Dinosaur and Prehistoric Creature Facts
The plesiosaur was an aquatic reptile that ate meat and mostly dwelled in the water. The longest of its kind was the Elasmosaurus, which measured up to 14 meters long. In this article, you will learn more about the plesiosaur and other prehistoric creatures, such as the ornithomimid dinosaur species.
The Largest Plesiosaur
Half of the Plesiosaur’s length is attributed to its neck, which was comprised of as many as 75 vertebrae. To get a picture of what that looked like , the human body has 7 to 8 vertebrae. Plesiosaurs were not dinosaurs, but marine reptiles that lived millions of years ago. They had four lengthy flippers that looked like paddles. Its tiny head had sharp teeth within its strong jaws. At the end of its body, it possessed a pointed tail.
The Largest Pterosaur of the Bunch
With a wingspan of up to 13 meters, the Quetzalocoatlus is considered the largest pterosaur of the bunch, which makes it the largest flying creature of all time. Even though the creature weighed no more than 100 kilograms, it was still the largest pterosaur. It is important to note that pterosaurs were not dinosaurs
What Did Dinosaurs Eat?
It is estimated that around 65% of all dinosaurs were herbivores , meaning they only dined on meals that consisted of plants. Other dinosaurs were carnivores, which meant that they killed prey and ate them for meat.
Extinction
It is believed that two massive destructions took place that caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. The first was a meteorite landing in what is now called the Yucatan Peninsula, and the second being a volcanic eruption in what is now called India.
One Really Quick Dinosaur
One of the fastest dinosaurs was the group called the ornithomimids, which shared some of the same qualities with the ostrich. In this group, there was the Dromiceiomimus, which is thought to have reached speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.
The Oldest Dinosaur of the Bunch
When it comes to the oldest dinosaur ever known, it would have to be officially the Eoraptor (whose name translates into ‘dawn thief’), which dates back 230 million years ago. Fossils of the dinosaur have been found in Madagascar. However, the true oldest dinosaurs are known to have lived 230 millions years ago, but have not been given a formal name.
The Dinosaur with the Longest Name
Fossils of the Micropachycephalosaurus have been uncovered in China , a dinosaur whose name translates into tiny thick-headed lizard.” The creature was named in 1978 by a Chinese paleontologist named Dong.
One Fierce Dinosaur
You probably already know that the Tyrannosaurus rex had a reputation for being one of the most intimidating looking dinosaurs of all time. However, it is the Utahraptor that should hold the title for the fiercest. The dinosaur was cunning and had a great deal of determination. The creature was also equipped with convenient weapons to take out its prey. Measuring around 7 meters, the predator is considered by researchers to have been quite powerful, agile, and full of intelligence.
Hummingbirds Connection to Dinosaurs?
Many evolutionary biologists believe that the dinosaurs technically did not go extinct. Some believe that the creatures evolved into prehistoric bird, such as the smaller theropod dinosaurs that were covered in feathers. If this reasoning is true, that would make the modern hummingbird the smallest dinosaur still living.