Dinosaur Science Book Part 3

7/31/2019 Dinosaur Science Book Part 3

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SARTHAKPUBLICATIONLTD

2012

DINOSAUR SCIENCE

BOOK

BY

Sarthak Chakraborty

5 9 , J O R A B A G A N R O A D K O L K A T A - 7 0 0 0 4 7

PART-3

8 Dinosaurs in each

book.


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FIRST COPY MADE IN 2012

SARTHAK PUB. LTD IS MADE BY A STUDENT OF 5TH

STD.

IT IS A INDIAN BOOK.

EMAIL ADDRESS IS [email protected]

THANK YOU

SARTHAK

CHAKRABORTY

RS.


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Velociraptorwas an agile carnivorous, or meat-eating, dinosaur that inhabited Asia during the late

Cretaceous period, approximately 65 to 99 million years ago. Velociraptoris classified as a member of

the family Dromaeosauridae, which includes dinosaurs with an especially large and deadly sickle-shaped

claw. Velociraptorbelongs to the order Saurischiathe lizard-hipped dinosaursand the suborder

Theropoda.

Velociraptorwas a small dinosaur, averaging only about 6 feet (2 meters) in length and weighingapproximately 100 pounds (45 kilograms). Its sleek body was lightweight and built for speed,

making it an effective predator. Its head was long and narrow, its snout was somewhat flattened,and it had a fairly large brain. Its powerful jaws contained rows of jagged teeth made for ripping

apart flesh.

Velociraptorwas a bipedal dinosaur, meaning that it stood upright and walked or ran on its two hind

limbs. Its legs were long and muscular and ended with the characteristic sickle-claw on the second toe of

each foot. This toe was extremely flexible and enabled Velociraptorto slash open its victims with one

quick downward swipe. The sickle-claw was held high up above the ground whenever this dinosaur

walked or ran, probably to keep the weapon razor-sharp.

This degree of agility was unusual among dinosaurs and earned this dinosaur its name, Velociraptor,

which means quick plunderer.

Amazing fossil evidence ofVelociraptorwas discovered in Mongolia in 1971. This discovery confirmed

paleontologists' theories about the method of attack used by Velociraptorand other dromaeosaurs.


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a large carnivorous, or meat-eating, dinosaur that inhabited North America about 144 to 163 million

years ago during the late Jurassic period. Ceratosaurus is classified as a member of the family

Ceratosauridae, which belongs to the order Saurischia, the lizard-hipped dinosaurs.

Ceratosaurus lived at the same time as its relative,Allosaurus.Ceratosaurus was close in size to

Allosaurus, with some Ceratosaurus specimens reaching up to 30 feet (9 meters) in length and 6.5 feet

(2 meters) in height. Its head was large in relation to the rest of its body; large spaces called pneumaticcavities, located in and between the bones of the skull, kept its weight to a relatively light 1 to 2 tons.

The long, heavy tail helped to balance the head. A bladelike horn atop the snout and two bony ridges

above the eyes inspired the name Ceratosaurus,which means horned lizard. These ornaments were

lightly constructed, which indicates that they were not used for fighting.

The most unusual feature ofCeratosaurus was a row of bony plates just below the skin along the top of

the neck, body, and tail. The purpose of the plates is unclear, but some scientists speculate that they

might have functioned as a courtship or dominancedisplay. Most dinosaurs have a variety of bumps,

ornaments, and specialized features related to such displays.

Its skeletal structure indicates that Ceratosaurus was a biped, meaning that it stood upright and walked

on two legs, which on this dinosaur were stout and strong, with three-toed, clawed feet.

The first fossil evidence ofCeratosaurus was discovered between 1883 and 1884. The remains of five

individuals, including a nearly complete, adult skeleton, were found in the United States at the Morrison

rock formation near Canyon City, Colo., and in the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry in Utah.


