with bite performance.Tyrannosaurus Rex Bite Pressure Increased with AgeNot surprisingly, this research showed that biting force increased as an individual T. rex grew bigger, which made progressively larger dinosaur species available as prey. As size increased the animal would move more slowly, hence its forelimbs would become relatively smaller, and its head larger. This would have allowed it to hunt and kill animals that were even larger than itself, e.g. armoured dinosaurs and Triceratops, to supply sustenance to its own large body.Dr Bates and his research team also generated models that scaled up a number of types of skull to the relative size of a fully-grown T. rex, such as a human, an alligator, a T. rex juvenile and an Allosaurus. The bite force increased in each case, but never to the same extent as the adult Tyrannosaurus Rex bite. This feeds into the long-standing debate surrounding the actual power of the T. rex jaw. Some researchers believe that it had a less powerful bite, more suited to life as a scavenger, while others believe that life as a predator was made possible by a very powerful paring the Tyrannosaurus Rex Bite and an African LionWhen compared to the bite of a fully-grown African lion (i.e. 1 235 Pounds of force), the T. rex model generates nearly fifty times more force by a single tooth in the back of its mouth. With a measured force of 5 000 Pounds (22 000 Newtons), the Nile crocodile has the second most powerful bite and, as such, comes closest to T. rex of all living animals. Then comes the Great White, but comparing terrestrial and aquatic species does not have much merit. The bite of T. rex was shown to be powerful both in actual terms, as well as in relative terms to its body size.Another aspect that was studied is the juvenile Tyrannosaurus Rex bite. When extrapolated in terms of size, the model of the juvenile skull was shown to have a relatively weaker bite than the adult, which means that young T. rex may have altered their feeding behaviour with age. This is evident from the shape of the juvenile skull, which is lower and has a longer snout. With ageing, this skull would expand to allow a larger space for the jaw to close. The proportions of the T. rex body also changed with maturity; biochemical evidence shows that youngsters had a more athletic build than mature individuals.A young T. rex had a bite force similar to that of lion and alligators which, in tandem with relatively long fore- and hindlimbs, made it possible to chase after and catch prey of small to medium size. The relative size of the forelimbs decreased with maturity, which points to adult T. rex relying more on a large skull for hunting. This implies a phase of exponential growth in the skull, which already had a highly efficient biting mechanism, and suggests that feeding behaviour changed between young and adult stages.Bite Force was an Evolutionary AdaptationOur knowledge of extant carnivores shows that those that have large prey also have relatively large biting force, while those that feed on small prey animals have relatively moderate biting force. This means that the force of the bite may be a crucial adaptation in carnivore evolution, in terms of varying feeding ecology.To become a specialist on large prey, T. rex had to reach adult body size and possess an adapted jaw anatomy that gave superior mechanical strength. This would have avoided competition with younger T. rex and other competitors that had smaller bodies and greater agility.According to Dr Bates, the unique musculoskeletal system of T. rex as examined in his Tyrannosaurus Rex bite study will provide a fascination to scientists for many years to come.You Know You're A Dino Nerd When... I have been a dinosaur nerd for just about as long as I can remember. I’m pretty certain it’s not exactly what my parents had hoped for – a little girl in her best Sunday dress, up to her elbows in mud as she excavates the back yard for dinosaur bones, but it’s what they got. I have never actually considered myself a dinosaur nerd though. Sure, I’m a nerd by profession, but for me dinosaurs have always been fun, a break from reality. Yesterday however, I realized for the first time in the entire process of putting together HYPERLINK "" \o "" just what a dino nerd I really am. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Bolt of Blue I’ve been working with a designer to put together a pretty awesome looking infographic. Nothing you dinosaur fanatics won’t have known already but it’s cool and I paid someone to make it so you will like it whether you want to or not. Anyhoo, as I’m reviewing this infographic I look at the dino’s he used in detail. I gave him a list to go by and one by one I look down and check those dino’s off the list…and then I get to the Triceratops. Only this Triceratops isn’t a Triceratops at all, it’s an Einiosaurus. As I’m writing back to him with my requested edits it was then that it hit me – I am, in fact a complete dinosaur nerd. It’s not the fact that I knew it wasn’t a Triceratops because most people can recognize the three horned favorite anywhere. It’s more of the fact that I knew it was an Einiosaurus.What can I say? I know my Ceratopsians!Iguanodon Iguanodon Is The Second Most Popular Dinosaur Ever DiscoveredIguanodon is ranked so highly on the Paleontologist charts because it was the second dinosaur to ever be labeled. Named with a Greek term meaning “Iguana tooth,” Iguanodon fossils were at first mistaken for a species of a different category, nearly missing the chance to be named at all. They’re the most studied when it comes to dinosaur history, maintaining years of popularity because of their catchy title. Below we’ll explore significant aspects of the dinosaur behind the name. Quick FactsNameIguanodonPrehistoric EraEarly CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderOrnithopodaWeight4.5 metric tons (5 short tons)Length7.9 meters (26 ft)Height2.7 meters (9 ft) at the hipsMaximum Speed9-12 mphTerritoryEurope, Northern Africa, & USA What Did Iguanodon Look Like?? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User HokutoSuisse Iguanodon Was A Cretaceous Period? Archosauria HerbivoreIguanodon was an herbivore from the late-Cretaceous Period; this indicates that the Iguanodon was a pack animal, often foraging for leaves and berries within the protection of 3-4 others. While paleontologists originally believed the Iguanodon was a bipedal dinosaur, it was later discovered that the leg and arm joints moved to fit that of a four-legged runner. This means that the dinosaur was capable of running on two legs like most carnivores or, to gain leverage, could maneuver on four legs like the majority of their fellow herbivores. However, topping off at 9 feet tall, the Iguanodon towered above several species of would-be predators, indicating that these animals were rarely subjected to being hunted while in their groups; therefore, it’s believed that only stray juveniles would have used the skill of running on two legs to escape being another dinosaur’s dinner.Physical Attributes of IguanodonIguanodon could grow to be 9 feet tall, weighing in around 5 tons with a length of almost 33 feet. It was a massive dinosaur! They were four-fingered with the addition of a thumb-spike on each “hand” and their feet were three-toed with strong, slender arches and wide heels for traction. A bulky body added to their intimidating height and width with a long, stiff tail being used for protection and counter-balance. The Iguanodon’s legs were longer than their arms by at least 3 inches; however, they could easily transform from a bipedal runner to a four-legged galloper. HYPERLINK "" Image Credit to Ballista via Wikimedia Commons The Thumb-Spikes of IguanodonThe Iguanodon thumb-spikes have perplexed archeologists since the dinosaur’s initial discovery. The spike was cone-shaped, measuring 2-6 inches long with a sharp point and significant width. The original discoverer, Gideon Mantell, put the spike on the completed Iguanodon replica’s nose at first; however, it didn’t fit properly and looked misplaced. The grooves where the spike would fit snugly into the Iguanodon’s thumb were found shortly thereafter, but the use for these thumb-spikes is still unknown.Speculation suggests the thumb-spikes were implemented for cracking open hard-shelled nuts or protecting the Iguanodon from predators. There’s also debate that the spikes could have been a mating selection method, allowing the males with the larger thumb-spikes to be chosen as ideal mates for their sheer size and ability to protect their offspring.The Mistaken Identity of IguanadonWhen Iguanodon was first discovered, the naturalist who stumbled upon the fossil was quick to think that the teeth and bones were from an ancient giant crocodile. For years, scientists ran with the idea that they were chasing clues to a species that would closely resemble one of today’s most-famous reptiles. Crocodiles and alligators were studied in comparison to the fossils that were uncovered, until researchers and archeologists decided these creatures would be more apt to be related to Iguanas. This was a closer thought, but still inaccurate.Up until the early 19th century, Iguanodon was depicted as much larger modern Iguanas; the coloring and scales were exactly the same, and these dinosaurs didn’t have an identity of their own until the fossils were actually pieced together. After the fossils were properly placed, the Iguanodon began to resemble a new animal rather than one that already existed.What Did Iguanodon Eat?As an herbivore, the Iguanodon ate plants, berries, and some nuts. The sharp beak on the front of their mouth was completely toothless, but Iguanodon cheeks were packed with sharp teeth for grinding tough plant materials. Each tooth was curved, measuring 2 inches long from top to bottom with jagged tips for chewing.How Did Iguanodon Move?Iguanodon was a fast animal with the advantage of choosing to walk on two legs or all four. While scientists can’t be 100% positive of the dinosaur’s exact speed, they’ve based their opinions on the height, length, and bone mass of the animal’s legs.? Some fossilized trackways discovered 4 inches in the sand around the Iguanodon bones indicates they could move quickly at 15-20 kilometers per hour. That’s 9-12 mph!Predators of IguanodonIguanodon was considered to be a dinosaur of higher intelligence. Traveling in packs and having the option of running at high-speeds, these animals didn’t have to contend with many predators. Sometimes stray juveniles would be caught by lone carnivores but other than that, the Iguanodon did well with avoiding destruction of their species. On the food chain, they literally grew bigger than some of the most vicious carnivores; a fact that was intimidating to potential predators, especially when the Iguanodon would migrate in groups.The Discovery of Iguanodon HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User KitLKat Where Did Iguanodon Live?Iguanodon has been discovered allover the world, showing that these creatures were capable of adapting to a wide range of climates. The largest fossilized finds have been in Belgium, England, and Germany where the Iguanodon are believed to have roamed in packs 125-135 million years ago. Continents were forming and lands were parting