Theropod dinosaurs are representatives of a detachment of bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs. But it is also a suborder of lizards. They lived in prehistoric times, in the Mesozoic era, starting from the Triassic period. The heyday of their life fell on the Jurassic and Cretaceous period, the latter became the decline of the life of all dinosaurs.
Predatory "beast" dinosaurs
Theropods differed from all other dinosaurs in that they walked on two legs. The front paws were very small in size, no more than half a meter. Theropods hardly used them. Scientists still cannot decide on their purpose.
Among them there were both carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs.
Carnivorous dinosaurs were from huge to very small sizes. The most ancient are found in the Triassic period. Scientists believe that their ancestors were some coelurosaurs from the group of carnosaurs, including tyrannosaurs. It is also believed that the origin of birds originates from theropods.
The oldest carnivorous dinosaurs include: the record holder for length and weight - Aliwalia (8meters / 1.5 tons), staurikosaurus, coelophysis, herrerasaurus, herrerasaurids. The latter appeared at the very beginning of the Triassic period and died out before or at the beginning of the Jurassic period. They were relatively small, only 2-3 meters long and about 80 centimeters high.
Tyrannosaurus rex - a ferocious theropod predator
Tyrannosaurs have existed since the beginning of the Jurassic period. The only well-studied late Cretaceous predator is the Tyrannosaurus rex. The theropod had a nasty bloodthirsty temper, sharp teeth and a brutal appetite, as well as a strong body, powerful legs and neck.
A huge head about 1.5 meters long was held on a short neck. In addition, it weighed almost seven tons and was 12-14 meters long. With all his ferocious appearance, he terrified all herbivores, even the largest dinosaurs. In nutrition, he did not disdain anything, even small relatives.
Rex mainly fed on herbivorous dinosaurs, but could take already killed prey from small predators. If he was very hungry, he could eat carrion.
Tyrannosaurus Neighbors
T-Rex wasn't the only one with such a ferocious temper. Other predatory dinosaurs of the Jurassic period also lived nearby. Here is a description of the predatory dinosaurs that lived next to the tyrannosaurs.
This is a Seratosaurus (North America), a "horned lizard" with a ridge of horns on its head. The eight-meter Metriacanthosaurus wore an incredible sail on its back, loved to eat herbivoresdinosaurs.
Ornitholest - a medium-sized predator - could run on both two and four legs. Megalosaurus - up to nine meters in length, strong, muscular, predator with sharp teeth (remains found in Europe). Dilophosaurus had two bone crests on its head at once, the body length was six meters. Moved quickly and skillfully on two legs.
Allosaurus is another Jurassic nightmare. A bloodthirsty reptile 11 meters long with strong strong hind legs, short three-toed forelimbs with claws and a toothy mouth. He terrified all the inhabitants of the forests where he lived. Some scientists consider it to be the ancestor of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Another medium-sized (three meters long) formidable killer predator is the Deinonychus "monstrous claw". It had two deadly bladed claws on both hind legs that popped out like spring-loaded bandit knives.
Small carnivorous theropods
In addition to large and medium carnivorous dinosaurs, there were also small and very small theropod predators. The smallest dinosaurs ate mainly insects, ants, small lizards, frogs, and dinosaur eggs.
For example, the egg-eating dinosaur oviraptor lived in East Asia. The small dinosaur Troodon (USA) had well developed both hind and forelimbs, with which it could rake leaves and sand poured to hide eggs. He sneaked up to the nest, grabbed an egg and threw it into his mouth, where he pierced it with sharpteeth.
The fastest carnivorous dinosaurs walkers
The segisaurs belong to fast, medium-sized dinosaurs - with lightning-fast movements and the embodiment of speed, with a huge, for their small stature, mouth with sharp teeth, which allows you to quickly swallow small prey.
Another runner - pokesaur (translated as fleet-footed lizard) - fast as lightning, grabbing darting small prey underfoot. Compsognathus is the smallest, 60 cm long from nose to tail tip, and is like a medium-sized chicken, but the most ferocious dinosaur.
It was precisely because of such small carnivores that the life of herbivores, especially small cubs, became deadly.
Herbivorous dinosaurs from the Triassic period
The most ancient herbivorous dinosaurs, they are also called prosauropods, lived in the Triassic period (South America). There were not very big ones, for example, Massaur, about three meters in length, but the Riohasaurus found in the same place turned out to be much larger and more massive.
The remains of another ancient dinosaur Nyasosaurus found in Africa, its length was only two meters. The tecontosaurus found in England turned out to be even older. All representatives were similar to each other. They had small heads, long necks and tails, short forelimbs, most often five-fingered and with claws. They could not raise their heads high (due to problems with the cervical vertebrae), they had to collect leaves (as food) from the ground or be content with undergrowth and twigs that grew lower.
Herbivorous theropods of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods
Descendants from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods were called "Ornithischians", they were very different in their huge size from their ancestors. They became larger, more massive, there were three fingers on the front paws, instead of five.
None of the animals living on earth could and can not be compared with herbivorous dinosaurs. By creating them, nature has surpassed itself.
Apatosaurs (brontosaurs), diplodocus and brachiosaurs are real champions in height and weight. This large group of dinosaurs was called "sauropods".
- The most massive was the Brachiosaurus, its weight was about 50 tons.
- The longest neck is Mamenchisaurus, its neck was about 15 meters long.
- The longest tail has grown in diplodocus - as much as 12 meters.
- Shanosaurus turned out to have the most unusual tail, with a mace-shaped bony outgrowth growing at its end.
- Those with not very long necks: Camarasaurus, Vulcanodon, Ouranosaurus with its magnificent sail on its back, which served to cool.
Relatively small dinosaurs: Iguanodon, Psittacosaurus and Protoceraptos with their beaks did not suffer much from a lack of food. Vegetation in the Jurassic period was enough for everyone, because trees and shrubs grew in abundance.
Caring mothers and their offspring
Dinosaurs, like most modern reptiles, laid eggs. This is confirmed by many finds of fossilized ovipositions, they differed in size and laying. Somedinosaur eggs were laid in a circle, others in a spiral, and others in a line. An interesting fact: in the entire history of excavations, archaeologists have never found eggs of a tyrannosaurus rex.
Having arranged a nest in an earthen hole, the female laid eggs there, then covered them with leaves and small debris on top so that predators would not notice. Some dinosaurs piled dry twigs and leaves on top not only for protection, but also to maintain a certain temperature.
Mommies did not leave the nest with eggs for a long time, they were constantly nearby to save the cubs from the attacks of various predators. They left only to eat and drink. Scientists concluded that the sex of the future dinosaur cubs depended on the temperature in the nest. But in any case, there were almost always more "girls" than "boys".
At first, newborn cubs stayed close to their mothers until they became large and strong enough to forage for themselves and run away or defend themselves from enemies.
