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Zoom Dinosaurs
DINOSAUR QUESTIONS
Current Questions Top 16 Questions Old Questions Ask A Question
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By Date By Type of Dinosaur General Dino. Qns. Qns. About Other Animals Geological Era Qns.

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Questions from May 2000



Q: what does zygopophyses mean??
from monique b, quebec, ontario, canada; May 31, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: I have looked at all your info. given but I need to learn even more about the Megaraptor. Can you please find me some information on the megaraptor?
from Sara S., Frederick, Maryland, United States; May 31, 2000

A: What other information do you need on Megaraptor.



Q: how did hadrosaurs look like, and can show me a pictuer?
from jasmin b., chion hills, california, ?; May 31, 2000

A: The hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs) were a large group of ornithischian dinosaurs. Some hadrosaurs include Maiasaura, Iguanodon, Edmontosaurus, Lambeosaurus, etc. For more information and pictures of hadrosaurs, click here.



Q: I know that Eoraptor and the Herrerasaurur were therapods, but I don't know what therapod means. So could you please tell me what therapod means. thank you
from Daniel K, ottawa, ontario, canada; May 31, 2000

A: Theropods (which means (means "beast-footed") were the meat-eating dinosaurs. For more information on theropods, click here.



Q: How much does a Yangchuanosuarus weigh? How tall is he and how long is he?
from Brandi, ?, ?, ?; May 31, 2000

A: Yangchuanosuarus weighed roughly 5200 pounds (2350 kg). It was was up to 33 feet long (10 m) For more information about Yangchuanosuarus, click here.



Q: About how long did the dinasaurs live after the astroid hit earth?
from Mitchel J, ?, ?, U.S.A; May 31, 2000

A: That isn't known.



Q: what is the volcano greenhouse theory
from stupid kid, loser, ?; May 31, 2000

A: It is a scenario in which a seismicly-active world has excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (spewed out of the volcanoes) which causes a heat build-up (the greenhouse effect).



Q: the earth's climate was blank during the mesozoic than it is now
from carletha c, chicago, ill, united states; May 31, 2000

A: Warmer.



Q: Why do you take so long to answer questions. I wrote to you on like the 24th of May. The latest questions you have answered are from the 18th of May. Sorry but i need this info because my science project is due in like 4 days. I need to know what the name "dilophosaurus" means. Also i need a lot more info on the dilophosaurus. Please huz. thanx
from I don't remember what i put last time., ?, Victoria, Australia; May 31, 2000

A: I answered a question about Dilophosaurus from Australia a while back (also, I answer many questions every day). Your ISP may be caching files (storing files so it doesn't have to retrieve them again, so you get outdated versions and they save bandwidth costs). I can't do anthing about that. Also, how can you not remember your name?



Q: where did deinoychus live?
from anthony h, jandowae, qld, australia; May 30, 2000

A: Deinonychus fossils have been found in Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, USA. For more information on Deinonychus, click here.



Q: What is a turritella?
from Lauren P., Vancouver, Washington, United States; May 30, 2000

A: The Turritellidae are a family of snails (also called Screw snails and Auger snails) that live on the sea floor and eat plant detritus. These gastropods have a long, conical, spiral shell and a circular aperture. They evolved during the Permian period. The genus Turatella was named by Lamark in 1799 and has hundreds of living species.



Q: Is it wrong if I wish to call a dinosaur name without "us" as a suffix? (Like "Carnotaur" instead of "Carnotaurus" and the purpurse of using it if without "us").
from Thomas K., ?, ?, ?; May 30, 2000

A: It changes the meaning. The name with the "us" at the end indicates the individual genus; the name without the "us" usually indicates a larger group. For example, Stegosaurus refers to all the species within the genus Stegosaurus; stegosaur (or stegosaurid or stegosauria) refers to all the stegosaurs, like Stegosaurus, Kentrosaurus, etc.



Q: what is the period known as the age of the dinosaur giants
from r, newark, nj, usa; May 31, 2000

A: The Jurassic period was when most of the huge sauropods lived.



Q: can you give me the name of the dinosours that stole egs?
from adli s., kluang, johor, malaysia; May 30, 2000

A: Oviraptor's name means "Egg theif." It was originally thought to be an egg theif, but was later found to be among its own eggs. For more information on Oviraptor, click here.



Q: what other animals are related to the stegasurus
from madi h., tarpon springs,, florida, us; May 30, 2000

A: Other stegosaurids (relatives of Stegosaurus) include Kentrosaurus, Dravidosaurus, Dacentrurus, Chialingosaurus, Chungkingosaurus, Craterosaurus, Lexovisaurus, Monkonosaurus, Regnosaurus, Tuojiangosaurus, Wuerhosaurus, Yingshanosaurus, and many others.



Q: Hi, thank you for this wonderful site. It has been most helpful. However, I have a question that I really need help with. Was T-rex a predator or a scavenger? I believe it was a scavenger for many reasons. At this point in time I am unable to explain my opinions. Thank You
from Jamie B., holmdel, New Jersey, United States; May 30, 2000

Q: Was T-Rex a scavenger or a predator? Do you have any information that would help me? Thank you!!
from Craig W., Holmdel, New Jersey, United States; May 30, 2000

A: Most paleontologists think T. rex was a hunter, but Jack Horner (and others) think he was primarily a scavenger. For more on this debate, click here.



Q: I want to know about the adaptation of a woolymamoth?
from Dynamic D., Bpt., Ct., U.S.ofA.; May 30, 2000

A: Some of the obvious adaptations of the Woolly Mammoth to its cold, snowy environment were is long hair (which insulated its body and kept it warm), its long tusks (which it used to get food through the snow and ice, and also may have been used as protection), its small ears (which minimixed heat loss), and its relatively large size (which also minimized heat loss). For more information on the Woolly Mammoth, click here.



Q: How big are velociraptors
from Karen J, St.Paul, Alberta, Canada; May 30, 2000

A: Velociraptor was about 6 feet long. For more information on Velociraptor, click here.



Q: when did the jurassic period start? what kind of animals were there? and what kind of plants grow?
from paul b, keysbourough, victoria, austrailia; May 30, 2000

A: The Jurassic period went from 206 million to 144 million years ago. For a list of early Jurassic dinosaurs, click here (click on the links at the top of that page for middle and late Jurassic dinosaurs. For a list of Jurassic period printouts, click here. For Jurassic period plants, click here.



Q: what carnivorous dinosaur is bigger than the T. rex
from nc, springfield, ohio, united states; May 30, 2000

A: Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus were slightly bigger than T. rex.



Q: How big is the brain of the stegasaurus?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 30, 2000

A: Stegosaurus (which was about 30 ft long) had a brain the size of a walnut. For more information on Stegosaurus, click here.



Q: what kind of dinosaurs were found in Pennslyvia?
from sharon k, matawan, nj, us; May 29, 2000

A: Only dinosaur footsteps have been found in Pennsylvania. For a list of dinosaurs listed state by state, click here.



Q: What is chasmosaurus important feature.
from Jawid K, suffolk, New York; May 29, 2000

A: Chasmosaurus was a ceratopsian dinosaur; it was a three horned, plant-eating, frilled ceratopsian dinosaur that lived late in the late Cretaceous period, about 76 to 70 million years ago. It was 16-26 feet (5-8 m) long and weighed about 3.5 tons (3220 kg)s. For more information on Chasmosaurus, click here.



Q: What are thecodonts? I am not familiar with this term could you please help me find a definition and information on then please.
from jack k, quebec, ontario, canada; May 29, 2000

ChasmatosaurusA: Thecodonts were socket-toothed reptiles, Triassic period archosaurs that mat have been the ancestors of dinosaurs, birds, pterosaurs, and crocodilians. The archosaurs are divided into the thecodonts, crocodylians, pterosaurs, and dinosaur (plus birds).



Q: Which Dinosaur had the longest tail?
from James M., Southampton, ?, England; May 29, 2000

A: Diplodocus had the longest tail. It was up to 43 feet (13 m) long.



Q: Looking for information on a certain dinosaur called "Goyocephale"
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 29, 2000

A: (pronounced GOH-yoh-SEF-ah-lee ) Goyocephale (meaning "elegant or decorated head") was a thick-skulled, flat-headed, plant-eating dinosaur with knobs and spikes on its pitted skull and large teeth. It dates from the late Cretaceous period, about 85 to 80 million years ago. This homalocephalid pachycephalosaur was found in Mongolia (the skull and parts of the skeleton were found). Goyocephale was named by Perle, Maryanska and Osmolska in 1982. The type species is G. lattimore.



Q: What does the word "Paleontologist" mean.
from Kerryn M, Inverloch, Victoria, Australia; May 27, 2000

A: A paleontologist is a scientist who studies paleontology, the forms of life that existed in former geologic periods, chiefly by studying fossils. "Paleo" means old or ancient. "Ontology" is the study of existence ("onto-" means existence, "-logy" is the study of something). This "-ist" at the end means a person who is involved in the field.



Q: What does a Ceratops dinosaur look like?
from Verna R., Big Spring, TX, U.S.A.; May 28, 2000

A: Only a two horn cores and a single bone have been found, but they were similar to those of Chasmosaurus - most of the features in this drawing are good guesses. For more information on Ceratops, click here.



Q: I am in 10th grade and I have to get three-five proofs of how dinosaurs evoled from the eoraptor. please please help me. I went to your site where it shows how dinosaurs evoled but wasn't able to get much help:) thank you:)
from jessica z, ottawa, ontario, canada; May 28, 2000

A: Eoraptor was probably a side branch of the cladistic dinosaur tree, but its close ancestors may have given rise to many theropods (but the ornithischians evolved from another branch entirely). The oldest-known dinosaurs so far are two 230 million year old prosauropods from Madagascar, which may have (or their ancestors may have) given rise to sauropods. You can look at characteristics of these early dinosaurs and trace the development (evolution) of these characteristics (like tooth structure, hip structure, leg length, number of digits, etc.) in later models. For a list of early dinosaurs, click here.



Q: What is the oldest dinosaur that lived in the triassic period?
from David and Tyler, Roanoke, VA, USA; May 28, 2000

A: The oldest-known dinosaurs so far are two 230 million year old prosauropods from Madagascar.



Q: How big is the Oviraptor and what speed did it move.
from Aaron, Rancho Cucamonga, California, U. S. A.; May 28, 2000

A: Oviraptor was about 6 to 8 feet long (1.8 to 2.5 m) and weighed roughly 55 to 76 pounds (25 to 35 kg). It was a fast, agile dinosaur, perhaps running about as quickly as an ostrich, which can run up to 43 mph (70 kph). For more information on Oviraptor, click here.



Q: wher there any dinosuars in the state of florida and if so were?
from dave g, largo, florida, usa; May 28, 2000

A: No dinosaur fossils have been foun in Florida; it was under water uring the time of the dinosaurs (when the sea level was higher than it is now.



Q: What do crabs eat?
from Heather D, East Kingston, New Hampshire, America; May 28, 2000

A: There are almost 5,000 different species of crabs, and thier diets vary extensively. Many crabs are omnivores (plant- and meat-eaters), others are carnivores (meat-eaters), and some are herbivores (plant-eaters). For more information on crabs, click here.



