Here are more interesting facts about these dinosaurs:

Early 20th Century Discovery

Ankylosaurus fossil was discovered in 1906 by the renowned palaeontologist Barnum Brown in the formation of Hell Creek, Montana, USA. He was able to unearth several other remains of this herbivore largest dinosaur as well as fossilized armour pieces scattered around the area which he referred to as Dynamosaurus.

Osteoderms Comprises the Ankylosaurus’ Armor

You will easily distinguish this dinosaur for its hard, knobby armor that covers its head, long neck, back, and all through its tail. The armor was composed of scutes or osteoderm, which were deeply rooted bone plates but not connected with the rest of its skeleton. It is likewise covered by thickly keratin layer, the one and same protein which can be found in human hair as well.

Unusual Small Brain size For Its Gigantic Body

You may think that for its hugeness, its brain would be the same but no. Ankylosaurus has an unusually tiny brain and it is the least smart among all dinosaurs. This could be because these armored yet slow plant eater dinosaurs require no defensive strategy as compared to carnivore dinosaurs that always fight their way for food.

Ankylosaurus Existed in Tropical Climate

A humid, warm, almost tropical climate is what the western part of the United States has 65 Million years back, late in cretaceous period. When you think about the massiveness of its body as well as the environment Ankylosaurus habituated, it is most likely that this herbivore largest dinosaur possessed ametabolism similar to the cold-blooded animals which enabled it to be out in the hat during the day and slowly dissipate it at night.

One of the Lasts to Go Extinct

The supposed cold-blooded metabolism and it’s almost impenetrable armor empowered the Ankylosaurus to better withstand the K/T Extinction Event than other dinosaurs. The disappearance of ferns and trees these tame dinosaurs were accustomed to eating resulted to its population slowly dying until its extinction millions of years ago.

Ankylosaurus and similar dinosaurs were found across the globe – herbivorous dinosaurs’ widespread family, ankylosaurs, were discovered all over across every continent in the world except Africa. Although its evolutionary relationship with all other armored dinosaurs is disputable, the possibility of their similarities may be due to convergence of evolution.

This herbivore largest dinosaur may have been extinct millions of years ago but some people still don’t know how Ankylosaurus is pronounced. There are two ways to pronounce it: one is by stressing on its 1st syllable just like palaeontologists do, ANK-ill-oh-SORE-us. And the other is by putting the stress on its 2^nd syllable, ank-EYE-low-SORE-us. Either way, you are right.

Ankylosaurus

Fossils of this herbivorous dinosaur were found in Shandong Peninsula’s Wangshi Formation in China. Those fossilized remains that were recovered in the Shandong Peninsula include vertebrae, limb bones ad skull bones. This dinosaur was first described in 1973, Chinese paleontologist Xing Xu and colleagues indicated that this plant eating behemoth shares a lot of unique characteristics and is very similar to the Edmontosaurus. And in 2007, the recovered specimens in Shadong were classified as the new genus as well as species Zhuchengosaurus maximus. But further studies about the 2007 development revealed that the allegedly distinct characteristics of the Zhuchengosaurus are just a result of the different stages in the growth of Shantungosaurus Giganteus.

Shantungosaurus Giganteus is one of the largest and longest known hadrosaurids. A skeleton of this dinosaur which was displayed at the Geological Institute of Chine in Beijing showed that the length of the Shantungosaurus measures 14.72 meters and its skull is 1.63 meters long. A composite skeleton of this dinosaur measures more than 16 meters, making it the biggest known ornithischian and non-sauropod dinosaur. The long tail of this dinosaur is believed to have served as a balancing medium for its massive weight at their hips. The structure of this dinosaur showed that they walk with their four feet. They also have a very stout limb bones in the back which they need to support their bulking size ad to escape from their enemies.

This dinosaur just like all of the other hadrosaurs has a toothless beak but the jaws were composed of about 1500 small teeth which they use for chewing their food which is plants. Its nostrils have a large hole which is supposedly covered with a flap which they can inflate in order to make a sound. There is no known reason why there is a hole near their nostrils but maybe they use it to communicate with the other Shantungosaurus especially when there is trouble around or to attract a partner during the mating season. The Shantungosaurus Giganteus has also the used sound created by this hole as a means of defending their territory against invaders and hunters.

