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Paleontology 200 > Appearance and Anatomy > Flashcards

Appearance and Anatomy Flashcards

1
Q

What is Paleontology?

A

The study of dinosaurs

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2
Q

What is a fossil?

A

Any preserved evidence left behind by prehistoric life

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3
Q

What is a feces fossil called?

A

Coprolites

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4
Q

What are adaptations?

A

Traits that have evolved to serve specific functions

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5
Q

What are the functions of bones?

A

Passive Gravity Resistance, Rigid Framework for muscle attachment, Protection, Store Mineral Reserves

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6
Q

What are Vertebrates?

A

Animals that have skulls and vertebrae

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7
Q

What are Vertebrae?

A

Structures of bone and cartilage that surround the spinal cord and provide support

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8
Q

What is the vertebral column?

A

Interlocking chain of vertebrae

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9
Q

What is the counterpart to verterbrates?

A

Invertebrates

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10
Q

What are some examples of invertebrates?

A

insects, worms, clams, squid

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11
Q

What is the brain case?

A

The large hollow chamber found in skulls, used to house the organism’s brain

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12
Q

What are the nares?

A

Openings in the skull used for olfaction and nostrils

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13
Q

What are Orbits?

A

Openings in the skull for the eyesocket

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14
Q

What are the additional opening in the skulls of dinosaurs called?

A

Fenestrae

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15
Q

How many Fenestrae do dinosaurs have?

A

3 pairs

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16
Q

Where are the laterotemporal fenestrae found?

A

Laterally behind the orbits

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17
Q

Where are the supratemporal fenestrae found?

A

superiorly and behind the orbits

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18
Q

Where are the antorbital fenestrae found?

A

In front of the orbits

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19
Q

What is the body of a vertebrae called?

A

The centrum

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20
Q

What does the neural arch protect?

A

The spinal cord

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21
Q

What is the canal in the vertebrae called?

A

The neural canal

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22
Q

What do the vertebral processes do?

A

Provide attachment surfaces for muscles and articulation for ribs

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23
Q

What are the two common vertebral processes?

A

Transverse Process and spinous process

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24
Q

What kinds of vertebrae are there?

A

Cervical, dorsal, sacral, caudal

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25
Q

What is special about the sacral vertebrae?

A

They are fused together into the sacrum

26
Q

What are Chevrons?

A

Bones beneath the caudal vertebrae used to protect large blood vessels and nerves for the tail

27
Q

Which vertebrae can support ribs in dinosaurs?

A

every vertebrae

28
Q

What vertebrae support the rib cage?

A

The Dorsal Vertebrae

29
Q

What are Gastralia?

A

Small Ventral Ribs, underneath the full rib cage

30
Q

What are the two limb girdles found in dinosaurs?

A

Pectoral girdle and pelvic girdle

31
Q

What is the largest contributing bone to the pectoral girdle?

A

Scapula (Shoulder blade)

32
Q

What bones make up the hips of the dinosaur?

A

Ilium, pubis and ischium

33
Q

What is the acetabulum?

A

The hole in the pelvic girdle by which the lower extremities articulate

34
Q

What are the bones of the upper extremity?

A

Humerus, Radius, Ulna, carpals, metacarpals and phalanges

35
Q

What are the bones of the lower extremity?

A

Femur, Fibula, Tibia, Metatarsals, and Phalanges

36
Q

How did dinosaurs stand on their hind limbs?

A

On the toes of their feet

37
Q

What are Saurischian Dinosaurs called?

A

Lizard hipped dinosaurs

38
Q

What are Ornithischian Dinosaurs called?

A

Bird-hipped Dinosaurs

39
Q

What is the difference between Ornithischian and Saurischian dinosaurs?

A

Saurischian Dinosaurs have a forward-facing pubis, Ornithischian Dinosaurs have a backward-facing pubis

40
Q

What types of dinosaurs did birds evolve from?

A

Theropods, Saurischians

41
Q

What are the two large groups of Saurischians?

A

Sauropodomorphs and Theropods

42
Q

What are the three main groups of sauropodomorphs?

A

Sauropomorphs, Prosauropods, Sauropods

43
Q

What are the differences between Sauropods and Theropods?

A

Sauropods are herbivorous, Theropods are carnivorous, Sauropods are quadrupedal, Theropods are bipedal, Sauropod teeth are simple and peg like, Theropod teeth are serrated and blade like

44
Q

What are the five groups of Ornithischians?

A

Ornithopods, Pachycephalosaurs, Ceratopsians, Stegosaurs, and Ankylosaurs

45
Q

What types of dinosaurs are ornithopods?

A

Iguanodonts and hadrosaurs

46
Q

What type of teeth do hadrosaurs have?

A

Dental Batteries

47
Q

What were characteristics of Pachycephalosaurs?

A

Bipedal, stout strong tails, domed skulls, backwards facing horns

48
Q

What are characteristics of Ceratopsians?

A

Large Parrot-Like beaks, Large frill coming off the back of the skull serves almost as a neck protection, may possess dental batteries

49
Q

What are characteristics of Stegosaurs?

A

Rows of projecting osteoderms and spiked tails, narrow snouts

50
Q

What are characteristics of Ankylosaurs?

A

Heavily armoured by osteoderms, some have osteoderms on the ends of their tails making them club-like

51
Q

What is integument?

A

The body covering of a dinosaur

52
Q

Why is it difficult for soft-tissues to be preserved as fossils?

A

Softer tissues decay faster than harder tissues like bone

53
Q

What are fossils with a lot of skin called?

A

Mummies

54
Q

What is Keratin?

A

A tough flexible material that covered the scales of dinosaurs

55
Q

What is Sinosauropteryx?

A

A small carnivorous dinosaur found in china with preserved feathers, buried under volcanic ash

56
Q

What is the largest known feathered dinosaur?

A

Yutyrannus

57
Q

How can we determine slightly the colour of dinosaurs?

A

Through melanosomes in feathered dinosaurs

58
Q

What specimens showed that ornithischians may have had feathers?

A

Psittacosaurus, Tianyulong, kulindadromeus

59
Q

How can we deduce muscles in dinosaurs?

A

By looking at attachment sites on the bones of the dinosaur

60
Q

What was Scipionyx special for?

A

Being the most intact fossil to date with part of the trachea preserved as well as possibly remains of the heart

Paleontology 200 (12 decks)

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