Q: If dinosaurs and other prehestoric creatures, like ptearosaurs, marine reptiles, mamoths, saber-tooth cats, and giant sharks and crocodiles were alive today, what would the earth be like?
from Phillip S, Sterling, Illinois, United States; May 27, 2000

A: The Earth would be incredibly crowded and diverse!. Paleontologists estimate that over 99% of the species that ever lived have gone extinct. That means that if all the extinct creatures were still alive, there might be well over 1,000 times as many species of organisms on the Earth.



Q: What is the name of the large carnivore with the spikes on its head from the movie Dinosaurs? Was it bigger than t-rex?
from pierson c, vancouver, WA, usa; May 27, 2000

A: I haven't seen the movie yet.. I'll post your question in the Dino Talk page - a lot of the kids there have seen the movie.



Q: I would like some info on megaldons Prehistoric sharks.
from lyle b., atwater, CA, united states; May 27, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: where there any fruits in the jurassic period
from nicole s, caracas, venezuela, venezuela; May 27, 2000

A: No, there were no fruits during the Jurassic period because flowering plants hadn't evolved yet. There weren't any grasses either. For a page on Jurassic period plants, click here.



Q: ARE DINOSAURS REPTILES?
from EUNYOUNG R, YOKOHAMA, HODOGAYA, JAPAN; May 26, 2000

A: Yes, dinosaurs were reptiles.



Q: how many dinosaurs had horns on their faces?
from meghan h, dallas, texas, usa; May 26, 2000

A: Many dinosaurs had horns on their heads, including many ceratopsians (like Triceratops, Pentaceratops, Styracosaurus, Zuniceratops, Chasmosaurus, Monoclonius, Torosaurus, etc.) and a few theropods (like Carnotaurus, Ceratosaurus).



LeaellynasauraQ: can u give me a good list of places to find leaellynasaura on the internet and/or books
from Missy J, ?, ?, ?; May 26, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: I am doing a project on Muttaburrasaurus and can not find anything about habit and babies. Can you tell me how they raise there babies?
from Sarah S, DeerfieldBeach, Fl., USA; May 26, 2000

A: No fossilized Muttaburrasaurus babies or nests have been found, so nothing is known about this topic. For more information on Muttaburrasaurus, click here.



Q: Do the dinosaurs with the long necks, have two brains? One in the head and one in the tail.
from Andrew B, Rocklin, CA, United States; May 25, 2000

A: Probably not. It used to be thought hat they did, but paleontologists now think that what they thought was a second brain was just an enlargement in the spinal cord in the hip area. This enlargement was larger than the animal's tiny brain..



Q: I wish for you to have more dinosaurs and have the jurassic and triassic dinosaurs in the dinosaur diogram.And more infomation on the velociraptor because I am foing a report on that dinosaur.
from Jessica S., Auburn, Washington`, USA; May 25, 2000

A: For a list of Triassic dinosaurs, click here. For a list of Triassic printouts, click here.

For a list of Jurassic dinosaurs, click here. For a list of Jurassic printouts, click here.

For information on Velociraptor, click here. What other information on Velociraptor did you need?



Q: what did the juassic period look like? AKA vegetation, terrian.
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 25, 2000

A: During the Jurassic period the environment varied from place to place. Some places were wet, others were dry, some were very warm, some were colder. On the whole, the Jurassic was warmer than it is now. As for plants, flowering plants hadn't evolved yet, so many of the plants that dominate the Earth today (like grasses) weren't around. For a page on Jurassic period plants, click here.



Q: I want to teach my 2nd grade class about the astrodon. I have found some information but not much. I am confused to whether or not the astrodon is actually considered a dinosaur or not. I have found information stating that it was not considered a dinosaur and information stating it was a dinosaur. I want to be able to give my class the correct information since we live in Maryland and this will be of great interest to them.
from Janet G., Baltimore, Maryland, USA; May 25, 2000

A: Astrodon (meaning "star-tooth") was a long-necked plant-eating dinosaur, a brachiosaurid sauropod that was about 30? feet (9 m) long (which is small for a brachiosaurid). It lived during the early Cretaceous period, about 130 million-120 million years ago. Astrodon is known only from fossilized teeth found in Maryland, USA (Astrodon is the state dinosaur of Maryland). Astrodon was named by Johnston in 1859. The type species is A. johnstoni. Astrodon may be the same as Pleurocoelus.



Q: According to all of my paleontology books paleontologists say there was no dinosaur that ever flew is that true? Also, what is the most interesting and completed dinosaur besides sue the T-Rex?
from Laura G., El Paso, Texas, United States; May 25, 2000

A: That's true, no dinosaurs flew. There were flying reptiles that lived during the time of the dinosaurs, called pterosaurs. Some pterosaurs included Pteranodon, Pterodactylus, Rhamphorhynchus, and Quetzalcoatlus.



Q: Someting about dinosaurius?
from TYYU, M, TN, TYJK; May 25, 2000

A: I've never heard of Dinosaurius. Dinosaurus, however, was a large, plant-eating dinosaur (a plateosaurid prosauropod ) that lived during the late Triassic period in what is now Europe. Dinosaurus was named by Ruetimeyer in 1856. Dinosaurus (later Gresslyosaurus) is probably the same as the genus Plateosaurus.



Q: why does some dinosaurs have long necks?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 25, 2000

A: It was probably an adaptation to get food. Some dinosaurs, like Brachiosaurus, had a giraffe-like stance, and they likely used their neck to reach leaves high in trees. Others, like Diplodocus, couldn't lift their necks high, but may have used their neck to reach into water to get soft aquaic plants or into thickly-forested areas.



Q: Is there a fossil as big as the T-Rex
from Nicole W., Traverse City, Michigan 49684, USA; May 25, 2000

A: Yes, many dinosaurs were bigger than T. rex. Two other meat-eaters were slightly taller than T. rex (Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus). Many plant-eaters (like Argentinosaurus, Diplodocus, Seismosaurus, and Brachiosaurus) were MUCH bigger than T. rex.



Q: when were dinosuars discoverd
from debbie b, lock haven, pa, us; May 25, 2000

A: Click here for the first dinosaur discoveries.



Q: WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TYRANOSAUR REX AND TYRANOSAUR ?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 25, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurus rex was a type of tyrannosaur (also called tyrannosaurids). Tyrannosaurids were meat-eating dinosaurs (theropods) with two-fingered hands, small arms, a large head, sharp teeth, and lond, powerful hind legs. They lived during the late Cretaceous period. Other tyrannosaurids included Albertosaurus, Alectrosaurus, Alioramus, Chingkankousaurus, Daspletosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Nanotyrannus, Prodeinodon, Tarbosaurus, and T. rex.



Q: How many rows wide is stegosaurus plates
from ?, ?, Indian, usa; May 25, 2000

A: Paleontologists think that Stegosaurus' plates were arranged in two rows running along the back and upper portion of the tail. Since the plates weren't attached to the vertebrae, the positioning of the plates is not entirely certain.



Q: what kind of sound did the dinosaurs make?
from Brendan W., Madbury, NH, USA; May 25, 2000

A: Diffeent dinosaurs probably made very different sounds - some may not have made sounds. One dinosaur, Parasaurolophus, had a large, resonating hollow bony crest on its head, and paleontologists think that it was used to make a low, trombone-like sound.



Q: How many types of dinosaurs were there
from BOB R, ?, ?, ?; May 25, 2000

A: About a thousand genera have been found, but many, many more existed.



Q: What does Cetiosaurus mean in Greek?
from Eric C., Indianapolis, Indiana, ?; May 25, 2000

A: Cetiosaurus means "whale lizard." For more information on Cetiosaurus, click here.



Q: How long were the longest dinosaurs?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 25, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: what era did the dimetredon live in
from dean bucnell, yerrnenbull, n.s.w., austraila; May 25, 2000

DimetrodonA: Dimetrodon (not a dinosaur, but a pelycosaur) lived during the Permian period (about 280 million year ago) . For more information on Dimetrodon, click here.



Q: infomation about a recent find of a dinosaur heart???
from peggy . s., newcastle, new south wales, australia; May 25, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: What does the name "Dilophosaurus" mean?
from jackie f, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia; May 24, 2000

A: Dilophosaurus means "Double-crested Lizard." For more information on Dilophosaurus, click here.



Q: i want to know evvrything about the diplodocus
from jo blow, shep, vic, aust; May 24, 2000

A: Click here for information on Diplodocus.



Q: What does parasarolophus mean.
from david, ?, ?, ?; May 24, 2000

A: Parasaurolophus means "Beside Saurolophus)" and Saurolophus means "Crested Lizard." For more information on Parasaurolophus, click here.



Q: What you know about Histriosaurus boscarollii, a new dinosaur discovered by Dalla Vecchia? I work on the movie about istrian outcrop of dinosaurs, so I need this information as quickly as possible! Thank you.
from David P, Pula, Croatia, Croatia; May 24, 2000

HistriasaurusA: (pronounced HIS-tree-ah-SAWR-us) Histriasaurus (meaning "Istrian lizard," for the Istrian peninsula of northwest Croatia, on the Adriatic Coast) was a large plant-eating dinosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous period (from the late Hauterivian to early Barremian, about 126-125 million years ago). Histriasaurus was a diplodocimorpha, a long-necked, whip-tailed giant that walked on four columnar legs. It had peg-like teeth and high vertebral spines. It may have had a sail on its back. Fossils of this sauropod were found in Croatia. The type species is H. boscarollii, named for Dario Boscarolli, who discovered the fossil site. Histriasaurus was named by Dalla Vecchia in 1998. It is probably closely related to, but more primitive than Rebbachisaurus.



Q: I don't see any fossels of dinos found in Pa. If I were to find a large fossel bones what might it be?
from Jim W, Pittsburgh, Penna, ?; May 24, 2000

A: No dinosaurs have been found in Pennsylvania. For a page on fossil collecting in Pennsylvania, click here.



Q: could you tell us some names of dinosaurs that lived in the Triassic Period?
from sopie, cedar grove, nj, usa; May 24, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: Could you please show me a picture of a skeleton of the Triceratops ? Thank you very much.
from Jenna B, Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia; May 23, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: What dino. was discovered in 1988?
from Kelli W., Princeton, MN, USA; May 24, 2000

A: Lots of diniosaurs were found in 1988, including a relatively complete Herrerasaurus (Sereno). The year when a dinosaur is named is recorded and readily available in references. The year that a fossil was found (and even who actually discovered the fossil) is not always easy to find. Lots of dinosaurs were named in 1988 (the dinosaur fossils had been found earlier), including Aeolosaurus, Anserimimus, Cathetosaurus, Chassternbergia, Denversaurus, Giraffatitan, Hironosaurus, Kagasaurus, Kotasaurus, Nanotyrannus, Orodromeus, Protognathus, and Stenotholus.



Q: What do you call a plant eating dinosaur?
from rex t, houston, Texas, U.S.A.; May 24, 2000

A: An herbivore or primary comsumer,



Q: I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT DINASAUR ENVIRONMENT
from PEDRO A RUIZ DE AZUA, CARACAS, DF, VENEZUELA; May 24, 2000

A: The dinosaurs lived in a wide variety of environments, from deserts to wet areas.



