Dino Tail -Dinosaur Study-

The Age of Dinosaurs

What is a Dinosaur? - Definition and Features

The current academic definition of a dinosaur is 'the most recent common ancestor of birds and Triceratops, and all of its descendants.'

The Age of Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs first appeared about 230 million years ago. They were small reptiles, like the 1-meter-long Eoraptor and Eodromaeus.

Types & Classification

Classifying Dinosaurs

The pelvis (hip bones) of dinosaurs comes in two different shapes. Based on the shape of the pelvis, they can be broadly divided into 'Saurischia' and 'Ornithischia'.

Further Classifying Dinosaurs

Saurischia is further divided into 'Theropoda' and 'Sauropodomorpha', while 'Marginocephalia', 'Thyreophora', and 'Ornithopoda' belong to Ornithischia.

How Many Types of Dinosaurs Were There?

About 800 species of dinosaurs have been reported so far. However...

The Largest Dinosaur

When you think of dinosaurs, the first thing that comes to mind is probably their 'size'. Especially large dinosaurs were....

What are Feathered Dinosaurs?

This refers to dinosaurs whose fossils have preserved traces of feathers. The first was confirmed as a fossil in 1996.

Dinosaur Life & Ecology

What Did Dinosaurs Eat?

Dinosaurs had herbivorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous diets.

How Fast Did Dinosaurs Walk & Run?

A method has been established to calculate this from fossil footprints and leg length.

The Lifespan of Dinosaurs

The cross-section of reptile bones has growth rings like a tree, which can be counted to determine their approximate age.

Dinosaur Parenting

In Mongolia, the theropod Oviraptor was discovered in a brooding position over its eggs.

The Skin of Dinosaurs

Recently, with the discovery of well-preserved fossils and advances in analytical techniques, it has become possible to determine their color in some cases.

Dental Battery (Replacement Teeth)

It is known that some herbivorous dinosaurs had countless replacement teeth under their jaws.

Others

Dinosaurs Discovered in Japan

Since the discovery of a sauropodomorph fossil in Iwate Prefecture in 1978, dinosaur fossils have been found one after another in Japan.

Why Did the Dinosaurs Go Extinct?

About 66 million years ago, all non-avian dinosaurs went extinct. What happened at that time is becoming clearer.

How to Tell the Sex of a Dinosaur (Male/Female)

Determining the sex of a dinosaur from a fossil is extremely difficult, but there are some clues.

World's Dinosaur Fossil Sites & Formations

The most famous fossil site in the world is probably Solnhofen in Germany. Here we introduce the main sites and formations.

Dinosaur Names and Meanings: Genus and Species

All living organisms are classified by being given a scientific name. Scientific names follow the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

How to Estimate the Weight of Dinosaurs

Knowing the size and weight is an important factor in understanding an animal's ecology. How do we estimate the weight of extinct dinosaurs?