The history of dinosaurs. The emergence of dinosaurs

How many mysteries is hidden in ancient world history. Dinosaurs are one of them. They reigned on Earth for more than 160 million years, beginning with the Triassic period (approximately 225 million years ago) and until the end of the Cretaceous (about 65 million years ago). Today, scientists can recreate the appearance of these animals, their way of life and habits, but many questions have not yet been answered. How did the dinosaurs appear? Why did they disappear? Although these lizards disappeared from the face of our planet nearly 65 million years ago, the history of dinosaurs, their appearance, life and sudden death is of undoubted interest to researchers. Let's look at the main stages of reptile development.

origin of name

Dinosaurs are usually called the only group of reptiles. This name refers only to those of them who lived in the Mesozoic era. If translated from Greek, the term "dinosaur" means "terrifying" or "terrible lizard". This name was introduced by the British explorer Richard Owen in 1842. So he proposed to name the first discovered fossilized remains of the ancient lizards to emphasize their unprecedented size and grandeur.

The beginning of the era of dinosaurs

As you know, the whole history of the planet is traditionally divided into successive eras. The time in which dinosaurs lived, it is customary to refer to the Mesozoic. It, in turn, includes three periods: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. The Mesozoic era began about 225 million years ago, and it ended about 70 million years ago. The history of dinosaurs begins even during the first period - the Triassic. However, they were most widely distributed in the Cretaceous.

Long before the advent of dinosaurs, reptiles lived on the planet. They resembled the lizard habitual to the modern man in that their paws were on the sides of the body. But when global warming began (300 million years ago), an evolutionary explosion occurred among them. All groups of reptiles began to develop actively. Thus appeared the archosaurus - it differed from its predecessors in that its paws were located already under the hull. Presumably, it is to this chronological segment that the appearance of dinosaurs is related.

Dinosaurs of the Triassic Period

Already at the very beginning of the Triassic period, many new species of lizards appeared. It is believed that they already moved on two legs, because their front paws were shorter and much less developed than the rear ones. This they differed from their predecessors. The history of the appearance of dinosaurs says that one of the first species was the strykercaurus. It lived about 230 million years ago, where Brazil is now located.

In the early evolutionary stages, there were a large number of other reptiles: these are zaurs, cynodonts, ornithosukhids and others. Therefore, dinosaurs had to endure long-term rivalry before occupying their niche and flourishing. It is believed that they acquired a dominant position over all other inhabitants of the planet at the end of the Triassic period. This is associated with the large-scale extinction of animals that then inhabited the Earth.

Dinosaurs of the Jurassic period

By the beginning of the Jurassic period, dinosaurs had become the sovereign masters of the planet. They settled all over the surface of the Earth: in the mountains and plains, marshes and lakes. The history of dinosaurs of this period is marked by the appearance and spread of new numerous species. As an example, you can mention Allosaurus, Diplodocus, Stegosaurus.

And these lizards most radically different from each other. So, they could be of completely different sizes, have a different lifestyle. Some of the dinosaurs were predators, others - completely harmless herbivores. It is interesting that it was during the Jurassic period that the winged lizards, pterosaurs, flourished. Majestic reptiles reigned not only on land and in the sky, but also in the depths of the sea.

Cretaceous dinosaurs

During the Cretaceous period, the number and diversity of dinosaurs reached a maximum level. On the other hand, some scientists do not share the view of a sudden and significant increase in the number of reptiles. In their opinion, representatives of the Triassic and Jurassic period are much less studied than the inhabitants of the Cretaceous.

At this time there were a lot of herbivorous reptiles. This is due to the appearance on the planet of a large number of new plant species. However, there were plenty of predators. It is to the Cretaceous period that the appearance of such a famous species as Tyrannosaurus is related. By the way, he was, perhaps, one of the most famous dinosaurs. The most massive of all carnivorous reptiles, it weighed up to eight tons, and its growth could reach 12 meters. Also to the Cretaceous period is the appearance of such well-known species as iguanodone and triceratops.

The mysterious death of dinosaurs

Dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. This event occurred at the very end of the Cretaceous period. Today, there are many different theories about how and why it happened. At the same time, scientists can not now come to a common opinion.

In particular, they raise questions about the reasons for their death, and whether it was slow or fast. It is known for certain that it became one of the parts of the "great extinction" of that time. Then, not only dinosaurs, but also other reptiles, as well as mollusks and some algae disappeared from the face of the Earth. According to one view, the "great extinction" was triggered by the fall of the asteroid.

After that, giant clouds of dust rose in the air, closing the sun for months, which was the reason for the death of all living things. Some scientists hold the opinion that a star exploded near the Earth, as a result of which the entire planet was covered with a radiation that was fatal to its inhabitants. Also a common point of view is that dinosaurs became extinct as a result of the cooling which began at the end of the Cretaceous period. Anyway, the era of reptiles ended. And as it happened, science has yet to learn.

History of the study of dinosaurs

The history of dinosaurs began to interest people relatively recently. Their study began only in the early 19 th century. In many respects this is due to the fact that people did not perceive the bones found in the Earth as traces of dinosaurs. It is interesting that in antiquity they believed that these were the remains of heroes of the Trojan War.

In the Middle Ages and before the 19th century - giants who perished in the Flood. Only in 1824 they were first identified as the remains of giant lizards. In 1842 the British scientist Richard Owen, drawing attention to the main distinguishing features of these reptiles, brought them into a separate suborder and gave them the name "dinosaurs". Since then, there has been a constant accumulation of knowledge about them, new species have been discovered. The history of dinosaur life became more and more complete. Now the study of these reptiles continues with even greater zeal. Modern researchers number almost a thousand varieties of dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs in mass culture

World art gave people a huge number of books and films about these lizards. For example, they appear in the work of Arthur Conan Doyle "The Lost World", which was subsequently repeatedly filmed. Based on the work of Michael Crichton, the famous painting "Jurassic Park" was shot. The history of dinosaurs for children is presented with the help of numerous animated films and colorful illustrated books. From them the child can get acquainted with these amazing and majestic animals.

Despite the fact that so much time has passed since the last dinosaurs disappeared from the surface of the Earth, the history of the origin of these majestic lizards, their lives and the mystery of their disappearance, and now worry the hearts and minds of people. However, most of their puzzles, most likely, will remain unanswered.