around the late-Cretaceous Period, meaning these animals were forced to evolve in conditions that were heading towards the first Ice Age. It’s rumored that sub-species of Iguanodon made their way to all parts of the world, excluding what is now Antarctica.Iguanodon Specimen DiscoveryIn 1822, a British naturalist by the name of Gideon Mantell found what he believed to be the fossilized remains of a giant crocodile. While the teeth were the only things he discovered, 30 years of research and further findings of actual bone and other fossilized matter suggested that paleontologists and archeologists were dealing with a new species of at least a 3 ton dinosaur.Better speciments soon followed, beginning with a major discovery of a what appeared to be a bonebed in Bernissart, Belgium. Two coal miners were responsible for the find of what was later deemed to be at least 38 fossilized Iguanodon. While not yet named, these fossils and bones gave new insight into this dinosaurs length, height, habits, and nature. It wasn’t until 1872 that scientists attempted to gather all the dino evidence in one place to draw a final conclusion as to what they had uncovered. Later, the Iguanodon was given a proper name, becoming the second dinosaur with it’s own genre and numerous sub-categories for similar species.Why Is Iguanodon Important?Iguanodon is considered the ‘saving grace’ of the paleontological world. These dinosaurs gave hope to researchers who were becoming frustrated from the lack of new discoveries. As the second dinosaur to be named, Iguanodon was the third to be presented to the public in a museum for fossilized artifacts. The fossils that have been found since then were placed in sub-categories and compared to the Iguanodon. Without the iguanodon, there would be no basis for comparison when it comes to new Archosauria fossils discovered.An Amazing Dinosaur Tattoo HYPERLINK "" I’m no stranger when it comes to tattoos but this raptor dinosaur tattoo takes the cake. I’ve spent a while researching this piece to try and find out just whose it is and who is responsible for inking it, alas, I have had no luck so far. If you have any idea drop me a line because I would love to know (as well as give credit where it’s due.) Now I’m not a fan of raptors…okay, that’s a pretty big understatement, raptors give me a tingly feeling that I would compare to being dangled over a hungry lion’s cage at feeding time, but this raptor dinosaur tattoo is mind blowing. The composition itself is incredible but when you look at the depth of the piece combined with the shadows and highlights – wow.Despite my love for dinosaurs I can’t say that I’ve ever actually thought of adding a dinosaur tattoo (let alone a raptor dinosaur tattoo) to my collection. If I did I’d definitely have to track this tattoo artist down…but even then, raptors are off the table. With my love for the parasaurolophus I’m pretty certain that would be the direction I’d choose. Then again, placing a dinosaur tattoo alongside my angel back piece would bring to mind the Raptor Jesus images that always make me laugh even though they’re sacrilegious. Have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about? See for yourself HYPERLINK "" \o "Raptor Jesus" here but be warned, if you can’t take a joke it might induce you to write angry emails to me…and that would make me sad.Back to the topic of this dinosaur tattoo though, if you haven’t checked out Pinterest in a while keep an eye on the HYPERLINK "" \o "Dinopit on Pinterest" DinoPit Pinterest board. If you’re inspired to get inked and are looking for a dinosaur tattoo idea take a look at the HYPERLINK "" \o "dinosaur tattoo pin board" dinosaur tattoo pin board.San Remo, Melbourne Dinosaur Discovery Melbourne Dinosaur Discovery Creates a Lot of Buzz HYPERLINK "" The coastal town of San Remo, is the unlikely site of a Melbourne dinosaur discovery that has Australian palaeontologists abuzz. Erich Fitzgerald, a palaeontologist from Museum Victoria, studied the fossilized remains of a 2.4 inch wide ankle bone that was discovered in 2006 by an amateur palaeontologist, and determined that it belongs to a ceratosaur. This group of carnivorous dinosaurs has not been recorded from Australia until now, according to the research article that Fitzgerald recently published in the journal ‘Naturwissenschaften’. This is a significant discovery on a continent that is only second to Antarctica when it comes to a poor understanding and documentation of dinosaurs.Melbourne Dinosaur Thought to Be a CeratosaurThe ceratosaur fossil fragment points to a flesh-eating species of fairly small stature that barely reached six feet in height and nine feet in length. It does, however, raise the possibility that other larger predatory dinosaurs with global distribution, such as tyrannosaurs and allosaurs, may have lived in Australia at the same time, about 125 million years ago. At that point in time the dinosaur fauna of the continent was nowhere near the weird and wonderful kangaroos and koalas that we see in modern-day Australia. Instead, these carnivorous species had global distributions since they were able to disperse freely before the break-up of the continents. The Australia of 125 million years ago was home to representatives of groups of dinosaurs that have a cosmopolitan distribution, creating a melting pot of diversity.Melbourne Dinosaur Sheds New Light on Gondwana Dinosaur DistributionThe ceratosaur discovery sheds new light on dinosaur distribution in eastern Gondwana, which separated to form the continents of Australia, India and Antarctica somewhere between 80 and 130 million years ago. Scientists used to believe that Australia’s dinosaur fauna was the product of isolation, but this and other new discoveries confirm that a number of lineages were present – lineages with a Jurassic origin, dating back 170 million years, when dinosaurs were able to cross freely between continents and across the globe.Isn’t it amazing what can be deduced from a few ancient fragments of bone like those found in this recent Melbourne dinosaur find?The Art of Dessert Dinosaur Cupcake Delicious Sauropod Goodness in this Dinosaur Cupcake HYPERLINK "" Dinosaur Cupcake Image copyright to The Art of Dessert It’s Make a Dinosaur Monday and today I’ve been checking out some pretty awesome looking sauropod dinosaur cupcake party favors!Rianne Runs The Art of Dessert and Makes a Mean Dinosaur Cupcake!Rianne over at HYPERLINK "" \o "The Art of Dessert" The Art of Dessert was working on making a larger dinosaur cake for her son’s birthday when she opted to make some really cute cupcake toppers as well. Starting with HYPERLINK "" \o "Debbie Brown's 50 Easy Party Cakes" Debbie Brown’s 50 Easy Party Cakes she – with an incredible amount of talent – created a pretty amazing large blue sauropod cake. As if that wasn’t enough work, this amazing baking mom went to work modeling three dozen mini sauropods to sit on top of chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing. That’s a whole herd of sauropods…and a heck of a lot of cake too!?What I Love About This Dinosaur Cupcake IdeaI love so many things about this dinosaur cupcake idea that I’m not sure where to begin. There’s the fact that it’s a sauropod and, well, who doesn’t love a sauropod? I also love that Rianne went with cupcakes in addition to her big party cake because unlike Rianne, I am completely untalented when it comes to cake decorating. There is something completely daunting about the idea of tackling a full size cake with a slab of fondant. Now give me a few cupcakes and I am pretty sure I’d make a mean sauropod cupcake…or at least I’d give it a try. In fact, I see some dinosaur cupcakes in my near future. Will you be giving this great dinosaur party idea a try?ThanksI’d like to give my thanks to Rianne from The Art of Dessert for sharing her amazing sauropod dinosaur cupcake photos on her blog!Albertosaurus Albertosaurus Was a Smaller Tyrannosaurus RexA relative of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Albertosaurus was named after the place where the first fossil was found in Alberta, Canada. Since then, this dinosaur has been compared and confused with its larger predatory cousin. With the same physical attributes only in lesser sizes, the Albertosaurus is commonly misrepresented as weaker and less adept. However, below you’ll find information and scientific discoveries that have made this dinosaur a smaller, but more unique, T-Rex alternative.Quick FactsNameAlbertosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight2.72 metric tons (3 short tons)Length9.14 meters (30 ft)Height3.4 meters (11 ft) at the hipsMaximum Speed8-13 mphTerritoryWestern North America, Canada What Did Albertosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User djwudi Albertosaurus Was A Canadian Carnivore 75 Million Years AgoFound originally near what is now Alberta, Canada, the Albertosaurus was a vicious meat-eater with an affinity for herbivores of the same size. Rows of razor-sharp teeth awaited the unlucky prey that would cross paths with the Albertosaurus 75 million years ago. As an early Tyrannosaur, these creatures were described as smart and quick with relations to the popular T-Rex. Physical Attributes of AlbertosaurusWeighing in at nearly 3 tons, it’s hard to believe Albertosaurus was one of the smaller carnivores in the late Cretaceous era. A length of 30 feet and a height of 11 feet meant this dinosaur was likely eye-to-eye with many herbivorous prey animals. Albertosaurus was also blessed with thick trunk-like legs that were powerful enough to provide support for a long tail and a large head. The only small part about this Theropod was it’s arms which were drawn in close the the dinosaur’s body. Sharp teeth and powerful clawed-toes made this one of the most efficient predators of it’s time.Likeness Between Albertosaurus And T-Rex HYPERLINK "photos/yvetteandjonincanada/383345658/sizes/l/in/photostream/" Image Courtesy of Flickr User mypointyshoes Albertosaurus and T-Rex are similar in more ways than they’re different. They both thrive on a carnivorous diet, slicing and ripping with their sharp teeth and well-developed jaw muscles. They’re both bipedal with hollow bones, short two-fingered arms, and a wide walking girth with a thick tail for counter-balance. The T-Rex and Albertosaurus also have large heads, poor eyesight, and premium hearing.Though that’s where the similarities end. Albertosaurus, while smaller, was more intelligent than a T-Rex. A larger brain meant these dinosaurs could strategize, finding new ways to get their prey and learning from previous mistakes. Albertosaurus was also the first in a long line of carnivorous breeds, living at least 2 million years before T-Rex.What Did Albertosaurus Eat?The Albertosaurus? was a carnivore; a fact made more disturbing by the speculation that these creatures were also intelligent enough to hunt in packs, taking down larger well-armored herbivores with ease. Their smaller, more compact size gave them an advantage, making it less of a hassle to catch up to slow and dim-witted prey.How Did Albertosaurus Move?Unfortunately, the little arms and larger body of the Albertosaurus made it easier for them to topple when running. They could only safely reach speeds of up to 13 mph without the