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a small, carnivorous, or meat-eating, dinosaur that inhabited Asia during the late Cretaceous period,

about 65 to 98 million years ago. Oviraptoris classified as a member of the family Oviraptoridae, a small

family of toothless dinosaurs. The Oviraptoridae belong to the order Saurischia (the lizard-hipped

dinosaurs), which is divided into two suborders: the four-legged, herbivorous, or plant-eating,

Sauropoda and the two-legged, carnivorous Theropoda, which includes the Oviraptoridae.

Oviraptorhad a distinctive, lightweight skull unique among the dinosaurs. Its head resembled that of a

parrotdeep and short with a toothless, stumpy beak. The curved jaws were heavily muscled, providing

the beak with the power to crush hard objects such as bones. The body was small, measuring roughly six

feet (1.8 meters) in length, and the legs were slender but strong, each with three clawed toes. The

moderately long arms ended in large, three-fingered hands with curved claws that measured 3 inches

(7.6 centimeters) long. A long, outstretched tail provided balance over the hips. Oviraptorwas a biped,

meaning that it stood upright and walked on two legs.

The first fossil evidence ofOviraptorcollected in 1923 at a site in Omnogov in southern Mongolia

inspired its name, which means egg thief.


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a small, carnivorous, or meat-eating, dinosaur that inhabited Europe during the late Jurassic period,

about 144 to 163 million years ago. It is the sole member of the family Compsognathidae, which belongs

to the lizard-hipped dinosaur order, Saurischia. Compsognathus was one of the smallest of all dinosaurs,

standing no higher than a chicken, and was similar in structure toArchaeopteryx, the first known bird.

Compsognathus probably grew to an adult size of only 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meter) in length. Its hollow

bones kept its weight to only about 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms). A long tail provided balance. A long,

flexible neck supported a slender head, which was light primarily because of large open areas, called

pneumatic cavities, in the skull. The jaw contained many small, sharp teeth, which gave this dinosaur its

name: Compsognathusmeans pretty jaw.

Compsognathus was bipedal, which means that it stood upright and walked on two legs. The arms were

short and slender, and the hands had two fingers with sharp claws. The delicate, birdlike legs were long

in relation to the body; each foot had three toes with claws and a dewclaw (a reduced toe located above

and behind the ankle area). With its long legs and light body, Compsognathus was probably capable of

sprinting after swift prey.

The first fossil evidence ofCompsognathus was an essentially complete skeleton discovered in Bavaria insouthern Germany in the late 1850s. A larger, similarly intact skeleton was unearthed near Nice in

southern France in 1972.


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a carnivorous, or meat-eating, dinosaur that inhabited North America during the early Cretaceous

period, approximately 98 to 144 million years ago. Deinonychus is classified in the family

Dromaeosauridae, which contains some of the most fearsome predators of the Cretaceous period. The

Dromaeosauridae belong to the order Saurischia (the lizard-hipped dinosaurs) and the suborder

Theropoda.

As a predator, Deinonychus was built for the chase and the kill. Its body was strong and light; the

average individual probably measured 10 feet (3 meters) in length and 6 feet (1.8 meters) in height and

weighed only 150 pounds (68 kilograms). The head was large, and the powerful jaws filled with sharp,

serrated teeth that curved backward to facilitate the tearing of flesh. The arms, though shorter than the

legs, were considerably longer than the forelimbs of most theropods, and the three-fingered hands had

long, curved claws.

The long tail was kept rigid and outstretched by a bundle of bony rods that grew out of the vertebrae,

providing balance over the hips. The legs were slender, with four clawed toes on each foot. The secondtoe was especially formidable. On each foot, this digit had a long claw shaped like a sickle, which was

presumably used to slash through the flesh of prey. The claw measured up to 5 inches (13 centimeters).

This attribute inspired the name Deinonychus,which means terrible claw.

The first fossil evidence ofDeinonychus was collected over a two-year period beginning in 1964 at a site

in southern Montana in the United States.


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a relatively small, carnivorous, or meat-eating, dinosaur that inhabited South America during the late

Triassic period, approximately 208 to 230 million years ago. Herrerasaurus is classified as a member of

the family Herrerasauridae, which contains the oldest and most primitive dinosaurs known, and of the

order Saurischia.

