Animals That Walked With Dinosaurs
There are many animals today that look quite prehistoric. And many of them have prehistoric ancestors, changing very little throughout the years. So who were these creatures?
*Archaeopteryx – Carnivore. Late Jurassic Period (150 mya).
The Archaeopteryx is the oldest know bird. It had many dinosaur features including; teeth, claws on its wings and a long bony tail. Its modern day bird features included feathers and a body that was very light. Fossils were found in Germany. It is thought to have been a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and birds.
*Archelon – Carnivore. Cretaceous Period (100 mya).
This creature was a very large marine turtle. It was about the size of a car. They were thought to mostly live in water, only coming to land to lay their eggs. Most of the remains have been found in Wyoming and South Dakota. The largest specimen found was 14 feet long and 16 feet wide.
*Deinosuchus – Carnivore. Cretaceous Period (80 mya).
This guy resembled our current day alligator. The first remains were found in 1850 in North Carolina. It measured 36 feet long and 6,000 pounds. The name means ‘terrible crocodile’. They are thought to have hunted and eaten dinosaurs. They have changed very little over the years, proving to be a resilient creature.
*Dinilysia – Carnivore. Late Cretaceous Period.
This creature is thought to be the oldest snake on earth. It measured 6-10 feet in length. The remains were found in South America. It most likely strangled its prey before eating them, very similar to our current day python. Snakes also have changed very little over time.
*Ornithosuchus- Carnivore. Middle Triassic Period (200 mya).
The name Ornithosuchus means ‘Bird Crocodile’. This guy walked on all fours but could run on its hind legs if necessary. It is thought to be related to both the bird and the crocodile, possessing traits of both. It measured 6 -12 feet long. The fossils were found in Scotland.
*Scaphonyx – Herbivore. Middle Triassic Period (200 mya).
The Scaphonyx’s name means ‘Canoe Claw’. These guys lived all over North and South America. They measured 4.3 feet long and they were very stocky and low crawling. They had a beak and both upper and lower teeth. They mainly chomped on ferns. When the ferns died out, these animals slowly became extinct.
Dinosaurs and the animals that cohabited with them are fascinating, not just to kids but to adults too. A great way to advertise your business is sending out customized dinosaur pencils. They are sure to have a lasting effect!
Lisa Coronado is a web content writer for Promotional Pencils and often writes blogs on Promotional Dinosaur Pencils.
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