To date, the complete and assembled skeletal remains of the Shantungosaurus Giganteus are those that were excavated in the Shandong Peninsula in China. The remains of these individuals are those found mixed in one area or fossil bed. The discovery of their fossils is a very good clue about the lifestyle of these gentle giants. Many paleontologists believed that the Shantungosaurus Giganteus have roamed the wooded areas of the eastern Asian region in herds in order to avoid those hungry raptors and tyrannosaurs who crave for their meat. These predators are equipped well with their sharp claws and jaws which make them easy to take down adult Shantungosaurus Giganteus if they hunt in groups.

Shantungosaurus Giganteus

Etymology

The meaning of the term spinosaurus is spiny lizard which is derived from its large spines on its back. The length of the spines of this dinosaur is six feet, and was believed that skin membrane covers this spine in order to form a fin which resembles a sail. It is speculated that these spines help in the regulation of the dinosaur’s body temperature. Paleontologists have some evidence suggesting that these spines were collapsible and can be extended.

Discovery of the Spinosaurus

In 1912, the very first complete specimen of the spinosaurus aegyptiacus was discovered by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer in Egypt. But unfortunately, this complete specimen of spinosaurus fossils was destroyed when Munich, Germany was bombed during World War II. Other skeletons of the spinosaurus have been discovered but none of them were as complete as what Stromer has found.

Habitat of the Spinosaurus

Most of the skeletons of this dinosaur were excavated in North Africa, specifically the Sahara Desert. Other reported finds also revealed that they also inhabited South America and Morocco. North Africa was t natural habitat of the spinosaurus aegyptiacus during the Early Cretaceous Period or 100 million ages in the past when the continent still have a tropical climate than today. During the Early Cretaceous Period, Sahara Desert has wetlands, rivers and lakes.

Size of the Spinosaurus

With the excavated skeleton of the spinosaurus aegyptiacus, paleontologists believed that this carnivore have grown to about 40-56 feet or up to 17 meters. The body structure of the spinosaurus has similarities to that of the T-Rex but with some differences. The built of the T-Rex is heavier compared to the spinosaurus which is lightly built and have heavier and longer front arms. This arms structure of the spinosaurus makes them to easily grasp their prey. Other paleontologists content that the dinosaur sometimes walked using its four legs.

Teeth of the Spinosaurus

The snout of the spinosaurus aegyptiacus is long compared to the T-Rex. Teeth which are long and sharply pointed dominate the jaws of this carnivorous dinosaur. Unlike the teeth of the T-Rex which were serrated, Spinosaurus has round and smooth teeth in their jaws. Other paleontologists believed that the spinosaurus aegyptiacus prefers fish on their diet due to the interlocking characteristic of both their lower and upper teeth. Isotope analysis conducted by Romain Amiot and his colleagues on the teeth of the spinosaurus aegyptiacus showed that ratios of oxygen isotopes are present which revealed that the lifestyle of the dinosaur is semiaquatic.

Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus

During the Early Cretaceous Period, the Sahara Desert has plenty of vegetation and bodies of water which are very good for the Sarcosuchus imperator. And basing on the number of skeletal remains discovered, the prehistoric crocodile have probably lived in the area in abundance.

This prehistoric crocodile behaved and looked like the crocodiles of today but a way much bigger. The size of this reptile is comparable to that of a big bus and small whale, or you can compare it to the size of 10 heavy modern crocodiles. A lot of scientists believed that the Sarcosuchus imperator lay waiting half-submerged in streams or rivers, with eyes tilted upwards in order to see its prey during the Middle Cretaceous Period such as medium sized titanosaurs and sauropods. It might even have fed with T-Rex and other theropods occasionally.

Aside from the enormous girth and size of the Sarcosuchus imperator, the large protuberance located at the end if the snout called bulla is the notable feature of this prehistoric crocodile. Nobody knows what the real purpose of the large protuberance was, but is believed that this prehistoric crocodile use it to communicate. It may also have been responsible for the enhanced sense of smell of this SuperCroc or a selected chcaracteristic (sexually). It means that if a Sarcosuchus imperator has a very big bulla, it would like mate in order to produce baby SuperCrocs.

Even if the Sarcosuchus imperator was considered as big, it was not the only prehistoric crocodile during the Mesozoic Era which was granted with the massive bulk. The closest competitor of the Sarcosuchus imperator when it comes to size was the Deinosuchus or the terrible crocodile. Adult Deinosuchus can grow as long as 30 feet and weighs up to 10 tons (compared to the 40 feet length and 15 tons for the Sarcosuchus imperator). But when it comes to the comparison of the two genera, the problem is that all crocodiles grow and grow all throughout their entire lifetime (when it comes to the Sarcosuchus, it is about one foot a year). Some of the individual crocodiles have lived loner compared to the others.

