Caudipteryx, or "feather-tailed," was a dinosaur during the Aptic Age of the Early Cretaceous (about 124.6 million years ago) that looked very similar to birds. On average, they were as large as a peacock. They were considered by paleontologists to be transitional between birds and non-avian dinosaurs, although the authenticity of their classification is disputed. Two species...
Acrocanthosaurus is a genus of carnivorous dinosaurs that lived in Oklahoma, Texas, Maryland and Wyoming during the Early Cretaceous Period. Skeletons have been discovered in these locations, but paleontologists have also discovered Acrocanthosaurus teeth in Maryland. There is only one species, which was named A.atokensis, which means tall-spined lizard. Acrocanthosaurus was a bipedal predator, and was…
Liliensternus liliensterni is the specific name and the genus name derived from the surname Hugo Rühle von Lilienstern. The man founded a paleontological museum in his castle in Bedheim (Germany) in 1934, where he also exhibited the previously discovered specimens of Liliensternus. Liliensternus lived almost 210 million years ago. The two-legged animal was medium sized...
Garudimimus brevipes – “Imitator of Garuda” A Garuda is a large bird-like mythical creature from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Brevipes means something like “short foot”. As far as paleontologists know, only one fossil of Garudimimus brevipes has been discovered so far. Although it was suspected that some other fossils belonged to this dinosaur, this was not confirmed. Despite the…
Cryolophosaurus – The “frozen crested lizard” Cryolophosaurus was a 6 to 7 meter long theropod with slender proportions. It is one of the earliest carnivores found to date. Weighing an estimated 465 kilograms, it is currently the largest known theropod from the Early Jurassic. The specimen found is believed to be a juvenile...
Saurornithoides mongoliensis, the “bird-like lizard” Description Saurornithoides was a dinosaur about 2 to 3.5 m long and about 35 to 45 kg heavy. Fossils of this dinosaur have been found in Mongolia and Tajikistan. Its name means something like “bird-like lizard”. He lived during the Upper Cretaceous from around 80.6 to 72 million years ago. Saurornithoides was a…