Dinosaurs Facts for Kids
Roar-some facts about dinosaurs
Triceratops had three horns and a large bony frill around its neck that may have been brightly coloured in life. Scientists now believe the frill was used mainly for display and communication rather than defence.
Stegosaurus had two rows of large bony plates running along its back. Scientists believe these plates may have been richly supplied with blood vessels and used to absorb warmth from the sun or release excess heat.
Argentinosaurus from South America may be the heaviest dinosaur ever discovered, estimated to have weighed up to 80 tonnes — as heavy as 12 African elephants. It belonged to a group of giant plant-eating sauropods.
Pterosaurs like Pterodactyl were flying reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs, but they were not actually dinosaurs themselves. They were a separate group of reptiles, though closely related.
Dinosaur eggs ranged from the size of a golf ball to the size of a large watermelon. Sauropod dinosaur eggs were round, whilst theropod dinosaur eggs were typically more elongated, similar to modern bird eggs.
Pachycephalosaurus had a dome of solid bone up to 25 centimetres thick on top of its skull. Scientists believe these dinosaurs headbutted each other during fights over territory and mates, much like modern bighorn sheep.
Evidence from fossilised bones and teeth suggests that some dinosaurs undertook seasonal migrations of hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, much like modern wildebeest or caribou. This was discovered by analysing the chemical composition of their teeth.
Dinosaur fossils have been discovered on every continent, including Antarctica. During the Cretaceous period, Antarctica was much warmer than it is today and was home to a variety of dinosaurs.
Birds are living dinosaurs — they evolved from small feathered theropod dinosaurs and have been around for about 150 million years. More than 10,000 species of birds alive today are all dinosaurs in the scientific sense.
Spinosaurus was longer than Tyrannosaurus rex, potentially reaching 15 metres, making it the largest land predator ever. New research suggests it spent most of its time in rivers and lakes, hunting fish with its long, narrow jaws.