Q: what colour was the triceratops?
from nina d, brisbane, queensland, australia; May 24, 2000

A: No one knows what color any of the dinosars were.



Q: Was there dinosaur found in MN?
from RaeAnn J., ?, ?, ?; May 24, 2000

A: A hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) has been found in Minnesota. For more dinosaur finds listed by state, click here.



Q: How old are the oldest dinosaurs
from MH, Maracaibo, ?, Venezuela; May 24, 2000

A: Sor far, the oldest ones are about 230 million years old.



Q: When did the dinosaurs go extinct?
from MH, Maracaibo, ?, Venezuela; May 24, 2000

A: The last of the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago, during the K-T extinction.



Q: In response to an earlier Q&A, I disagree that the two new prosauropods are not possibly the earliest dinosaurs. Remember Bakker's Dinosaur Heresies? I think this dicovery is great for his theory on dinosaur evolution. These prosauropods probably had the twist-claws Bakker described. Being the first dinosaurs, they could have passed them down to primitive theropods, anchisaurs, and primitive ornithichians. Interestingly, Pisanosaurus has been interpreted as a possible heterodontosaur! The early heterodontosaurus branched off into the fabrosaurus, losing the claw, and the later, more familar heterodontosaurus that retained it in the later part of the Triassic. Also, aren't the prosauropods based on jaw fragments? Aren't we all assuming too much about these little creatures? Anyway, that's my position. I know this should be dino talk, but I want your reply. I also still don't know if we are talking about two individuals or two s! pecies.
from Brad, Woodville, ON, Canada; May 23, 2000

A: That's certainly an astute observation, but there's no way to know about the claws - plus, I don't think that the dating of the rock layers has been done by radioisotope analysis, and so is a bit hazy. Many paleontologists think that the saurischians branched off before the ornithischians (for example see The Evolution and Extinction of the Dinosaurs by Fastovsky and Weishample), although this may be because of Eoraptor. As to Pisanosaurus (the earliest ornithischian that is relatively well-known, dating from the late Triassic, roughly 220 million years ago), it is generally placed outside the heterodontosaurids, although it was once thought that it belonged to that group.

I think that it would be an amazing coincidence if the oldest dinosaur had already been found, especially when so little of the Earth's lands have even been searched for fossils.



Q: what dino name means "terrible lizard"?
from tim w, tiffin, ohio, usa; May 23, 2000

A: The word dinosaur means "terrible or terrifying lizard."



Q: We are doing a report on he Teradactyl, but cannot find references to it. Can you help?
from Keith F., Blue Bell, PA, USA; May 23, 2000

A: For information on Pterodactyls, click here.



Q: I have a report due on the Sellosaurus. I need to know where the dinosaur lived, what did it eat, the size of the dinosaur,and 3 important facts about this dinosaurs that make it special. Thank You Renee
from Renee L, West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA; May 23, 2000

A: Sellosaurus fossils have been found in Germany. It was a plant-eater. It was about 21 ft (6.5 m) long. As to important fact, gastroliths from its stomach were found, its name means "saddle lizard," it lived during the late Triassic period, about 219 -208 million years ago, and it was named in 1908 by paleontologist von Huene.



Q: What piried did the proceratops live in. what did it eat. what was its behver.
from Markus, Hardwick, ?, MN; May 23, 2000

A: For information on Protoceratops, click here.



Q: can you show me pitchurs of the ornithamitus dinosuar
from way R, Indpls., IN, usa; May 23, 2000

A: For information on Ornithomimus, click here.



Q: I would like some more information and a picture about igunadons. Where can I find this? Thanks.
from Tucker S, Brimfield, MA, USA; May 23, 2000

A: Click here for information and pictures of Iguanodon.



Q: How long ago where dinoasaurs on earth
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 23, 2000

A: They lived during the Mesozoic Era, from about 230 million to 65 million years ago.

Dinosaur timeline




Q: What dinosaurs lives in Minnesota?
from K.W., Whatyoumicallit, ?, ?; May 23, 2000

A: A hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) has been found in Minnesota. For more dinosaur finds listed by state, click here.



Q: Who named the Tyrannasaurus Rex?
from david b, Sandy, Utah, U.S.A; May 22, 2000

A: T. rex was named in 1905 by Henry Fairfield Osborn For more information on T. rex fossils, click here.



Q: What are at least 5 ways that Dinosaurs adapted to their environment?
from Marissa H., Sandy, Utah, U.S.A; May 22, 2000

A: Just about every aspect of an organism's anatomy and behavior is an adaptation to the environment. Some obvious examples are the dinosaurs' diet, claws, tail length, armor (in some cases), spikes (in some dinosaurs), teeth (in most cases), beaks (in some cases), etc.



Q: Where did the brontasaurus live?
from Molly M., Ontario, California, United States of America; May 22, 2000

A: Brontosaurus (which is now called Apatosaurus) fossils have been found in Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, in the USA. For more more information on Apatosaurus, click here.



Q: what does the triceretops eat for food?
from tonya,T, garden grove, california, northamerica; May 22, 2000

A: Triceratops ate low-lying plants like cycads, palms, and other late Cretaceous plants with its tough, toothed beak and many cheek teeth. For more information on Triceratops, click here.



Q: where are t-rex fossils found?
from alisha d, spokane, wa., U.S.A.; May 22, 2000

A: T. rex fossils have been founr in western North America and Mongolia. For more information on T. rex fossils, click here.



Q: IS the velociraptor or dienonychus smarter?I demand the awnser today because I need it iomarrow at school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from ?????????????????????, ????????????????????????, ??????????????????????, ???????????????????????????????; May 22, 2000

A: They were both dromaeosaurids, relatively intelligent dinosaurs. I have no idea which was smarter, however.



Q: What kind of plants did Styracosaurus eat?
from Zoemma W., Swampscott, MA, USA; May 22, 2000

A: It ate low-lying plants like cycads, palms, and other late Cretaceous plants with its tough, toothed beak and many cheek teeth. For more information on Styracosaurus, click here.



Q: DID THE QUETZALCOATLUS ACTUALY HAVE FEATHERS? BECAUSE I SEEN IN A BOOK THAT IT DID NOT.
from CLAUDIA MARTINEZ, LOS BANOS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.; May 22, 2000

A: No it did not. For more information on Quetzalcoatlus, click here.



Q: how much does a tyrannosaurus rex weigh?
from Sara S, Redding, CA, United States; May 22, 2000

A: T. rex weighed roughly 5 to 7 tons. For more information on T. rex, click here.



Q: How did the Triassic dinosaurs die out.
from Mintaka A, state College, PA, USA; May 22, 2000

A: Most dinosaur groups (like most organisms) died out in background extinctions. These extinctions are not caused by major catastrophes or horrendous climactic changes, but by small changes in climate or habitat, depleted resources, competition, and other changes that require adaptation and flexibility.

At the end of the Triassic period there was a minor mass extinction that killed off many types of organisms, including many dinosaurs. The cause of this extinction is not known.



Q: what is the evolution of dinasours?
from carlos u, ft.lauderdale, florida, usa; May 22, 2000

A: For a page on the evolution of dinosaurs, click here.



Q: Was the Teradactyl a bird or a reptile?
from cheryla, washington, DC, USA; May 22, 2000

A: Pterodactylus (and all the other Pterosaurs) were reptiles and not birds.



Q: With all the new discoveries made in the world of palientoligy, have we discovered the oldest dinasour, and what species is it?
from Jerry R., beverly hills, ca, u.s.a.; May 22, 2000

A: The oldest-known dinosaurs so far (two prosauropods from Madagascar) date from about 230 million years ago. They are not the earliest possible dinosaurs, because these early finds had already differentiated into saurischian dinosaurs (and were distinct from the ornithischans).



Q: What all can you tell me about the Jaxartosuarus dinosuar
from Curtis L., sanford, North Carolina, U.S.A; May 21, 2000

A: Very little is known about this dinosaur since only a part of the skull has been found (so far). Jaxartosaurus is pronounced jax-SAHR-toh-SAWR-us. Jaxartosaurus means "Jaxartes Lizard;" it was named for a river in Kazakhstan near where it was found. Jaxartosaurus was about 30 feet (9 m) long, and was a lambeosaurine hadrosaurid, a duck-billed dinosaur. Fragmentary fossils (just the skull roof and braincase) were found near the Jaxartes River in Kazakhstan. Only an incomplete skeleton was found. This wide-headed plant-eater had flat-topped teeth. It lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 91-83 million years ago. Jaxartosaurus was named by Riabinin in 1939. The type species is J. aralensis.



Q: Is there a pic of the Chelonians ?
from Kris H., Amarillo, Tx, USA; May 21, 2000

ArchelonA: Chelonians are a group of animals that include turtles (like the extinct Archelon, pictured at the left), tortoises, and terrapins.



Q: During what period were there large areas of dry, salt deserts?
from Josh T, Lyndonville, VT, USA; May 21, 2000

A: The Triassic was a period in which there were large, continental deserts on Pangaea.



Q: Why were wooly mammoths found all over the world in different climates, and elephants are found only in two warm places?
from Casey C., Bellingham, WA, USA; May 21, 2000

A: Woolly Mammoths were adapted for very cold weather. They has thick, shaggy fur to protect them from the cold. For more information on Mammoths, click here.



Q: WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON THE EVOLUTION OF DINASOURS!!!!
from Laura Davis, Danville, California, The United States; May 21, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: 1. Are Pterosaurs the only "hollow boned" dinosaurs? 2. Are Pterosaurs considered "hollow boned" cannibals? 3. What dinosaur fossils went to outer space, a vistor to the space station "Mir"? 4. Who was a famous bone hunting artist in the 1940's.
from Paula J, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; May 21, 2000

A: 1. No, many theropods had hollow bones (also, Pterosaurs weren't actually dinosaurs). 2. They had hollow bones, and some may have eaten their own kind (many meat-eating animals do). 3. Coelophysis 4. I don't know.



Q: do braceasuars's have teeth?
from shaun h, ?, ?, ?; May 20, 2000

Brachiosaurus skullA: Yes, Brachiosaurus had chisel-like teeth. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.



Q: I found some fosils and it looks like a fish because it haves fines and circle skills what do you think it is?
from max f., san antiono, ?, texas; May 20, 2000

A: It could be - there are lots of fossilized fish around.



Q: Have any fossils been found in the middle east?
from Terry B., Vandalia, Ohio, USA; May 20, 2000

A: Yes. Egyptian dinosaurs include: Aegyptosaurus, Bahariasaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Dicraeosaurus, Erectopus, Majungasaurus, and Spinosaurus. Elaphrosaurus was found in Israel. That's all I can find from the Middle East.



Q: DID DINOSAURS EVER SWEAT?
from LAURA G., EL PASO, TEXAS, UNITED STATES; May 20, 2000

A: No, reptiles don't sweat.



Q: are you a smart man or woman.
from Ryan d., ?, ?, ?; May 20, 2000

A: A woman.



Q: What did scientists name the largest T-Rex ever found?
from Harold L, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; May 20, 2000

A: Sue.



