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Week 1 Glossary

1.1 Course overview

Course overview

habitat
An environmental area that an organism lives in.

Gobi Desert
A large desert covering parts of northern China as well as southern Mongolia. It is the third largest
desert in the world.

palaeontology (paleontology)
The scientific study of ancient life. It includes the study of all organisms, including dinosaurs.
However, the study of ancient humans is a separate field called anthropology, whilst archaeology
is the study of human civilisation.

What is an ecosystem?
ecosystem
A system comprising of the interaction between plants, animals, their living environment and the
climate they live in.

Paluxy River
Also called Paluxy Creek, it is a river in Texas, USA. It is famous for the dinosaur footprints found at
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, Texas
(official website: http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/dinosaur-valley).

Erlian (Iren Dabasu) - our Late Cretaceous course field site

badlands
Barren rocks and soils exposed after extensive wind and water erosion. A good example of this
terrain is Badlands National Park in North Dakota, USA (https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm).

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Bonus video: Popular culture and science education
evolutionary biology
A field of biology studying the processes and patterns of evolution.

Bonus video: Contributions to evolutionary biology

cold-blooded animals (ectotherms)
Animals whose body temperature are dependent on the surrounding environmental temperature.
Examples include most fish, amphibians and non-dinosaurian reptiles.

warm-blooded animals (endotherms)

Animals that regulate their body temperature independent of the surrounding environmental
temperature. Examples include birds, mammals and some dinosaurs.

metabolic rate
Amount of energy used by an organism in a given time period. For example, at rest this is called
the basal metabolic rate and is usually measured in joules/second.

miniaturisation
The evolutionary process which results in smaller-sized adult individuals.

amphibians
Cold-blooded tetrapod vertebrates - including frogs and salamanders - that possess a wide range
of habitats. They generally start life living in water before being able to move into terrestrial
environments. They have moist, scaleless skin that they use for breathing.

Bonus video on Erlian: How do historic expeditions help us today?

sextant
A navigation instrument used for measuring the angle between two objects. Common in earlier
times, but today it is generally replaced by digital navigation instruments including GPS.

Bonus video on Erlian: Who is Roy Chapman Andrews?

mammals
Warm-blooded vertebrate animals which possess hair (fur) and mammary glands (in female
individuals only). Examples include humans, cats and dogs.

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Bonus video on Erlian: How have expeditions changed over the years?
Trans-Altai Gobi
A region in the southwestern part of Mongolia.

1.2 Classification
Reconstructing the dinosaur family tree
non-avian dinosaurs
Dinosaurs other than birds. These became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period and
consisted of more than 1000 species.

anatomy
The structure of an organism. Its study includes the functions and relationships of the parts of an
organism.

evolutionary tree (phylogenetic tree)

A family tree showing the reconstructed relationships between different organisms. There are
different methods to produce them, but they all involve using the similarities and differences
between organisms.

synapomorphies
Anatomical characteristic(s) that is/are shared by a group of organisms that distinguishes) them
from other organisms.

autapomorphies
An anatomical characteristic that is unique to a particular species.

Major dinosaur clades: Ornithischia and Saurischia

Ornithischia
One of the two major dinosaur groups (the other is Saurischia). The name translates as
bird-hipped dinosaurs because most of them have a bird-like pelvic configuration. Examples
include Triceratops and Stegosaurus.

Saurischia
One of the two major dinosaur groups (the other is Orntihischia). The name translates as
lizard-hipped dinosaurs because many of them have a lizard-like pelvic configuration. They
include the theropod and sauropodomorph dinosaurs e.g. Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus;

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Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor.

pelvis
The hip. In dinosaurs it comprises of the ilium, pubis and ischium bones and separates the back
from the tail.

Archaeornithomimus asiaticus
A species of bird-like ornithomimosaur theropod dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous rocks
of the Erlian Formation, China.

femur
The thigh bone. The uppermost bone of the leg. It is generally the longest and strongest limb bone
in dinosaurs.

1.3 Appearance and size

Appearance: The first dinosaurs
Nyasasaurus
One of the earliest known dinosaurs. It lived in the Triassic period (around 243 Mya) on the
supercontinent of Pangaea. It was discovered in Tanzania, Africa.

Spondylosoma
Potentially one of the earliest known dinosaurs, it lived in the Triassic of Pangaea. It was
discovered in Brazil, South America and its classification remains uncertain.

bipedal
Locomotion involving two legs. Humans are bipedal as was T.rex.

carnivorous
meat-eating animals

Velociraptor
A genus of small-sized dromaeosaurid theropod known from the Late Cretaceous rocks of the
Gobi Desert.

Saturnalia
A genus of early sauropodomorph known from the Triassic rocks of Brazil.

Herrerasaurus
One of the earliest known dinosaurs. It was discovered in the Late Triassic rocks of Argentina and
is often seen as an early theropod dinosaur.