fear of falling over. With their small upper anatomy, it would have been next to impossible to have lifted themselves back into a standing position. Falling led to the death of many of these Cretaceous carnivores.Juvenile Albertosaurus could move quicker for a short period of time. Although, with a growth rate of almost 300 pounds per year, their body mass began slowing them down after only a few months of life. It’s possible that a baby Albertosaurus could have been temporary prey for larger and more dangerous predators.The Prey of AlbertosaurusPaleontologists believe the Albertosaurus ate mostly plant-eaters, but they weren’t offended by the idea of feasting on another carnivore’s new offspring. These dinosaurs would eat anything if it were meat-based and if they could catch it. As stated above, there’s a belief that these animals also hunted in packs, providing their group with a wider range of meaty possibilities.The History & Discovery of AlbertosaurusWhere Did Albertosaurus Live?With fossils originating from Canada and parts of North America, it has been determined that the Albertosaurus moved around over the continent. They moved predominantly into the wooded forests of commonly dry areas where their body temperatures could be easily maintained. Albertosaurus had a low tolerance for colder climates, choosing to stick towards the naturally warmer hemisphere.Albertosaurus Specimen DiscoveryAlbertosaurus lived almost 75 million years ago, but their fossils weren’t discovered until 1884 when Joseph Burr Tyrrell unearthed several bones in Alberta, Canada. The remains were studied and named 6 months later by paleontogist H.F. Osborn.It was Osborn’s friend and fellow digger, Philip Currie, who uncovered the first “nest” of Albertosaurus in an unknown location in Western North America. There were a total of 9 Albertosaurus, ranging in ages from juvenile to adult which gave the impression that these dinosaurs were hunting, sleeping, and living in small packs. This theory is still under heavy debate and explanation; the reason why it’s still a mystery why all 9 fossils were found lying together.Some Albertosaurus fossils have been found with fractured legs, ribs, and other broken bones due to their unbalanced, lumbering walk. Several have apparently died where they lay after having fallen and being unable to get back up.The Significance of Albertosaurus In HistoryAlbertosaurus has given paleontologists and researchers a great deal to think about. The terrifying thought that these animals roamed in groups has yet to be proven, but if it is, it’ll change the way paleontology views predatory dinosaurs. It would mean their intelligence levels were above where we previously speculated. Albertosaurus fossil studies have opened the proverbial door to expand beliefs about other dinosaur predators.The Pre-Dinosaur Extinction Wiped Out Many Sea Species The Pre-Dinosaur Extinction Happened 252 Million Years AgoThe Great Dying. When an estimated 95% of marine species went extinct. It happened 252 million years ago and no, it was not the great dinosaur extinction of the Cretaceous period, but rather one with far greater catastrophic consequence: the Permian Extinction. Not only marine life suffered; an unknown percentage of land dwelling species also succumbed, possibly up to 95%, in what is known as the most severe of our planet’s five large extinction events.There are Many Hypothesis as to What Caused the Pre-dinosaur Extinction HYPERLINK "" Scientists still speculate as to the cause of the great Permian Extinction. Hypotheses include a devastating eruption by a volcano; an asteroid strike similar to the one that killed off the dinosaurs during the Cretaceous; and oxygen-depleted water welling up from the deepest ocean.Recent studies, based on careful examination of fossils from the time of the pre-dinosaur extinction, suggest new ideas in interpreting the past, and ways of interpreting the future of modern marine organisms. By studying organisms at the cellular level, two scientists managed to elucidate the inner mechanism that killed off certain marine animals, while others survived.Theories of the Pre-dinosaur Extinction Suggest a Predisposition to ExtinctionEarth scientist Matthew E. Clapham and geochemist Jonathan L. Payne, from UCLA Santa Cruz and Stanford respectively, studied ca. 50 000 fossils of marine invertebrates from 8 900 Permian collections before concluding that the presence of calcium carbonate shells or skeletons predisposed a species to extinction. Animals with different skeletal substance, or those with ways of keeping their internal chemistry intact, stood a better chance at survival.? A creature’s diet, mode of transport, a large distribution range or large numbers of individuals, did not protect it since deaths occurred across the whole ocean.Rather, a combination of stress-factors that occurred with rapid succession created a cumulative effect on many marine animals, e.g. an absence of dissolved oxygen in the water, excessive carbon dioxide levels, changes in ocean acidity, impaired ability to lay down calcium carbonate shells or skeletons, and increased ocean temperatures. Within the relatively short geological period of 200 000 years, or less, these factors completely changed the suite of dominant marine animals.Corals Suffered Most in the Pre-dinosaur ExtinctionCorals suffered most in the pre-dinosaur extinction, with many groups disappearing completely, e.g. the horn-shaped rugose corals that lived on the ocean floor. Despite once being common, all trilobite species disappeared. Sea sponge diversity took a knock, as did shelled reef and sea species from the Permian. All major marine groups of invertebrates, as well as protists (mainly one-celled micro-organisms) suffered losses.Gastropods Became the Dominant Group After the Pre-dinosaur ExtinctionAfter these major losses the gastropods became the dominant ocean group, e.g. bivalves such as clams, and the snails. This shift after the Permian extinction is directly responsible for the marine assemblage we see today.What, then, caused the marine animals such physiological stress? Clapham and Payne reach the conclusion, in a second paper, that the global carbon cycle was disrupted by an injection of carbon into the ocean and atmosphere. The selective nature of extinctions cannot, however, be explained by theories of asteroid impact, or oxygen-deprived water welling up from the sea floor. The suspect is volcanic in nature – the biggest event of its kind during the past 500 million years – the eruptions responsible for the stair-like region in northern Russia (the Siberian Traps). These are believed to have sent enormous quantities of carbon gas into the atmosphere and oceans, which caused long-term phenomena such as acidification and warming of the oceans, as well as large tracts of oxygen-poor water in the ocean.Chemistry Changes Could Have Contributed to the Pre-dinosaur ExtinctionAccording to Andrew H. Knoll, a geologist from Harvard, this idea that ocean chemistry changes (such as acidification) affects mass extinction, is a relatively novel idea. His 1996 paper explored the consequences of rapid atmospheric carbon dioxide increase on organismal physiology. He noted that the present situation and predictions for the next 200 years might mirror what we believe happened in the past.Today’s Ocean Climate is Similar to that of the Pre-Dinosaur ExtinctionLikewise, Clapham was astounded by the match between the Great Dying and the current trend seen in ocean chemistry, with high levels of atmospheric carbon-based gases causing ocean warming, acidification and dead zones with low oxygen. He cautions that these situations are not exactly the same, since the ocean was more easily acidified during the Permian than now – deep-water calcium carbonate that off-sets acid was less abundant in the past. Yet, corals are as vulnerable today and they were in the Permian, since their internal chemistry makes them reliant on calcium carbonate for reef building.This is echoed by Chris Langdon, a biologist from University of Miami, whose pioneering research on ocean acidification, shows that corals are in dire straits worldwide. He recently studied coral reefs with naturally high acidification in Papua New Guinea, showing that coral cover declines drastically when acidity reaches the levels that are predicted for the end of the century. Branching corals that provide shelter for fish species are at particular risk.The work of Hans Portner, animal ecophysiologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany, reveals that an ocean with increased temperature and higher acidity, causes negative effects on the physiology of present-day marine animals. He looks to the Permian extinction as an archive for predicting how modern species will cope with increased carbon loads. He also cautions that the two periods are not quite similar, since Pangea, the single supercontinent of Permian times, had different ocean currents than today. Carbon is also currently entering the atmosphere at much faster rates than during the Permian.Knoll sums it up. Humans, today, are as good as volcanoes at releasing carbon into the earth’s atmosphere.Will we experience the next Great Dying like the pre-dinosaur extinction soon?Warner Brothers Dinosaur Movie Announced Warner Brothers Dinosaur Movie Slated For 2015 HYPERLINK "" Anticipation is mounting for a new thriller Warner Brothers dinosaur movie, apparently set for release in 2015.? Warner Bros. acquired the rights to an as-yet-untitled movie set in Los Angeles, using state-of-the art special effects to recreate dinosaurs. The plot is rumored to involve a rogue pack of rapidly evolving dinosaurs, set loose in LA, no doubt wreaking havoc in their way.John Clisham Makes His Directional Debut in the Warner Brothers Dinosaur MovieIn his directional debut, the feature film will be written and directed by John Clisham, who has worked with James Cameron for many years, and most recently on the 3D version of ‘Titanic’. Mike Bayman is co-writer of the script, which was originally developed as a web series by Break Media. After seeing the first test footage, Greg Silverman and Sarah Schechter of Warner Bros. were so impressed that the studio decided to acquire it as a feature film instead.Will the Warner Brothers Dinosaur Movie Recreate Jurassic Park 2?Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World had something of a similar plot to the new Warner Brothers movie which leaves many people asking whether this will turn out to be a remake gone terribly wrong…but was JP 2 all that good the first time around? One can only hope that this mystery movie carries a bigger punch and we can experience another dinosaur movie to add to the DinoPit movie library! Seriously though, because good dinosaur based movies are so hard to come by and we are jonesing for something new to geek out to on a Friday night. Sorry Jurassic Park fans, it’s not that we didn’t love the first installment (inaccuracies and all) but the second and third in the series just didn’t live up to our expectations. That said, we’re already getting ready for some sci-fi Dino-action and we don’t even know the name of the 2015 release yet…we’re guessing it’s not going to be “Warner Brothers Dinosaur Movie,” that’s just a little too unoriginal.Recent Dinosaur Theories Worthy of Attention...or Not There Have Always Been Many Speculations and Dinosaur TheoriesTheories about dinosaurs abound, with a recent one claiming that the buoyancy of water was essential for support of their large bodies. This suggests that dinosaurs mostly enjoyed an aquatic lifestyle. Let us review a few of the latest weird and wonderful theories.The Feathered Dinosaur Theories HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User konjure Dinosaurs finally showed their ‘true colors’ in January 2010 when researchers revealed that a feathered dinosaur species, living 100 million years ago, had ginger-colored plumage. A rival research-group then claimed that another species, from 150 million years ago, had reddish-brown feathers on its crest, as well as freckles.? The latter theory resulted from microscopic studies of fossils in China, which allowed the prediction of color patterns that presumably aided in communication and mate attraction.Pterosaur Head Crest Dinosaur TheoriesA research team revealed, in June, that pterosaurs (flying dinosaurs) and pelycosaurs (fin-backed dinosaurs) used their exaggerated? head crests and sails (or fins) for mating displays and sexual selection. These elaborations were previously thought to assist with temperature regulation, but now we know that they function in a similar way to peacock tails, with the difference being that peacock tails are shed every year, while pterosaurs had the constant burden of carrying their ‘sexy’ large crests.Therapod Dinosaur TheoriesPlant Eating Theropod Dinosaur TheoriesDecember brought the bombshell that most therapod dinosaurs ate plants, rather than flesh, which challenged the conventional theory that almost all therapods were hunters. This means that the likes of Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor were the exception, rather than the rule. The coelurosaurs, which are the? closest relatives to birds, mostly followed a vegetarian lifestyle, which may explain their remarkable success in terms of species diversity.One Fingered Theropod Dinosaur TheoriesThe discovery of Linhenykus monodactylus, a two-feet tall ‘One-fingered dinosaur’, caused a stir in January of 2011. It is a relative of the carnivorous therapods, a group that includes Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor. Terrestrial therapods typically have five fingers that evolved to three fingers in more advanced species, with tyrannosaurs showing the unusual condition of having only two fingers. Linhenykus took this to the extreme with its single, claw-tipped finger on each front limb, which was presumably used to dig into the nests of insects.Dinosaur Theories on OpportunismThe same month saw an extension of the ‘predatory dinosaurs turned peace-loving vegetarians’ theory, when another research group showed that dinosaurs did not, in fact, attain dominance by forcing out other animals. Instead, they opportunistically claimed space that was left open after a mass extinction event that happened 200 million years ago.Dinosaur Theories on Tyrannosaurus Rex HYPERLINK "" Tyrannosaurus rex was next on the agenda. Believed? by some to be a scavenger, due to its small forelimbs and well-developed sense of smell, T. rex would probably have been out-competed by smaller scavengers, making such a lifestyle unviable.? Instead, the powerful jaws, dagger-like teeth, binocular vision and speed? of T. rex would have made it an expert hunter of large vertebrate prey.A New Sauropod DiscoveryA newly discovered dinosaur, named Brontomerus mcintoshi in February 2011, had unusually large, powerful leg muscles, which led to its nick-name ‘Thunderthighs’. Scientists believe that this sauropod used its enormous thighs to kick predators or other males during fights for females, or to travel more efficiently over mountainous, rough terrain. Fossil bones of an adult, which may have weighed about 6 tons, and a ca. 200 kg juvenile, were found in Utah.Dinosaur Theories on Survival After the MeteorDuring this time another popular theory was challenged – the theory that all dinosaurs went extinct after a massive meteor strike about 66 million years ago. New evidence, using a ‘direct dating’ method on fossil remains of a plant-eating hadrasaur, suggests that it may have been around 700,000 years later than expected, possibly surviving in zones of vegetation that may have coped with severe climatic conditions after the strike.Dinosaur Theories on Dinosaurs as Caring Mothers HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User simpologist Images of dinosaurs as caring mothers surfaced in January 2012. Evidence from South Africa suggests? that a long-necked sauropod ancestor, living 190 million years ago, used nests for egg-laying. The amazing discovery of several nests with fossilized eggs and small footprints allows the first real insight into dinosaur reproduction, and it is suggested that the same nests were used year on year, while youngsters were allowed to double in size before leaving the nest.Dinosaur Theories on the Decomposition of DinosaursA long-held theory, that decomposing dinosaur bodies burst open due to an accumulation in gas, was put to rest earlier this year. The theory originally surfaced to explain why the bones of unborn marine dinosaurs were scattered all over, while adult bodies often stayed in tact. The thinking was that the embryo and organs would be scattered during such an ‘explosion’, but now it has been shown that such explosions would not have been possible. A more likely explanation is that gentle ocean currents would sweep the bones of small embryos away, while the heavier bones of adults would stay in place on the sea bed.Crazier Dinosaur TheoriesA few final, unproven and totally bizarre older hypotheses… A type of AIDS wiped out dinosaurs that indulged in promiscuous behavior; changes in plant life led to a fatal condition of constipation; and that dinosaurs never existed at all, other than in the minds of evolutionists! Talk about crazier dinosaur theories!Featured Speakers at the Burpee Museum of Natural History The Burpee Museum is a Hot Spot for Paleontology HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User steeleman204 The Burpee Museum of Natural History is a great place to head to if you’re interested in paleontology. The museum is small but packed with exciting dinosaur related discoveries. On this May 6, Scott Williams conducted a lecture to get visitors acquainted with the history and current activities of the Burpee Museum of Natural History. The purpose of the lecture is to recount the exciting discoveries found along this area of the Western United States as well as to detail the museums ongoing research and activities.Scott Williams Recently Spoke at the Burpee MuseumWilliams is director of Exhibits and Science at the Burpee Museum and oversees the museum’s collections, exhibits and facilities. He is also a part of the collections and research staff. The museum has been a vital part of William’s life since he was a child. He started volunteering at the young age of 13 and left a career in law enforcement to work full time at Burpee. His interest in paleontology led him to an A.S. degree at Rock Valley College, which was followed by a B.S. degree at NIU, which he is currently pursuing in the department of Geology and Environmental Sciences. William’s passion and expertise make him an invaluable asset to the museum as well as a riveting speaker.An Incredible Jurassic Find for the Burpee MuseumWilliam has been directly involved in much of the exciting field work going on at Burpee in the last few years. In 2008, he personally led the team which discovered a late Jurassic aged dinosaur bone bed that turned out to be one of the largest found in the last several decades, causing it to be dubbed one of National Geographic’s Top 10 Fossil Finds. Williams also helped on the expedition which helped find Jane and Homer, an event which was chronicled in an hour long Discovery Channel special called The Mystery Dinosaur.Somewhat of a local celebrity, Williams has been busy giving hundreds of presentations and scientific papers in the past decade. Aside from managing he exhibits, he also plans the PaleoFest event each year.Burpee Museum Has Some Great Paleontological ExhibitsOne of Illinois’ gems, Burpee is home to truly amazing dinosaur specimens. One of the exciting discoveries at Burpee is “Jane,” the most complete remains of a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. ?“Jane” was discovered by Carol Tuck and Bill Harrison and named after museum benefactor Jane Solem. It took a four year long ordeal to prepare “Jane” for display at the museum, an exhibit now called “Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur.” Her skeleton is 21 feet long and she was only 11 years old when she died. An adult sized dinosaur of Jane’s species resides at Chicago’s Field Museum and goes by the name of “Sue.” Sue was an adult at death and her skeleton is twice as large as Jane’s at a whopping 43 feet long. In 2007, Jane was even nominated as one of Illinois’ natural wonders.?Field Work for the Burpee MuseumThese are just some of the wild discoveries at the Burpee Museum. In 2000, Burpee’s team began conducting field work in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, where Cretaceous era remains can be found. This era harks back to the days of raptors, armored ankylosaurs and duck-billed dinos. In 2008, they began collecting specimens from the Jurassic Period, which is when the Hanksville-Burpee bone bed was found. This dino graveyard is a quarter of a mile long. It is a relic of an ancient river system in which animals would die and eventually be buried. Skeletons of half a dozen dinosaurs have been found here within a month and a half. In 2010, a Triceratops site was found, where discoveries are still being made. In 2011, excavations continued in Utah, where a Diplodocus named “Jimmy” was discovered.What makes this month’s lecture so special is that it is a part of the 70th Anniversary of Burpee Museum Lecture Series in the memory of Steve Ellis, who died on November 5, 2011. Ellis served on many of the community boards in Rockford and was charman of the Governance Committee at the Burpee Museum. Ellis was passionate about having programs about natural histories for the community.The next monthly lecture at the Burpee Museum will be given by Dr Rochelle Lurie on the topic of the “Archeology of Northern Illinois” on Septemer 23.Was Dinosaur Extinction in Motion Prior to the Asteroid Strike? What Led to?Dinosaur Extinction? HYPERLINK "" The question of what led to the ultimate decline of the dinosaurs has fascinated scientists and laymen alike, leading to an extensive amount of research on the topic of dinosaur extinction. The most popular theory thus far is that an asteroid collided with planet Earth about 65-million years ago, causing a massive dinosaur extinction. Now researchers have introduced a new twist to the tale, claiming that some of the large herbivorous species may have already been suffering from some form of decline, long before this momentous event removed all terrestrial dinosaurs from the planet.Some Believe Diversity Played a Role in Dinosaur ExtinctionThis theory of?dinosaur extinction is that lineages that showed