Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs were vertebrate animals that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. more...

At the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago, dinosaurs suffered a catastrophic extinction, which ended their dominance on land. Modern birds are the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs.

Since the first dinosaur was recognized in the 19th century, their mounted, fossilized skeletons have become major attractions at museums around the world. Dinosaurs have become a part of world culture and remain consistently popular, especially among children. They have been featured in best-selling books and blockbuster films such as Jurassic Park, and new discoveries are regularly covered by the media.

The term dinosaur is sometimes used informally to describe other prehistoric reptiles, such as the pelycosaur Dimetrodon, the winged pterosaurs, and the aquatic ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs, though technically none of these were dinosaurs.

What is a dinosaur?

Definition

The taxon "Dinosauria" was formally named by the English scientist Richard Owen in 1842 as "a distinct tribe or suborder of Saurian reptiles". The term is derived from the Greek words δεινός (deinos - "terrible", "fearsome" or "formidable") and σαύρα (saura; "lizard" or "reptile"). Owen chose it to express his awe at the size and majesty of the extinct animals, not out of fear or trepidation at their size and often-formidable arsenal of teeth and claws.

Read more at Wikipedia.org