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Staurikosaurus
An early dinosaur closely related to Herrerasaurus. It is known from the Late Triassic rocks of Brazil
and like Herrerasaurus it was probably an early theropod dinosaur.

Eoraptor
A small early dinosaur from the Late Triassic rocks of Argentina. It appears to have been a
meat-eating dinosaur that was neither a saurischian nor an ornithischian.

Pisanosaurus
An early ornithischian known from the Late Triassic rocks of Argentina.

acetabulum
The hole in the pelvis for the articulation of the femur. Its margins are formed by the ilium, pubis
and ischium bones.

calcaneum bone
A bone of the ankle.

supratemporal fossa
A characteristic depression located on the top of the skull in front of a skull opening called the
supratemporal fenestra (see below).

supratemporal fenestra
An upper skull opening located behind the level of the eye. There is one fenestra on either side of
the skull.

Mesozoic era
One of the three geological eras. Meaning middle life, the Mesozoic era lasted around 186 million
years, from around 251 to 66 Mya. It is subdivided into the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous
Periods. The Mesozoic era is sometimes called the Age of Dinosaurs because dinosaurs were
generally the dominant land animals of that time. The Mesozoic starts after the end-Permian mass
extinction and ends with the K-T (K-Pg) extinction event.

Triassic
The first period of the Mesozoic era (~251-199 Mya). Dinosaurs begin to take hold at the end of
the Triassic.

ornithosuchids
A group of non-dinosaurian archosaur reptiles which lived in the Triassic. They were more closely
related to crocodylians than to dinosaurs and pterosaurs making them a group of crurotarsan
archosaurs.

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Appearance: Necks
tetrapods
Meaning four-limbed, this famous animal group comprises of the first four-limbed vertebrates
and their descendants. They are in fact a group of highly modified sarcopterygian fish and have a
huge diversity of forms. Birds and humans are examples of tetrapods, even though they are
bipedal.

therizinosauroid
A group of potentially omnivorous or herbivorous Laurasian theropod dinosaurs from the
Cretaceous period. Examples include Erliansaurus and Neimongosaurus from the Erlian
Formation. They evolved a beak and may have had a more upright posture compared to other
non-avian theropods.

ornithomimid
A group of mostly beaked Cretaceous theropods. Their name translates as bird-mimics because
their beak as well as other parts of their body are quite bird-like. Examples include
Archaeornithomimus of Erlian and Ornithomimus of North America. They are thought to have been
mostly omnivorous or herbivorous.

oviraptorosaur
A group of Cretaceous bird-like non-avian theropods which might have become omnivorous or
herbivorous. The name can be translated as egg thief lizards but there is currently no evidence
that they deserved this name. Examples include Gigantoraptor and Incisivosaurus from China. They
had a Laurasian distribution.

sauropodomorphs
A large clade of mostly long-necked and large-sized plant-eating saurischian dinosaurs. They
include members which were potentially the largest terrestrial animals to ever walk the Earth.

cervical vertebrae
Neck vertebrae.

Mamenchisaurus
An early sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic rocks of Sichuan, China. It is known for its
extremely long neck (around 9m long) and small tail club.

diplodocids
A family of sauropod dinosaurs, which included some of the longest terrestrial animals to ever
live. Diplodocus and Apatosaurus are both diplodocids. Diplodocids belong to a larger family called
the diplodocoid sauropods.

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brachiosaurids
A family of sauropod dinosaurs, which includes some of the tallest terrestrial animals to ever live.
Examples include Brachiosaurus and Europasaurus. Brachiosaurids belong to a larger family called
the macronarian sauropods.

titanosaurs
A group of macronarian sauropod dinosaurs known from the Cretaceous. Examples include
Titanosaurus and Sonidosaurus. A newly discovered titanosaur might be the largest terrestrial
animal ever known.

Appearance: Tails
stegosaurs
A group of armoured ornithischian dinosaurs known from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous.
The most famous stegosaur is Stegosaurus. All known stegosaurs had plates or spikes over their
backs as well as their infamous tail spikes.

ankylosaurs
A group of armoured ornithischian dinosaurs known from the Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous.
Examples include the Laurasian forms Ankylosaurus and Euoplocephalus which both had
formidable tail clubs.

dromaeosaurids
A group of bird-like feathered non-avian theropods known from the Middle Jurassic (possibly) up
until the end of the Cretaceous. Famous examples include Velociraptor and Microraptor. They are
currently the only non-avian theropods that show strong evidence of gliding capabilities.

Microraptor
A small dromaeosaurid believed to have had gliding abilities. This animal has been critical towards
our understanding of avian and flight origins. It is known from the Early Cretaceous rocks of
Liaoning, China.