greater diversity amongst a range of species would have been more competitive, showing healthy rates of evolution. Carnivorous species such as Tyrannosaurus rex fall into this class, as do the herbivores at extreme ends of the size-scale: the smallest species and the largest ones – the Sauropods.Groups with less diversity amongst species tended towards similarity, which may point towards a gradual decline and an increased risk of extinction. The Ceratopsids (a group that includes Triceratops) and the Hadrasaurs (a group of duck-billed dinosaurs) were both large in stature and showed little selection in feeding-pattern. These groups were shown to already be at risk of?dinosaur extinction 12 million years before the actual extinction took place.Steve Brusatte Leads this Dinosaur Extinction Research TheoryThe study that puts this theory forward was recently published by researchers from the American Museum of Natural History, under first author Steve Brusatte, in the journal ‘Nature Communications’. They studied the fossils of 150 different species – representing seven of the major groups of dinosaurs – in terms of structural body variation. This was done in an effort to determine overall population health.The scientists caution that the findings should be seen in context. It relates to fossils from North America only, which means that the theory may not extrapolate well to other geographic regions. It also does not imply that there was no hope for these dinosaurs, since fluctuations in diversity were evident throughout the Mesozoic; small changes may not have been significant over the time span of 150 million years during which dinosaurs roamed the planet.This theory does, however, cast a different light on the perception that the dinosaurs were taken from the planet by a catastrophic event at the peak of their reign. As with most aspects of science, things are often more complex than we at first believe and this is definitely the case with dinosaur extinction.Could Dinosaur Eggs Have Contributed to Dinosaur Extinction? Dinosaur Eggs Reveal Potential AnswersThe Cretaceous – Tertiary impact, 65 million years ago, was one of the great cataclysms in the history of Earth. After this huge meteorite impact, all of the animals on earth with a body weight greater than 20 or 55 pounds were wiped out. In this mass extinction, the entire group of dinosaur species disappeared off of the face of the earth. This much has been well known for years, but there remained some questions that scientists could not answer.Why was it that, after the impact, it was mammals rather than dinosaurs that adapted to the new conditions? Why did mammals thrive and dominate the earth, while dinosaurs vanished? Now, thanks to mathematical modeling, researchers at the University of Zurich say they have an answer.The downfall of the dinosaurs came for a simple reason: they were egg layers. And, as such, they faced challenges unknown to mammals.The Size of Dinosaur Eggs was not Relative to their Adult Size HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User givingnot@ Because dinosaur eggs shells need to be thin enough to let oxygen through to the embryo, there is an upper limit on how large dinosaur eggs can be. So there is also an upper limit on the size of newborn dinosaurs. As a result, large dinosaurs grew through an astonishing range of sizes. A dinosaur might hatch from its dinosaur egg weighing only two to ten kilograms, and yet it would grow to reach an adult size of thirty to fifty tons. The adult Titanosaur – the largest vertebrae ever to walk the earth – weighed 2500 times as much as its newborn. In comparison, an African elephant fully grown is only twenty two times the size of its newborn.Smaller Sized Young From Dinosaur Eggs Meant More CompetitionBecause of the small size of dinosaur eggs and this demand for incredible growth, a young dinosaur would have to compete in the full range of size categories as it grew up. With the help of their powerful parents, these young dinosaurs were so successful that they crowded out any smaller species from the evolutionary chain. And so when we picture the age of dinosaurs, it is huge lumbering reptiles that we picture. And correctly so, because there were few smaller species. Any smaller dinosaurs were crowded out of the ecosystem by the larger ones. Unable to compete, they could not survive in this world of giants.Monstrous Size Led to Ultimate Downfall in a Nuclear WinterFor 150 milllion years, massive dinosaurs thrived. But when the meteorite hit, their strength became a weakness. Upon impact, millions of tons of ash and dust were lifted into the atmosphere, blocking out the sun and destroying vegetation. These harsh conditions created a “nuclear winter” where larger animals could not survive. The Titanosaur, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, all of the great creatures of the Cretaceous Period could not adapt to the harsh new environment. And so we know them today only by the bones they left behind.Perhaps, if there had been a greater diversity of smaller dinosaurs, they would have been able to survive in the nuclear winter as small mammals did. But for millions of years the larger species had dominated the land, with their small but powerful offspring taking up as many resources as the environment could provide. Smaller species had no chance and could not evolve. Then when the meteorite wiped away the large dinosaurs, there were no small ones to take their place. The entire dinosaur group was eliminated, and it was mammals – up to that point a minor category of life – that survived and multiplied and eventually evolved into the species we know today.The Co-existance of Diverse Mammals Led to Improved SurvivalBecause young mammals suckle from their mothers, they do not need to compete for food until they are closer to fully grown. So each species competes only within a narrow size range. This has allowed a diverse array of mammals to co-exist, from tiny rodents to enormous elephants. When the mass extinction occurred, the diversity of mammals meant that there were small species capable of survival. So the tiny mouse could live on, scavenging for what little vegetation remained in this cold, dusty world. But the enormous Tyrannosaurus required more resources than the earth could provide. The great dinosaurs were far too large to survive in this harsh climate, and soon they had all vanished. Dinosaurs had to be born small, and born small meant that they had to compete with other small species for survival. In this competition it was impossible for small dinosaurs to survive and evolve when pitted against larger mammals. There was only room for large species and mammals beat the dinosaurs to the punch. So only a rare few types of small dinosaurs existed – enough to evolve into modern birds, but not enough to maintain the group’s dominance…all because of the design of dinosaur eggs.Coelophysis Coelophysis was a Nine Foot Long CarnivoreSome 216.5 to 203.6 million years ago during the late Triassic period HYPERLINK "" \o "Coelophysis" Coelophysis walked the Earth. As one of the earliest known genera of dinosaurs this nine foot long carnivore can teach us a lot about the evolution of dinosaurs. Below we will take a look at everything you ever wanted to know about the dinosaur that would become New Mexico’s state fossil.Quick FactsNameCoelophysisPrehistoric EraLate TriassicClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight25 kilograms (55lbs)Length6.00 meters (20.0 ft)Height0.6 meters (1.8 ft) at the hipsMaximum Speed25 – 30 mphTerritoryWestern North America What Did Coelophysis Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Coelophysis bauri head by John Conway Coelophysis was a Bipedal Saurischian DinosaurThe name “Coelophysis” translates to mean “hollow form” and refers to the hollow bones of this early biped. This smaller dinosaur species measured in at around 9.8 feet long and stood at around three feet high. Despite its short stature and 55 lb weight, this carnivore was a force to contend with. While this dinosaur was an early Theropod, it already resembled a smaller version of the later Theropod giants. Coelophysis stands out in paleontology as being the earliest dinosaur specimen with a wishbone. To date researchers have identified two types of “build” for the Coelophysis body, a slender gracile form and a more robust form. This difference in build is seen as a type of sexual dimorphism with the females being the more gracile of the species. There are currently three potential species of Coelophysis: C. Rioarribasaurus, C. Megapnosaurus and C. Podokesaurus. The only species officially recognized at this time is C. Rioarribasaurus.Physical Attributes of CoelophysisCoelophysis had short arms and longer hind legs like other Theropod specimens. The hind legs however, were much thinner than those of later Theropod species and combined with the lighter weight of Coelophysis contributed to a higher top speed on land. The long tail of this carnivore would have provided balance while standing on the hind legs, in addition to allowing rapid changes of direction when moving quickly. Both the feet and hands of this dinosaur featured three digits each and all had sharp claws. Uniquely, the forelimbs featured a fourth digit that had become part of the hand. The long neck of Coelophysis was long and slender and would have allowed for rapid movement of the head and more streamlined movement through trees while hunting prey.Eyesight was important to Coelophysis for tracking smaller prey items and as such the eyes were large in comparison to the small, slender head. The narrow skull was filled with small but sharp teeth which lead researchers to believe that this carnivore likely fed on smaller lizards. It may be possible that this theropod may have hunted and attacked larger prey in packs; there is no evidence to support this theory to date. ?The smaller slender skull sets Coelophysis apart from other Theropods that came in later years. In addition to skull differences, the smaller size of this carnivore makes it nearly unrecognizable as a relative of Tyrannosaurus Rex.? HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Linden Tea The Hollow Bones of CoelophysisThe skull of Coelophysis featured large fenestrae which made it much lighter and easier to support on the thin sigmoid curved neck. The weight lightening fenestrae weren’t the only light feature of this dinosaur however, Coelophysis had hollow bones. While the hollow bones of Coelophysis were believed to be unique to Coelophysis by American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope, it was later revealed that this was not the case. The lighter bones would have permitted this smaller dinosaur to move quickly as well as support its weight on two thinner hind legs.What Did Coelophysis Eat?The thin teeth of Coelophysis had serrated edges which when combined with large claws made this a meat eater no smaller creature would want to run in to. As a carnivore, Coelophysis killed its own prey but also scavenged on carrion when available. Paleontologists believe that this Triassic period dinosaur may even have eaten its young when no other food sources were available. Proof of this cannibalism can be found in the fossilized gut contents of a Coelophysis