Movie-inspired images of the "age of dinosaurs" convince us that the vast majority of these dinosaurs were predators. However, even basic knowledge of biology calls into question this point of view. In modern nature, to feed a fairly small number of carnivores, the number of herbivores must be several times larger - otherwise the predators will simply die of starvation. An example is the regions where, with a decrease in the population of herbivorous species, a massive death of predators began.
It is unlikely that the situation was different in the time of the giant lizards. And although in the movies, for example, an attack by an evil predator looks more spectacular, there is no doubt that the species of herbivorous dinosaurs were much more diverse and numerous than the "community" of predators.
Mistakes in title
In general, there are plenty of misconceptions about dinosaurs. This is not surprising: they lived long before the appearance of mankind, reliable evidence about them -paleontological research, so you also need to correctly describe what you see! Even in the scientific name of the most famous (mainly due to unimaginable size) of these dinosaurs - sauropods - there is already a mistake. From Latin, the name can be translated as "dinosaurs with lizard legs." At the same time, the paws of these animals are closer to the elephant limbs, since they had to carry a very difficult carcass - from 10 to 40 tons. However, the name stuck.
Even the name "herbivorous" dinosaur deserves not every representative of the ancient fauna. Nevertheless, most of them were by no means small in size, so, rather, these giants were tree-eating, in extreme cases - herbivorous. They couldn't even see the grass from their height.
Variety of sizes
Since dinosaurs "ruled the world" for tens of millions of years, the herbivorous dinosaur gave rise to many "breeds". Some people know more, some less. The sizes of these animals also varied greatly. A dwarf dinosaur named Hesperonicus Elizabeth was half a meter long and weighed less than a cat - two kilos. In second place in terms of minimalism is compsognathus, three-quarters of a meter long and three kilograms in weight. It is worth noting, however, that both "Lilliputians" were predators, although they ate different small animals.
Causes of gigantism and features of external structure
But any average herbivorous dinosaur just differed in giantproportions. This is not surprising: in those days it was the most reliable way to protect yourself from the attack of a carnivorous aggressor. Firstly, with such growth, not every predator will jump to the vital organs. Secondly, the tails turned out to be reliable clubs, the well-aimed blow of which reliably brought down the aggressor. Thirdly, with such dimensions, additional armor and weapons are possible - horns, protective plates, etc. Fourthly, all types of herbivorous dinosaurs were herd animals, which increased their chances of survival. However, modern non-predators also live in herds.
In addition, the herbivorous dinosaur received an additional bonus from evolution: the main operating brain was located not in its head, but in the sacrum. A small amount of "gray matter" in the skull served mainly to control the eyes. But the sacral brain was 20 times larger and was responsible for everything else. As a result, sauropods had a very small skull, which is confirmed by excavations and illustrated by pictures of herbivorous dinosaurs.
An abundance of species is the result of nutrition
Scientists have found that the great variety of varieties of herbivorous dinosaurs is explained by the fact that they did not intersect "food zones". Each of the sauropods preferred their own diet. Even if they grazed on the same type of vegetation, someone preferred branches from the tops of trees, and someone (of a more modest size) ate the shoots or ferns at the foot. Moreover, some of the dinosaurs ate only one type of tree, which is completelyexcluded competition.
The most famous herbivorous dinosaurs, whose names are familiar even to children, lived mainly in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Among them are Brachiosaurus, Iguanodon, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus. All of them are giants, but paleontologists put the Argentinosaurus in the first place. It was the largest herbivorous dinosaur, sometimes weighing more than 60 tons. The second place is taken by the Brachiosaurus with a weight of 50 thousand kilograms.
Predator Transformation
The carnivorous-herbivorous dinosaur distribution, corresponding to the modern ratio of carnivores and herbivores, is confirmed by the research of Chicago scientists, who found that most coelurasaurs were either herbivorous or evolved from carnivores. This indicates a good ability to adapt, which was inherent in dinosaurs - there was not enough animal food, they "retrained" to vegetarian. Interestingly, in the process of transformation, many of them lost fangs and other teeth, and their muzzle was transformed into a beak.
New species of herbivorous dinosaur
It would seem that the study of sauropods has been going on for more than two centuries, all dinosaur deposits on Earth should have been found by now. However, paleontologists are still surprising discoveries.
Pennsylvania scientists from 1998 to 2000 discovered a previously undescribed dinosaur named Suuwassea emilieae. It is assumed that he was a "relative" of the diplodocus. Researchers, however, are already very interested in leg modifications.sauropod, which are visible on the bones, as well as an incomprehensible hole in the skull. Previously, such holes were found in only three types of dinosaurs.
So there are still mysteries posed by extinct lizards and not yet solved by scientists.
