Making Yourself Taller

In life, things often seem as if they are out of reach.  Sometimes, this is true, and you need a ladder or something to help you.  In the wild, however, animals don't have access to conventional ladders.  So what do they do to get there?  Some animals become adapted to climbing, like those that live in forests (arboreal animals).  Other animals don't want to sacrifice a ground-dwelling life style for an arboreal one.  These animals must somehow make themselves taller.

Lots of different animals make themselves taller, by many different means.  Some animals simply grow bigger, like the giraffe and the long-necked dinosaurs (sauropods).  With their long necks, these animals can reach vegetation that is a great deal higher than most animals can reach.  Other animals put special things on their feet to make themselves taller called shoes.  Some of these shoes, known to scientists as "high-heels," are apparently designed to put the girl at optimal kissing height (a fact that I learned about from a friend of mine just a few days ago).  And finally, some animals simply stand up.

Like the gerenuk.  This interesting African antelope is one of my favorites!  As you can see in the picture below, the gerenuk, in order to access vegetation on a higher plane than most animals can, will rear up so it is supported solely by its back two legs, and feed from there.  Many paleontologists hypothesize that the sauropods could also do something similar, as supported by the fact that Apatosaurus babies would run solely on their back feet to keep up with the rest of the herd.

Gerenuk standing on their back legs to access higher vegetation at the Animal Kingdom park at Walt Disney World in Florida.  Photo Credit: Julie Neher

The Denver Gem and Mineral Show Part 6: Dinosaurs and Their Ancient Relatives

At last: here we go on the sixth post of our Denver Gem and Mineral Show series!  Even though I went with my friend Masaki Kleinkopf a few months ago, I still have a large number of picture that I am eager to share with you.  If you are interested in reading about the other posts in this series, feel free to check out the Homebase for the series HERE, with links to all of the other posts in the series that have been created thus far!  Today we will be looking at the dinosaurs, as well as an ancient relative!  Fasten your seat belts, everyone!

Here we have the skull of Allosaurus!  We have discussed Allosaurus extensively, especially in our 23-Fact Tuesday post, so click HERE to learn more about this fascinating creature!

A dinosaur who needs no introduction, but, as you can see, I am introducing him anyways: Tyrannosaurus rex!  I believe the second picture is of the foot of Tyrannosaurus, but I am not one hundred percent positive.

Psittacosaurus, one of the most primitive ceratopsian dinosaurs known to science.  It doesn't even have a frill or horns!  So how do we know that it is a ceratopsian dinosaur?  It has an extra bone on its upper jaw called the rostral.  It is this bone that distinguishes the ceratopsians from the other groups of dinosaurs.

Another dinosaur foot, this one belonging to Diplodocus, a large sauropod from the Late Jurassic Period, whose remains are found in the Morrison Formation. 

 Some fossil footprints that I am guessing belong to a theropod dinosaur, but I don't actually know.

Some fossil bones of a hadrosaur known as Edmontosaurus.  Here is what the card says: "Edmontosaurus sp.  Cervical vertebrae and bone.  Lance Formation.  Maastrichtian.  Late Cretaceous.  Niobrara County, Wyoming."

Some teeth belonging to the massive carnivorous dinosaur Carcharodontosaurus.  Up at the top of the picture, you can see a few from Spinosaurus, as well. 

Various teeth and claws from the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (RMDRC) booth.

This last guy, Desmatosuchus, is not actually a dinosaur, but a type of archosaur.  Although it looks quite fierce, Desmatosuchus belongs to an order of Late Triassic herbivores called the aetosaurs.  Desmatosuchus in particular has been found in Texas, and was around 15 or 16 feet in length. 

Denver on Dwellable

Animal of the Day: Coelophysis

Today's Animal of the Day is Coelophysis!  The picture of the cast you see off to the left (taken by me at the Denver Gem and Mineral Show a few months back) is from the AMNH (American Museum of Natural History) in New York.  I actually know a little bit more about this particular specimen of Coelophysis than I believe was labeled there, as I remembered seeing this specimen in my Dinosaur Atlas book from DK Publishers.  One of around 500 or so individual Coelophysis specimens discovered at a place called Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, this particular specimen was once thought to reveal something interesting about the species: Coelophysis was once thought to probably be a cannibal, as the remains of a baby Coelophysis were found in the area of the stomach!

