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archosaur- a group of reptiles that
includes dinosaurs and crocodilians
- carnivores- animals that eat flesh or
meat
- clutch- a nest of eggs
-
Cenozoic Era- 65 million years ago
to present; era associated with the development
of, and domination by, mammals
-
crocodilian - a group of reptiles
that includes alligators and caimans, gavials,
and crocodiles
-
ectotherm- a cold-blooded animal;
an animal that has a body temperature that approximates
the surrounding environment
-
egg tooth- a hard spike on the tip
of the jaw of a baby alligator
-
endotherm- a warm-blooded animal; an animal
that has a internally regulated body
temperature
-
estivation- to pass the summer in
a resting state
-
femur- a bone of the leg situated
between the pelvis and knee in human beings,
or a functionally similar bone in the leg or
hind limb of a vertebrate animal; It is the
largest and strongest bone in the body (also
called thighbone).
-
fibula- the outer and narrower of
two bones of the human lower leg, extending
from the knee to the ankle, or the corresponding
bone in the hind leg of an animal
-
fossil- the remains of a living thing,
or direct evidence of its presence, preserved
in rocks; usually only hard parts such as bones,
teeth, and shells are preserved by burial or
chemical change.
-
hatchlings- baby animals that have
just hatched from eggs
-
hibernate- to pass the winter in a
resting state
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herbivore- plant-eating animal
-
humerus- the long bone of the arm
or forelimb, extending from the shoulder to
the elbow
-
index fossils- a fossil that provides
precise correlation because it has recognizable
unique features; a fossil that has a wide distribution
and present in the geologic record for only
a limited time.
-
invertebrate- an animal that has no
backbone; the vast majority of animals are invertebrates.
-
Jurassic Period- second period of
the Mesozoic Era; time period during which Pangea
began to drift apart. "Jurassic" comes
from fossil-bearing limestone rocks found in
Europe's Jura Mountains
-
mammals- animals with backbones that
have hair, give live birth, and feed their young
milk
-
Mesozoic Era - 248-65 million years
ago; geologic time period during which dinosaurs
lived; composed of the Triassic, Jurassic and
Cretaceous Periods
-
metacarpals- any of the five bones
between the fingers and the wrist
-
metatarsals- any of the five bones
between the toes and the ankle
-
nocturnal- active at night
-
ornithischians- "bird-hipped"
dinosaurs with a hip structure in which the
two lower bones on each side lie parallel; all
ornithischians were plant eaters
-
paleontologist- a scientist who studies
fossils and organisms in ancient times by determining
their lifestyles and relationship to other organisms
-
Paleozoic Era- 540-248 million years
ago
-
pelvic girdle- plate-shaped bones
for limb attachment
-
phalanges- bone of a finger or toe
-
predators- animals that hunt other
animals for food
- prey- an animal captured for food
- protosuchian- the earliest ancestor of
the crocodilians
-
radius- one of two forearm bones;
the other is the ulna
-
reptile- a class of animals that includes
crocodilians as well as turtles, snakes, and
lizards
-
saurischians- "lizard-hipped"
dinosaurs with a hip structure in which the
two lower bones on each side point in opposite
directions
-
scapula- either of two large, flat,
triangular bones forming the back part of the
shoulder (also called shoulder blade).
-
skeleton- the internal structure composed
of bone and cartilage that protects and supports
the soft organs, tissues, and other parts of
a vertebrate organism
-
skull- the bony framework of the head
of vertebrates that contains the brain, jaws,
and teeth
-
tarsal bones- any of the seven small
bones of the human ankle
-
tibia- the inner and larger of the
two bones of the lower human leg, extending
from the knee to the ankle, or a corresponding
bone in other vertebrates (also called shinbone).
-
Triassic Period- first period of the
Mesozoic Era; time period when dinosaurs first
evolved; "Triassic" comes from Latin,
"trias" describing three particular
rock layers in Germany
-
ulna- bone extending from the elbow
to the wrist on the side opposite to the thumb
in human beings, or the corresponding bone in
other vertebrates
-
vertebrae- bones that form the backbone
vertebrate; an animal with a backbone
-
wetlands- land areas with lots of
moisture
