There were at least a thousand types of dinosaurs roaming the world millions of years ago; these dinosaurs were both large and small. Some were no bigger than a chicken, while others were larger than a house. Plus, dinosaurs ate various foods. Many were meat-eaters, also known as carnivores. Others ate only plants making them herbivores. Certain dinosaurs ate meat and plants making them omnivores.
Dinosaurs are fascinating, and they are popular with children and adults because they teach us a lot about our world before we were here. For this reason, movies and slots with a dinosaur theme are fashionable.
The Periods When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth
Numerous people believe that all dinosaurs lived during the same period. However, this is not the case. Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic era, divided into three separate periods millions of years ago:
- Triassic – 240-213 million years.
- Jurassic – 213-144 million years.
- Cretaceous – 144-65 million years.
During these periods, various dinosaurs roamed. These dinosaurs then evolved over the years to become some of the animals that we know today. Crocodiles and birds are just two examples.
Types of Dinosaurs
Listed are only a handful of dinosaurs, due to their sheer numbers. These, however, are some of the most interesting:
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Allosaurus
A carnivorous dinosaur believed to live during the Jurassic era in parts of Northern America. However, fossils have also turned up in Australia and Africa. This dinosaur was 40 feet long, 10 feet high at the hips, and weighed up to 4.5 tons.
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Baryonyx
Classified as a meat-eater, this dinosaur lived during the Cretaceous period, and found in Spain, England, and European countries. Weighing more than 2 tons, this dinosaur was 19 feet tall and 31 feet long. Baronyx was unusual as it had a narrow skull and more than 60 sharp teeth, many more than other dinosaurs.
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Coelophysis
Smaller in size and carnivorous, this dinosaur lived during the Triassic period. As such, it is one of the first known dinosaurs to have lived in the southwest of America. Growing around 10 feet in length and 3 feet in height at the hips, this dinosaur weighed 44 pounds.
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Diplodocus
Eating plants, Diplodocus was around 84 feet tall and 100 feet long. Defined as heavy due to its 11 tons of weight, this dinosaur lived in the Jurassic era in Northern America.
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Kentosaurus
This dinosaur lived in Africa during the Jurassic era, and weighed around 2 tons, Standing 16 feet high, and 17 feet in length, the Kentosaurus was slow moving and had sharp spikes on its back. Triangular shaped plates also protected it from predators.
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Mamenchisaurus
One of the largest dinosaurs to live, Mamenchisaurus measuring around 110 feet in length and weighed 75 tons. The neck length of this dinosaur was 55 feet.
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Saltopus
A meat-eater from the Tabouriassic era, this dinosaur lived in Scotland. Weighing in at only 2 pounds, the Saltopus was only 2 feet high and about 2 feet long. Scientists believe it was fast and nimble.
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Zuniceratops
Living in the Cretaceous period this dinosaur comes from North America. An herbivore, this dinosaur was around 11 feet long and 3 feet tall. It weighed around 250 pounds and had horns like a Rhinoceros.