Dinosaur cannibalism is not unheard of, and almost certainly occurred in the Late Cretaceous Abelisaur Majungasaurus from Madagascar.  However, this was disproven in 2002 by Rob Gay, when he showed that the baby Coelophysis were either crushed by the smaller ones, or that they weren't even baby Coelophysis!  Instead, many of them were found to be other, small reptiles, such as the archosaur Hesperosuchus, a member of the same group as the crocodilians, dinosaurs, and pterosaurs, amongst others.  So for now, it looks like Coelophysis was probably not a cannibal, but future discoveries may force us to change our minds once again!

Another picture of Coelophysis that I took, at the DMNS

Coelophysis is one of the oldest known dinosaurs, inhabiting North America around 220 million years ago (MYA), during the Late Triassic Period.  The site at Ghost Ranch is interesting, because there are just so many different specimens all clumped together.  Some paleontologists have suggested that a flash flood drowned a huge herd of these animals, or perhaps that they died while trying to cross a river.  We might never know what, exactly, killed these dinosaurs, or why so many of them died in such close proximity.  

Some Like It Hot....Radioactive Hot

Today was quite an eventful day, for many reasons!  Went to the Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo with some good friends of ours; learned that Ray Wise is not in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but is actually in X-Men: First Class; and learned that the building off the highway called "Quaker Steak and Lube" is actually a restaurant, and not a car repair place.  Also, on my way to the Morrison Museum this morning, I saw what I am pretty sure was a peregrine falcon, as well as a number of red-tailed hawks and kestrels, and the great-horned owl that I have seen a few times recently perched on the "speed limit" sign on the highway!  It was pretty awesome!  Oh, and did I mention that one of my fossils might be radioactive?

One of the Zoo Lights was this tiger, but I'm pretty sure he's supposed to go around something a little thicker....

I was talking to Dr. Bob today at the museum, and we were talking about fossil hunting in Texas, chiefly the fossils that I got down there when we went to visit my gramma last Christmas, as well as the fossil dig-site that he has down there.  As we were talking, I thought back to the fossilized wood (top picture, the thing with the penny on it and everything to the right and above that piece) that I had picked up in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, on one of the first nights of our trip.  I had never been able to figure out what formation or what geologic time period it came from, so I asked Dr. Bob.  He said that there are a lot of different aged rocks from throughout the Mesozoic Era (the time of the dinosaurs), from the Triassic to the Cretaceous.  Then, as a sidenote, he mentioned that some of the fossilized wood down there tends to be radioactive, sometimes dangerously so.  Well then!  I am currently sorting this out, but I feel like I don't really have enough to worry about.  Famous last words, right?

Animal Spotlight: Gasparinisaura

Gasparinisaura is just one of those many dinosaurs that are not very famous at all, and not very well known.  In fact, I hadn't even heard of it until this morning, when my episode of Dr. Who made the computer momentarily freeze, so I picked up my Jurassic Park Institue: Dinosaur Field Guide by Dr. Thomas R. Holtz and Dr. Michael Brett-Surman that was sitting next to me on the computer table and turned to page 74.  Learn something new every day!

Gasparinisaura is considered to be a part of the basal, or primitive, ornithopods.  Ornithopods are different from other ornithischian dinosaurs in that they have a premaxilla bone that reaches further than their maxilla bone, and that their jaw joint is further down than in other dinosaurs.  Most of the basal ornithopods were around during the Jurassic Period, such as the Late Jurassic Othnielia rex, who inhabited what would become the rocks of the Morrison Formation of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.  Most of the rest of the basal ornithopods didn't survive past the Early Cretaceous Period, but Gasparinisaura has been found in rocks dating from around 80-90 MYA, right smack-dab in the Middle Cretaceous Period of Argentina.  According to the Jurassic Park Institute, "Remains of dinosaurs from this time span are so extremely rare, all the specimens in the world would fit in one small exhibit hall!"

