Reptiles part 2 + birds Lecture 20

Superorder Dinosauria

• Primarily WHAT reptiles, some of them of large size, some of the largest animals in the history of life on Earth.

• Rarely readapted to the WHAT environments.

• The dominant group of terrestrial organisms almost throughout the WHAT.

• WHAT (Carnian) – WHAT.

• Became extinct at the WHAT/WHAT boundary event, during one of the most significant mass extinction event in the history of life on Earth.

Superorder Dinosauria

• Primarily TERRESTRIAL reptiles, some of them of large size, some of the largest animals in the history of life on Earth.

• Rarely readapted to the AQUATIC environments.

• The dominant group of terrestrial organisms almost throughout the MESOZOIC.

• UPPER TRIASSIC (Carnian) – CRETACOUS.

• Became extinct at the CRETACEOUS/PALEOGENE boundary event, during one of the most significant mass extinction event in the history of life on Earth.

Dinosaur classification

• Superorder Dinosauria is subdivided into two orders based on the position of the WHAT of the pelvic girdle.
  – Order WHAT (resembles the position known from the WHAT)
  – Order WHAT (resembles the position encountered in WHAT).

Dinosaur classification

• Superorder Dinosauria is subdivided into two orders based on the position of the PUBIS BONE of the pelvic girdle.
  – Order SAURISCHIA (resembles the position known from the LIZARDS)
  – Order ORNITISCHIA (resembles the position encountered in BIRDS).

Order Saurischia

• The earliest dinosaurs were WHAT.

• Primarily, they were WHAT and subsequently became WHAT.

• Earliest saurischians occur in the WHAT Hemisphere; most of the occurrences are in WHAT (Argentina and Brazil), less frequently in WHAT (Zimbabwe).

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT (Carnian) – WHAT.

Order Saurischia

• The earliest dinosaurs were SAURISCHIANS.

• Primarily, they were BIPEDAL and subsequently became QUADRUPEDAL.

• Earliest saurischians occur in the SOUTHERN Hemisphere; most of the occurrences are in SOUTH AMERICA (Argentina and Brazil), less frequently in SOUTH AFRICA (Zimbabwe).

• Stratigraphical range: UPPER TRIASSIC (Carnian) – CRETACEOUS.

Order Saurischia

• The earliest saurischian dinosaurs were insectivores and rapidly adopted a WHAT diet.

• Order Saurischia is subdivided into two suborders:
  – WHAT
  – WHAT

Order Saurischia

• The earliest saurischian dinosaurs were insectivores and rapidly adopted a CARNIVOROUS diet.

• Order Saurischia is subdivided into two suborders:
  – TEROPODA
  – SAUROPODOMORPHA

Suborder Theropoda

• The representatives of this suborder present a wide variability in size, from a few tens of centimeters to ten meters in length.

• Some of them were WHAT throughout the group’s history.

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT (Carnian) – WHAT.

Suborder Theropoda

• The representatives of this suborder present a wide variability in size, from a few tens of centimeters to ten meters in length.

• Some of them were APEX PREDATORS throughout the group’s history.

• Stratigraphical range: UPPER TRIASSIC (Carnian) – CRETACEOUS.

Theropoda - Herrerasaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

• First large sized WHAT

Theropoda - Herrerasaurus

• Upper TRIASSIC

• Argentina

• First large sized PREDATORS

Therapoda - Caudipteryx

• Lower WHAT

• WHERE

Therapoda - Caudipteryx

• Lower CRETACEOUS

• CHINA

Theropoda - Tyrannosaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Theropoda - Tyrannosaurus

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• USA (montana)

Therapoda - Oviraptor

• Shows WHAT

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Therapoda - Oviraptor

• Shows NESTS

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• Mongolia

Evolution of flight

• An interesting evolutionary trend within the theropod group started in the LATE JURASSIC times - CRETACEOUS.

• Some of the small-sized theropods started to develop features resembling those of the birds (PREAVIAN theropods).

• It all began with ARCHAROPTERYX LITHOGRAPHICA

Evolution of flight

• An interesting evolutionary trend within the theropod group started in the WHAT times - WHAT.

• Some of the small-sized theropods started to develop features resembling those of the birds (WHAT theropods).

• It all began with WHAT

• WHAT was the first representative of birds (not a bird)

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

• Archaeopteryx lithographica was the first representative of birds (not a bird)

• Upper JURASSIC

• Germany

Preavians

• Starting in the WHAT times, new taxa with more evident WHAT morphological features evolved (preavians).

• They were still reptiles, but with a strongly modified morphology when compared with that of the main theropod nexus.

Preavians

• Starting in the CRETACEOUS times, new taxa with more evident BIRD morphological features evolved (preavians).

• They were still reptiles, but with a strongly modified morphology when compared with that of the main theropod nexus.

Preavians - Microraptor

• Lower WHAT

• WHERE

Preavians - Microraptor

• Lower CRETACEOUS

• CHINA

Preavians - Confuciusornis

• Lower WHAT

• WHERE

Preavians - Confuciusornis

• Lower CRETACEOUS

• China

Preavians - Parahesperornis

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Preavians - Parahesperornis

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• USA (kansas)

Class Aves

• The true birds evolved after the WHAT/WHAT mass extinction event.

• Features: disappearance of WHAT; toe rearrangement (WHAT to the front, one situated backwards and WHAT of the fifth toe); evolution of WHAT bones; keeled downward projected WHAT; feathers cover most of the body surface.

