Unbelievable Jurassic Creatures: What You Didn't Know about Prehistoric Reptiles!

201 million years ago the world was plunged Into Darkness the great Triassic Jurassic Extinction swept through the planet destroying countless species that lived peacefully on Earth at that time just imagine this time of chaos and destruction turning point in the history of our planet a time when three quarters of all animal species perished leaving a Barren World Behind but From the Ashes a new world arose where dinosaurs roamed the land sea and sky they were the Guardians of a mysterious and wonderful world that was just starting to unfold the Guardians of a new time known as the Jurassic period this time dinosaurs will dominate over all other animals [Music] although the exact timeline of their evolution is unclear it's estimated that dinosaurs first emerged in the late Triassic and dominated the world for over 160 million years these ancient creatures presented as various reptile groups that adapted to different environments like herbivores who developed to a large size to reach the foliage carnivores who evolved to have sharp teeth and Claws to hunt prey and Aviary dinosaurs which had wings various adaptations allowed dinosaurs to occupy a wide range of habitats and ecological niches which made them great contenders for the available resources the success of dinosaurs in the Jurassic can be attributed to several factors including their ability to reproduce quickly their adaptability to changing environmental conditions and their tendency to live in groups there are several theories that explain the evolution of dinosaurs during the Jurassic period some scientists believe that dinosaurs evolved from a group of reptiles called thickodox While others argue that they evolve from reptiles known as archosaurus regardless of their exact origin It is certain that the number of dinosaurs grew rapidly and diversified into a wide range of species leaving their mark on the world as one of the most successful and resilient creatures in the history of planet Earth let's start our journey through the Jurassic period with sauropods the Giants that were roaming the Earth in search of food at the time these massive herbivores reaching up to 100 feet in length were a truly wonderful sight they were among the largest land animals to have ever existed despite their size they were herbivorous animals that fed on vegetation using their peg-like teeth sauropods have been the subject of attention among many paleontologists and their fossils have been found all over the world one of the representatives of the sarapati family that lived in the late Jurassic period was the Apatosaurus these dinosaurs were characterized by long necks and Tails large bodies and small heads Apatosaurus was a herbivore that could grow up to 75 feet long and wait over 30 tons its long neck allowed it to reach the tallest trees which allowed it to feed on leaves and branches while its massive body was supported by strong pillar-like legs one of the most notable features of apatosaurus was its whip-like tail which could have been used for defense against predators some paleontologists believe that Apatosaurus used its long tail to Signal other members of the group While others believe it was used to scare off predators Apatosaurus was one of the most common sauropods in North America the fossils of the species have been found in several locations in the Western United States including Colorado Oklahoma and Wyoming translated from Greek its name means deceptive lizard this is a reference to early paleontologists who originally thought that the bones belong to a different type of dinosaur despite its large size and presence Apatosaurus remains one of the least known dinosaurs another representative of the sauropod group is the Diplodocus this genus of dinosaurs inhabited North America during the late Jurassic Period around 145 to 156 million years ago it had a long neck and a whip-like tail Diplodocus was one of the longest dinosaurs that we know of reaching a length of up to 100 feet Diplodocus had a small head with a narrow elongated snout and a jaw filled with spike-like teeth suggesting that they were herbivorous they are famous for their distinctive tale which consisted of 80 vertebrae and may have been used for balance protection or even used as a weapon despite their large size Diplodocus were relatively lightweight due in part to thin bones and air-filled Cavities this allowed them to move more easily and efficiently than other sauropods of this size Diplodocus was first discovered in 1877 paleontologist othniel Charles Marsh who named the genus after the double beam Chevron bones using Greek terms for double diplos and beam docos Diplodocus fossils were found in the Morrison formation that's a geological formation in the Western United States that was a key site for dinosaur discoveries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries today Diplodocus remains one of the most recognizable and popular dinosaurs with casts and models of this dinosaur present in many museums and exhibitions around the world along with the large herbivorous sauropods there were carnivorous dinosaurs ferocious Hunters that relied on the consumption of other