Let's take a brief look at what we know about the evolution and the dispersal of the basal ornithopods, shall we?  According to my massive, 861 page book called The Dinosauria, every member of the clade Ornithopoda (which includes the iguanodonts and the duck-billed hadrosaurs, as well as the basal ornithopods) had a common ancestor that came from Asia.  This is interesting to note, because two other major clades of dinosaurs, the Marginocephalians (which includes the ceratopsians like Triceratops and the Pachycephalosaurs like Pachycephalosaurus and Stygimoloch) and the Thyreophorans (which includes stegosaurs like Stegosaurus and ankylosaurs like Ankylosaurus [yes, I know, that sounded incredibly redundant]) are hypothesized to have originally evolved in Asia, before spreading out to other parts of the world.  Whew, that would have been a mouth-full if I had had to say that out loud.

Anyways, paleontologists believe that this common ancestor would have inhabited Asia during the Early Jurassic Period, or perhaps even before that.  According to the book, prior to the Late Jurassic, a "major dispersal to North America took place."  Following this dispersal to North America, two "subsequent dispersals from North America" followed, one to Europe, and the other to South America.  (Keep in mind that, at this time in Earth's history, the continents were intermittently connected, allowing for the over-land dispersal of animals that would be entirely unable to do the same thing today.)  The European dispersal contained ornithopods of the lineage that would one day lead to the relatively famous dinosaur known as Hypsilophodon.  This dispersal is thought to have occurred before or during the Early Cretaceous.  Meanwhile, the South American dispersal "took place (at the latest) during the early Late Cretaceous," and was composed of members of the lineage that would one day lead to our home-dawg, Gasparinisaura.  Boy, am I the only one who just skimmed those last two paragraphs?

Gasparinisaura, like many of the basal-most members of the ornithopods, was just a little guy, only around two feet long, and probably weighing about as much as a chicken.  Remains of Gasparinisaura are found in the Río Colorado Formation.  With further digging (oh so witty) in The Dinosauria, I have been able to come up with other dinosaurs found in this formation. Here is a list of all of the dinosaurs mentioned in the book. 

Alvarezsaurus, a member of the group of dinosaurs known as the alvarezsaurids, a group of Maniraptoran dinosaurs thought to be fairly closely related to the ornithomimosaurs.  

Patagopteryx, a flightless bird that probably weighed around as much as a turkey.  

Neuquenornis, a small, pigeon-sized bird.  Apparently, paleontologists have not only discovered a partial skeleton of this animal, but also some eggs with embryos!  Pretty neat!  

Velocisaurus, a four or so foot long ceratosaur, not very well known.  A noasaurid, and, as you can see in the pictures below (all four of the pictures are of Velocisaurus), looks a lot like its close relative, Masiakasaurus, whose picture you can see if you click on the word "Masiakasaurus" where it is yellow. 

Aucasaurus, a thirteen or fourteen foot long abelisaur, thought to be a close relative of Carnotaurus.  Known from a skeleton that is quite complete, but not yet fully described.  

Neuquenosaurus and Titanosaurus, a pair of sauropod dinosaurs. 

23-Fact Tuesday: All About Allosaurus!

Today we are going to do yet another 23-Fact Tuesday, and this time it is all about a particularly interesting dinosaur known as Allosaurus.  But this 23-Fact Tuesday is particularly special, as it is also the birthday post of one of my personal heroes and one of the people who inspired me to take this dinosaur- and animal-oriented path, Mr. "Dino" George Blasing!  Happy birthday, Mr. Blasing!  Here we go!

Allosaurus Vs. Stegosaurus at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

1.  On Halloween in 1879, Arthur Lakes discovered a tooth from a dinosaur that was later identified as Allosaurus in Wyoming.

2.  In the United States, Allosaurus is found in the Morrison Formation, and lived alongside other animals such as Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Camptosaurus, Gargoyleosaurus, and many others. 

A skeleton of Gargoyleosaurus from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Allosaurus Vs. Camptosaurus that I saw at a traveling exhibit at the San Antonio River Walk in Texas

Ceratosaurus at the Smithsonian

Stegosaurus at the Utah Field House

3. The claws on the hand of Allosaurus could reportedly grow up to 10 inches long.

The arm and the claws of Allosaurus, mounted at the Morrison Natural History Museum

4.  Some scientists believe that Allosaurus had a very weak bite, around the strength of a leopard.  Regardless of exactly how weak of a bite it had, Allosaurus was definitely not a heavy-biter champion, and many paleontologists hypothesize that it instead used its skull sort of like a hatchet to kill its prey, using its razor-sharp teeth to critically injure its prey.