Q: Would you please tell me what the scientific name, kngdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species of the Pteranodon is?
from Bek. M, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; May 19, 2000

A: Pteranodons belonged to the:




Q: How does Apatosaurus looked like?
from Tulsi P., Berlin, C.T., U.S.A.; May 19, 2000

A: For information and a drawing of Apatosaurus, click here.



Q: What did dinosaur eat?
from Arturo, Weston., Ontario., Canada..; May 19, 2000

A: Most dinosaurs were plant eaters while others ate meat. For information on dinosaurs' diets, click here.



Q: I am researching the following dinosaurs: Oviraptor, Ceratosaurus, and Pterodactylus. Where can I find detailed pictures of all of them?Thanks!!
from Jen, ??, NC, US; May 19, 2000

A: For Oviraptor, click here. For Ceratosaurus, click here. For Pterodactylus, click here.



Q: What is the name of the dinosaur that stole and ate the other dinosaur eggs?
from deseriev, Azusa, Ca, US; May 19, 2000

A: Oviraptor (which means "egg thief") was given that name because it was found with eggs near it and it was assumed that it was stealing and eating those eggs. It was later found that those eggs were of the same species, so Oviraptor was found around its own eggs, and the name is probably inappropriate.



Q: the dinosaur lived mainly in the geologic time called the Mesozic period, which began 245 million years ago and ended 66 milion years ago. If you draw a timeline chart in which 1000 years equals one inch (so that the time of Christ and Julius Caesar is two inches away), the dinosaur will be approximately how far away A. 500 to 750 feet B. 1000 to 2000 feet C. 1 to 2 miles D 5 to 6 miles
from Karen, Houston, Texas, United States; May 19, 2000

A: Here's my chart of geologic time since the time of the dinosaurs. Your calculation should look something like this (the easiest way to do calculations like this is to work with the units, starting with what you know, and playing with the units to get where you want to be):

1 inch/1,000 years times 100,000 years times 1 ft/12 inches = roughly 8,000 feet. You can do the last conversion yourself (there are 5,280 ft in a mile).

Dinosaur timeline




Q: If I were to find a fossil that I believe is a dino, where can I have it analized?
from Jim W, Pittsburgh, Penna., ?; May 19, 2000

A: You might try the paleontology (or geology or biology) department of a local college.



Q: I need to know about the skin of dinosaurus
from Tomas Galavis, Caracas, ?, Venezuela; May 19, 2000

A: Many samples of fossilized dinosaur skin have been found, including that of T. rex. For more information on dinosaur skin, click here.



Q: how many different types of dinosaurs were there?
from kirstie f, nottingham, notts, england; May 19, 2000

A: About 1,000 different genera have been found. For the names of all of the known dinosaur genera, click here.



Q: when was the dinosaur maiasaura extinct?(I'm doing her for a project)
from sarah H., Aberdeen, why does it matter?, U.S.A (is this black mail or something?); May 19, 2000

A: Maiasaura went extinct 65 million years ago. For more information on Maiasaura, click here.



Q: Where are all the places the elasmosaurus? What is the elasmosauruses defense?
from Elysia, Bath, michigan, ?; May 19, 2000

A: Elasmosaurus fossils have been found in North America. Its major defences were its teeth and jaws. For more information on Elasmosaurus, click here.



Q: What was the youngest dino found
from Amber H., Athens, TN, USA; May 19, 2000

A: Many newly-hatched dinosaur fossils have been found, including hatchlings of Maiasaura, Velociraptor, Mussaurus, and many others.



Q: Is there a theory about why dinosaurs were such large creatures and why animals in general have evolved to become smaller since the dinosaurs' extinction?
from Bri C., Chicago, Il, USA; May 19, 2000

A: No one has a widely accepted theory as to why there were so many huge animals during the Mesozoic Era.



Q: a tyrannosaur would often eat a stegosaur? true or false
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 19, 2000

A: False; they did not live at the same time. T. rex lived millions of years after Stegosaurus.



Q: name plant of jurassic age
from andy s, lexington, kentucky, usa; May 19, 2000

A: For a page on Jurassic period plants, click here.



Q: What is a kronosaurus queenslandicus?
from Katherine, Sydney, NSW, Australia; May 19, 2000

KronosaurusA: Kronosaurus was a genus of huge, swimming reptiles that lived during the time of the dinosaurs. Kronosaurus queenslandicus is the type species of the genus Kronosaurus.



Q: Who discovered the shark and named them?
from Chonny M, Rigby, Idaho, America; May 18, 2000

A: People have known about sharks since prehistoric times, and probably began naming them then.



Q: how many fingers did they have?
from chris d, abilene, Teaxas, Northamerica; May 18, 2000

A: Different dinosaurs had a different number of fingers, ranging from 2 to 5. For example, T. rex had 2 fingers on each hand, Megalosaurus had three, Syntarsus had four, and Xiaosaurus had five.



Q: how long is a long neck?
from kelly, new york, TN, athens; May 18, 2000

A: Longneck is a nickname for Apatosaurus. Its neck was was roughly 40 feet (12.5 m) long. For more information on Apatosaurus, click here.



Q: how many dinosaurs were there
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 18, 2000

A: No one knows how many dinosaurs there were. People have found fossils of almost 1,000 different dinosaur genera. For the names of these dinosaurs. click here.



Q: How were they born?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 18, 2000

A: Dinosaurs hatched from eggs that were laid by the female dinosaur,



Q: What are some special things about Supersaurus
from jeffery.j, wasilla, alaska, usa; May 18, 2000

A: Supersaurus' enormous size is the most obvious, along with its long neck, small head, and long tail. For details, click here.



Q: where they really caveman
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 18, 2000

A: Yes, many early people lived in caves.



Q: What is the other name for walking on two legs?
from bull, Marfa, tx, u.s.a; May 18, 2000

A: Bipedal.



Q: did dinosarus have senses?
from adam h., burnaby, bc., canada; May 18, 2000

A: Yes, they had could see, hear, touch, taste, and smell things.



Q: PTERODACTYLS - WHAT WAS THEIR MEANS OF PROTECTION? HOW DID THEY MOVE/ WHEN DID THEY LIVE ON EARTH?
from STEVEN K, WOODBURY, NJ, US; May 18, 2000

A: The Pterodactyls best defense was flying away. They also had clawed hands and feet for defense. Some Pterodactyls had bristle-like teeth, but others had no teeth. They lived from the Jurassic period through the late Cretaceous period (65 million years ago). For more information on Pterodactyls, click here.



Q: Were can i get Mussarus info?
from Blake K., Flowery Branch, ?, ?; May 17, 2000

A: Click here.



TorosaurusQ: WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON THE TOROSAURUS, AND GET A GOOD PICTURE OF ONE?
from David H., Camdenton, missouri, USA; May 17, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: what is a nodosaurus?
from matt c, garden grove, ca, us; May 17, 2000

A: Nodosaurus was an armored, plant-eating dinosuar. For more information, click here.



Q: What type of dinosaur was T.rex (this group included two-legged meat- eaters
from Kris H., Spring, Tx, USA; May 17, 2000

A: The theropods were meat-eating dinosaurs who walked on two legs. T. rex was a theropod.



Q: Who invented the term dinosaur?
from olivia s, smyrna, tennessee, america; May 17, 2000

A: Richard Owen. For more information, see the faq above.



Q: Can you please give me all the infomation about how dinosaurs evolved please. I know they have something to do with the Eoraptor and the saurischians and the ornithischians but I need more information on how the all connect. Please help me your help is much obliged
from SUSAN C, TORONTO, Ont, canada; May 17, 2000

A: For a page on dinosaur evolution, click here.



Q: Are birds today a part of the dinosaur family
from Amber C, Lansing, Mi, USA; May 16, 2000

A: Yes, if indeed birds are the descendants of dinosaurs, they belong to the clade of dinosaurs.



Q: What was the smartest dinosaur?
from cathy s., traverse city, michigan, usa; May 16, 2000

A: The troodontids had the largest brain to body weight ratio, and were probably the smartest.

EQ




Q: How does the Diplodocus raise her young
from Lauren M., Hutchinson, Kansas, North America; May 16, 2000

A: No Diplodocus eggs have been found, so no one knows how (or if) Diplodocus cared for their young.



Q: HOW TALL WAS TYRNASOU REX
from BRANDON REYES, EMPSON, ?, CALIFORNIA; May 16, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurus rex was up to 40 feet (12.4 m) long, about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 m) tall. It was roughly 5 to 7 tons in weight. For more information on T. rex, click here.



Q: Why was the Tyrannosaurus Rex given this name? What does the name Tyrannosaurus rex mean? I have a report due on 5/18 and was unable to find the answers to these two questions. I would sure like it if you could help me and my 1st grade class. Thank You,
from Brendan H., Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA; May 16, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurs rex means "tyrant lizard king," as a description of this huge predator.



Q: When did the Stegosaurus die out???
from Holly K, Bartonville, Illinois, United States; May 16, 2000

A: Stegosaurus lived until about 140 million years ago. For more information on Stegosaurus, click here.



Q: Can you name an omnivore
from allisom h., melboure, victoria, australia; May 16, 2000

A: Ornithomimus. For more information on dinosaur diets, click here.



Q: what does Ultrasauros eat meat or plants?
from Ian w., sandy, Utah, Sallt Lake city; May 16, 2000

A: Ultrasauros ate plants.



Q: what is the complete scientific name and what is the common name for the tyrannosaururs
from shaquita r, spring hill, florida, herando; May 16, 2000

A: The genus and species of T. rex are Tyrannosaurus rex, which is the same as its common name.



Q: How many Utahraptors have been found? How did the Utahraptors hunt?
from Graham G, Carmel, Maine, USA; May 16, 2000

A: Only a partial Utahraptor fossil has been found, including claws from the hand and foot, tibia (shin bone), lachrymal (a bone near the eye), premaxilla (part of the jaw), and some tail vertebrae (backbones).



Q: What is the Species name of Ichthysaurus?
from Kris H., Amarillo, TX, USA; May 16, 2000

A: There are many species of the genus Ichthyosaurus (hundreds of fossils have been found). Some species include I. intermedius, I. communis, I. janiceps , I. conybeari, and I. breviceps. For information on Ichthyosaurus, click here.



Q: What is the Classification of Banjo sharks and Swordfish and the genus name and species name for both?
from Kris H., Amarillo, TX, USA; May 16, 2000

A: For the classification of swordfish, click here. The Banjo shark is actually a ray (the fiddler ray, Trygonorhina fasciata). For ray classification, click here and scroll toward the bottom.



Q: What is the name of the dinosaur that has a frill around its head and it spits poison or acid?
from Kailum, ?, ?, ?; May 15, 2000

A: In the movie Juassic Park, the Dilophosaurus spat poison, but thre is no fossil evidence that this ever occurred.



Q: What fossil evidence would indicate the difference in the diets of Apatosaurus and of Allosaurus? What were their respective diets?
from Marc C., Houston, Texas, US of A; May 15, 2000

A: Apatosaurus was a plant-eater. Allosaurus was a meat-eater. This is known mostly by examining their teeth and jaws. Meat-eaters have knife-like teeth and large, powerful jaws; they also have ways of obtaining meat (like large claws). Plant eaters generally have blunt teeth and relatively small, weak jaws. Sometimes, fossilzied stomach contents or feces are founding, yielding a lot of diet information. For more on dinosaur diets, click here.