creatures for their survival it was a delicate balance with peaceful Giants and voracious Hunters playing their parts great ecosystem of the ancient world theropods were an impressive group of carnivorous dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth as the very embodiment of fear and Power equipped with massive Jaws full of razor-sharp teeth these apex predators were at the top of the food chain and dominated the Jurassic ecosystem despite their diversity in size and shape theropods showed no mercy when they hunted their prey their impressive Speed and Agility made it easy for them to deal even with the strongest creatures leaving those who got in their way no chance to escape theropods are a testament to the ferocity of prehistoric life and the complex balance of nature during the Jurassic Allosaurus was a large theropod dinosaur that lived during the late Jurassic about 156 to 145 million years ago it was one of the most dominant predators of its time living in North America modern day Portugal and possibly Africa Allosaurus was a bipedal dinosaur with a huge body and Powerful legs it had a distinctive skull with large sharp serrated teeth and a deep jaw for powerful bites paleontologists estimate that it reached up to 32 feet in length and weighed between two and five times it was an efficient Hunter with long hind Limbs and a flexible body perfect for quick movements and sharp turns the four limbs were much smaller than the hind limbs additionally this dinosaur had three fingers with sharp claws on each hand Allosaurus became known thanks to several well-preserved skeletons found in North America including the famous Big Al specimen from the Morrison formation in Wyoming scientists have been able to learn a lot about its anatomy and behavior from these fossils including the fact that it was a solitary hunter that relied on its Keen senses and physical ability to capture prey It is believed to have preyed on other large dinosaurs such as sauropods and stegosaurus since some fossils of the aforementioned dinosaurs have been found with bite marks that match the Allosaurus teeth ceratosaurus was another theropod dinosaur that gave the name to the entire ceratosauria family ceratosaurus was one of the first identified members of that dinosaur group they were characterized by a unique horn-like structure on their snout that varied in size and shape between the species they were also known for their large sharp teeth and strong skulls some ceratosaurus had short deep skulls with small brains and Powerful jaw muscles While others had longer thinner skulls with longer muscles ceratosaurus were carnivorous dinosaurs that likely preyed on other dinosaurs and small mammals they lived in a wide variety of habitats including Forest deserts and savannas and could be found all over the world ceratosaurus species range from small agile Hunters such as ceratosaurus and proceratosaurus to larger more robust animals living in later periods such as Carnotaurus and abelosaurus despite the variety of adaptations and body types all serratosaurs had common origin and were closely related to each other today's ceratosaurus are considered one of the most intriguing dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era while theropods roamed around Jurassic world and kept its other inhabitants in fear with their mere presence a new player appeared on the scene this new breed of dinosaur was unlike any other with an arsenal of defenses that allowed them to stand their ground even against the most ferocious Hunters not only were they unsuitable as their prey they were also a serious handicap to their hunting tactics stegosaurus with their unique bony plates and spines were some of the most recognizable dinosaurs of the Jurassic period these herbivorous dinosaurs led a peaceful life roaming the land in search of vegetation in order to feed despite their relatively small size and slow movement they were heavily built and could use their bone plate and spine to defend themselves against predators stegosaurus played one of the key roles in maintaining balance within the Jurassic ecosystem consuming large amounts of vegetation and distributing seed these ancient creatures are a testament to the diversity of life that existed during the Jurassic period hesperosaurus were a remarkable genus of Stegosaurus dinosaurs that lived about 150 million years ago during the late Jurassic Period they were first described in 2006 when their fossils were found in the Morrison formation in Western North America the dinosaur was a large quadrupedal herbivore it was also a heavily armored dinosaur with large plates on its back spikes on its tail and small bony plates on its arms hips and legs which were used for a body temperature regulation and protection against predators about 20 feet long and weighing up to 1500 pounds as parasaurus were a true force of nature with a bulky body and a small head that resulted in a very distinctive appearance their four limbs were short and stout while their hind limbs were longer and leaner which allowed them to move easily across the prehistoric landscape they had a long stiff tail and small head with a beak-like mouth the unique spikes on their tail were long and wide running in two rows