specimen that show remains of another Coelophysis! As hatchlings these bipeds were much less formidable and would have snapped up smaller insects and lizards to feed themselves.How Did Coelophysis Move?Like all Theropods, Coelophysis was bipedal relying on its long back legs to move. The forelimbs of this dinosaur may have been longer than those of T-Rex but they were still not long enough to support quadrupedal movement. Hollow bones and long slender legs mean that Coelophysis was a fast moving predator. Using its estimated body mass as well as measurements from a complete specimen, researchers estimate a stride length of 2.5 feet. The feet of this smaller dinosaur measured in at only four inches long, yet this Theropod is believed to have had a top speed of between 25 to 30 miles per hour.Coelophysis PredatorsCoelophysis may have been a carnivore but its smaller size meant that it was not the top predator in its ecosystem. Researchers believe that Coelophysis would have been prey to Postosuchus, Smilosuchus and semi-aquatic Phytosaurs.The History of Discovering CoelophysisWhere Did Coelophysis Live?Coelophysis lived during the late Triassic period some 216.5 to 203.6 million years ago.? Researchers believe that this small theropod lived on river floodplains where it walked alongside crocodilian-like Phytosaurs. Coelophysis lived in what is now known as Western North America in New Mexico and Arizona.Coelophysis Specimen DiscoveryThe first specimen of Coelophysis was discovered in 1881 by David HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User Linden Tea Baldwin, an amateur fossil collector. This type specimenwas named in 1889 by Edward Drinker Cope as Coelophysis bauri, after a fossil collector that worked for Cope, Baur. While the first specimen recovered was interesting, it simply did not provide enough information to create an accurate picture of Coelophysis. In 1947 however, a Coelophysis graveyard was discovered at the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico close to the dig site of the original fossil. Paleontologists believe that due to the sheer number of fossils found and their degree of preservation, that the Ghost Ranch fossils perished in a flash flood. The flash flood circumstances preserved the Coelophysis specimens so well that one of the many complete fossils found at Ghost Ranch replaced the original type specimen.The Ghost Ranch Coelophysis finding was the most significant finding in terms of making progress in our knowledge about this dinosaur but it is not the only discovery since the initial finding. Additional Coelophysis specimens have been discovered in Arizona and New Mexico, these specimens include both adult and juvenile dinosaurs. Some paleontologists also believe that footprints of this species have been located in Connecticut Valley.The Importance of the CoelophysisCoelophysis is a significant discovery for the world of paleontology for a number of reasons. One of the biggest fascinations with this species is that it allows researchers to follow the development of the Theropod from its earlier forms to the better known Tyrannosaurus Rex. Additionally, Coelophysis is one of the most primitive known carnivorous dinosaurs which makes it a fascinating specimen to study overall.Dilophosaurus Dilophosaurus is a Commonly Misrepresented DinosaurDilophosaurus is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented dinosaur species to have lived. As one of the earliest Jurassic theropods this dinosaur has suffered from poor fossil representation and imaginative Hollywood depictions. Below we will take a look at just what we do know about this bipedal carnivore.Quick FactsNameDilophosaurusPrehistoric EraEarly JurassicClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight0.5 metric tons (0.55 short tons)Length6.00 meters (20.0 ft)Height1.5 meters (5.0 ft) at the hipsMaximum Speed30 mphTerritoryWestern North America and possibly China. What Did Dilophosaurus Look Like? HYPERLINK "" Dilophosaurus was a Saurischian TheropodAs a Saurischian dinosaur species, Dilophosaurus had lizard structured hips. All theropods are classified as Saurischia and have a three pronged pelvic structure. The pubis of the Saurischian dinosaur is forward pointing and represents the hip structure of modern day lizard species. As a member of the suborder Theropoda, Dilophosaurus was a carnivore and is believed to be related to modern day birds! Some reconstructions of this carnivorous dinosaur even include feathers that bring this species closer to early bird species.Physical Attributes of DilophosaurusDilophosaurus is said to have measured in at approximately 8 feet tall and 20 feet long and weighed around half a ton. The body of this long dinosaur would have been balanced by the long rigid tail which served as a counterbalance as well as a means to turn quickly without losing balance. The skull of Dilophosaurus was filled with long but thin teeth that got larger toward the base. Much like common day crocodiles, this carnivore skull featured a notch behind the first row of teeth. This notch results from the connection between the maxillary bones of the skull being weak and it is hypothesized that this weakness likely resulted in Dilophosaurus being a scavenger rather than a hunter. With a weak front jaw connection any attempt to bring down larger prey items would have led to damage to the jaw or teeth or escape of the prey. It is possible however, that this theropod fed on smaller reptiles in addition to larger carcasses.The arms of Dilophosaurus were small much like other Theropods and each arm had a three fingered “hand.” While the forelimbs of this Jurassic period dinosaur were particularly small and weak, the hind legs were quite the opposite. The majority of Dilophosaurus’ strength came from its rear limbs. Currently there is no evidence to speak to the fact that Dilophosaurus was covered in birdlike feathers and as a result most depictions of this theropod show scaled reptilian skin. It is possible that this dinosaur had a thin feathered covering as suggested by one fossilized specimen that presents possible feather imprints. ?While there is some question over the presence of feathers, there is certainly no question over the presence of cranial crests. To date no paleontologists have been able to determine whether sexual dimorphism existed within the species; however, if it did it was likely based in cranial crest appearance. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User stevelewalready The Head Gear of DilophosaurusThe cranial crests of the Dilophosaurus sat atop the skull and were semicircular in appearance. Each specimen had two of these crests which sat parallel to each other along the length of the skull but did not stand as tall as crests of other crested species. Each crest contained a thin strip of bone which indicates that these crests served no part of physical displays of dominance as they did with Pachycephalosaurs. There are three main theories as to the purpose of Dilophosaurus’ cranial crests: sexual dimorphism, individual identification and sexual appeal.Misrepresentation of Dilophosaurus in Jurassic ParkMost individuals recognize Dilophosaurus as a species of frilled dinosaur that has the ability to spit corrosive poison in to the face of its enemies. While this is certainly the depiction that this species received in Hollywood’s Jurassic Park, there is no evidence that Dilophosaurus ever had a frill or the ability to “spit poison.” In addition to these two creative additions, Dilophosaurus was also considerably reduced in size from 8 feet tall to 3 feet tall and from 20 feet long to 5 feet long. According to Steven Spielberg the frill and poison features were added as creative license and the size reduction was made to help non-dinosaur lovers identify the difference between Dilophosaurus and the Velociraptor. These changes may have made for a good Hollywood movie, but unfortunately it has caused a significant amount of confusion among the non-scientific community as to what this specimen really looked like.What Did Dilophosaurus Eat?Despite not being able to spit “poison,” Dilophosaurus rarely went hungry, at least not in comparison to other larger carnivores that required much more substance to sustain them. There is some dispute as to what this carnivore actually ate due to the jaw structure. It is possible that this theropod fed on any meat it was able to scavenge as well as fed on smaller lizards and small carnivores that would not have required much jaw power to capture and kill.How Did Dilophosaurus Move?Dilophosaurus was a bipedal dinosaur and due to the structure of its large strong hind legs it was quite a fast runner. This dinosaur could run so fast in fact that some of the fossilized footprints that have been found to date only feature claw marks since the whole foot did not touch the ground! The stride length of this Jurassic carnivore was just around seven feet – that’s seven feet between footprints! Current projections state that this dinosaur could run as fast as 30 mph. From preserved footprints of Dilophosaurus, researchers believe that this carnivore was a small pack mover much like the Velociraptor and they may have hunted in packs by implementing ambush hunting as well.Predators of DilophosaurusTo date paleontologists believe that Dilophosaurus was the most dominant predator within its ecosystem. Dilophosaurus may have lived with other Theropods later in its evolution, but during the early Jurassic period it was one of the largest Theropod species around.The Discovery of DilophosaurusWhere Did Dilophosaurus Live?Approximately 193 million years ago Dilophosaurus lived on the Western half of the bifurcated (by sea) North American continent in what is today Arizona and Utah. Some believe that this theropod also lived in China after a possible specimen was recovered in the Yunnan Province in 1987.Dilophosaurus Specimen DiscoveryThe first Dilophosaurus specimen to be recovered was discovered in Arizona in 1942 by Sam Welles. At this time the specimen was believed to be a Megalosaurus specimen and it was cleaned and mounted at Berkeley. This specimen was originally named Megalosaurus wetherilli until a second specimen was recovered from the same geological era in the same location. The second specimen of Dilophosaurus had an obvious double crest which indicated that it was in fact a different specimen from Megalosaurus. At this time the specimens were classified as Dilophosaurus wetherilli. Originally, Welles believes that the second specimen represented another species and named it Dilophosaurus breedorum; however, this species has never been accepted and as such both specimens are categorized as Dilophosaurus wetherilli.A third specimen recovery leads to questions as to whether this dinosaur also thrived in what is now the Yunnan Province of China. This specimen shows significant structural differences in the skull formation and is believed by some to more closely represent Cryolophosaurus – an Antarctic theropod. This potential Dilophosaurus specimen was named Dilophosaurus sinensis in 1993 by Shaojin Hu.The Importance of Understanding the DilophosaurusWhile not a significant amount of information is known about Dilophosaurus due to the limited HYPERLINK "" Copyright to Wikipek via