Q: How much water was there in dinosaur time and now. What is the difference?
from Stacie A, Manchester, N.H., ?; May 15, 2000

A: Probably about the same amount. The sea level has changed many times over the history of the Earth, but this is because the polar ice freezes and melts.



Q: Name two animals that have not changed very much since prehistoric times
from bonnie c, crestline, ohio, usa; May 15, 2000

A: The horseshoe crab and the coelacanth.



Q: how long was the jurassic ERA and how many differnt dinosaurs types where found in ca. And what was the biggest one found and what did it eat. in that time how many land forms were there
from ryan john, la, ca, ca; May 15, 2000

A: The Jurassic period lasted from 206-144 million years ago. In the Middle Jurassic, the supercontinent Pangaea started to drift apart. A north-south rift formed in mid-Jurassic, and by the late Jurassic, the separation of the continents of Laurasia and Gondwana was almost complete.



hadrosaur caudal vertebra Q: On a dinosaur dig in Montana last ear I found a vertabrae the looks very much likle the caudal vertabrae of a Hadrasaur, probaly a juvenile. Can you tell me where I can locate some vertabrae illustrations of Hadrasaur caudal vertabraes?
from Rob V., Bothell, Wa., USA; May 15, 2000

A: Here's a caudal vertebra from a hadrosaur.



Q: How old was the oldest dinosaur
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 15, 2000

A: Abuot 230 million yeasr old.



Q: Which dinosaur was also called the thunder lizard?
from A.C., Fairview, MT, United States; May 15, 2000

A: Brontosaurus means "thunder lizard." The new name for Brontosauurs is Apatosaurus.



Q: My daughter has been assigned a report on the alamosaurus. I can't find any information on this dinosaur. Can you help?
from Trish, San Antonio, TX, USA; May 15, 2000

A: For a printout on Alamosaurus, click here.



Q: Did cavemen live during the time that dinosaurs lived?
from Kyle K, New Egypt, NJ, USA; May 15, 2000

A: No, people evolved many millions of years after the dinosaurs died out.

Dinosaur timeline




Q: Where did the dinosaur Acanthopholis live?
from lisa t, allentown, nj, ?; May 15, 2000

A: Acanthopholis fossils have been found in England. For more information on Acanthopholis, click here.



Q: What is a habitat
from zp, idalou, tx, usa; May 15, 2000

A: A habitat is the natural environment in which an organism lives.



Q: what is the size of the land area each dinosaur would need for survival?
from ?, spokane, washington, usa; May 14, 2000

A: That isn't known. First of all, it would differ from dinosaur to dinosaur; the huge sauropods (like Brachiosaurus) must have needed a huge area from which to find food, but small dinosaurs, like Compsognathus) may have had a small range. The size of a dinosaur's range would be a function of the amount of food it ate and how much food per area there was. Neither of these quantities is known (yet).



Q: what does ouranosaurus mean?
from steve, monroe, la, ?; May 15, 2000

A: Ouranosaurus means "brave lizard." For more information on Ouranosaurus, click here.



Q: How dose the Triceratops reproduct?
from KB, Eureka, IL, USA; May 15, 2000

A: Triceratops reproduced by laying eggs; that's all that is known about it now (until more fossils are found).



Q: did the dilophosaurus frill its neck and spit poisen
from Cyle b., congerville, IL, U.S.A.; May 15, 2000

A: Dilophosaurus has two bony crests on its head. Whether or not it had movable things on its head is a matter of conjecture, as is its ability to spit poison (there is no fossils evidence for either of these attributes). For information on Dilophosaurus, click here.



Q: why were dinosaurs mostly herbivores
from krystal, orlando, fl, u.s; May 14, 2000

A: In any food chain, there have to be more organisms at the lower levels of the chain because the transfer of food energy is inefficient and much of the energy is wasted. Therefore, there are many more plant-eaters than meat-eaters. For more information on dinosaur diets, click here.



Q: What are all the Theories of the extintion?
from Ashley T, ?, ?, ?; May 14, 2000

A: Asteroid impact, increased vulcanism, egg thieving by mammals, possible changes in the Earth's orbit, etc. For more information, click here.



Q: Is there a Palapasaurus and if there is what is its anatomy and classification?
from Stacy G., McCune, Kansas, USA; May 14, 2000

A: I've never heard of it. Are you sure of the spelling?



Q: who is the most famous paleontoligist
from wolfgang t, new york, queensland, america; May 14, 2000

A: It varied from time to time. For a list of many of the major paleontologists of all time, click here.



Q: What type of plants the Heterodontosaurus dinosaur eat's?
from Kim, Holtville, CA, USA; May 14, 2000

A: This early plant-eater had three kinds of teeth to get and process tough plant material, biting teeth, tearing teeth, and grinding teeth. Heterodontosaurus ate low-lying Triassic period plants, like cycads, ferns, horsetails, conifers, and other primitive plants.



Q: Can you please tell me which was the largest swiming dinosaur and could I please have some pictures also
from Daniel McSweeny, Auckland, ?, New Zealnd; May 14, 2000

A: No dinosaurs were well-adapted to live in the water, but many other Mesozoic Era reptiles were, including plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, nodosaurs, etc. The largest aquatic reptiles was probably Liopleurodon.



Q: how did the hadean era end?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 14, 2000

A: The Hadean Eon (4.6 to 3.9 billion years ago), the "Rockless Eon" was the first geoligic time period on Earth: the solidifying of the Earth's continental and oceanic crusts. It ended when the Earth's crust solidified.



Q: Are there any sites dedicated to the megladon ?
from Richie B, Liverpool, ?, England; May 14, 2000

A: Click here for a page on Megalodon.



Q: Is there a dinosaur called Rachodon?
from Ida M., ?, Khobar, Saudi Arabia; May 14, 2000

A: There's a dinosaur called Trachodon.



Q: CAN YOU GIVE ME INFORMATION ON TERADACTYLS
from BETSY A, METAMORA, OHIO, U.S.A; May 13, 2000

A: For a page on Pterodactyls, click here.



Q: Can someone please tell me what a Macrauchenia is if it isn't a dinosaur, thank you, Ewan.
from Ewan G, Shaftesbury, Dorset, England; May 13, 2000

A: Macrauchenia was an early hoofed mammal with a long neck; it may have had a long trunk. Macrauchenia was 10 feet ( 3 m) long and had three-toed, rhino-like feet. This quadruped was an herbivore (a plant-eater). Macrauchenia lived during the Pleistocene. Fossils have been found in Argentina, South America. Classification: Class Mammalia (mammals), Order Litopterna (horse-like and camel-like mammals), Family Macraucheniidae.



Q: How tall is a teradactyl?
from Alex G., Poway, California, United States; May 12, 2000

A: Pterodactyls were a large group of flying reptiles that ranged in size from having a wingspan of a few inches (primitive Pterodactyls) to over 40 feet (12 m). For a page on Pterodactyls, click here.



Q: I am doing a report on the Minmi dinosaur. I have found some information but I am also looking for some pictures. Are there any available?
from Mark D., Riverside, NJ, United States; May 12, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: How much did dinosaurs weight?
from DL, ?, NY, USA; May 12, 2000

A: It varied from just a few pounds to many thousands of pounds.



Q: Did lemurs and dinosaurs live at the same time? The reason I ask is in the new Disney movie "Dinosaur" there are lemurs living 65 mya and I think that's incorrect but I could be wrong.
from dinofriek, Algonquin, IL, USA; May 12, 2000

A: The earliest-known lemurs (family Lemuridae) date from about 50 million years ago, so they did not live with the dinosaurs. Other pre-primates (primatomorphs like Plesiadapis, a squirrel-like 2 1/2 ft long with teeth like those of rodents) were around during the late Paleocene, about 58 million years ago).



Q: how big is a trex
from Brent, Peoria, ILLINOIS, AMERICA; May 12, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurus rex was up to 40 feet (12.4 m) long, about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 m) tall. It was roughly 5 to 7 tons in weight. For more information on T. rex, click here.



Q: What is the animal living today that is larger yhan any dinosaur? %0
from ?, Spring, Texas, North America; May 12, 2000

A: The blue whale.



Q: What country were Woolly mammoth fossils found?
from Ben S, Eureka, Canada, U.S.A; May 12, 2000

A: Woolly mammoths lived in the tundras of Asia, Europe, and North America. For more information on woolly wammoths, click here.



Q: Who was bigger Trex or Megaraptor?
from Graham G, Carmel, ME, US; May 12, 2000

A: T. rex was bigger than Megaraptor. Megaraptor was about 20-26 feet (6-8 m) long; T. rex was about 40 feet (12.4 m) long.



Q: My name is Arias. I am in the 2nd grade and I am doing a report on Oviraptor. Can you tell me what does this dinosaurs name mean? How did it defend itself from its enemies?
from Arias F., Norwalk, CA, USA; May 11, 2000

A: Oviraptor means "egg thief." It probably used its strong beak and claws hands to protect itself from predators. For more information on Oviraptor, click here.



Q: What is a dromaesorids preditor?
from Chris M., DALLAS, TX, USA; May 11, 2000

A: There were many dromaeosaurids (also referred to as "raptors"), including Velociraptor, Utahraptor, Deinonychus, and Dromaeosaurus. Many of these raptors (like Utahraptor) probably had no predators.



Q: Name a Dinosaur that lived around 65 million years ago
from Shahzad Sheikh, Canberra, ACT, Australia; May 11, 2000

A: T. rex.



Q: do you have any information on t rex
from sarah c, wonthaggi, victoria, australia; May 11, 2000

A: Click here for information on T. rex.



Q: I need information on Dimetradon if there is any. Thanks!
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 11, 2000

DimetrodonA: For a page on Dimetrodon, click here.



Q: how can i find things about Iguanodon.
from Erin Ritchie, ?, ?, ?; May 11, 2000

A: Click here for information on Iguanodon.



Q: I am doing a report on rhamphorhynchus. I cannot find the enemies or its protection. Could you help me please? Thanks!
from Nick, ?, Indiana, ?; May 11, 2000

A: None of the plesiosaurs were very well protected from enemies. Flying away would be the best defense. Rhamphorhynchus had a long, pointed beak with many teeth. There are no documented enemies (that is, there have been no fossils of Rhamphorhynchus found inside another animal's body cavity, in another animal's dung, or found in a fight to the death). For possible enemies, go to the page on late Jurassic period fossils, and look for meat-eaters that lived in Europe and Africa. For more information on Rhamphorhynchus, click here.



Q: Did all of the dinosaus every single on of them come from the Eoraptors?
from raul, toroonto, ontario, canada; May 11, 2000

A: No, not at all. Although Eoraptor was a very early dinosaur, the dinosaurs had already split into the saurischians and ornithischians by then.



Q: What does the inside structure of the Eoraptor look like?
from Sharon, toronto, ont., canada; May 11, 2000

A: No one knows, since only the fossilized bones of Eoraptor have been found.



