The World of Dinosaurs: The Discovery and Lives of These Legendary Creatures

241 Pages·2019·23.07 MB·English

by  Mark Norell

THE WORLD
OF DINOSAURS
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
Preface © 2019 American Museum of Natural History
Text © 2019 Mark Norell
Design © 2019 Andre Deutsch
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in critical
articles and reviews. For more information, contact the University of Chicago Press,
1427 E. 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637.
Published 2019
Printed in Dubai
28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 1 2 3 4 5
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-62272-9 (cloth)
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-62286-6 (e-book)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226622866.001.0001
LCCN: 2018041665
THE WORLD
OF DINOSAURS
An Illustrated Tour
MARK A. NORELL
The University of Chicago Press
CONTENTS
The American Museum of Natural History ......................6
Preface .................................................................................7
Introduction .......................................................................8
ABOUT THIS BOOK ...................................................14
WHAT ARE DINOSAURS? ..........................................18
A HISTORY OF DINOSAUR DISCOVERY ...............24
GEOLOGICAL TIMESCALE ......................................28
DISCOVERING DINOSAURS .....................................34
DINOSAUR BIOLOGY .................................................40
DINOSAUR CLASSIFICATION ..................................48
SAURISCHIA
THEROPODA
Coelophysis bauri ..............................................................56
Dilophosaurus wetherilli ....................................................60
Allosaurus fragilis .............................................................64
Albertosaurus sarcophagus ..................................................68
Tyrannosaurus rex ............................................................72
Struthiomimus altus ..........................................................78
Deinocheirus mirifcus.........................................................80
Compsognathus longipes .....................................................82
Mononykus olecranus ........................................................86
Oviraptor philoceratops ......................................................90
Khaan mckennai ...............................................................96
Citipati osmolskae .............................................................98
Ornitholestes hermanni ....................................................104
Velociraptor mongoliensis ..................................................106
Deinonychus antirrhopus ..................................................110
Saurornithoides mongoliensis .............................................114
Archaeopteryx lithographica ..............................................120
Hesperornis regalis ..........................................................126
Phorusrhacos longissimus .................................................130
Gastornis gigantea ..........................................................134
SAUROPODOMORPHA
Plateosaurus engelhardti ...................................................136
Diplodocus longus ...........................................................138
Brontosaurus excelsus ......................................................144
Camarasaurus grandis .....................................................148
Hypselosaurus priscus .....................................................152
Patagotitan mayorum ......................................................156
Barosaurus lentus ...........................................................160
ORNITHISCHIA
Heterodontosaurus tucki ....................................................164
THYREOPHORA
Stegosaurus stenops .........................................................168
Sauropelta edwardsorum ..................................................172
Euoplocephalus tutus .......................................................176
Ankylosaurus magniventris ...............................................178
NEORNITHISCHIA
MARGINOCEPHALIA
Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis .....................................180
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis ..............................................184
Protoceratops andrewsi .....................................................190
Triceratops horridus ........................................................196
Monoclonius nasicornus ...................................................200
Styracosaurus albertensis ..................................................202
ORNITHOPODA
Hypsilophodon foxii ........................................................206
Hypacrosaurus altispinus .................................................210
Edmontosaurus annectens .................................................212
Tenontosaurus tilletti .......................................................216
Saurolophus osborni ........................................................218
Corythosaurus casuarius ..................................................220
BIRDS AND DINOSAURS .....................................224
EXTINCTION .........................................................230
Picture Credits .......................................................... 236
Acknowledgements .................................................. 237
Index ......................................................................... 238
THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF
NATURAL HISTORY
The American Museum of Natural History, founded frozen tissue and genomic and astrophysical data, and one
in 1869, is one of the world’s preeminent scientifc, of the largest natural history libraries in the world. Through
educational, and cultural institutions. its Richard Gilder Graduate School, it is the only American
The Museum encompasses 45 permanent exhibition halls, museum authorized to grant the Ph.D. degree. Beginning
including those in the Rose Center for Earth and Space and in 2015, the Richard Gilder Graduate School also began
the Hayden Planetarium, as well as galleries for temporary granting the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree, the
exhibitions. It is home to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, only such freestanding museum program. Annual visitation
New York State’s ofcial memorial to its 33rd governor has grown to approximately 5 million, and the Museum’s
and the nation’s 26th president, and a tribute to Roosevelt’s exhibitions and Space Shows are seen by millions more in
enduring legacy of conservation. The Museum’s fve active venues on six continents. The Museum’s website, mobile