Wikimedia Commons specimens that have been recovered to date, there are many things this species can reveal to paleontologists. As one of the earliest and largest Theropods to appear in the early Jurassic period, this member of the Dilophosauridae family provides a marker by which researchers can gauge the evolution of theropods through until their eventual extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period. Dilophosaurus also has the potential to provide valuable clues as to the evolution of birds from dinosaurs. Hopefully as new specimens of Dilophosaurus are recovered we can gain new knowledge to help fill in the gaps between prehistoric life and modern day aves.Ankylosaurus Ankylosaurus is a Tank Sized Cretaceous Herbivore?Ankylosaurus is a late cretaceous period herbivore known for its heavy body armor and huge tail club. This tank sized creature may have fed on vegetation but it posed plenty of threat to even the most vicious of carnivores. Below we will take a look at this archetypal armored dinosaur and discover everything you could want to know from physical appearance to fossil discovery.Quick FactsNameAnkylosaurusPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationHerbivoreOrderOrnithischiaSuborderAnkylosauriaWeight5.9 metric tons (6.5 short tons)Length6.25 meters (20.5 ft)Height1.7?meters (5.5 ft) at the hipsMaximum Speed6 mphTerritoryWestern North America What Did Ankylosaurus Look Like?Ankylosaurus was a Quadrupedal Ornithischian DinosaurAnkylosaurus is the largest of the Ankylosaurid family and is approximated to have measured in at 30 feet long and 5 feet wide. Standing at around 5 ? feet tall, this incredible beast weighed in at around 13,000 lbs. This hefty weight caused by thick bony armor meant that Ankylosaurus could only walk on four legs. The width of the Ankylosaurus’ body made it more than a force to contend with particularly when it began to swing its bony tail club. The body of this Ornithischian dinosaur was low to the ground which gave it the ability to hold fast when swinging its tail in defense. ?As an Ornithischian, this Cretaceous period dinosaur had a beak in addition to a birdlike hip structure. HYPERLINK "" Physical Attributes of AnkylosaurusThe skull of Ankylosaurus is a particularly unique feature, sitting low and much wider than it is long. Of all Ankylosaurus skulls discovered to date the largest measures 23 inches long and 29 inches wide. The bones of these wide skulls were solid and like other bones throughout the body fused which increased their overall strength. There was no area of this dinosaur with the exception of its vulnerable underbelly that was not protected by thick bony armor. Even the eyelids of this wide beast were made of bone.The Armor of AnkylosaurusThe armor of the Ankylosaurus is the most distinguishing feature of this dinosaur. Made up of bone plates called osteoderms or scutes and knobs of bones that were embedded in the skin, the armor of Ankylosaurus represented an extreme version of today’s armadillos, crocodiles and lizards. Researchers believe that these thick bony plates were covered with a layer of keratin that features small but thick horns adding additional protection to this slow moving herbivore. The skull of this dinosaur also features four longer horns which projected from either side offering protection from predators. The tail of Ankylosaurus is also believed to have featured a number of spikes that not only protected but also provided an incredibly destructive weapon. These spikes ran down the length of the body and the tail beginning at the short neck and ending at the tail club. As if the thick spines along the body weren’t enough to deter predators, the large bony knob at the end acted as a battering club.The Feeding Habits of the Ankylosaurus HYPERLINK "" Ankylosaurus had small teeth that were the shape of leaves and designed for cutting off leaves and buds from vegetation. Unlike many of their contemporary dinosaurs, Ankylosaurus did not have tooth batteries for grinding leaves and vegetation. This difference in herbivorous teeth indicates that Ankylosaurus more than likely swallowed vegetation directly with little to no breakdown of the food before it reached the stomach. It is not believed that this dinosaur swallowed gastroliths to grind food in the stomach either. Due to its incredible size, the Ankylosaurus depended upon large amounts of low lying plants to sustain the energy needed to maintain energy levels. With a lack of gastroliths and tooth batteries, this dinosaur more than likely had a large fermentation chamber not unlike much larger herbivores like Supersaurus. These large chambers began to break down plant material before it hit the gut and created large amounts of gas as a byproduct of fermentation.Locomotion of AnkylosaurusThe low lying body of the hefty Ankylosaurus was supported by four thick columnar legs. The hind limbs were longer than the forelimbs and researchers are still uncertain as to how many digits were on each limb. Most recently it is believed that this Ankylosauridae had five toes on each of its feet. Despite being incredibly heavy, Ankylosaurus is believed to have still been able to move at a decent pace at about six miles per hour. While considered a light jog, six miles per hour was not fast enough to outrun large carnivores like Tyrannosaurus Rex.Ankylosaurus PredatorsAnkylosaurus faced a number of large carnivorous predators but unlike many other herbivores, this armored dinosaur came well protected. The boney armor of this Ankylosaurinae was much more of a challenge than most predators were willing to take on. The fat bony tail club of Ankylosaurus proved another formidable opponent that could easily break bone with direct impact. For large carnivores like Tyrannosaurus Rex, a broken bone could easily mean death by starvation or infection. The large tail club was held up by seven vertebrae and ossified tendons allowed the tail to be swung with incredible force. While larger tail knobs would have easily broken bone there is some question as to whether smaller Ankylosaurids would have been able to exert such force. Some researchers believe that the tail club of Ankylosaurus was used for intraspecies combat as well as for self defense. If a predator managed to avoid the thick armored tail, they would have to have flipped the dinosaur completely to stand a chance at feeding on it. Common predators of this bird hipped dinosaur include: Tyrannosaurus Rex.The History of Discovering Ankylosaurus HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User brianbrarian Where Did Ankylosaurus Live?Ankylosaurus lived around 66.5 to 65.5 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The first specimen of this armored dinosaur was discovered in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana. Further specimens of Ankylosaurus have been discovered in the Scollard Formation in Alberta, Canada and the Lance Formation in Wyoming. To date no complete specimen of the Ankylosaurus has been discovered. From discovered remains paleontologists know that this dinosaur was native to the western shore that ran along the shallow sea that bifurcated the North American continent. During the late Cretaceous period this area represented floodplains that were rich in vegetation. The subtropical environment provided the heat and humidity that supported varied plant life on which Ankylosaurus thrived. Contemporaries of this large herbivore include: Triceratops, Torosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Trodon, Pachycephalosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex.Ankylosaurus Specimen DiscoveryThe first specimen of Ankylosaurus was discovered in 1906 in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana by Barnum Brown. This skeleton consisted of ribs, armor, a section of a shoulder girdle, vertebrae and the top of a skull. Brown named the specimen after the medical term “ankylosis” which results from the fusing of bones in the body that causes stiffness. The full scientific name of this species is Ankylosaurus mangiventris.The Importance of the AnkylosaurusAnkylosaurus is an important dinosaur specimen for paleontologists for a number of reasons. As the largest of the armored Ankylosaurids, Ankylosaurus is important because it is one of the periods most formidable prey items. It is also important to study Ankylosaurus because it was one of the last dinosaur species to develop before the great Cretaceous extinction event. As one of the last dinosaurs to develop before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, this?Ankylosaurid provides a number of clues as to how herbivores responded to the giant predators they were forced to contend with over time. It is very possible that Ankylosaurus represented the future of evolutionary developments in herbivorous dinosaurs.Tyrannosaurus Rex Tyrannosaurus Rex is a Giant Cretaceous Carnivore?The Tyrannosaurus Rex or “tyrant lizard” is one of the better known dinosaurs of all prehistory. While many believe that this seven ton carnivore was a creature of the Jurassic age, this theropod did not come along until much later during the cretaceous era. When it comes to carnivorous dinosaurs, the tyrant lizard king is one prehistoric reptilian that paleontologists have come to know pretty well.Quick FactsNameTyrannosaurus RexPrehistoric EraLate CretaceousClassificationCarnivoreOrderSaurischiaSuborderTheropodaWeight7.2 metric tons (7.9?short tons)Length12.8 meters (42?ft)Height4.0 meters (13.1?ft) at the hipsMaximum Speed25?mphTerritoryWestern North America and Mongolia?What Did Tyrannosaurus Rex Look Like?Tyrannosaurus Rex was a Bipedal Saurischian DinosaurPaleontologists have a fairly clear picture of the Tyrannosaurus Rex in many aspects based upon skeletal remains, but there are still a number of elements that researchers cannot be sure of. Among those things that remain something of a mystery are the exact weight and size of these giant carnivores. Skeletal remains are enough to give paleontologists an estimated range for this data; however, without tissue and muscle mass and without a large specimen group to study estimates are all we can go by. As a theropod, Tyrannosaurus Rex is both bipedal and Saurischian meaning that it traveled using the rear legs only and that its hips were more lizard than birdlike in construction. The majority of theropods were strictly carnivorous and as such they possessed teeth that were developed for tearing and ripping at flesh. Of all theropod dinosaur species, the Tyrannosaurus Rex is known to be one of the largest of these carnivores with exception to the Spinosaurus and the Giganotosaurus. HYPERLINK "" Physical Attributes of Tyrannosaurus RexOne of the most commonly recognized features of the Tyrannosaurus Rex is the incredibly large skull with large backwardly curved teeth. The backward curving of these teeth helped to reduce the likelihood that while feeding or capturing prey this carnivore would lose or damage teeth. Without its large and powerful teeth, the T-Rex would have had no means for feeding since its forelimbs were simply too small to facilitate capturing prey and maneuvering it closer to the jaws. The largest known teeth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex have measured in at around twelve inches