Q: I need to know What saurischian means today?
from Thomas.T, Traverse, Michigan, U.S.A; May 11, 2000

A: Saurischian means "lizard-like."



Q: what era did the dinosaers live in
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 11, 2000

A: The Mesozoic Era.



Q: WHAT DO THEY EAT?
from TYRANNOSAURS VREX, CHARLOTTE, NC, MECK; May 11, 2000

A: Most dinosaurs were plant-eaters, and some were meat-eaters. For information on the dinosaurs' diets, click here.



Q: how did scientist determine if dinosaurs were smart?
from Sarah L, denver, colorado, usa; May 11, 2000

A: Although it's not a guaranteed method, paleontologists use the ratio of an animal's brain size to its body mass. This tells you the relative intelligence among the dinosaurs. For more information on this, click here.



Q: dose the Compsogathus hunt alone or in a group? answer asap please
from jon, ???, TX, USA; May 10, 2000

A: Only two Compsognathus fossils have been found, so there is no evidence showing that it hunted in packs. For more information on Compsognathus, click here.



Q: are all the asteroids composed of?
from ef, lagrange, ga, troup; May 10, 2000

A: The content of asteroids varies; they are made mostly of metals and rock. For more information on asteroids, click here.



Q: How tall was the Teratosaurus?
from hikari o, hacienda hts, ca, U.S.A; May 10, 2000

A: Teratosaurus was about 20 feet (6 m) long. For more information on Teratosaurus, click here.



Q: What is a real name of an eggstealer?
from Steven S, Upper Saddle River, NJ, Bergen; May 10, 2000

A: Oviraptor



Q: Who named the Tyrannesaurus Rex
from James G, New Port Richey, Florida, The United States of america; May 10, 2000

A: T. rex was named in 1905 by Henry Fairfield Osborn. For more information, click here.



Q: How many Dinosaurs were their?
from John P., Shelley, Idaho, Bigham; May 10, 2000

A: About a thousand are known, but this represents only a tiny fraction of the genera that must have lived. For a list of the known dinosaur genera, click here.



Q: What Period did the Coryasaurus live in?
from Kelsey M., Gardner, Massachusetts, USA; May 10, 2000

A: Corythosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 76 to 72 million years ago. For more information on Corythosaurus, click here.



Q: do you have Information on Piatnitzkysaurus
from willie C., Joplin, Mo., United states; May 10, 2000

A: Piatnitzkysaurus (meaning "[A.] Piatnitzky lizard") was a theropod dinosaur that was 14 ft (4.3 m) long. This meat-eater had a large head, a short neck, small arms, a bulky body and clawed toes; it was similar to Allosaurus. Fossils have been found in Argentina. Piatnitzkysaurus was a theropod that lived during the late Triassic period, about 169-163 million years ago. The type species is P. floresi.



Q: how do raptor defend them selfs
from ryan p, florssant, mo, us; May 10, 2000

A: Raptors (dromaeosaurids like Velociraptor, Deinonychus, and Utahraptor) were well-armed. They had a large, deadly, sickle-shaped clae on one toe of each foot. Their other digits also had smaller claws and they had sharp teeth.



Q: I'd like to know some info on Ichthyosaurus, particularly what type of eater it was. Thanks
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 10, 2000

A: Ichthyosaurus was a carnivore that ate mostly fish, plus some cephalopods. For more information on Ichthyosaurus, click here.



Q: WHICH DINOSAUR WAS THE FASTEST?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 10, 2000

A: The speediest dinosaurs were probably the bird-like bipedal carnivores (theropods) with long, slim hind-limbs and light bodies (hollow bones and a streamlined body), like Gallimimus and Ornithomimus. It's impossible to tell which one was actually the fastest. If all we had were bones of modern-day mammals, it would be impossible to tell that the cheetah is the fastest mammal.



Q: Is a Pentaceratops a meat eater or a plant eater?
from nj, Grosse Ile, MI, usa; May 10, 2000

A: Pentaceratops was a plant-eater. For more information on Pentaceratops, click here.



Q: Where can I find info on the Greenland Shark?
from Nathan M., Mooresville, IN, USA; May 10, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: I have been searching forever for information on the Megladon an extinct shark.Where can I find some info , and quickly?
from Danielle, Mooresville, IN, USA; May 10, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: thank you for answering my question.but what does paleo onto gist all mean thanks ,amelia
from amelia w, wonthaggi, victoria, australia; May 9, 2000

A: "Paleo" means old or ancient. "Ontology" is the study of existence ("onto-" means existence, "-logy" is the study of something). This "-ist" at the end means a person who is involved in the field.



UtahraptorQ: Do you have any pictures of the Utharaptor?
from ?, Richmond, Virginia, United States; May 9, 2000

A: For more information on Utahraptor, click here.



Q: what does tyrannosauras mean
from bp, brun, o.h, oh; May 9, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurus means "tyrant lizard." For more information on T. rex, click here.



Q: What is an interesting fact about an hypsilophodon
from Alex c., Corona, CA, US; May 9, 2000

A: Hypsilophodon was one of the first dinosaur fossils found. For more information on Hypsilophodon, click here.



Q: what is the kritosaurus and is there any information you can give me regarding it..
from jordan n, milwaukee, wi, usa; May 9, 2000

A: Kritosaurus (meaning "Noble lizard") is a doubtful genus; this fossils may actually be Gryposaurus, but may be a separate genus. It was a duck-billed dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, about 76 to 65 million years ago. This hadrosaurid was a plant-eater that was about 30 feet (9 m) long. It had a flat head and a big bump on its snout. It is known from a fragmentary skull found in the San Juan basin of New Mexico, USA. Kritosaurus was named by fossil hunter Barnum Brown in 1910. The type species is K. navajovius.



Q: 1. How do Eoraptors have their young? Do they lay eggs or have them live? 2. How do they raise their young? Do they live in families, groups or leave them alone?
from Cassie S., Estacada, Oregon, USA; May 9, 2000

A: Neither Eoraptor eggs nor nests have been found yet, so no one knows.



Q: What were some of the eniemies of the triceratops? I need this information for a report I am doing in first grade. Thank you .
from Alyson Y, Alexandria, VA, USA; May 9, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurus rex ate Triceratops. Triceratops probably had probably other predators, but T. rex is the only one that is definitely known to have eater Triceratops. Some fossilized T. rex dung was found with crushed Triceratops frill bone in it.



Q: What is the meaning of Wannanosaurus?
from Cesar E., El Paso, Texas, United States; May 9, 2000

A: Wannanosaurus was named after the Chinese province where its very incomplete skeleton was found (and sauros means lizard). For information on Wannanosaurus, click here.



Q: WUZ UP?/?/ DO YOU KNOW WHAT A BARYONX LOOKED LIKE? AND,WHO DESCOVERED IT AND WHEN??????????????? THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from CHRISTIE D., MARTINEZ, US, NORTH AMERICA; May 9, 2000

A: For information on Baryonyx, click here.



Q: What age is the oldest Dinosaur to ever live?
from Lauren H., Downingtown, PA, USA; May 9, 2000

A: So far, the oldest known dinosaurs are prosauropods from Madagascar that are roughly 230 million years old.



Q: Bakker made up a lot of terminology for Raptor Red. Here are the babies- Baby Astrodon- Calf Baby Utahraptor- Chick Bakker seems to use bull and calf for plant-eaters only. And I lost my copy of Raptor Red, do you know where I can get a new one? I also have some poems. I guess I shouldn't be too shy to share them ,since I got 100 out of 100 on my English assignment when I handed them in.
from Brad, Woodville, ON, Canada; May 9, 2000

A: I haven't seen calf or chick used elsewhere - have you? I've seen the terms bull and cow used for both plant- and meat-eaters in many sources (including the recent show "Walking with Dinosaurs").



Q: What is a Female, a male, and a child T-Rex called? ie. a bull, mare, calf?
from Joseph R, Highland, CA, USA; May 9, 2000

A: Bull and cow are sometimes used for the male female. A newly-hatched dinosaur is generally called a hatchling and as it grows, it is called a juvenile (I've never heard of dinosaur young called calves).



Q: What were the first dino's like?
from Rosie S., Alden, NY, U.S.A.; May 9, 2000

A: The earliest dinosuars were realtively small. Some of the early dinosaurs include prosauropods (small-headed, long-necked plant-eaters) found in Madagascar and theropods (meat-eaeters) found in Argentina.



Q: Why do the Brachiosuaruses have such long necks and how did they get them
from Trenton V, Traverse city, michigan, USA; May 9, 2000

A: That's just like asking why a giraffe has a long neck and how it got it. The long neck developed over millions of years, probably as an adaptation for getting leaves high in the trees. Natural selection would be the mechanism. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.



Q: how do you pronounce velociraptor
from alanw, new york, new york, usa; May 9, 2000

A: It's pronounced va-LOSS-ah-RAP-tor. For more information on Velociraptor, click here.



Q: Do you know any dino poems
from ??????????????, ??????????, ????????, ???????????; May 8, 2000

A: No, but if anyone out there has written any, we'll post them on Zoom Dinosaurs.



Q: what is a paleontoligst
from teneasha m, murchison, victoria, australia; May 8, 2000

A: A paleontologist is a scientist who studies ancient forms of life. Paleo means "ancient." For a page on famous paleontologists, click here.



If you wrote to this page in the last hour or so, your message was inadverdently lost (our disc was full), please write again - we've fixed the problem.

Q: how did the heterodontosaurus go extinct?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 8, 2000

A: Heterodontosaurus went extinct about 200 million years ago, during the early Jurassic period. This extinction may have bene related to the minor mass extinction toward the end of the early Jurassic period (about 190- 195 million years ago) in which more than 80% of marine bivalve species and many other shallow-water species died out. The cause of this extinction is unknown.



Q: how did dinosuars become extinct in the TRIASSIC PERIOD?
from db, martinez, ga, usa; May 8, 2000

A: The Triassic period ended with a mass extinction caused by huge volcanic eruptions about 208-213 million years ago. 35% of all animal families die out, including most labyrinthodont amphibians, conodonts, and all marine reptiles except ichthyosaurs.



Q: Where in South America is Massetognathus found?
from Aaron C., New Albany, Indiana, United States; May 8, 2000

A: Argentina. For more information information on Massetognathus, click here.



Q: Where in South America was Metriorhnchus found?
from Aaron C., New Albany, Indiana, United States; May 8, 2000

A: Chile. For more information information on Metriorhynchus, click here.



Q: what are some interesting extinct dinosaurs?
from leslie s, mburg, mo, usa; May 8, 2000

A: They're all interesting. For a list of some dinosaurs, click here.



Q: How long have dinosaurs lived?
from Gary B, Mason City, Iowa, U. S. A.; May 8, 2000

A: Dinosaurs lived from about 230 million years ago until 65 million years ago.



Q: When did "Stegosaurus" live ?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 8, 2000

A: Stegosaurus lived during the Jurassic period, about 156-140 million years ago. For more information on Stegosaurus, click here.



Q: when did dinosaurs first start roaming the earth?
from Ingrid,Beitz, brisbane, do not no, australia; May 8, 2000

A: Dinosaurs first appeared at least 230 million years ago, during the Triassic period.



