Despite our extreme fascination with dinosaurs, most of us have very little knowledge concerning them. We are limited to the information contained in our coloring books and the ideas presented in the National Geographic Channel.
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles. They were gigantic creatures that roamed our planet some 65 million years ago. They were terrestrial vertebrates that were feared during their time. Dinosaurs were fierce and ferocious creatures that usually preyed on smaller animals.
For many decades, there had been a lot of stirring questions that surrounds the dinosaurs and their extinction. Scientists and anthropologists were divided into the question of how they become extinct. Most experts believed that dinosaurs were swept away when a giant asteroid hit the Earth a million years ago, while a few experts hold on to the belief that dinosaurs were exterminated by a rare volcanic activity that results into grueling atmospheric and environmental conditions. The answer remains a mystery.
The following are some of the most popular species of dinosaur:
Tyrannosaurus
The term Tyrannosaurus Rex literally means king lizard – a name that perfectly suits the most dominant and aggressive dinosaur species. T. Rex are often presented in movies as the largest and most fearful kind of dinosaur. T. Rex were said to have lived in the Northern part of the American continent. Sue, the largest and most complete specimen of the T. Rex measures 42 feet long and 13.1 feet tall at the hips. It sold in an auction for $7.6 million, a pretty hefty price for a couple of bones.
Pterosaurs
Pterosaurs aren’t actually dinosaurs. However, for illustrative purposes this winged lizard are included in this article. Pterosaurs don’t meet the qualifications of being a terrestrial reptile, which is why it isn’t categorized as a dinosaur, but as Pterosauria. Pterosaurs, sometimes referred to as Pterodactyls, are the earliest vertebrates to have evolved powered flight. The Pterosaurs has an anatomy and bone specimens which were quite similar to that of the modern birds. It has a breastbone which enables it to fly.
Brachiosaurus
The Brachiosaurus are popular fixtures in movies. Unlike the T. Rex, which is described as fearful and aggressive, the Brachiosaurus are seen as friendly and fun loving types of dinosaurs. This dinosaur species boasts a very long neck, often used for eating purposes. They eat mostly fruits and plants because of their not-so-sharp teeth.
