Appearance and Anatomy Flashcards
What is Paleontology?
The study of dinosaurs
What is a fossil?
Any preserved evidence left behind by prehistoric life
What is a feces fossil called?
Coprolites
What are adaptations?
Traits that have evolved to serve specific functions
What are the functions of bones?
Passive Gravity Resistance, Rigid Framework for muscle attachment, Protection, Store Mineral Reserves
What are Vertebrates?
Animals that have skulls and vertebrae
What are Vertebrae?
Structures of bone and cartilage that surround the spinal cord and provide support
What is the vertebral column?
Interlocking chain of vertebrae
What is the counterpart to verterbrates?
Invertebrates
What are some examples of invertebrates?
insects, worms, clams, squid
What is the brain case?
The large hollow chamber found in skulls, used to house the organism’s brain
What are the nares?
Openings in the skull used for olfaction and nostrils
What are Orbits?
Openings in the skull for the eyesocket
What are the additional opening in the skulls of dinosaurs called?
Fenestrae
How many Fenestrae do dinosaurs have?
3 pairs
Where are the laterotemporal fenestrae found?
Laterally behind the orbits
Where are the supratemporal fenestrae found?
superiorly and behind the orbits
Where are the antorbital fenestrae found?
In front of the orbits
What is the body of a vertebrae called?
The centrum
What does the neural arch protect?
The spinal cord
What is the canal in the vertebrae called?
The neural canal
What do the vertebral processes do?
Provide attachment surfaces for muscles and articulation for ribs
What are the two common vertebral processes?
Transverse Process and spinous process
What kinds of vertebrae are there?
Cervical, dorsal, sacral, caudal
What is special about the sacral vertebrae?
They are fused together into the sacrum
What are Chevrons?
Bones beneath the caudal vertebrae used to protect large blood vessels and nerves for the tail
Which vertebrae can support ribs in dinosaurs?
every vertebrae
What vertebrae support the rib cage?
The Dorsal Vertebrae
What are Gastralia?
Small Ventral Ribs, underneath the full rib cage
What are the two limb girdles found in dinosaurs?
Pectoral girdle and pelvic girdle
What is the largest contributing bone to the pectoral girdle?
Scapula (Shoulder blade)
What bones make up the hips of the dinosaur?
Ilium, pubis and ischium
What is the acetabulum?
The hole in the pelvic girdle by which the lower extremities articulate
What are the bones of the upper extremity?
Humerus, Radius, Ulna, carpals, metacarpals and phalanges
What are the bones of the lower extremity?
Femur, Fibula, Tibia, Metatarsals, and Phalanges
How did dinosaurs stand on their hind limbs?
On the toes of their feet
What are Saurischian Dinosaurs called?
Lizard hipped dinosaurs
What are Ornithischian Dinosaurs called?
Bird-hipped Dinosaurs
What is the difference between Ornithischian and Saurischian dinosaurs?
Saurischian Dinosaurs have a forward-facing pubis, Ornithischian Dinosaurs have a backward-facing pubis
What types of dinosaurs did birds evolve from?
Theropods, Saurischians
What are the two large groups of Saurischians?
Sauropodomorphs and Theropods
What are the three main groups of sauropodomorphs?
Sauropomorphs, Prosauropods, Sauropods
What are the differences between Sauropods and Theropods?
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
What are the five groups of Ornithischians?
Ornithopods, Pachycephalosaurs, Ceratopsians, Stegosaurs, and Ankylosaurs
What types of dinosaurs are ornithopods?
Iguanodonts and hadrosaurs
What type of teeth do hadrosaurs have?
Dental Batteries
What were characteristics of Pachycephalosaurs?
Bipedal, stout strong tails, domed skulls, backwards facing horns
What are characteristics of Ceratopsians?
Large Parrot-Like beaks, Large frill coming off the back of the skull serves almost as a neck protection, may possess dental batteries
What are characteristics of Stegosaurs?
Rows of projecting osteoderms and spiked tails, narrow snouts
What are characteristics of Ankylosaurs?
Heavily armoured by osteoderms, some have osteoderms on the ends of their tails making them club-like
What is integument?
The body covering of a dinosaur
Why is it difficult for soft-tissues to be preserved as fossils?
Softer tissues decay faster than harder tissues like bone
What are fossils with a lot of skin called?
Mummies
What is Keratin?
A tough flexible material that covered the scales of dinosaurs
What is Sinosauropteryx?
A small carnivorous dinosaur found in china with preserved feathers, buried under volcanic ash
What is the largest known feathered dinosaur?
Yutyrannus
How can we determine slightly the colour of dinosaurs?
Through melanosomes in feathered dinosaurs
What specimens showed that ornithischians may have had feathers?
Psittacosaurus, Tianyulong, kulindadromeus
How can we deduce muscles in dinosaurs?
By looking at attachment sites on the bones of the dinosaur
What was Scipionyx special for?
Being the most intact fossil to date with part of the trachea preserved as well as possibly remains of the heart
