Dinosaur Lecture Review

Vocabulary flashcards for dinosaur lecture review.

Saurischia

One of the two main divisions of dinosaurs; includes both herbivorous sauropods and carnivorous theropods.

Synapomorphies of Saurischia

Elongated neck vertebrae, grasping hands, air sacs, and a pubis bone that points down and forward.

Sauropodomorpha

A branch of Saurischia; herbivores with long necks, small heads, and long tails.

Sauropodomorpha Synapomorphies

Long necks, small heads, long tails, enlarged nares, and leaf-shaped teeth.

Prosauropods

Early sauropodomorphs, mostly bipedal, with serrated, leaf-shaped teeth for grinding plants.

Sauropods

Fully quadrupedal sauropodomorphs with gigantic body size and column-like limbs.

Peg or Spatulate-Shaped Teeth

Type of teeth found in sauropods, used for stripping vegetation rather than chewing.

Theropoda

A branch of Saurischia; mostly bipedal carnivores with hollow bones and three-toed limbs.

Theropoda Synapomorphies

Hollow bones, three-toed limbs, and sharp claws.

Ziphodont Teeth

Laterally compressed and serrated teeth found in theropods, adapted for carnivores.

Furcula

The wishbone, formed by fused clavicles in theropods.

Tetanurae

A subgroup of theropods with interlocking tail vertebrae and large hands.

Spinosauridae

Theropods with long, crocodile-like skulls, conical unserrated teeth. Lived near water and ate fish (semi-aquatic)

Tyrannosauroidea

Large, powerful theropod predators with strong jaws, sharp eyesight, reduced arms, and robust legs.

Maniraptora

Small, fast, feathered theropods with long arms, three-fingered hands, and a semi-lunate wrist bone.

Opisthopuby

A condition in maniraptors where the pubis bone points backward, similar to birds.

Pennaraptora

A subgroup of maniraptors with advanced flight-related adaptations, including the semilunate carpal bone.

Semilunate Carpal Bone

A wrist bone in pennaraptorans that allows wings to fold during flight.

Birds

Evolved from theropods; characterized by feathers, beaks, hollow bones, and endothermy.

Pygostyle

Fused tail bones in birds that support tail feathers.

Archaeopteryx

A transitional fossil showing both bird and dinosaur features.

Arboreal Hypothesis

A theory that flight evolved from tree-dwelling animals.

Cursorial Hypothesis

A theory that flight evolved from fast-running animals.

K/Pg Extinction Event

A mass extinction event, marked by an iridium layer and the Chicxulub Crater, that led to the disappearance of many species, including non-avian dinosaurs.

Iridium Layer

A layer of sediment enriched in iridium, associated with the asteroid impact at the K/Pg boundary.

air sac

helps with breathing: lightens bones

Air Sac

Helps with breathing; lightens bones

Arboreal Hypothesis

Flight evolved from tree-dwellers

Cursorial Hypothesis

Flight evolved from ground-runners

Furcula

Wishbone

Iridium

Rare asteroid metal

Maniraptora

Feathered theropods with long arms

Opisthopuby

Pubis bone points backward

Peg/Spatulate Teeth

Plant-stripping teeth

Pennaceous Feathers

Modern flight feathers

Pygostyle

Fused tail bone in birds

Semilunate Carpal Bone

Allows wrist to fold, helps with flight

Tetanurae

Theropods with stiff tails

Ziphodont Teeth

Serrated, blade-like carnivore teeth