Bones found in the Douglass Quarry belong to nine different kinds of dinosaurs. Some were very much like each other. Others were quite different. Paleontologists name, and classify or group dinosaurs according to the shape of their hip bones, teeth, feet, and other body parts.
Most of the Douglass Quarry fossils are part of the long-neck, long-tail, plant-eating group called Sauropods. They were the largest creatures ever to walk on land. This group includes Apatosaurus, Barosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Diplodocus. These animals share many common traits, and look very much alike. Other bones in the Quarry belong to different four-legged and two-legged plant-eating groups called Ornithischians. |
Although originally called terrible lizards that lived millions of years ago, dinosaurs are unlike lizards in how their legs are positioned. Lizard legs sprawl out to the side. Dinosaur legs were straight under their bodies allowing them to better support tons of weight. In order to be classified as a dinosaur, an animal must have; |
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Paleontologists divide dinosaurs into two large groups or orders, Saurichischians and Ornithischians. They are further divided into smaller groups that share certain common features. |
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Saurischians are dinosaurs with lizard-like hips: Sauropods [lizard-feet] 4-legged, long-necked plant eaters
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Ornithischians are dinosaurs with bird-like hips: Stegosaurs [plated lizards] 4-legged, plate-backed
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