The Iguanodon (or Iguana tooth) is a genus of ornithopod dinosaurs. There are many different species of Iguanodons, dating back from the Kimmeridgian age in the Late Jurassic Period to the Cenomanian age in the Late Cretaceous Period from North America, Europe, and Asia. In addition, research from this century has confirmed that there was
The Parasaurolophus or “near crested lizard” in English, is an orinthopod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period which was about 76 to 73 million years ago. It lived in what is now called North America. It was first discovered by William Parks in 1922 from a partial skeleton and a skull that was found in
The Ichthyosaurs is an order of dinosaur meaning “fish lizard”. They were giant marine reptiles that resembled dolphins and fish. Based on fossil evidence, they thrived during the Mesozoic era and first appeared about 245 million years ago and disappeared only about 90 million years ago – 25 million years before the dinosaurs became extinct.
The Kosmoceratops was only recently discovered. It was a herbivorous chasmosaurine certopsian dinosaur, that lived in the Campanian time of the Late Cretaceous period. It was discovered on what was the island continent of Laramidia, which is now Utah in the United States of America. Its fossils were recovered from the Kaiparowits Formation at the
The Albertosaurus is a tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in the western part of North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, which was more than 70 million years ago. In English, it’s name means Alberta Lizard. The Albertosaurus was restricted to the range of the modern-day province of Albreta, Canada. However, some Scientists disagree on
Originally from the land now known as North America lived a ‘high spined lizard’ called Acrocanthosaurus. This theropod dinosaur lived during the Aptian and early Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous period. Fossils of this dinosaur have been found in Texas and Oklahoma. Don't mess with an Acrocanthosaurus! It was a bipedal predator. It is
The Eastmanosteus is an ancient creatuer from the dinichthyid placoderms genus. It is closely related to the Dunkleosteus which was a giant fish, but with distinctive characteristics. These include having a more zig-zagging structure on the roof of the skull, a tuberculated bone ornament, and a nuchal plate that was much differently shaped to the
The Dunkleosteus is a prehistoric fish that lived about 380-360 million years ago in the Late Devonian era. It was one of the largest arthrodire placoderms that ever lived, as it measured up to 10 meters (33ft) long and weighed a whopping 3.6 tonnes (4.0 short tons). It was a carnivorous creature but was a
Pteranodon with its Latin name Pteranodons is one of the best known extinct reptile species. Although it looked like a terrifying dragon Pteranodon was a peaceful animal that fed only off fish. A sketch of the famoues Pteranodon When the first Pteranodon fossils were found many people were convinced that it was really a work
Indricotherium was the largest known land mammal, even though it was much smaller than its reptile contemporaries. It lived 20-35 million years ago in Central Asia – territories ranging from what is now Caucasia to Mongolia and China. The first Indricotherium fossils were discovered in 1913 by the famous Russian palanteologist Borisyak. The size of
The Diplocaulus was a peculiar reptile, whose head was boomerang-shaped. This helped the creature to maneuver through water, especially to quickly rise to the surface to catch a swimming prey. The shape of its head is so strange that some scientists, upon discovering fossils of the Diplocaulus, raised a theory that the creature had a
The fossils of Archaeopteryx were discovered in 1861 and this amazing discovery shocked the world of science at that time. Sometimes referred to by its German name – Urvogel (“The first bird”) it was the first creature that possibly creates a link in evolution between reptiles and birds. The Archaeopteryx's body structure is very close
Brontosaurus (or Apatosaurus as implied by scientists) was one of the largest animals that ever existed. It was about 23 m (75 ft) long and had a long, giraffe-like neck as well as a whip-like tail. These huge dinosaurs weighed at least 25 tons and the ground thundered under their weight (ergo their name – Brontosaurus, meaning
The Deinotherium or ‘terrible beast’ was a large prehistoric mammal similar to modern day elephants. Although similar to today’s elephants, there are a handful of differences such as a shorted trunk and downward curving tusks. The Deinotherium was also much bigger than today’s elephants and is currently thought to have been the third largest land
Survivors of the last glacial period, the Woolly rhinoceros once roamed most of Northern Europe. Spanning from Siberia to the arid deserts that now make up Southern England the Woolly rhinoceros is thought to have become extinct around 8000 B.C. The Woolly rhinoceros roamed the lands around the same periods as the better known Woolly