Another fact concerning the Sarcosuchus imperator is that is has shared territory with the biggest carnivorous dinosaur during the Mesozoic Era, the Spinosaurus. Maybe you are one of those people who get curious of what would have been the scenario if the two have encountered each other. It would probably be a battle to the death where only one will prevail and be declared as the territorial master.

Sarcosuchus Imperator

During the Late Permian Period, Moschops capensis was the largest terrestrial animal which is 16 feet long. This herbivore was built heavily with jaws fitted with short and chisel-like teeth which were used for cropping plants. The forelimbs of this massive animal was sprawled outwards which is manifested in the modern day lizard, while the limbs behind the animal was formed like those of the mammals which was situated right under its body. The diet of the Moschops is composed mainly of plants but sometimes it also consumes meat.

Distinguished characteristics of the Moschops include having a thick skull, longer front legs compared to the hind limbs and short tail. The thickened skull of this herbivores shows that these animals are competing against one another by butting their heads which is evident nowadays to mountain sheep. A lot of paleontologists agreed that the short tail of the Moschops is used as a balancing aid to the large head of the animal. But unfortunately, this herbivore might be the natural food source for the predatory therapsids like the Lycaenops.

Moschops showed how the process of evolution produces the same types of animals to inhabit same ecological niches. This herbivore is a therapsid or a reptile which have the same characteristics with mammals and is very similar to hadrosaurs and ornithopods such as Maiasaura and Iguanodon. The characteristics that Moschops shared with the later dinosaurs include being thickly set, medium size built and closer to the ground which makes browsing on low vegetation very easy.

The classic and splay footed posture as well as having tinier brain showed the Moschops was a less evolved animal. But during the Triassic Period, the mammal-like reptile family from which Moschops belongs is the origin of those earliest and true mammals that walked the Earth.earliest and true mammals that walked the Earth.

In the popular culture, Moschops was the protagonist on the short-lived television series for kids, with the same title as the name of the reptile back in 1983. The series only ran for 13 episodes with accompanying books. The reason behind the early departure of the television show is not clear, whether the TV show’s producers knew or not that Moschops was technically not a dinosaur. The show also contains disparity when it comes to scientific inaccuracy as the Moschop shares a dwelling with an Allosaurus best friend and Diplodocus grandfather which might confuse children.

Maybe the early departure of the 1983 television show was good as it has not yet faded into an obscurity in the pop culture.

Moschops Capensis

In 1975, fossils of this deadly raptor were discovered by Jim Jensen in the Dalton Wells Quarry in Utah’s east-central region but were disregarded by the scientific community. But when Carl Limoni has discovered a big foot-claw in October 1991, other scientists have also uncovered further skeletal remains in the Gaston Quarry in the Grand County Utah which is part of the Cedar Mountain Formation.

The large claws on their feet are distinguished characteristics of these meat-eating dinosaurs which they use to kill their prey. These claws make this dinosaur a very dangerous opponent and predator as when this large and pointed weapon caught their prey means death and meal for them.

Utahraptor ostrommaysorum is considered by many paleontologists as the largest raptor that has ever roamed the Earth with its almost 23 foot long length when measured from its head up to the tail. The weight of the utahraptor is almost half of a ton. The weight of this carnivore may not be enough when compared to those multi-ton sauropods and ornithopods of the Early Cretaceous Period. But when you realize the presence of another popular raptor, the Deinonychus (which starred in the Jurassic Park movies of Steven Spielberg) which weighed at about 200 pounds, the size of the utahraptor ostrommaysorum would be enough.

Given its massive size, the hind feet of the utahraptor ostrommaysorum were equipped with big single claws that corresponds their behemoth built. The length of the claws on the hind feet of the utahraptor is about a foot long and is very dangerous to any prey that they stalked. They used their claws to slash and rip their prey. A lot of scientists believe that the utahraptor ostrommaysorum have hunted like the saber-toothed tiger which inflict puncturing and deep gash wounds during sudden ambushes and suddenly withdraws from the ambush site leaving the unfortunate prey while bleeding to their end.

It very odd that the utahraptor ostrommaysorums lived for millions of ages before their more famous descendants of raptors, terrorizing a lot of quivering and running herbivores at the early stage of the Cretaceous Period rather than on the Late Cretaceous Period. It is more often to happen that tiny ancestors of dinosaurs will have descendants with massive sizes, but when it comes to the raptors, their evolution appeared to have different effect as they happened in reverse mode.

The utahraptor ostrommaysorum was closely related to Achillobator which is a raptor of the central Asian region. This big feathered theropod has roamed ancient Earth for almost 40 million years after the utahraptor ostrommaysorum.