5.  The first fossils of Allosaurus that were ever discovered were originally thought to be petrified horse hooves.

6.  Allosaurus is the state dinosaur of Utah.

A reconstructed skeleton of Allosaurus at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Utah

7.  Allosaurus certainly didn't sit on its rump and enjoy hamburgers and tea, as their skeletons show that they suffered many injuries throughout their lives.  As a matter of fact, the Allosaurus specimen that is on display at the Smithsonian Institution has a number of broken ribs, a smashed shoulder blade, and a damaged lower jaw.

A crushed femur belonging to Allosaurus from the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry

8.  The lower jaw of the specimen at the Smithsonian was so damaged, in fact, that it took scientists more than 100 years to figure out that it was, in fact, an Allosaurus jaw!

9.  A predator-prey relationship between Allosaurus and Stegosaurus was all but confirmed with the discovery of a specimen of Allosaurus with a hole in one of its tail vertebrae that perfectly matched the shape and size of the thagomizer on the tail of Stegosaurus.

Allosaurus Vs. Stegosaurus at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

The "thagomizer" of Stegosaurus, mounted at the DMNS.  Check out THIS post to learn about how this particular part of the Stegosaurus got its name!

10.  "Allosaurus" spelled backwards is "Suruasolla," which means absolutely nothing.

11.  The small horns above the eyes of Allosaurus are mostly thought to have been for display, as most scientists believe them to be too weak to withstand much stress resulting from conflict with prey or other Allosaurus.

12.  Allosaurus gives its name to the group Allosauroidea, which includes the Chinese theropods Yangchuanosaurus and Sinraptor, and the carcharodontosaurids, which includes one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs of all time, Carcharodontosaurus, amongst other dinosaurs.

13.  Some of the other scientific names that Allosaurus fragilis has had over the years are Allosaurus lucaris, Allosaurus ferox, Labrosaurus ferox, Labrosaurus lucaris, Antrodemus, Poicilopleuron valens, Laelaps trihedrodon, Epanterias amplexus, Hypsirhophus discurus, Hypsirhophus partim, and Creosaurus atrox, with a few other names under debate right now.  Specifically, some scientists think that the dinosaur known as Saurophaganax is the same animal as Allosaurus.  However, I have talked with a few people, including Matthew Mossbrucker, curator of the Morrison Natural History Museum, and he says that he has seen the remains of Saurophaganax and believes them to be distinct from Allosaurus. 

A reconstructed skeleton of Saurophaganax that I saw at a traveling exhibit at the San Antonio River Walk in Texas

14.  Besides Saurophaganax, Allosaurus was much larger than the other known theropods from Late Jurassic Morrison, such as Ceratosaurus and Torvosaurus.

A reconstructed skull of Saurophaganax that I saw at a traveling exhibit at the San Antonio River Walk in Texas

15.  We humans actually live closer in time to the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and other dinosaurs from that time period than they do to Allosaurus!

A Triceratops skull at the Morrison Natural History Museum

16.  Allosaurus fragilis was first named by famous paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in 1877.

17.  The scientific name of Allosaurus fragilis translates to "fragile different lizard," named such due to the fact that Marsh believed that the vertebrae of Allosaurus would have been quite weak, and were different  from those of other, previously discovered dinosaurs.  Now we know that vertebrae of this kind were quite common.

18.  One of the most famous specimens of Allosaurus is the approximately 95% complete specimen nicknamed "Big Al."  Estimated to be only a teenager at his TOD, he is about 26 feet long, which probably helps to explain why so many of my dinosaur books list the estimated length of Allosaurus at around 26 feet.

19.  Allosaurus lived during the Late Jurassic Period, around 155.7-150.8 MYA in the United States (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, and South Dakota), Portugal, and possibly the Tendaguru Beds of Tanzania, although many people believe that this is African animal is an entirely different animal from Allosaurus.

20.  Work began at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in 1960, and over 40 individual specimens of Allosaurus have been uncovered there since then.

