Dinosaurs Facts for Kids
Roar-some facts about dinosaurs
Mosasaurs were enormous marine reptiles that ruled the seas during the late Cretaceous period, but they were not dinosaurs — they were more closely related to modern monitor lizards and snakes. Some species grew up to 17 metres long.
For thousands of years, dinosaur fossils found in China were believed to be the bones of dragons. Even today, some Chinese medicine practitioners seek out these 'dragon bones', which are often genuine dinosaur fossils.
Diplodocus is one of the longest dinosaurs ever discovered, reaching up to 26 metres from nose to tail tip — about as long as two full-sized school buses parked end to end. Much of that length was made up of its enormously long neck and tail.
Scientists have discovered tiny mites, ticks, feathers, and even dinosaur tail sections preserved in amber — fossilised tree resin — from the Cretaceous period. These amber fossils preserve details at a microscopic level impossible to see in stone.
Ichthyosaurs were marine reptiles that resembled dolphins in shape — an example of convergent evolution where unrelated animals evolve similar body forms to suit the same environment. Some ichthyosaur fossils preserve the outline of their soft bodies showing a dorsal fin.
The group of dinosaurs most closely related to birds is called the maniraptorans, which includes Velociraptor, Oviraptor, and Therizinosaurus. All modern birds evolved from within this diverse group of feathered dinosaurs.
Ceratopsian dinosaurs like Triceratops and Styracosaurus represent the largest horned animals ever to have walked the Earth. Pentaceratops had a skull nearly 3 metres long — the largest skull of any known land animal.
Coelophysis was one of the earliest dinosaurs, appearing around 210 million years ago during the Triassic period. It was a lightweight, fast-moving predator that hunted small reptiles and insects, and lived in large social groups.
The enormously long necks of sauropod dinosaurs were supported by vertebrae riddled with hollow air pockets, making them surprisingly lightweight for their size. Without this adaptation, the neck would have been too heavy for the animal to lift.
Utahraptor was the largest known dromaeosaurid, or 'raptor', reaching up to 7 metres in length and weighing around half a tonne. Unlike its smaller relatives, it was heavily built and may have used its enormous sickle claw to pin down large prey.