Utahraptor Ostrommaysorum

This flying dinosaur is considered as the most extraordinary species among the pterosaurs with a wingspan of more than 30 feet. The dominant structure of this dinosaur must have been the source of fear for those terrestrial animals when they dive down during its flight while searching for its food. But a recent analytical examination of the anatomy of Quetzalcoatlus Northropi shows that this flying creature has lived a terrestrial existence in a complete manner hunting its prey with its two legs just like its contemporary tyrannosaurus and raptors of the Late Cretaceous Period.

The excavated remains of this flying dinosaur revealed that it has a long and pointed beak. A crest on its skull was also present but the actual size and form is still a mystery to a lot of people even paleontologists. When the fossilized remains of Quetzalcoatlus Northropi was discovered, a lot of scientists have estimated its wingspan as big as 15.9 meters, but further studies showed that the actual size of its wings might have been 10 to 11 meters only.

Estimates for the actual size of this flying creature are very difficult to achieve due to lack of existing species with the same body pan and size from which to compare this prehistoric animal. There are varying studies regarding the size of this creature, some said that is has low body mass of 70 kilograms while those which are published in the 2000s showed that it weighed for more than 200 kilograms.

Even today, scientists still find it hard to track the lifestyle of the Quetzalcoatlus Northropi. A known fact in the scientific community showed if this creature really flew, Quetzalcoatlus Northropi only glided in the air rather than flapping its wings during its flight. The belief is due to cold-blooded characteristic of the animal (presumed) and its behemoth size making it impossible for the Quetzalcoatlus Northropi to really flap its wings.

Another uncertainty regarding this creature is the feeding mechanism. Paleontologists believed that Quetzalcoatlus Northropi have been a scavenger of carcasses, gobbled down or even plucked out fish from the water for its food. Although it is one of the biggest flying creatures that were ever discovered (if it ever flew), the Quetzalcoatlus Northropi is not the only behemoth sized pterosaur of the Mesozoic Period, but when it comes to body mass, it outweighs its closest relatives.

Although considered as the largest dinosaur that has ever flown, some scientists believed that the Hatzegopteryx, a European pterosaur has the potential to become even bigger compared to the Quetzalcoatlus Northropi, but the lack of fossilized remains makes it difficult to speculate.

Quetzalcoatlus Northropi

Supersaurus Vivianae was uncovered in 1972. However in 1985 Jim Jensen discovered fossils of in the Morrison Formation of Colorado, USA, and he tends to be given recognition for the discovery of Supersaurus Vivianae.

The fossils found by Jensen were given the nickname ‘Jimbo’ by those working at the dig site.

At 100 feet (30 meters) in length this ‘super lizard’ was a plant eater (herbivore).  Supersaurus Vivianae is believed to have been rare and walked the earth during the Late Jurassic period. A shoulder bone of this beast measured nearly eight feet long.

Other fossils discovered at the Dry Mesa Quarry in Southern Colorado have also proved to be Supersaurus these included –

• A tail vertebra
• A complete pelvis and sacrum
• An ischium (one of the small bones of the pelvis)
• A section of 12 articulated tail vertebrae.

The Dry Mesa Quarry has given up hundreds of dinosaur bones and digging continues, in time more bones of the Supersaurus Vivianae  will hopefully be recovered enabling palaeontologists to piece together more of the history and life of Supersaurus Vivianae .

Given the vast size of these dinosaurs it seems likely they ate almost constantly feasting on leaves and shoots from tress and possibly even ferns and other plants growing in the ground. In order to assist with digestion it is believed the stomachs of the reptiles contained stomach stones called Gastroliths, which would grind down the foliage in the stomach.

These colossal dinosaurs are known to be among the very biggest reptiles which have ever roamed the earth.

In 1996 an entire Supersaurus was unearthed in Douglas, Wyoming, USA, it is hoped that after detailed study more will be discovered about the huge creature, which will provide the answers to some of the outstanding and unusual questions about the original find by Vivian Jones, who’s find seems to be out of place with regards to the period when the Supersaurus Vivianae is believed to have roamed the planet.

Many scientists having studied the fossils of Supersaurus now think that they would have been unable to life their head higher than their shoulders, although the extreme length of the neck would have served well in grazing.

Scientist now also think the extremely long tail may have been used in a whipping or snapping action, which due to its huge size would have made a deafening noise as it hit the ground, which they could have used to scare off predators, or could maybe have been used for communication over long distances.

Supersaurus Vivianae

Four neck vertebrae were found in Oklahoma in the Southwest of America found in rocks of the Early Cretaceous period.