Q: what does cretaceous mean?
from eric r., round rock, texas, usa; May 7, 2000

A: It means "chalk bearing;" the earliest-known cretaceous beds were chalky.



Q: Who or what is the Diplodocus named after?
from danille c, wonthaggi, victoria, australia; May 7, 2000

A: Diplodocus means "Double-beamed Lizard". Its backbone had extra bones underneath it, which had bony protrusions running both forwards and backwards (anvil shaped), a "double beam", probably for support and extra mobility of its neck and tail. For more information on Diplodocus, click here.



Q: WHAT SPECIFIC ANIMALS ARE EXTINCT?
from E.M, ?, ?, ?; May 7, 2000

A: Most of the animals and plants that ever existed are now extinct.



Q: Can you give me any informatin on the alamosaurus? Could you even give me some good links for my report over this creature?
from DeAndrea Z., Texas City, Texas, USA; May 7, 2000

A: Alamosaurus (meaning "Ojo Alamo [New Mexico] lizard" ) was a long-necked, whip-tailed dinosaur about 69 feet (21 m) long and weighed perhaps 30 tons (20000 kg). It was a quadrupedal, plant-eater from New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, USA during the late Cretaceous period, about 73 million to 65 million years ago. It was a sauropod and a Titanosaurid that may have had some body armor. It was named by Gilmore in 1922. The type species is A. sanjuanensis For a printout on Alamosaurus, click here.



Q: what geologic period did mammals and dinosaurs first appear?
from mike m., oregon, ohio, u.s.; May 7, 2000

A: The Triassic period.



Q: *Many scientists think that dinosaurs were warm blooded, which would have allowed then to maintain high activity levels over a broader range of environmental temperatures than cold-blooded animals. Explain how this adaption would have given dinosaurs an advantage over other organisms in their environments???
from Angela, alden, ny, us; May 7, 2000

A: If you're warm-blooded, you can be active day or night, in cold or warm weather. Most cold-blooded animals must warm themselves in the morning sun before they can be active; if you are warm-blooded, you can catch them easily while they are warming up. There are many more advantage (and disadvantage). For a page on this, click here.



Q: What do scientists think dinosaurs evolved from? What were the first dinosaurs like?
from Angela c, alden, ny, us; May 7, 2000

A: Dinosaurs evolved from earlier socket-toothed reptiles called archosaurs (during the Triassic period, over 230 million years ago). For a page on dinosaur evolution and early dinosaurs, click here.



Q: What were the longest named dinosaurs?
from Hi!, Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.A.; May 6, 2000

A: The dinosaur with the longest name is Micropachycephalosaurus.



Q: What adaptions would allow a land animal to compete in an aquatic environment?
from Angela c, a., ny, usa; May 6, 2000

A: It would need a way to get food in the water, a way (or ways) to avoid becoming another organism's food, and a way to survive in that environment (like adapt to the temperature, etc.).



Q: Where did dinosaurs come from? And How long did it take for all of the Eoraptor's to evolve into these gigantic dinosaurs.??? Please answer......This is the third time I'm asking this question. I really need to know cause its for a school project, that is due in 4 days. Please answer soon. Very desperate
from priya K, toronto, ont, Can; May 6, 2000

A: For a page on dinosaur evolution, click here. Jurassic sauropods probably didn't evolve from Eoraptor (which may have been a theropod, in which case it had already split off from the sauropod dinosaurs). The sauropods may have evolved from prosauropods, or from earlier, as yet unknown dinosaurs. For a cladogram of dinosaurs that shows the evolutionary relationships between the dinosaurs, click here.



Q: I have been searching for information about the duckbilled platypus for two weeks for a school project. I've searched everywhere to gather as much info as I possibly can. However, I really need information or diagrams showing the internal parts and the kinds of diseases or problems wuth the platypus. This is just about my only hope. I have to present on Tuesday, so I could really use your help! Thank you!
from Julie P., W. Laf., Indiana, USA; May 6, 2000

A: We only have a diagram of the duckbill platypus' external anatomy.



Q: How big did dinasour eggs get?
from Elizabeth M., Bedford, Indiana, USA; May 6, 2000

A: The largest-known dinosaur eggs are about a foot in diameter. For more information on dinosaur eggs, click here.



Q: What insects were around to bug the dinosaurs? I'd just like to know roughly when these groups appeared, because i just bought a book about how to draw insects, and I want to mix them with my dinosaur drawings. - Ants - Black Flies - Bumblebees - Earwigs - Ladybugs - Leaf Insects - Praying Mantises I don't care if you find them all, anything would be appreciated.
from Brad, Woodville, ON, Canada; May 6, 2000

A: There were many insects during the Mesozoic Era. Unfortunately, insect fossils are very rare, so the scientific knowledge of insect evolution is incomplete. Centipedes and millipedes appeared during the Silurian (over 400 million years ago), springtails appeared during the Devonian (over 350 mya) and the first winged insects appeared over 300 million years ago. Beetles evolved during the Permian period, and huge dragonflies hunted during the Mesozoic. True flies appeared during the Triassic period. The earliest-known butterflies are from the Cretaceous period (about 130 million years ago) as are the earliest-known ants and crickets. Bees also appeared during the Cretaceous (paralleling the development of flowering plants). For more information, click here.



Q: dinasour fact sheets
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 5, 2000

A: For long information sheets, click here. For printouts, click here.



T. rex leg bonesQ: What does a T-rex foot look like
from Matt M, Port Orange, Florida, U.S.A; May 6, 2000

A: T. rex had bird-like feet with three large toes, all equipped with claws (plus a little dewclaw). T. rex left footprints 1.55 feet (46 cm) long, although its feet were much longer, about 3.3 feet (1 m) long. T. rex, like other dinosaurs walked on its toes. For more information on T. rex, click here.



Q: What does the word paleontologist mean?
from jenna b, melbourne, vic, australia; May 5, 2000

A: A paleontologist is a scientist who studies ancient forms of life. Paleo means "ancient." For a page on famous paleontologists, click here.



Q: did dinos fart?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 5, 2000

A: Probably. It has been speculated that the ankylosaurs, in particular, were extremely gaseous.



Q: WHEN WAS SUSAN B. ANTHONY DOLLARS FIRST MINTED?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 5, 2000

A: This is the oddest dinosaur question I've ever gotten. The Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin was first minted in 1979.



Q: How big is the tyranasaurus rex?
from Joel Smith, Walhalla, North Dakota, United States; May 5, 2000

A: Tyrannosaurus rex was up to 40 feet (12.4 m) long, about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 m) tall. It was roughly 5 to 7 tons in weight. For more information on T. rex, click here.



Q: Why are so many dinosaur bones found in South Dakota?
from esweet, rochester, ny, usa; May 5, 2000

A: The badlands of South Dakota, USA have vast expanses of exposed ancient rocks which make it relatively easy to find some of the fossils that are buried there.



Q: Please answer asap!!!! i am doing a report on the dinosaur Muttaburasaurus. Can you please tell me where i can find some information on it? Thanks alot
from brad d, somerdale, nj, usa; May 5, 2000

A: (pronounced mutt-ah-BUHR-ah-SAWR-us) Muttaburrasaurus (meaning "Muttaburra (Australia) lizard" ) was an ornithopod, a plant-eating dinosaur about 24 feet (7 m) long, dating from the middle Cretaceous period, about 113-97.5 million years ago. It had a large bulge on its long snout between its eyes and its mouth, a flattened thumb spike, hoof-like claws, and teeth that worked like shears. The bony bump on its snout may have been associated with its sense of smell or its ability to make sounds. Muttaburrasaurus is either an Iguanodontid or a Camptosaurid dinosaur. It was described and named by Ralph E. Molinar and Alan Bartholomai in 1981 from a fossil found in Queensland, Australia. The type species is M. langdoni.



Q: Why are dinosaur fossils found in the places they are found? Is that where the dinosaurs mostly lived, or is there something about those places that better preserves fossils? (are so many fossils found in the badlands in Alberta because more dinosaurs lived there than in other places, or because there is something in that place that makes better fossilizing conditions?)
from Jonathan B, Dundas, Ontario, Canada; May 4, 2000

A: Dinosaurs lived in many different environments on land during the Mesozoic Era, but some envionments made fossilization more likely. Fossils are more easily found in places like badlands because erosion has exposed old layers of rock and fossils, but there weren't necessarily more dinosaurs there to begin with. Dinosaur fossils aren't found in some areas where dinosaurs lived because the Mesozoic Era rock layers are well-buried, or fossils didn't form in that location because conditions were adverse to the fossilization process. Dinosaurs fossils aren't found in some areas because dinosaurs either didn't fossilize well there, or dinosaurs didn't live there (often because that location was under water during the Mesozoic Era, when sea levels were high).



Q: where I can find this type of dinasour,Piatnitzkysours.
from sergio c., Houston, texas, unite states; May 4, 2000

A: (meaning "[A.] Piatnitzky lizard") was a theropod dinosaur that was 14 ft (4.3 m) long. This meat-eater had a large head, a short neck, small arms, a bulky body and clawed toes; it was similar to Allosaurus. Fossils have been found in Argentina. Piatnitzkysaurus was a that lived during the late Triassic period, about 169-163 million years ago. The type species is P. floresi.



Q: Where can I find Sea Dinosaurs, for example, A Kronosauras?
from Katie K., new Braunfels, Tx., US; May 4, 2000

A: For information on Kronosaurus, click here. For information on other Plesiosaurs, click here.



Q: Why haven't these 232 m.y. old dinosaur from Madagascar you mention been given a proper scientific name? Weren't they reported in the news over six months ago?
from Brad, Woodville, ON, Canada; May 4, 2000

A: John Flynn et al. published early findings in Nature (Sept. 2, 1999 ) and Science (Oct. 22, 1999). They found not only the earliest-known dinosaurs, but the jaw bone of a new, early, shrew-sized species of mammal from 165 mya (which they named Ambondro mahabo), and other early life. I don't think that the name of the dinosaur has been published yet - I'm not sure they're entirely out of their matrix yet. I'll add it to the site as soon as its published.



Q: How do you KNOW what the climate was like in the Mesozoic Era? This is for a geology class.
from Heather P, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA; May 4, 2000

A: There's geochemical evidence (like the way ancient soils formed, and did they form year-round, indicating a warm climate or was there a winter break, indicating a cold climate), biological evidence (like seeing organisms that could only live in certain climates), and physical evidence (like seeing the boulders and depressions caused by ancient glaciers, even though the glaciers have melted long ago).



Q: I just need some information on a Brachiousaurus
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 4, 2000

A: For information on Brachiosaurus, click here.



Q: Did dinosaurs and humans ever, in the history of earth, coexist?
from Chippy, Great Falls, Montana, US of A; May 4, 2000

A: No.



Q: What and when was the first diosaure on earth?
from Sophie I., Brooklyn, NY, America; May 4, 2000

A: The earliest-known dinosaurs are two 230 million-year-old dinosaurs recently found in Madagascar and Eoraptor (230 million years old), found in Argentina.



Q: What was the first fossil?
from Roxy m, Millsap, Tx, usa; May 4, 2000

A: The earliest-known fossils are of single-celled organisms (like colonial algae) that date from the Archeozoic Eon, about 3.9 to 2.5 billion years ago.



