Land of the Giants

The prehistoric plains were fertile areas, crossed by rivers, bordered by forests, and interspersed with swamps. They provided an abundance of food for the herbivorous dinosaurs, which in turn attracted powerful carnivores. This ever-changing world was an ecosystem where survival depended on speed, size, strength, and adaptability.

The plains were a place of intense competition for resources. Herbivores had to remain constantly vigilant against predators, while carnivores honed their hunting techniques. Some dinosaurs lived in groups for protection, while others relied on their speed or natural armor to survive.

• Scientific name : Tyrannosaurus rex
• Periode : Late Cretaceous
• Date : 72 to – 66 M years
• Origin : United States of America
• Length : 13 m
• Hight : 4 m

Without a doubt, the most famous of all dinosaurs and one of the largest land predators to have ever existed. Its depiction has not changed much over the years, but recent studies have shown, for example, that its teeth were not visible when its mouth was closed. The Tyrannosaurus rex had scaly lips, similar to those of monitor lizards or iguanas today.

• Scientific name : Brachiosaurus altithorax
• Period : Late Jurassic
• Date : – 155 to – 145 M years
• Origin : United States of Amerika
• Length : between 18 and 22 m
• Hight : between 9 and 13 m

One of the largest dinosaurs that ever existed. Adapted to feeding at great heights, filling an ecological niche left open by other herbivores of the time. Ranging from 18 to 24 meters in length and standing over 12 meters tall.

• Scientific name : Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
• Period : Late Cretaceous
• Date : – 99 to – 94 M years
• Origin : North Africa
• Length : 15 m

The studies conducted since the discovery of this dinosaur have evolved our understanding of it. It is now believed that it mostly moved on four legs and was probably semi-aquatic.

• Scientific name : Stegosaurus stenops
• Period : Late Jurassic
• Date : – 155 to – 145 M years
• Origin : United States of America
• Length : 7 m

The role of the dorsal plates was probably to regulate the animal’s body temperature. The four spikes at the end of the tail were used in fights and for defense against predators. This dinosaur moved in herds, consisting of both young and adult individuals, as suggested by the discovery of overlapping footprints of different sizes.

• Scientific name : Ankylosaurus magniventris
• Period : Late Cretaceous
• Date : – 68 to – 66 M years
• Origin : United States of America
• Length : between 7 and 9 m

The body was covered with very sturdy plates that formed a kind of armor. The tail was shaped like a club. This herbivore was about 10 meters long and just under 2 meters high. It lived at the same time as the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, which was likely one of its predators!

• Scientific name : group consists of different species.
• Period : Cretaceous
• Date : – 140 to – 66 M years
• Origin : North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia
• Length : between 1.5 m and 6 m, depending on the species

The term ‘raptor’ is an unofficial name commonly used for dinosaurs that belong to the Dromaeosauridae family. The best-known representative of this group is the Velociraptor. Today, we know that all members of this group were covered in feathers, but they are still often depicted with scaly skin in popular images, as is the case here. It’s important to note that the raptors appearing in films are often based on a related dinosaur, the Deinonychus, rather than the Velociraptor!

• Scientific name : Parasaurolophus walkeri
• Period : Late Cretaceous
• Date : – 76 to – 73 M years
• Origin : United States of America
• Length : between 7 and 10 m

The crest was hollow. On the inside, there were separate tubes that led from each nostril to the end of the crest, then made a turn, descended again along the crest, and directed towards the inside of the skull.

• Scientific name : the group consists of different species
• Period : Trias
• Date : – 310 to – 270 M years
• Origin : all around the world
• Length : between 1,5 m and 4 m, depending on the species

The pelycosaurs are not dinosaurs; they also did not live in the same period and will go extinct nearly 30 million years before the first dinosaurs. They actually belong to a group that will give rise to the first mammals. These animals, once called ‘mammalian reptiles,’ are now preferably referred to as ‘proto-mammals.’

• Scientific name : Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis
• Period : Late Cretaceous
• Date : – 69 to – 66 M years
• Origin : United States of America
• Length : 4,5 m

The general anatomy of this dinosaur is difficult to determine, as only fragments of its skull (the toughest part) have been found.

• Scientific name : Carnotaurus sastrei
• Period : Late Cretaceous
• Date : – 75 to – 70 M years
• Origin : Argentine
• Length : 8 m

One of the most astonishing carnivorous dinosaurs. It was discovered in 1985. Although few fossils have been excavated to this day, it quickly became famous in popular culture due to its appearance, which resembles that of a Tyrannosaurus but with two horns above the eyes. It also undoubtedly had the smallest arms of any known dinosaur. Its very unique skull is very tall but at the same time very narrow when viewed from the front. This allowed it to ‘cut through the air more easily and probably bite very quickly with a sudden head movement forward.

• Scientific name : Compsognathus longipes
• Period : Late Jurrassic
• Date : – 155 M years
• Origin : Europe
• Length : 1 m

The Compsognathus is a very small dinosaur whose remains were discovered in France and Germany. It was long considered one of the smallest species of extinct dinosaurs before being dethroned by the Microraptor and Parvicursor.