Class Aves

• The true birds evolved after the CRETACEOUS/PALEOGENE mass extinction event.

• Features: disappearance of TEETH; toe rearrangement (THREE to the front, one situated backwards and LOSS of the fifth toe); evolution of PNEUMATIC bones; keeled downward projected STERNUM; feathers cover most of the body surface.

Aves - Diatryma

• WHAT

• WHERE

Aves - Diatryma

• Eocene

• USA

Aves - Gastrornis

• Lower WHAT

• WHERE

Aves - Gastrornis

• Lower EOCENE

• USA

Suborder Sauropodomorpha

• Massive WHAT reptiles, some weighting over 50 tons.

• WHAT, but some of the earlier representatives were WHAT.

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT – WHAT.

Suborder Sauropodomorpha

• Massive QUADRUPEDAL reptiles, some weighting over 50 tons.

• VEGETARIANS, but some of the earlier representatives were OMNIVORES.

• Stratigraphical range: UPPER TRIASSIC – CRETACEOUS.

Sauropodomorpha - Camarasaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHAT

Sauropodomorpha - Camarasaurus

• Upper JURASSIC

• North America

Sauropodomorpha - Nequensaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Sauropodomorpha - Nequensaurus

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• Argentina

Sauropodomorpha - Brachiosaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Sauropodomorpha - Brachiosaurus

• Upper JURASSIC

• USA (colorado)

• WHAT is the largest sauropodomorpha

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

• ARGENTINOSAURUS is the largest sauropodomorpha

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• Argentina

Order Ornithischia

• The representatives of this order were WHAT. WHAT, less frequently bipedal.

• The order is subdivided into five suborders:
  – WHAT
  – WHAT
  – WHAT
  – WHAT
  – WHAT

Order Ornithischia

• The representatives of this order were VEGETARIAN. QUADRUPEDAL, less frequently bipedal.

• The order is subdivided into five suborders:
  – ORNITHOPEDA
  – STEGOSAURIA
  – PACHYCEPHALOSAURIA
  – ANKYLOSAURIA
  – CERATOPSIDA

Order Ornithischia

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT (Norian) – WHAT.

Order Ornithischia

• Stratigraphical range: UPPER TRAISSIC (Norian) – CRETACEOUS.

Suborder Ornithopoda

• The early ornithopods were relatively small, but in the later part of their evolution reached a size of up to WHAT meters.

• Both WHAT and WHAT.

• Stratigraphical range: Upper Triassic (WHAT) – Cretaceous.

Suborder Ornithopoda

• The early ornithopods were relatively small, but in the later part of their evolution reached a size of up to EIGHT meters.

• Both BIPEDAL and QUADRUPEDAL.

• Stratigraphical range: Upper Triassic (NORIAN) – Cretaceous.

Suborder Stegosauria

• Quadrupedal dinosaurs with a WHAT body.

• WHAT when running

• They present osteoderms on the WHAT side.

• The tail can present WHAT used for defense.

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT – WHAT

Suborder Stegosauria

• Quadrupedal dinosaurs with a MASSIVE body.

• DIPEDAL when running

• They present osteoderms on the DORSAL side.

• The tail can present SPIKES used for defense.

• Stratigraphical range: JURASSIC – LOWER CRETACEOUS.

Stegosauria - Stegosaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Stegosauria - Stegosaurus

• Upper JURASSIC

• USA

Suborder Pachycephalosauria

• WHAT dinosaurs with a rather small body; occur only in the WHAT Hemisphere.

• They present a characteristic thickening of the WHAT

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT.

• Only WHAT hemisphere

Suborder Pachycephalosauria

• BIPEDAL dinosaurs with a rather small body; occur only in the NORTHERN Hemisphere.

• They present a characteristic thickening of the SKULL ROOF.

• Stratigraphical range: CRETACEOUS.

• Only NORTHERN hemisphere

Pachycephalosauria - Pachycephalosaurus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Pachycephalosauria - Pachycephalosaurus

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• Canada

Suborder Ankylosauria

• WHAT dinosaurs that evolved WHAT that form a dorsal shield.

• They present a characteristic thickening of the WHAT, which can have a club-like aspect, and was used for defense.

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT.

Suborder Ankylosauria

• QUADRUPEDAL dinosaurs that evolved BONY PLATES that form a dorsal shield.

• They present a characteristic thickening of the TAIL END, which can have a club-like aspect, and was used for defense.

• Stratigraphical range: CRETACEOUS.

Ankylosauria - Euoplocephalus

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Ankylosauria - Euoplocephalus

• Upper CREATCEOUS

• CANADA

Suborder Ceratopsida

• WHAT dinosaurs that present a gradual development of a WHAT shield with WHAT used for defense.

• The earlier representatives lack WHAT.

• Stratigraphical range: WHAT.

Suborder Ceratopsida

• QUADRUPEDAL dinosaurs that present a gradual development of a CEPHALIC shield with HORNS used for defense.

• The earlier representatives lack HORNS.

• Stratigraphical range: UPPER CRETACEOUS.

Ceratopsida - Triceratops

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

• Cephalic shield with WHAT

Ceratopsida - Triceratops

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• USA

• Cephalic shield with HORNS

Certopsida - Protoceratops

• Cephalic shield without WHAT

• Upper WHAT

• WHERE

Certopsida - Protoceratops

• Cephalic shield without HORNS

• Upper CRETACEOUS

• Mongolia