Herrerasaurus was a relatively small dinosaur, measuring approximately 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) in

length and weighing about 300 to 400 pounds (136 to 181 kilograms). It was a biped, meaning that it

walked on two legs. Its tail, which was long in proportion to the rest of the body, may have helped

Herrerasaurus balance itself on its rear legs. The hip bones had characteristics of both the Saurischia and

the Ornithischia (the bird-hipped dinosaurs). Its thigh was longer than its shin, indicating that it was

probably not a fast runner, but it may have been able to chase down prey. Its arms were short, but its

clawed hands were shaped for grabbing and tearing. Its double-hinged jaw presumably allowed it to

take large chunks of meat from prey.

Herrerasaurus is named after Victorino Herrera, who found the first specimen in 1958 near San Juan,

Argentina. This find, which consisted of three partial skeletons, was described in 1963. In 1988

paleontologist Paul Sereno discovered a complete skull and several nearly complete skeletons at a site in

the same area of Argentina, allowing for more comprehensive study of this early dinosaur.


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a small, herbivorous, or plant-eating,dinosaurthat inhabited Europe and North America duringthe early Cretaceous period, about 98 to 144 million years ago. Hypsilophodon is classified as a

member of the family Hypsilophodontidae, which were among the most successful of the

dinosaurs, flourishing for roughly 100 million years from the late Jurassic through the earlyCretaceous periods. The Hypsilophodontidae belong to the order Ornithischia (the bird-hipped

dinosaurs) and the suborder Ornithopoda, which consists of dinosaurs that exhibited primarily

bipedal, or two-legged, locomotion.

Hypsilophodon grew to approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length, stood about 3 feet (0.9

meter) tall, and weighed about 140 pounds (64 kilograms). Half of its length was its long, rigidtail, which balanced the body over the hips. Its light but strong legs had four-toed feet, and its

short arms had hands with five clawed fingers. Its snout ended in a beak with pointed, sharp teeth

in the front of the upper jaw that were useful in cutting tough plants. The tall, grooved cheek

teeth were particularly notable: scientists consider Hypsilophodon and its confamilials (animalsbelonging to the same family) to be the first dinosaurs in which the upper and lower teeth met to

form a flat surface suitable for grinding. These teeth inspired the name Hypsilophodon, which

means high ridge tooth.

Fossil evidence suggests that the hypsilophodonts were social animals that lived in herds. Their

lightweight bodies and long legs suggest that they were able to sprint from predators, earning

them a reputation as the gazelles of the dinosaurs.

The first fossil evidence ofHypsilophodon was discovered on the Isle of Wight in the mid19thcentury.


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a large, herbivorous, or plant-eating, dinosaur that inhabited North America during the late Cretaceous

period, about 65 to 98 million years ago. Lambeosaurus is classified as a member of the family

Hadrosauridae, which contains the duckbilled dinosaurs and belongs to the order Ornithischia (the bird-

hipped dinosaurs). Hadrosauridae is further divided into two subfamilies, the hadrosaurines and the

lambeosaurines. The latter group, which includes Lambeosaurus,Corythosaurus, and Parasaurolophus,

contains the hollow-crested duckbills. The duckbills belonging to the hadrosaurine group, such as

Maiasaura, either had solid crests or lacked crests entirely.

Although the fragmentary remains of one specimen suggest that it may have measured more than50 feet (15 meters) long, Lambeosaurus probably averaged about 30 feet (9 meters) in length and

weighed from 3 to 5 tons. Most of its skin had a pebbly texture. Its skeletal structure suggests

that it was capable of bipedal, or two-legged, locomotion; however, it probably moved on all

four legs while foraging for food. Its exceptionally flexible neck was probably adaptive, enabling

Lambeosaurus to reach around its body to browse on low-lying plants without changing its bodyposition.

The first fossil evidence ofLambeosaurusseveral skulls and other bones uncovered in the Judith River

Formation of the Canadian province of Albertawas described in 1923.


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DINOSAURS TO COLLECT TO COMPLETE THE SERIES.


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Dinosaur Science Book Part 3