Geologic Time Scale: Dinosaurs

The Mesozoic Era, encompassing the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, is called the Age of Dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic period, approximately 230 million years ago.

Dinosaurs disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 65 million years ago.

Dinosaurs existed for approximately 165 million years.

During the time of dinosaurs, all continents were clustered together as Pangaea.

Pangaea gradually broke apart due to tectonic plate movement during the time of dinosaurs.

Scotty, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, is the largest ever discovered, weighing about 9.8 tons.

Tyrannosaurus Rex went extinct during the K-T mass extinction event, 65 million years ago.

A massive extinction event that occurred 65 million years ago, marking the end of the Cretaceous Period and the beginning of the Tertiary Period, wiping out approximately 80% of all life on Earth.

A geological period that lasted from 145 to 66 million years ago, known for its diverse dinosaur fauna and the widespread deposition of chalk.

The geological period following the Cretaceous, lasting from 66 to 2.6 million years ago, marked by the rise of mammals.

An asteroid impact is widely believed to be the primary cause of the K-T Extinction Event. The impact released enormous amounts of energy and debris into the atmosphere, disrupting the climate and causing widespread ecological collapse.

A group of Theropod dinosaurs that includes birds and their closest relatives.

A group of dinosaurs characterized by hollow bones and three toes/claws on each limb.

A thin, feathered fold of skin on the wing that helps organisms generate lift during flight or gliding.

Birds are considered by many paleontologists to be descendants of Maniraptoran dinosaurs, with shared characteristics like hollow bones, three toes, and the presence of propatagia.

Some species survived the devastating K-T Extinction event, including amphibians like frogs and salamanders, reptiles like alligators, crocodiles, lizards, and turtles, and some mammals.

An early primate, considered one of the earliest ancestors of humans, that lived during the Paleocene epoch after the K-T extinction. It was a small, squirrel-like mammal.

A group of mammals that includes humans, apes, monkeys, lemurs, and tarsiers. They are characterized by grasping hands and feet, relatively large and complex brains, and 3D vision.

The oldest known dinosaur, believed to have lived during the Triassic period, about 243 million years ago. It was about the size of a large dog.

The first geological period of the Mesozoic era, lasting from 252 to 201 million years ago. It was the time when the supercontinent Pangaea began to break apart, and dinosaurs emerged.

A supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, encompassing all the current continents clustered together. It gradually broke apart during the Triassic and Jurassic periods.

Dinosaurs evolved over millions of years, starting in the Triassic period and reaching their peak diversity in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They eventually went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period.