these spines were likely used for defense helping to protect these dinosaurs from predators Additionally the spikes may have been used to attract mates or scare off rivals the exact diet of hesperosaurus dinosaurs remains a mystery but they're believed to have fed on low-lying vegetation like Ferns and horsetail using their beak-shaped mouth to cut through the vegetation despite its relatively recent discovery and ongoing debate about its precise classification it is usually counted as a primitive stegosaurus closely related to the other dinosaurs in the group kentrosource was another member of the stegosaurus dinosaur group that lived during the late Jurassic about 156 to 145 million years ago and the savannas of the African continent Kentrosaurus were a relatively small species with the compact stocky body supported by four legs the front legs were shorter than the hind legs which gave the animal a slanted posture similar to its relatives Kentrosaurus were about 20 feet long and weighed around one and a half tons despite the relatively small size they had spiked armor that ran in two parallel rows along their back consisting of large bone plates as well as smaller spikes protruding from their thighs tail and neck these defensive structures scared off Predators as well as protected the vulnerable lower abdomen of the Kentrosaurus in fact the armor is the reason the dinosaur was given its name meaning prickle lizard it's in reference to its sharp bone spikes some of which could be over 20 inches long in addition to the bone armor Kentrosaurus are also known for their distinctive skull they had a narrow skull with large triangular teeth that were perfectly designed for cutting through rough vegetation they also had a large bony brow Ridge that Protected Their Eyes from the branches of the trees and shrubs that they fed on with the landscape of the Jurassic constantly changing the evolution of dinosaurs continued while the stegosaurus sported their bony armor as a weapon against predators a new breed of herbivorous dinosaurs the ornithopod emerged ornithopods were a diverse group of bipedal dinosaurs that inhabited various regions of the globe during the late Jurassic due to their flexible and varied diet these herbivores were some of the most numerous and successful dinosaurs of their time they were characterized by a light and agile body which allowed them to outmaneuver larger predators and efficiently forage for food in their surroundings [Music] despite their generally small size they were highly adaptable varying greatly in anatomy and diet depending on particular species and environment camptosaurus Were A genus of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaurs that lived during the late Jurassic Period about 155 to 145 million years ago they were first identified in 1879 when the remains of this dinosaur have been found in what is now North America and Europe camptosaurus was a large dinosaur reaching 26 feet in length and weighing up to 1700 pounds it had a long neck a large head with a beak-like snout and a massive body its hind legs were much longer than its front legs giving it a distinctly forward-leaning posture camptosaurus had a number of distinctive physical characteristics that set it apart from other ornithopod dinosaurs and had a long narrow head with large forward-facing eyes and a mouthful of sharp serrated teeth its body was relatively stocky with a broad barrel-shaped chest and short powerful legs the feet were equipped with strong hook-like claws that were used to cling to the ground while Scavenging for food camptosaurus was primarily herbivorous and adapted to eating low-growing vegetation its beak-shaped snout was ideal for trimming tough leaves and stems and its complex jaw muscles allowed it to easily grind the plant material It is believed that they lived in groups and roamed the Lush Jurassic forest in search of food another representative of the ornithopod dinosaur driosaurus they lived at the end of the Jurassic period about 155 to 145 million years ago this was a small bipedal herbivore perfectly adapted to the Arid and seasonal habitats of present day North America and Europe driosaurus were characterized by long thin legs and a tail that helped them maintain balance and move quickly their long neck and small head allowed them to reach vegetation at ground level or low shrubs dry asaurus had large flat teeth that were ideal for chewing through tough vegetation and their jaw structure was specifically designed for processing plant matter one of the most notable features of dryasaurus was their lightweight construction which allowed them to be fast and agile their hind legs had a unique joint structure that provided increased agility and stability this was essential for escaping large Predators such as the Allosaurus which would pose a huge threat to dry a source in its natural habitat their body was supposedly covered with feathers which helped them regulate temperature and adapt to various habitats and climates today driosaurus remains an important part of the fossil record providing valuable information about the evolution of ornithopod dinosaurs and Lake Jurassic ecosystems as the Jurassic period unfolded a new group of creatures took to the