research divisions and three cross-disciplinary centers apps, and MOOCs (massive open online courses) extend
support approximately 200 scientists, whose work draws on its scientifc research and collections, exhibitions, and
a world-class permanent collection of more than 34 million educational programs to additional audiences around the
specimens and artifacts, as well as specialized collections for globe. Visit amnh.org for more information.
6 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL H ISTORY
PREFACE
Dinosaurs occupy a special place in our culture. They are breakthrough is only the beginning. Powerful new insights
not only the subject of exciting and important discovery about dinosaurs have come from many directions – recent
in science; they are extraordinarily alluring to masses of discoveries of exquisitely preserved and extraordinary
people, young and old. The American Museum of Natural fossils, use of the latest in imaging and analytical tools, and
History in New York, where the author of this book, the of course our acute knowledge of the biology of living
well-known dinosaur paleontologist Dr Mark Norell, works, dinosaurs, the birds. We now know much about ancient
bears testament to this fact, as it annually greets over 5 dinosaurs that was only a matter of speculation or fantasy
million visitors, many of whom, as Mark points out, simply a few years ago – how fast dinosaurs grew, how they
call it the “dinosaur museum”. reproduced and cared for their young, and even what colour
Why are dinosaurs so popular? This is perhaps the most they were.
frequent question asked of paleontologists like me, one All this activity and discovery has only served to enhance
almost certain to arise on numerous occasions, whether at a the popular appeal of dinosaurs. Something so captivating
press event, an educational conference, a holiday gathering is bound to give rise to legend and myth. Dinosaurs have
of extended family, or a cocktail party. In his introduction, attracted a good deal of misconception and folklore, notions
Mark ventures an answer: these spectacular creatures that are merely distortions of what we really know and don’t
inspire and, at the same time, challenge our imagination. know about them. One does not have to be a scientist to
They are (often) gigantic and extreme in ways unpredicted write a good book about dinosaurs, one that draws the line
by our experience in the living world. And their fossil between fact and fantasy. But scientists, like the author, who
remains tell us that an ancient world so alien to our own is can imbue their writing with their expertise and experience
not a fantasy, but a reality. as a dinosaur hunter and researcher, ofer something
What is that reality as we know it now? How much special. Indeed, Mark has a right to claim that many of the
breaking news is there on the dinosaur research front? As extraordinary discoveries he describes herein were made by
this book shows, a lot. For one thing, the recognition that him and his colleagues. The result is an unusually authentic
birds are actually living dinosaurs – the one branch that and vivid introduction to dinosaur science.
somehow survived the so-called dinosaur extinction event of
66 million years ago – is a triumph of modern paleontology.
What was once so controversial and even discredited Michael J. Novacek
is now so well-bolstered by scientifc evidence that it is Senior Vice President and Provost of Science; Curator,
overwhelmingly endorsed by scientists, an endorsement Division of Paleontology American Museum of Natural
that has not escaped broad public awareness. Yet this History
PREFACE 7
INTRODUCTION
ALMOST EVERYONE ON THE PLANET KNOWS OR THINKS
THEY KNOW WHAT A DINOSAUR IS . THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.
THEY PERMEATE POPULAR CULTURE THROUGH ADVERTISING,
CHILDREN’S TELEVISION AND AS A METAPHOR FOR “OLD”,
“EXTINCT” , “OBSOLETE” , “DUMB” OR “UGLY” .
hey have been the subjects of on a Michael Crichton novel, and with an
flm nearly since the medium was all-star cast, it has made well over a billion
Tinvented. As an animated feature, dollars at the time of writing. When it was
Gertie the Dinosaur appeared in 1914, just released, this was the most realistic portrayal
a few years after the frst animated flms. of dinosaurs that the movie-going public
In the ensuing years real star power was had ever seen. Using a combination of, by
associated with dinosaurs. The opening of today’s standards, fairly primitive animation
Bringing up Baby in 1938, starring Katharine and puppets, dinosaurs were brought
Hepburn and Cary Grant, featured Grant to life. Since then it has morphed into a
as a goofy paleontologist in search of an franchise of four feature flms with another
“intercostal” bone to fnish his mount of in production. Millions of dollars have been
a Brontosaurus. More star power quickly spent and millions of people have seen
followed. In 1940 Disney studios and the these flms, although the underlying premise
composer Igor Stravinsky collaborated is based on some fairly dubious science
to craft the epic Fantasia. This animated and really misrepresents what dinosaur
flm featured dancing dinosaurs strutting paleontologists do. Like Disney’s Fantasia
to Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. My before it, Jurassic Park has also led to theme
predecessor at the American Museum of park attractions.
Natural History, Barnum Brown (the man The pop-glitz of Hollywood is not the
who discovered Tyrannosaurus rex), consulted only barometer of the public’s fascination
on this project. Brown’s eforts eventually with these ancient reptiles. Dinosaur displays
led to a major attraction at the 1964 and exhibits pack them in. Millions of
New York World’s Fair and a permanent people attend museums, universities, event
attraction at Disneyland. Other more recent centres, science centres, even shopping malls
dinosaur movies have run the gamut from where dinosaurs are on show. Interest and
fairly accurate scientifc documentaries to fascination in dinosaurs is a universal in an
flms such as soft-core porn Dinosaur Valley ever-more divided international community.
Girls. Believe it or not the online fction My own museum, the American Museum of
business, if you look at Amazon, even has Natural History in New York, receives over
a thriving erotic dinosaur fantasy section. 5 million visitors a year, and the dinosaur
Search at your own risk – although the titles halls are by far the most popular exhibits. So
are hilarious.
The connection between dinosaur The David H. Koch Hall of
science and Hollywood has never been so Saurischian Dinosaurs at the
apparent as in the Jurassic Park franchise. American Museum of Natural
History. This is one of six
The frst Jurassic Park movie appeared in fossil vertebrate halls at this
1993. Directed by Steven Spielberg, based venerable Museum.
8 INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION 9