Unarticulated bones of Allosaurus from the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry

21.  Due to the vast number of Allosaurus specimens discovered in all different stages of its growth development (especially from Cleveland-Lloyd), paleontologists have been able to estimate that Allosaurus reached full-size at around 15 years of age, and lived to around 22-28 years old.

A whole bunch of Allosaurus leg bones all put next to each other to show the growth of the animal, largely based upon bones found at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, which is where this picture was taken

22.  Fossils of Allosaurus are still being discovered to this day, a fact which I can personally attest to.  Blocks of stone are still being excavated at the Morrison Natural History Museum, and bones of Allosaurus, as well as its teeth, are currently being cleaned. 

23.  Allosaurus is the favorite dinosaur of the famous dinosaur educator, "Dino" George Blasing.

And remember, if you have a birthday coming up, just email me the date at cuyvaldar123946@gmail.com with the date and your favorite animal, and I will do my best to get a post in!  And remember, if you like what you're reading, make sure you LIKE US ON FACEBOOK, follow us (if you have a google or gmail account), or hit the subscribe button off to the right if you don't!

Some Great Books - Just in Time For Christmas!

Christmas is just around the corner, and I'm guessing that some of you are not quite done with your holiday shopping, so I thought I would compile a list of some of my favorite animal and nature related books for you!  Check them out, I GUARANTEE you will like at least ONE of them!  Also, these aren't necessarily in order from favorite to least favorite, especially more towards the bottom.  Enjoy!

1.  Raptor Red - This fantastic novel by esteemed paleontologist Dr. Robert T. Bakker is unique, as far as I know, when it comes to the combination of accurate scientific information and a story told from the first-person viewpoint of a Utahraptor.  It might sound weird, to be sure, but don't judge it until you read it: this is one of the best books I have ever read!  I have only heard one person ever say that she didn't like it, but then I discovered that she had not read past the first chapter....oh well, fun isn't for everyone, I suppose!

2.  The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction - This is another one of my most favorite books.  Written by David Quammen, it explores islands from all over the world, as well as some from the past, too, and also discusses how island biogeography can be used today to help stop the extinction of mainland species.  Fans of the well-known Jared Diamond (author of Guns, Germs, and Steel) will certainly enjoy this book and, in fact, Quammen references Diamond throughout the book, as well as many other eminent scientists.  Quammen's quick but subtle wit helps to make this book a classic.

3.  ZooBorns - Any book in this series will do.  I swear, I can look at these books for days upon end without getting bored.  These books are what inspired our very own "Zoo Babies" feature, and provide hours of entertainment, while being cute and informative at the same time.  As a report from the Seattle Post Intelligence says, "ZooBorns pulls off the difficult task of being cute and interesting for people of all ages while also being informative. Many books seek this lofty goal but most fail."  Couldn't have said it better myself, which is why I copied and pasted that sentence from the ZooBorns website.

4.  Tasmanian Tiger - The Tragic Tale of How the World Lost Its Most Mysterious Predator - This excellent, albeit sad, chronicle of the downfall of the Tasmanian Tiger, or Thylacine, is an absolute must-have for any nature fan out there.  Written by David Owen who, along with David Pemberton, wrote the similar book entitled Tasmanian Devil: A Unique and Threatened Animal (a book which I also highly recommend), both books are excellent reads.

5.  Dinosaur Odyssey - I believe that, on this blog, this book has been referenced more than any other and, in fact, I have built several posts around it, including our POST ABOUT ODDLY NAMED CREATURES, as well as our POST ABOUT WHAT REALLY KILLED THE DINOSAURS.  Written by Dr. Scott D. Sampson (or "Dr. Scott" to Dinosaur Train fans: yes, he is an actual paleontologist!), this book chronicles all of the essentials for anyone interested in dinosaurs, including their origin, their extinction, what makes a dinosaur a dinosaur, and so much more.  Definitely a top-pick!

6.  Chasing Kangaroos - Written by kangaroo expert Tim Flannery, this book talks all about the authors adventures with kangaroos across Australia and New Guinea, and talks about the evolution of kangaroos as well.  He delves into other aspects of Australia's history that have affected the kangaroos as well, including dingos, the arrival of humans, and the Ice Age, amongst other things.  Be sure to read about the ever-fascinating carnivorous kangaroo, Propleopus, one of my all-time favorite animals!