skies the arnithopods continued to thrive on the ground but now they shared the landscape with the Majestic pterosaurs who thanks to their powerful wingspan became the masters of the Skies pterosaurs also known as pterodactyls flying reptiles that dominated the Skies of the ancient world of the Mesozoic Era their fossils have been found on every continent and they came in a wide range of shapes and sizes from small and agile to large and intimidating these creatures had light skeletons and leathery Wings which allowed them to soar through the air with ease with wingspans that could reach up to 40 feet pterosaurs were masters of airspace gliding and soaring with Grace and Power since they came in a range of sizes and shapes pterosaurs occupied a wide variety of ecological niches from the sky above the oceans to the deserts and ancient forests despite their uniqueness the exact nature and extent of their flying ability as well as their relationship to other dinosaurs Remains the subject of ongoing scientific debate dimorphodon Was A genus of early pterosaurs that roamed the Skies of the ancient world 201 to 175 million years ago during the early to Middle Jurassic it was first described by the English paleontologist Richard Owen in 1859 being one of the first pterosaurs to be scientifically defined and named it was a relatively small dinosaur with a wingspan of approximately three to four feet making it one of the smallest members of the pterosaur family but what dimorphodon lacked in size it made up for with impressive features dimorphodon was a predator species known for its long narrow jaws and sharp teeth which were well suited for catching small prey like insects reptiles and small mammals it had wings made of skin stretched between long bony fingers as well as short and strong legs with large claws the species lived in coastal regions near the sea and depended on thermal air current and ocean current to stay aloft for a long period of time despite the fact that the dimorphodon fossils are rare they've been found in England Portugal and Germany which means it must have had a fairly common species around the world another genus of long-tailed pterosaurs ramapharinkus inhabited Earth around 150 million years ago they were a small pterosaur with a unique beak riddled with needle-like teeth long jawbones and a diamond-shaped skin flap known as the uropotasium and that connected its legs and tail this structure provided additional surface area for flight and allowed the ramphrinkus to make sudden changes in Direction and altitude their wingspan reached six feet making it one of the smallest pterosaurs of its time Ram farenkus was a highly specialized flyer designed for gliding and soaring through the air in search of fish insects and other small prey they had a long slender body a small light skull and it allowed them to deftly maneuver in the air and make quick and agile turns their long tail was reinforced with a series of Bones and was likely used for stability and control during flight in addition to the aerial ability rampfarenkus is also notable for their well-preserved fossil records many complete skeletons have been found in the fossil Rich sedimentary rocks of Europe and Africa making it one of the most famous pterosaurs from the late Jurassic Period their fossils provide Vital Information about the evolution of flying creatures and the Ecology of these ancient Airborne reptiles the Jurassic ended approximately 145 million years ago although some species disappeared during this time period nonetheless it did not feature a mass extinction of dinosaurs a possible explanation for the extinction of certain species is the competition with new species as the landscape changed new reptiles mammals and dinosaurs emerged pushing existing populations out of their habitats and forcing them to compete for resources these new species better adapted to the ever-changing conditions they defeated the weaker dinosaurs and competition for food and habitat resulting in a decline of those populations another Factor was the change of common Flora during the Jurassic conifers and cycads were the predominant types of vegetation providing dinosaurs with an abundant source of food however as the climate changed and temperatures Rose a new type of vegetation began to develop the Primitive flowering trees this change was accompanied by a decrease in available food sources which led to a decline in dinosaur population as a result some species could not adapt to the new environment and became extinct While others were forced to evolve in order to survive many people mistakenly believe that it was the end of the Jurassic period that saw the extinction of dinosaurs from the face of the Earth but that's an erroneous misconception Instead This was a time of significant changes in the environment and subsequently in the variety of plant and animal species which set the stage for the next and longest period of the Mesozoic Era the Cretaceous Period

Channel: Space Matters

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Keywords: dinosaurs, dinosaur, reptiles, documentary, space matters, Jurassic, creatures, Prehistoric Reptiles, T-Rex

Id: E_bqxFpO9MQ

Length: 24min 38sec (1478 seconds)

Published: Sat Mar 18 2023