long including the root. Not only were these extremely large teeth long but they also featured ridges on the back edge to reinforce them. If feeding was reliant upon the teeth, just what role did the forelimbs of this Cretaceous carnivore play? The small forelimbs which featured only two clawed digits and the remnants of a third, measure in at approximately 3 feet in length have been a subject of speculation for years in the paleontological community. Many believe that the short forelimbs served as a means of grasping a mate while mating and others believe that they were utilized to hold large prey items as they were being shredded by the T-Rex’s teeth. It is possible that both of these hypotheses are correct.Sexual Dimorphism in Tyrannosaurus RexOnly one Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen has ever been identified as being definitively female. This assertion can be made definitely as a result of preserved medullary tissue that shows the potential for the specimen in question to develop eggs. Researchers believe that the female T-Rex was generally a larger and more robust specimen with specific developments aimed to improve egg production such as a wider pelvis.The Senses of the Tyrannosaurus RexThe Tyrannosaurus Rex is known for its particularly accurate sense of smell, the reason for this lies within the brain of this beast. Paleontologists are able to tell a lot about dinosaurs by creating casts of the brain casing, in the case of Tyrannosaurus Rex, researchers found that this carnivore had a particularly large olfactory processing center. The sheer size of this portion of the brain indicates that T-Rex depended upon its sense of smell rather heavily when it came to hunting down prey. In addition to a large olfactory processing center in the brain, there is also evidence that the Tyrannosaurus Rex had large visual lobes as well. With forward facing eyes, the T-Rex would have had depth perception that assisted in hunting and attacking prey items. The fact that the Tyrannosaurus had particularly keen vision comes as a surprise to many amateur paleontologists who falsely believe that this creature hunted based upon movement. It is not true that this beast could not view prey items that were not moving and there are a number of reasons evident that explain why. Firstly the binocular vision of T-Rex provided sharp vision, a feature that is simply not found in animals with poor movement-based vision. Secondly, with such a developed sense of smell movement would have played very little role in the ability of this dinosaur to track down prey items.The Feeding Habits of Tyrannosaurus RexThe Tyrannosaurus Rex had a short muscular neck that was s-shaped and designed to carry the mass of the extremely large skull. While juvenile Tyrannosaurus had a much smaller and shorter skull, as this carnivore grew the skull became much larger and heavier warranting a thicker and more supportive neck. As the skull developed in adolescent and fully grown Tyrannosaurus Rex, the musculature of the jaws also became much more developed increasing the bite force of this beast exponentially. A recent study by Dr. Karl Bates of Liverpool University evidences that the bite of a fully grown Tyrannosaurus Rex could have exerted as much bite force as 10,800 pounds. Researchers believe that the physical changes that occurred as the dinosaur grew, such as skull lengthening and more developed musculature resulted in changes in feeding habits as well. Where the juvenile T-Rex would have been much smaller and more athletic it would have lacked the jaw strength to take down large prey items and may, as a result have fed mainly through scavenging. As the T-Rex grew and developed a much more deadly bite force, but a much slower means of locomotion it would have been forced to feed upon slower moving but much larger prey items like Triceratops.Locomotion of Tyrannosaurus Rex HYPERLINK "" Tyrannosaurus Rex is believed to have measured in at approximately 7.2 metric tons, been 42 feet in length and approximately 13.1 feet tall at the hips. The huge body of the T-Rex was carried upon its toes when it walked and its massive feet left footprints that measured over a foot and a half in length. The total foot length of this theropod is estimated to have been just over three feet long. It is a direct result of the considerable mass of this dinosaur that Tyrannosaurus Rex could move at a maximum speed of only 25 miles per hour. It is just as well that this giant Cretaceous beast did not move at speeds much faster because one trip could result in fatal bone breaks. While the huge rear legs of Tyrannosaurus provided plenty of weight bearing capability, the extremely short forelimbs and sheer mass of the body meant that any fall at high speeds would have likely resulted in fatal injuries. T-Rex was also particularly limited in terms of locomotive capability in that the extremely large tail that served to counterbalance the long skull of this beast, served to make maneuvering extremely difficult. Researchers estimate that the Tyrannosaurus was in fact so long that it would have taken a couple of seconds in order to turn a forty five degree angle. These limitations on movement severely limited the locomotion and hence the feeding habits of this cretaceous giant when fully grown.Reproduction in Tyrannosaurus RexWhile not too much is known about the parenting habits of this giant carnivore, researchers believe that Tyrannosaurus hatchlings would have been co parented. After watching over her eggs until they hatched, the female would leave the young hatchlings in the nest to seek food to replace the nutrients lost after nurturing her eggs. At this time it is believed that the male would be left to watch over the young. It is possible that both male and female would step away from the nest in order to feed leaving the young hatchlings open to predation from any number of larger carnivores and herbivores. It may seem odd that an herbivorous dinosaur would have any interest in a Tyrannosaurus hatchling; however, small hatchlings soon grow in to large predators. Contrary to popular belief, Tyrannosaurus Rex was most likely a caring and nurturing parent with an instinctive desire to continue its genetic lines in its offspring.The History of Discovering Tyrannosaurus RexNaming the Tyrant Lizard KingTyrannosaurus Rex was named in 1905 by the president of the American Museum of Natural History, Henry Fairfield Osborn. The name was given to this giant cretaceous beast as a means to emphasize the size of the creature since at the time both Giganotosaurus (1995) and Spinosaurus (1915) had yet to be discovered.The First Tyrannosaurus DiscoveryThe first paleontological discovery in terms of the Tyrannosaurus Rex was made in 1874 when teeth from this theropod were discovered in Golden, Colorado by A. Lakes. More than a decade later, in the 1890’s postcranial fragments of the T-Rex were discovered in eastern Wyoming by J.B. Hatcher and then in 1892 vertebral fragments were discovered in South Dakota by E.D. Cope. These smaller discoveries paled in comparison to the first partial skeleton of T-Rex that was discovered in 1900 in eastern Wyoming by Barnum Brown. Brown would go on to recover another partial T-Rex skeleton in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana in 1902 and it was this specimen as the holotype for the species. Throughout his career, Brown would go on to find numerous Tyrannosaurus skeletons, a number of which were sold to history museums where they were put on display. The most noted of Brown’s specimens is his Hell Creek discovery that can be found in the New York American Museum of Natural History. HYPERLINK "" Image Courtesy of Flickr User j3tdillo Sue the Tyrannosaurus Rex SpecimenOf all Tyrannosaurus specimens to be recovered, the most well known of all is the Tyrannosaurus known as Sue. Sue was named after Sue Hendrickson, an amateur paleontologist who discovered the specimen in the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota. Sue is recognized for being the most complete Tyrannosaurus specimen to be discovered. Sue was purchased by the Field Museum of Natural History where her fossilized remains were cleaned completely so that a cast could be made of the skeleton for display. What makes Sue so significant to the paleontological community is that this fully grown carnivore provided more evidence about the life of the T-Rex than was ever known before.Sue goes down in history for being the longest lived Tyrannosaurus Rex; estimations put her at around twenty eight years old at the time of her death. While Sue was around twenty eight years old, it is believed that she reached her full size at around age nineteen. This information provides paleontologists with important information in terms of the longevity of these giant carnivores in addition to the approximate growth rates that can be used when analyzing other Tyrannosaur specimens. Researchers believe that Sue was killed as the result of a parasitic infection contracted from eating diseased meat, this conclusion was reached after finding tell tale signs in her skull similar to those found in birds with the same parasitic infection. Ironically something so tiny managed to wipe out the longest living Tyrannosaur known to man.Stan and JaneStan and Jane are two other Tyrannosaurus specimens that have been recovered leading to further knowledge about these Cretaceous carnivores. Stan was recovered by amateur paleontologist Stan Sacrison in the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota in 1987. Stan was only 63% complete but is an interesting discovery due to the various number of bone pathologies that are present in his skeleton. Jane is a juvenile Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen that was also recovered in the Hell Creek Formation by a Burpee Museum of Natural History excavation team. While Jane is only approximately 50% complete she is the most complete juvenile specimen of a tyrannosaurus to have been found to date.The Importance of Understanding Tyrannosaurus RexOf all dinosaur species, the T-Rex may perhaps be one of the most misunderstood of all dinosaurs. With so many falsities floating around about this giant Cretaceous carnivore it is important to understand the truth about this unique and dominating creature. While Tyrannosaurus Rex may not have been the largest of dinosaur species, and it most certainly is not representative of the dinosaur movie goers may recall from the film Jurassic Park, there are a great many interesting facts to learn about this sixty seven million year old species.Welcome to ! HYPERLINK "" Welcome to , a website designed to help you to discover dinosaurs by bringing them back to life online! Learn everything you ever wanted to know about these great prehistoric creatures. Step back in time with us as we take a detailed look at every dinosaur that has ever walked the Earth.In addition to sharing a journey of dinosaur discovery with you, we will also keep you up to date with the most recent discoveries of the paleontological world as they happen.We look forward to broadening your understanding of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous period one dinosaur at a time! ................
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