First Facts Dinosaurs

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The mass extinction of the dinosaurs and other animals that took place 65.5 million years ago is known as the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, or the K-T event. Scientists have several theories for this extensive die-off. One theory proposes that small mammals ate dinosaur eggs until the population became unsustainable. Other scientists believe the cause was dinosaurs’ bodies becoming too big for their small brains, a great plaque decimating the population, starvation, or climate change. [11] The smartest dinosaur was probably the Troodon (“tooth that wounds”). It had a brain the size of a mammal or bird today. It also had grasping hands and stereoscopic vision. [11] Ichthyosaur babies were born tail-first. Th they had been born head first, they would have drowned before they could reach the water's surface to take their first breath. [5]

Some dinosaurs’ tails were over 45 feet long. Most dinosaurs had long tails that helped them to keep their balance when running. [2] Modern birds and reptiles have a single body opening for urination, defecation, and reproduction: a cloaca (Latin for “sewer”). Paleontologists believe that dinosaurs were similarly designed and reproduced by pressing their cloacas together in a “cloacal kiss.” Additionally, some dinosaurs may have had a penis like some birds do or other “intromittent organs” like crocodiles. Paleontologists believe a Tyrannosaurus rex male reproductive organ might have been up to 12 feet in length. [6] The Stegosaurus has the smallest brain for its body size of any known dinosaur. Its body was the size of a van, but its brain was the size of a walnut. [8] Some dinosaurs may have had colorful skin, but scientists don’t know for sure. It’s likely that most dinosaurs had green and brown scales to help them hide among trees and plants. [8]

One tribe of Native Americans—the Peigan people of Alberta, Canada—thought dinosaur skeletons belonged to “the fathers of buffaloes.” Englishmen 300 hundred years ago believed dinosaur bones came from an elephant or even giant humans. [4]

A newborn human baby has a bigger brain than most adult dinosaurs had. Whales and dolphins have the biggest brains of all living animals. [8] Sue, the largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, is found in South Dakota. One of the weirdest dinosaurs is the Suzhousaurus. Looking like a giant rat, this odd dinosaur also had a furry body, which suggests it is a distant ancestor of the giant ground sloth. [1]Dinosaurs were reptiles that lived on Earth from about 230 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. [3] The toothiest dinosaur was the hadrosaurs. It could have over 1,000 teeth and it continually grew new ones. [10]

This one-of-a-kind compendium features more than 3,000 records, covers some 750 theropod species, and includes a wealth of illustrations ranging from diagrams and technical drawings to full-color reconstructions of specimens. The book is divided into sections that put numerous amazing theropod facts at your fingertips. “Comparing Species” is organized by taxonomic group and gives comparisons of the size of species, how long ago they lived, and when they were discovered. “Mesozoic Calendar” includes spreads showing the positions of the continents at different geological time periods and reconstructions of creatures from each period. “Prehistoric Puzzle” compares bones, teeth, and feathers while “Theropod Life” uses vivid, user-friendly graphics to answer questions such as which dinosaur was the smartest and which had the most powerful bite. Other sections chart theropod distribution on the contemporary world map, provide comprehensive illustrated listings of footprints, compile the physical specifications of all known theropods and Mesozoic birds, and muchmore. In the 1993 movie, Jurassic Park, there is only 15 minutes of dinosaur footage: 6 minutes of CGI and 9 minutes of animatronics. [9] This Measuring Dinosaurs Fact Cards and Activity resource includes a set of fact cards and a several-step activity! Guides are provided to help teachers and parents understand the resource. Dinosaurs may not be extinct • Many scientists believe that birds are dinosaurs and, therefore, dinosaurs are not actually extinct. [10]Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews found the first dinosaur nest known to science in 1923 in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Before he found the nest, scientists were unsure how dinosaur babies were born. [10] Scientists believe that some dinosaurs were cold blooded, others warm blooded, and still others not fully one or the other. Small meat eaters may have been warm blooded. Plant eaters who were not as active were probably cold blooded. A warm-blooded animal needs about 10 times more food than a cold-blooded animal the same size. [11]

Colin Mochrie • The first dinosaurs that appeared during the Triassic Period 230 million years ago were small and lightweight. Bigger dinosaurs such as Brachiosaurus and Triceratops appeared during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. [8]Baby Mussaurus (“mouse lizard”) are the smallest dinosaur skeletons ever found. They would fit inside a shopping bag. [8] Stunning CGI graphics, fun visual comparisons, and diagrams make stats and facts easy to understand. A Dinosaur Word Mat would be great to introduce learners to the important vocabulary of the topic. This one can be used as a visual aid as well as vocabulary reference for students while they are working on their activities. Current dinosaur fossil “hot spots” include South America (particularly Argentina) and China, where several feathered dinosaurs have been found. [11] A dinosaur called the Pegomastax is one of the weirdest dinosaurs known. Described as a cross between a parrot and porcupine, it had a beak with teeth that sharpened themselves against each other. [1]