Appearance: Scales, feathers and bristles

keratin
A tough fibrous protein that has a variety of forms. It is present in hair, nails, claws and horns.

Appearance: Two- and four-leggedness

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quadrupedalism
The condition of moving with four limbs. Dogs and cats are both quadrupeds.

Size: Gigantism
Copes rule
The tendency for animal lineages to increase in body size over time.

maniraptoran theropods
A subgroup of coelurosaur theropods that includes birds and their closest relatives.

Size: Dwarfism
dwarfism
The evolution of exceptionally small individuals.

gestation
The process or period of carrying an embryo or foetus inside female animals.

thermoregulation
The process of controlling body temperature regardless of the surrounding temperature.

Size: Living dinosaurs - birds

wingspan
The distance between the tips of the wings.

1.4 Appearance and size

Diet: Introduction
omnivory
A wide diet from both animal and plant sources

Diet: Carnivory

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coelurosaurian theropods
A group of theropods including maniraptorans and tyrannosaurs.

Diet: Herbivory
dental occlusion
The way the teeth of the upper and lower jaws contact each other.

Mya
Acronym for million years ago.

Bonus video: Herbivory in non-avian theropods

Limusaurus
One of the earliest theropods to deviate from the ancestral carnivorous theropod diet. An early
omnivorous or herbivorous theropod from the Late Jurassic of China.

therizinosauroid
A group of suspected omnivorous or herbivorous Laurasian theropod dinosaurs from the
Cretaceous period. Examples include Erliansaurus and Neimongosaurus from the Erlian
Formation. They evolved a beak and may have had a more upright posture compared to other
non-avian theropods.

oviraptorosaur
A group of Cretaceous bird-like non-avian theropods which appear to have become omnivorous
or herbivorous. The name can be translated as egg thief lizards, but there is currently no evidence
that they deserved this name. Examples include Gigantoraptor and Incisivosaurus from China.
Oviraptorosaurs had a Laurasian distribution.

ornithomimid
A group of mostly beaked Cretaceous theropods. Their name translates as bird-mimics because
their beak as well as other parts of their body are quite bird-like. Examples include
Archaeornithomimus of Erlian and Ornithomimus of North America. They are thought to have been
mostly omnivorous or herbivorous.

Jinfengopteryx
A troodontid theropod from the Early Cretaceous of China that preserved seeds in its stomach
region. Possibly an omnivorous or herbivorous form.

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Bonus video: Herbivorous life strategies
Mesozoic plants
In the Early and Middle Mesozoic less nutritious gymnosperm plants dominated. In the Late
Mesozoic, more nutritious flowering plants emerged.

1.5 Habitat
Habitat
Semi-arid desert
Desert with more rainfall and lower temperatures compared to harsher arid deserts.

1.6 Time range and distribution

Mesozoic era
Geological timescale
A system of chronological dating used to describe the events in Earths history.

Dinosaurs and the moving continents

plate tectonics
A well-supported theory that explains Earths geological processes including seafloor spreading.

Pangaea (Pangea)
A supercontinent (huge assembled continent) which existed from the Late Permian until the end
of Triassic.

1.7 Extinction
Chicxulub bollide impact
Chicxulub crater
An impact crater formed around 66 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous. It has been
estimated to be at least 10km wide and is now buried by the Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatn
Peninsula, Mexico.

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iridium
A chemical element only found in meteorites or nuclear blast sites.

Richter scale
A logarithmic scale commonly used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. The Chicxulub
impact resulted in massive earthquakes estimated to have magnitudes up to 12-13 on the Richter
scale.

Deccan Trap volcanism

large igneous province
An extremely large accumulation of igneous rocks resulting from a massive outflow of lava. Often
associated with mantle plumes (see below).

basalt
A dark, fine-grained igneous rock. It is the main component of oceanic crust and as such is the
most abundant rock in the Earths crust.

deep mantle plume

An especially hot portion of the Earths mantle that rises upwards and sometimes breaks through
the Earths crust to form large volcanic features.

Shiva crater
A possible impact crater located in the Bay of Bengal, near the west coast of India. It has been
proposed as having a similar age to the Deccan Traps.

Carbonate releases
The release of carbon dioxide associated with the destruction of carbonate rocks (rocks
dominated by minerals made of chemical compounds containing the carbonate ion, CO3) and
other carbonate sources (e.g. coral reefs and sea shells).

sulphur dioxide
A toxic and acidic gas. Today it is produced in great quantities by volcanic activity as well as
industrial activity.

acid rain
Rain with dissolved acidic gases such as sulphur dioxide. Excessive acid rain is harmful to animal
and plants and can therefore damage or destroy ecosystems.

K-T (Cretaceous Tertiary) / K- Pg (Cretaceous Palaeogene) extinction event

A mass extinction event that affected over 70% of global animal and plant species around 66

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million years ago. It led to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs and the rise of mammals.

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