Q: what was all of the dinos names???
from brennanb.i, millsap, texas, usa; May 4, 2000

A: For a list of the known dinosuar genera, click here.



Q: what dinosaurs were alive during the cretaceous period?
from debbie y, mobile, alabama, u.s.a; May 4, 2000

A: For early Cretaceous dinosaurs, click here. For middle Cretaceous dinosaurs, click here. For late Cretaceous dinosaurs, click here.



Q: What color was the T-rex?
from Katrina, Millsap, U.S.A, Texas; May 4, 2000

A: No one knows what color any of the dinosaurs were.



Q: can you show me a Trexs body?
from courtney mil ler, millsap, Texas, U.S.A.; May 4, 2000

A: For a diagram of T. rex, click here. For T. rex's skeleton, click here.



Q: What dinosaur has the nickname "long neck"?
from Samantha D, Leonardtown, MD, USA; May 3, 2000

A: Apatosaurus.



Q: WHAT KIND OF DINASAUR EGG IS ABOUT 3 FEET IN DIAMITER. AND HOW COMMON ARE THEY. AND HOW CAN THEY BE MOVED. I HAVE ABOUT 30 ON MY PROPERTY IN WYOMING. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE 1.
from LARRY G., MIAMI, FL, USA; May 3, 2000

A: The largest-known dinosaur eggs are about a foot in diameter. For more information on dinosaur eggs, click here.



Q: do you have any info about the megaladon there is nothing
from chad k, waynesboro, pa, us; May 3, 2000

A: For information on Megalodon, an ancient shark, click here.



Q: what is the size (length, height and weight) of an Anatosaurus dinosaur?
from Kate L, martinsburg, pa, usa; May 3, 2000

A: Anatosaurus (named by Lull and Wright in 1942) is an obsolete name for Edmontosaurus. For information on Edmontosaurus, click here.



Q: Do you have any pictures of when South America and Africa broke away from Antarctic around 156 million years ago?
from Sarah C., Engelwood, Co, United States; May 3, 2000

A:
Continental Drift
Forward Backward
Key




Q: Is the T-rex a omnivor or canivor or herbivor
from alex, colo springs, ?, us; May 3, 2000

A: T. rex was a carnivore (a meat-eater). For more information on T. rex's diet, click here.



Q: why can't i find any info on brontosaurous is this dino just a myth ? did it ever exist or what? i've looked into every link possible and there is no listings for this giant.
from dave d, ?, pa, usa; May 3, 2000

A: The new name for Brontosauurs is Apatosaurus. For information on Apatosaurus, click here.



Q: I am doing a project in school about a dinosaur zoo. I am doing the breeding area. Can you give me some info and pictures about eggs, babies, and the reproduction of dinos.
from Josh F., Massapequa, New York, US; May 3, 2000

A: For information on dinosaur reproduction, click here.



Q: CAn you tell me about the ceratosaurus?
from ?, ?, ?, ?; May 3, 2000

A: For information on Ceratosaurus, click here.



Q: How does the velocirapter communicate
from Jessica H., Las Vegas, Nevada, United States; May 3, 2000

A: No one knows. For information on Velociraptor, click here.



Q: Who was the first person to find a Trachodon?
from Hilary B., Lincoln, Illinois, U.S.A.; May 3, 2000

A: Trachodon (meaning "rough tooth") was named in 1856 by Joseph Leidy. For more information on Trachodon, click here.



Q: What does a Wooly Mammoth eat?
from Michelle M, Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA; May 3, 2000

A: Woolly Mammoths were herbivores (plant-eaters). For more information on these extinct mammals, click here.



Q: What is the first dinosaur discovered
from chris b., pasadena, MD, United States; May 3, 2000

A: For a page on early dinosaur discoveries, click here.



Q: we are looking for information on a flying dinosaur called the Teradactyl. Did we spell it right? We need to find the size of the dinosaur.
from ashley and alyssa, seaside, ca, usa; May 3, 2000

A: There were many different Pterodactyls, including Pterodactylus, which had a 2.5 foot (0.75 m) wide wingspan. For more information on Pterodactylus, click here.



Q: What was the first dinosaurs?
from daniel, vancouver, ontario, canada; May 3, 2000

A: The earliest-known dinosaurs are two 230 million-year-old dinosaurs recently found in Madagascar and Eoraptor (230 million years old), found in Argentina.



Q: what was the longest living dinosaurs?
from rachel T, Toronto, ontario, canada; May 3, 2000

A: No one knows for sure, but the enormous sauropods (like Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Supersaurus, etc.) may have lived the longest, about 100 years.



Q: Where did dinosaurs sleep and did they lay down or stand up to sleep?
from Benjamin M., Corning, NY, USA; May 3, 2000

A: No one knows, but it probably differed for the different dinosaurs. The smaller ones probably slept lying down. The giants (like Apatosaurus) probably remained on their feet.



Q: can you explain the difference between mezoic and triassic?
from jj rossy, florida, jacksonville, ?; May 3, 2000

A: The Triassic period was the first third of the Mesozoic Era.



Q: What dinosaur had the most teeth?
from Lisa S, Macon, GA, ?; May 3, 2000

A: The duck-billed dinosaurs (Hadrosaurs) had the most teeth; they had up to about 960 cheek teeth.



Q: THE DINOSAURS THAT LIVED IN THE WATER WERE THEY HAVE A DIFFRENT NAME?
from DT, Grosse Ile, Mi, U.S.A; May 3, 2000

A: The Plesiosaurs were large reptiles (but not dinosaurs) that lived in the seas during the time of the dinosaurs.



Q: How can you tell a meet eater from a plant eater? Are alligators related to Dinosaurs?
from Jennifer Lynn B., Grosse Ile, Michigan, USA; May 3, 2000

A: Meat-eaters nd plant-eaters have very different teeth. There are other differences, including gut size, eye placement, etc. For more information on dinosaur diets, click here.

Yes, alligators are related to dinosaurs, they are both reptiles and archosaurs.



Q: How do dinosaurs walk?
from nj, Grosse Ile, MI, U.S.a; May 3, 2000

A: Some walked on four legs, some walked on two, and some coud do either. For more on dinosaur locomotion, click here.



Q: what does paliontologist mean?
from amelia w, wonthaggi, victoria, australia; May 2, 2000

A: Paleontologists study fossils. For a page on famous paleontologists, click here.



Q: When was the elephant bird extinced?
from Lucy, Kennesaw, Georgia, USA; May 2, 2000

A: About 1649.



Q: My son needs information on the Morganucodon and the Hyracotherium. Thank you!
from Roberta H, Southfield, MI, USA; May 2, 2000

A: For information on Hyracotherium (another name for Eohippus), click here. For Morganucodon, click here.



Q: How did the Utahraptor catch its food?
from Thomas.T, Traverse city, Michigan, United States of America; May 2, 2000

A: Utahraptor a huge, sickle-shaped claw on each foot that was probably used to kill its prey. It also had smaller claws on its fingers. For more information on Utahraptor, click here.



Q: can you tell me about the allosaurus, size, weight, time line it lived in. what it looked like and what it ate?
from sarah b, lees summit, missouri, usa; May 2, 2000

A: For information on Allosaurus, click here.



Q: Does a gallamimus have horns sheilds or etc? whats a gallamimumus size length and weight?
from Marc a, Las Vegas, Nevada, United stats; May 2, 2000

A: Gallimimus had a beak whose bottom front was shaped like a shovel. For information on Gallimimus, click here.



Q: do you know any thing on the Jurassic Time Peorid
from lynn z, Tampa, Florid, U S A; May 2, 2000

A: For information on the Jurassic period, click here.



Q: I want to find a picture of a plesaurus.
from Kristen R., Otis, Ks, U.S.A.; May 2, 2000

PlesiosaursA: For a printout of Plesiosaurs, click here.



T. rex leg bonesQ: How many toes does Tyrannosaurus Rex have on his back foot? We found two different sources, one said three toes and the other said four.
from Ann T., Cedar Grove, NJ, USA; May 2, 2000

A: T. rex had three large toes on its hind feet. There was also a tiny dew claw (a vestigial toe) higher up on the leg. For more information on T. rex's skeleton, click here.



Q: what color were dinosaurs
from windell F., Guam, Yigo, ?; May 2, 2000

A: No one knows.



Q: I´m doing a work about meteorites, refering also to the possibility of impact with earth, (past and future impacts),and I need to know what was the percentage of species that became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous. Could you please also specificate the percentage of marine species that also became extinct during that Period? Thank you for your attention
from Nuno H., Braga, Braga, Portugal; May 2, 2000

A: It has been estimated that 80-90% of marine species went extinct, about 50% of the marine genera and about 15% of the marine families. For land animals, about 56% of the genera, about 25% of the families went extinct, and about 85% of the species died out. Larger animals (over about 55 pounds=25 kg) were all wiped out.



Q: Can you tell me about the Utahraptor's habitat and unusual characteistics?
from Thomas.T, Traverse city, Michigan, U.S.A.; May 1, 2000

A: For information on Utahraptor, click here.



Q: what dinosaur's name means 'giant duck' ?
from Ray B, Salina, PA, USA; May 1, 2000

A: Anatotitan.



Q: What are the characteristics of a Barosaurus???
from kool-aid W., Las Vegas, Nevada, United states of America; May 1, 2000

A: For information on Barosaurus, click here.



Q: were dinosaurs mostly herbivores or carnivores
from krystal, orlando, fl, us; May 1, 2000

A: Most dinosaurs were herbivores (plant-eaters). For more information on the dinosaurs' diets, click here.



Q: What can you tell us about the new discovery of a possibly warm blooded dinosaur?
from Ron M., Bellevue, Nebraska, U.S.A.; May 1, 2000

A: Click here.



Q: We are having problems finding information on Mosasaurus. Can you help?
from Michelle R, wilder, id, usa; May 1, 2000

A: Mosasaurus was a Mosasaur that was up to 33 ft (10 m) long. Mosasaurus had four paddle-like limbs on a long, streamlined body and a long, powerful tail. The large head had huge jaws (up to 4.7 ft =1.45 m long) with many teeth. The jaws could open about 3 feet (1 m). The lower jaw is loosely hinged to the skull with a moveable joint on each side (behind the teeth). This loose joint let it swallow huge prey, like some snakes. They hunted fish, turtles, mollusks, and shellfish. It Mosasaurus lived in the North Atlantic Ocean. Mosasaurus maximus found in Onion Creek, Texas, USA. It was 30 foot (9 m) long and its tail was about 12 ft (3.7 m) long. This huge reptile was discovered in 1934 by University of Texas geology students Clyde Ikins. The first Mosasaur, Mosasaurus hoffmani, was found in the Netherlands in 1780. It was named in 1822 by W.D. Conybeare. Mosasaurs are related to modern-day monitor lizards.

For general information on Mosasaurs, click here.



Q: Were Dinosaurs warm or cold-blooded?
from Rachel B, LONDON., ?, ENGLAND.; May 1, 2000

A: It is not known with any certainty - there's evidence both ways. Some dinosaurs were probably warm-blooded and others were probably cold-blooded, For information on this topic, click here.



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