Article originally published in 2014. Some data may be out of date.
Approximately 700. But this number is at best a good estimate, as the constant discoveries of paleontologists change it frequently.
As if that were not enough, many of the fossils found by scientists are very fragmented or damaged by time – it is common to find bones of a supposedly new species and then discover that it was another, already known.
According to Felipe Vasconcellos, a paleontologist at UFRJ, the continuous review of the researchers’ work makes the effective number of valid species approximately 350 – of which 22 are Brazilian, according to professor of paleontology at USP Luiz Anelli. , among such species, there is no flying or aquatic species, since, contrary to what many people think, the definition of dinosaur (reptiles that lived between 230 and 65 million years ago) exclusively involves land animals.
CHICKENS ARE DINOS!
Today’s birds (more than 10,000 species) can also be considered dinosaurs. That’s because they have traits in common with their ancestors, the theropods.
order in the house
Discover the main divisions of the two orders that shelter dinosaurs: Ornithischia and Saurischia
Ornithischia
It includes herbivorous species whose basin has the pubis pointed towards the tail, almost horizontally. They had a variety of defensive ornaments, such as bony spikes and a club on their tail, as well as a beak-like snout. Their species had both bipedal and quadrupedal individuals – sometimes they could adopt both postures.
Ankylosauria (suborder)
They had a kind of bone armor all over their bodies, except for their bellies. They even had a bony club on their tail.
Ornithopods (clade)
They had a developed chewing system, three-toed feet and a beak-shaped mouth. They were no more than 15 m and could walk on two or four legs.
Stegosauria (suborder)
Quadrupeds, they had bony plates on their back and tail. Short neck and small head.
Ceratopsids (family)
They had horns and a bony plate on top of the head.
Saurischia
It is the group that brings together all carnivores, although it also includes one of the main herbivore lineages. Its main feature is the basin similar to that of reptiles, with the pubis pointed downwards, in an almost vertical position. They had asymmetrical fingers and also had bipedal and quadrupedal species.
Prosauropods (family)
First large dinosaurs, had small «arms» and long legs. They could be bipeds or quadrupeds.
Theropods (suborder)
Carnivores include the largest predators among dinos. They were bipedal, with feet with three toes on the ground and a fourth toe suspended. They could be giant or small.
Sauropods (infraorder)
Quadrupeds, they had long necks and tails, small heads, thick legs and “elephant feet”. Most peaceful giant dinosaurs belonged to this group.
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