7.  Gorgon - Similar to Chasing Kangaroos in the style of writing, this book talks a great deal about the causes and effects of the great and mysterious Permian Extinction.  Written by the esteemed paleontologist Peter D. Ward, this book talks about the vast and dangerous Karoo Desert in South Africa, and also talks about the political events that were going on at the time, such as Apartheid.  An incredibly interesting, funny, but sometimes sad, book, Gorgon is an excellent read.

8.  Penguins: Past and Present, Here and There - Written by the late and highly-esteemed mammalian paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson, this book, though a bit dated, still seems to be one of the best extinct penguin books you can find.

9.  The Dinosaur Heresies - Another book by Dr. Bakker, this book, like the penguin one above, is also a bit dated, but nevertheless highly informative.  As we have talked about IN A PREVIOUS POST, Dr. Bakker and his mentor, John Ostrom, were highly instrumental in bringing about the so-called Dinosaur Rennaisance, an event that turned the long-standing idea of dinosaurs being slow, sluggish, and stupid on its head.  This book primarily talks about the various aspects of this idea, and is really quite interesting!

10.  Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-To-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages - Written by esteemed paleontologist Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, chock-full of excellent illustrations by the talented paleoartist Luis V. Rey, and equipped with "contributions by thirty-three of the world's leading paleontologists," this book is fantastic for people of all ages, and takes in the dinosaurs as a whole.  Fantastic book!

11.  Cheetah (Big Cat Diary) - If you aren't a fan of Big Cat Diary, well then GET ON THE TRAIN!  AMAZING SHOW!  THE SOAP OPERA OF THE SERENGETI!  But seriously, though, this FANTASTIC (and yes, I am quoting Jonathan Scott when I say that) show comes with several companion books, of which the cheetah one is easily my favorite.  Written by Mr. Scott and his wife, Angela Scott, this book has tons of amazing photographs and talks all about both cheetahs in general, as well as the specific cats on the show.

12.  Life of Mammals - Written by one of my personal heroes, Sir David Attenborough, this book is a companion book to the popular TV show by the same name.  The book has so many color photographs, and will introduce you hundreds of mammals from around the globe, many of which you probably have never heard of: I know I haven't heard of them all!

13.  Alex and Me - Written by famous scientist Dr. Irene Pepperberg, this book chronicles her work with the famous African gray parrot named Alex: one of my most favorite books, this book is a fascinating glimpse into the minds of those supposedly mindless automatons.  

14.  Planet Dinosaur - Just like Life of Mammals, this book is also a companion book to the TV show of the same name.  Many of the dinosaur-related topics that we have discussed on this blog I first learned from Planet Dinosaur, including the dwarf dinosaurs of Hațeg Island and the fact that Spinosaurus probably ate fish.  But be warned: when they tell you that Sinornithosaurus had a poisonous bite, just remember that this has been proven almost completely wrong.  

15.  The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives - This book goes into the various big cats from around the world and across time, and talks about various aspects of their fascinating anatomy.  Written by Mauricio Anton and Alan Turner.

16.  Tideland Treasure - Written by Todd Ballantine, this book is a compilation of the years of newspaper spots that he did.  Kind of hard to describe, but its almost like a comic.  Just buy the book to find out about what I am talking about, as well as learn all about the east coast of the United States!

17.  Forest Cats of North America - Written by Jerry Kobalenko (what a great last name!), this excellent book talks about the bobcat, Canadian lynx, and the mountian lion, and is quite entertaining: I got it at The Living Desert and read it all in one day, quite a good book!  It's where I got the information regarding the Canadian lynx/snowshoe hare population fluctuations from, back in our post about Propleopus.  

18.  Life-Size Dinosaurs - Should be pretty self explanatory!  Written by David Bergen.   

So let me know if you live near me and are interested in borrowing any of these books!  I have most of them and the ones that I don't currently have I will most likely be getting soon (boy that sounds ominous doesn't it).  Let me know!

Top Ten Favorite Dinosaurs by Zack Neher (Part 5)

At long last, here we go: the final installment in my top ten list of favorite dinosaurs.  