The fossils were found in 1994 by Dr. Richard Cifelli and a team from the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at the Antlers Formation in Atoka County, Oklahoma, but mis-identified as being pieces of petrified wood; however in 1999 a detailed analysis found they were in fact dinosaur bones.

Examination of the fossils and compering them to other dinosaur fossils leads paleontologists to speculate that the Sauroposeidon Proteles to have had a length of 98 feet (30 meters), with a neck which could extend some 56 feet (17 meters) which is as high as a six-story building; and weighing in at about 36 to 40 metric tons (40 to 44 short tons). The shoulders of the Sauroposeidon Proteles are estimated to have been 22 to 24 feet (7 meters) from the ground.

Given the huge proportions of this reptile is it classed as one of the biggest dinosaurs ever to have walked the earth. Given the huge size of this monster dinosaur it is very possible the ground shook when this creature walked around.

The largest of the vertebra found measured 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) and with a measurable rib on vertebra 6 measuring 11.2 feet (3.42 meters), this dinosaur was a giant. However examination of bones revealed they were honeycombed with tiny air cells, this structure would make the bones very thin rather like those of an ostrich, which would make the huge neck lighter and easier to lift and move. The Sauroposeidon Proteles looked rather like a giraffe with a short body and a long neck, but was 30 times bigger than the largest giraffe on earth today, which means it would be able to look over the top of a six story building.

The Sauroposeidon Proteles is believed to have been an herbivore (plant eater) and it is estimated it would have eaten at least one ton of plant material a day in order to sustain it health and energy. Living in a then river delta the swamp conditions provided the habitat for the Sauroposeidon Proteles to thrive.

Other bones have been found in recent years which are believed to belong to the Sauroposeidon Proteles, according to Richard Cifelli, a paleontologist at the University of Oklahoma USA, “the Sauroposeidon Proteles could have been the biggest creature ever to have walked the Earth”.

The sheer size and weight of the Sauroposeidon Proteles is difficult for us to imagine, even the biggest of the animals on Earth today would be dwarfed by the colossal size of this ancient giant.

Sauroposeidon Proteles

The fossils of the Argentinosaurus Huinculensis are enormous and make it one of the largest dinosaur remains ever found. The herbivorous giant is estimated to have roamed the earth in the Mid Cretaceous period, some 98 million years ago.

With dorsal vertebras among the largest ever recorded they are some 5 .6 feet (1.70 meters) high. The femur of the giant is almost 5ft 10 inches (181 centimetres) long and it is possible that this huge beast weighed around 90 tonnes. From the pieces of fossil which have been found to date it is estimated that Argentinosaurus Huinculensis stood some 98 to 115 feet tall, (30 to 35 meters). Argentinosaurus Huinculensis was a long animal at 98 to 115 feet (30 to 35 meters) in length.

To date there hasn’t been a great deal of the Argentinosaurus Huinculensis discovered,

• 3 anterior dorsal vertebrae
• 3 posterior dorsal vertebrae
• 1^st to 5^th sacrum vertebra (only the ventral sector)
• Most of the right side of the sacral ribs
• A large part of the fragmented dorsal rib
• Right tibia

One of the vertebra measured 5.2 feet (1.59 meters) with the tibia measuring 4 feet 10 inches (155 centimetres). The incomplete femur measured approximately 3.9 feet (1.18 meters). These measurements allow the palaeontologists to estimate the huge size of this dinosaur. A long neck and small head was a feature of this massive reptile.

The vast ‘wings’ on the vertebra suggest the creature had huge muscles, the ‘wings’ are thought to be were the muscles would have been attached to the spine.

These giant reptiles laid eggs about the size of a rugby ball, and it is believed it took some 40 years for the reptile to mature into an adult. It’s thought that Argentinosaurus Huinculensis lived and travelled in herds of maybe 20, thundering across the open ground in search of plants and trees, which made up its basic diet. The long neck of the Argentinosaurus Huinculensis is thought to have helped the giant feed, reaching tree tops and being able to graze large sweeps of ground.

Due to the lack of fossil having been found up to now, of this gigantic dinosaur it is difficult for palaeontologists to give exact sizing of the Argentinosaurus Huinculensis, the length of the tail and neck have been gauged using the proportions of other dinosaurs of similar bone structure which have more fossils for the scientists to study.

With the advances in modern science more and more fossils are being discovered and palaeontologists are able to delve deeper into the past to uncover more of the history and lifestyle of the world’s most famous giants.

Argentinosaurus Huinculensis