From the smallest species ever recorded to the ancient reptile with the longest tail, dinosaurs have made record-breaking news for many centuries. The first dinosaurs are linked to an Earth that thrived 230 million years ago. They were small, bipedal predators. In this article, you will encounter a range of biggest and baddest creatures in the dinosaur world.
Heaviest Dinosaur
Dino researcher Gregory Paul made a discovery in 1994 that would lead to naming the heaviest dinosaur recorded. He was able to calculate the weight of the titanosaurid by using fossil remains found in Argentina of the Argentinosaurus. He believes that the creature originally had a weight of 110 tons. An important piece of the puzzle to unlocking the estimated weight of the dinosaur was its vertebrae.
Longest Dinosaur
The North American sauropod named the Diploducus possessed the longest tail out of all the dinosaurs. It measured up to 42 feet and 7 inches in length.
Smallest Dinosaur
The smallest species of dinosaur is called the microraptor Zhaoianus, which was a feathered breed. It is estimated to have been 15.3 inches long with nearly 9 ½ inches of its length belonging to its tail.
Largest Land-Based Dinosaur
Therapods (also known as the “beast-footed”) were a group of dinosaurs that numerous scientists believe planted the seeds for the evolution of birds to take place. Some of the largest of its kind was the infamous Tyrannosaurus Rex, Allosaurus, and the largest of them all , the Giganotosaurus, which lived 93 to 89 million years ago. It is estimated that the beast could reach 43 feet long and possess a weight of 13,230 pounds.
Largest Ammonite
Ammonites are an extinct group of marine invertebrate animals that are closely related to squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses. They lived during the late Cretaceous Period, which was about 99.6 to 65.5 million years ago. When searching for index fossils, ammonite is highly regarded by scientists. When they are found, it becomes easier to connect a rock layer with the creature to specific geological time periods. Many of the fossil shells are distinct , usually offering a spiral formation. There are also non-spiraled forms of ammonites. The largest ammonite was discovered in Germany in 1895. The incomplete fossil shell measured 6 feet and 3 inches across. The complete shell is believed to measure around 8 feet 4 inches.
Other Interesting Dino Era Facts
The first known mammal to appear on earth was the Adelobasileus cromptoni, which possessed characteristics much like that of a shrew. It lived 225 million years ago , during the Triassic time period.
225 million years ago, the first pterosaurs decorate the skies. In the waters, giant reptiles called the ichthyosaur Cymbospondylus are found.
Another large dinosaur to note is the Titanosaurid Antactosaurus (which translates into giant Antarctic lizard). Remains of this creature were discovered in Argentina and India. It is estimated to have weighed between 44 and 88 tons.