Archives: Species

Smilodon: Quick Facts

Full-body scientific reconstruction of Smilodon fatalis, the saber-toothed cat of Late Pleistocene North America. The animal is shown in a three-quarter lateral view standing in an open grassland and woodland habitat. Diagnostic features including the elongated saber canines, deep skull, muscular neck, powerful forequarters, broad chest, and short tail are clearly visible. The image serves as a documentary-style reference illustrating the overall appearance and anatomy of the species.

Species Quick Info Attribute Detail Scientific name Smilodon Lund, 1842 Pronunciation SMY-loh-don Name meaning “Knife tooth” (Greek smilē + odōn) Classification Animalia > Chordata > Mammalia > Carnivora > Felidae > Machairodontinae > Smilodon Period Pleistocene, approximately 2.5 million–10,000 years ago Found in North America (S. fatalis, S. gracilis) and South America (S. populator); major … Read more

Woolly Mammoth

Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) standing on a frost-covered Mammoth Steppe at sunrise, showing its shaggy coat, shoulder hump, and long curved tusks.

Quick Facts Attribute Detail Scientific name Mammuthus primigenius Pronunciation mam-OO-thus prim-ih-JEE-nee-us Name meaning Mammuthus: mammoth; primigenius: primeval or first-born Classification Animalia > Chordata > Mammalia > Proboscidea > Elephantidae > Mammuthus > M. primigenius Period Middle Pleistocene–Holocene, approximately 400,000–4,000 years ago Found in Northern Eurasia, Beringia, North America; frozen specimens concentrated in Siberia Diet Herbivore … Read more

Diplodocus: Quick Facts

Diplodocus in a Late Jurassic Morrison Formation floodplain with towering conifers and shallow wetlands

Species Quick Info Attribute Detail Scientific name Diplodocus longus Pronunciation dip-LOD-oh-kus LONG-us Name meaning “Double beam,” referring to the distinctive paired chevron bones beneath the tail Classification Animalia > Chordata > Reptilia > Saurischia > Sauropoda > Diplodocidae > Diplodocus Period Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–early Tithonian, approximately 154–149 million years ago) Found in Morrison Formation of … Read more

Brachiosaurus

Brachiosaurus standing in a Late Jurassic conifer wetland at sunset

At a Glance Attribute Detail Scientific name Brachiosaurus altithorax Pronunciation BRAK-ee-oh-SORE-us al-tih-THOR-aks Name meaning “Arm lizard” + “deep/high chest” Classification Sauropoda > Brachiosauridae > Brachiosaurus > B. altithorax Period Late Jurassic, ~154–150 Ma Found in Morrison Formation, western North America (USA) Diet Herbivore — high-browsing specialist on conifers, cycads, and tree ferns Length ~20–26 m … Read more

Allosaurus

Photorealistic Allosaurus fragilis in the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation floodplain ecosystem

Quick Facts Attribute Detail Scientific name Allosaurus fragilis Pronunciation AL-oh-SORE-us Name meaning “Different lizard” — Greek allos (different) + sauros (lizard) Classification Saurischia → Theropoda → Allosauroidea → Allosauridae → Allosaurus → A. fragilis Period Late Jurassic, 155–145 Ma Found in Morrison Formation, western North America (Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and others) Diet Carnivore — … Read more

Quetzalcoatlus

Photorealistic reconstruction of Quetzalcoatlus northropi in a Late Cretaceous floodplain habitat, showing the giant azhdarchid pterosaur in quadrupedal terrestrial stance with elongated neck and toothless beak

At a Glance Attribute Detail Scientific name Quetzalcoatlus northropi Lawson, 1975 / Q. lawsoni Jacobs et al., 2021 Pronunciation ket-sal-KOH-at-lus Name meaning From Quetzalcóatl — Mesoamerican feathered serpent deity Classification Pterosauria > Pterodactyloidea > Azhdarchidae > Quetzalcoatlus Period Late Cretaceous, 68–66 Ma Found in Javelina Formation, Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA Diet Carnivorous — … Read more

Mosasaurus

Reconstruction of Mosasaurus hoffmannii swimming in a Late Cretaceous ocean, showing its streamlined body, paddle-like limbs, and crescent tail fluke.

At a Glance Attribute Detail Scientific name Mosasaurus hoffmannii Pronunciation MOH-za-SORE-us hoff-MAN-ee-eye Name meaning “Meuse lizard of Hoffmann” — Latin Mosa (Meuse river) + Greek sauros (lizard) Classification Squamata > Mosasauridae > Mosasaurus > M. hoffmannii Period Late Cretaceous, 66–70 Ma Found in Netherlands, Belgium, Morocco, Russia, North America Diet Carnivore — apex marine predator … Read more

Megalodon

Otodus megalodon swimming in open ocean showing realistic body proportions, serrated teeth, and natural underwater lighting

Quick Facts Attribute Detail Scientific name Otodus megalodon (Agassiz, 1843) Pronunciation oh-TOH-dus MEG-uh-loh-don Name meaning “Ear-toothed big tooth” — from Greek ous (ear), odous (tooth), megas (large) Classification Chondrichthyes > Lamniformes > Otodontidae > Otodus > O. megalodon Period Miocene to Early Pliocene, ~23–3.6 Ma Found in All major ocean basins — Calvert Formation (USA), … Read more

Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx lithographica reconstruction on the shoreline of the Late Jurassic Solnhofen lagoon, showing feathered wings, long bony tail, and toothed jaws.

At a Glance Attribute Detail Name meaning “Ancient wing” (Greek) Lived Late Jurassic, approximately 150–148 Ma Location Solnhofen Lagerstätte, Bavaria, southern Germany Length Approximately 50 cm (20 in) snout to tail tip Wingspan Approximately 60–70 cm (24–28 in) Body mass Estimated 0.8–1 kg (1.8–2.2 lb) Diet Carnivorous — insects, small vertebrates, possibly fish Classification Avialae; … Read more

Stegosaurus

Highly realistic paleoart reconstruction of Stegosaurus stenops in a Late Jurassic Morrison Formation floodplain, showing two rows of large upright dorsal plates and a four-spiked tail thagomizer in a natural scientific 3/4 lateral view

At a Glance Attribute Detail Scientific name Stegosaurus stenops Pronunciation STEG-oh-SORE-us Name meaning “Roof lizard” — from Greek stegos (roof) + sauros (lizard) Classification Ornithischia > Thyreophora > Stegosauria > Stegosauridae > Stegosaurus Period Late Jurassic, approximately 155–150 Ma Found in Morrison Formation, western North America; close stegosaur relatives and possible referred material have been … Read more