1. Therizinosaurus

Therizinosaurus is the namesake of the odd group of herbivorous Theropod dinosaurs known collectively as the Therizinosaurs.  These guys are related to the Oviraptors, Ornithomimosaurs, and the Alvarezsaurs, all of which are thought to have a largely plant-based diet.  This seems odd when you first think about it: plant-eating meat-eating dinosaurs?  But similar things occur today.  For example, the order Carnivora today includes many meat-eating animals such as cats and dogs, but also includes the bears, where plants and berries factor into their diet a great deal.  For some, like the panda, they eat almost entirely plants.  The Therizinosaurs have been likened to the recently extinct giant ground sloths in the fact that they seemed to have pot bellies in which to ferment their food, as well as enormous claws that probably helped a great deal in protection, as these guys were most certainly not the swiftest of runners.  Therizinosaurus is just so bizarre and wacky, which is what makes it my most favorite dinosaur!

Top Ten Favorite Dinosaurs by Zack Neher (Part 4.5)

As some of you may know, right now, we are in the midst of a lis of my  top ten favorite dinosaurs.  However, on December 7th, a new dinosaur was announced, and it has immediately made my top ten list if it is, in fact, a dinosaur, which is currently being debated.  Therefore, I have decided to make this guy number 4.5 on my list, as if this creature is a dinosaur, it may very well be one of the most important finds in the history of dinosaur paleontology, as the find, named Nyasasaurus, may be the ancestor of all dinosaurs! Since this fossil dates to the Middle Triassic Period and is estimated to be about 10-15 million years older than the previously-oldest known dinosaurs like Eoraptor and Herrerasaurus, if this animal is not, in fact, a dinosaur, it resides very close to the base of the dinosaurian family tree!  People around the world eagerly await more remains of this animal from being discovered in Tanzania (where the original fossils were discovered in the 1930s) or somewhere else in the world, in the hopes that some more light can be shed upon this controversy.

 TO BE CONCLUDED IN PART 5

Top Ten Favorite Dinosaurs by Zack Neher (Part 4)

Part four of my Top Ten Favorite Dinosaurs list.  Enjoy!

2. Struthiosaurus

Just like Masiakasaurus, Struthiosaurus also lived during the Late Cretaceous Period.  Also like Masiakasaurus, Struthiosaurus was small.  But Struthiosaurus was small in a very different way than Masiakasaurus.  Remember when we talked about island/insular dwarfism in the context of the Channel Island fox?  Well, island dwarfism is back, in all of its glory!  A brief refresher, island dwarfism is what sometimes happens to animals that have become trapped on islands.  Over many generations, they shrink in order to match the limited food supply.  If there is a limited supply of food, then the smallest of your species, not the largest, are much more likely to survive.  Another factor that often helps island dwarfs is that predation is typically not as intense on islands as compared to mainlands, but that is not always the case.  Anyways, around 75 MYA, global sea levels were much higher.  In North America, we had the Western Interior Seaway dividing the continent, while Europe was simply reduced to a number of individual islands, one of which is now known as Hațeg Island.  And, if you are any good at guessing how stories end, you can probably see where this is going.  Yes, Struthiosaurus was an island-dwarf!  He is also really cool because he is an ankylosaur, a group of dinosaurs that are incredibly interesting!  Another thing that I absolutely have to mention here pertains to the picture of Struthiosaurus that we have below.  This picture was drawn by an incredibly talented young artist named Sam Lippincott.  Only in eighth grade, he is well on his way to achieving artistic greatness!  Below are some more pictures of his, all of them absolutely fantastic!  He made these pictures for my last lecture and I have the Struthiosaurus and Magyarosaurus pictures framed on my wall, I love them so much!  Let's all give Sam a round of applause! 

Struthiosaurus, an ankylosaur, by Sam Lippincott

Telmatosaurus, a hadrosaur, by Sam Lippincott

Magyarosaurus, a sauropod, by Sam Lippincott

Hatzegopteryx, a pterosaur, by Sam Lippincott

Europasaurus, another dwarf sauropod dinosaur, but from an island other than Hațeg Island

TO BE CONCLUDED IN PART 5