iv) Bird-Dinosaur

By: Carolina Rodrigo Briones

9A

DEFINITION OF NAME

Dinosaur : "terrible lizard“. They are another group classified in the reptiles, but aren’t lizards. (not necessary)

Bird-Dinosaur : ___________

*FACT: In the fist half of the 20th century, Scientifics believed dinosaur birds were cold-blooded.

SPECIES

Types: Pterodactyl ("winged finger") Archaeopteryx ("original bird" or "first bird") Confuciusornis (?) Dimorphodon (“teeth in two ways") Pterosauria ("winged lizard")

Bird species existing: 10-20,000.

Confuciusornis

Pterodactyl

Archaeopteryx

Dimorphodon

Pterosaur

CHARACTERISTICS

Confuciusornis: Lived in the Early Cretaceous period (135 million

years ago) Could be found in Asia (specially China) Had some characteristics with dinosaurs (clawed

hands) No tail (long feathers) One of the first known birds to have wishbone Hard beak

Toothless

CHARACTERISTICS (2)

Pterodactyl: Jurassic Era (155-150 million years ago) Lived in Europe and Africa Pterodactyl -> Ptero-Dactyle (Georges Cuvier in 1809) ->

Latinized to Pterodactylus (Rafinesque in 1815) Its name refers to the long finger holding his wing. Relatively small

Wings (50-75 cm long) Pointed beak and teeth Three short claws and a long finer that extended to the

wingtip. Habited in the shores of large lakes (fish) Long beak and with small teeth helped to catch their

prey.

CHARACTERISTICS (3) Dimorphodon:

Lived Mid-Jurassic Era (180-154 million years ago) Could be found in CentraMexico and England. Because it ate fish, scientists believe its hair was waterproof. Its height was usually between 3-4 feet. Length was 8 feet. (including tail) Long tail (helped lead the flight) Large head

Two different types of teeth Strong but flexible beak

Diet: fish First fossils found in England, 1828 (Mary Anning) Named “Dimporphon” by Richard Owen in 1859 (palentologist)

CHARACTERISTICS (4)

Pterosaur: First fossil found by Cosimo Collini in 1784 (Italian naturalist) Lived during the Mesozoic Era (228-65 million years ago)

Could be found in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America.

Body: Wings formed by membrane that supported fourth finger. Whole body covered in hair. Its jaw was long; rounded tip/end.

CHARACTERISTICS (5)

Archaeopteryx: Lived during early Tithonian Stage of Jurassic Period (150.5-148.5 million

years ago) Roughly size of a Raven.

Broad wings; round at the end Long tail (compared to body size) 20 in. length maximum. Small teeth Its feathers are similar to modern day bird feathers.

Similar in structure and design Had also characteristics from theropod dinosaur.

FOSSIL RECORD

First fossil of feathered found was in Liaoning, China during the 1990’s. Had been many discoveries but feathered dinosaurs have been more

common. fossil feathers have roughly the same appearance as the birds fossilized in the

area. In 2012 -> samples of amber

Feathers from 75-80 million years ago (Cretaceous Era) Some feathers were used for insulation, and not flight.

Complex feathers have variations in coloration, similar to modern birds.

REPRODUCTION

Pterosaurus layed eggs Leathery egg shell Eggs were small (like reptiles, unlike birds) They buried eggs (like turtles or crocodiles)

Helped adaptations: weight reduced But it limited possible living environments

Dependent on parents for short period of time (until wings grew)

Could fly as soon as egg hatched

LIFE CYCLE (PTEROSAUR)

Warm-blooded; physiology helped stay in the air. 1st vertebrate to fly Diet: fish

Plunged in water for fish (e.g. pelicans) Also ate insects

Soared hundreds of miles on hunting expeditions Physical:

Very elongated forearms and legs Long neck; big flat feet Longer head than body Bizarre jaw -> long, curved tip

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (PTEROSAUR) Keratinous papillae system (like flamengo’s)

In their mouth -> used for selecting some food types. Food was rasped against upper teeth until organic pulp was

created. Then, filtered to teeth of lower jaw. When had enough food to swallow, would tilt its head up and a

sphincter at top of throat would open Food was sent to the esophagus to its stomach.

RESPIRATORY AND CIRCULAR SYSTEMS

(PTEROSAUR) Respiratory:

Had similar respiratory system as modern birds. Required huge amount of oxygen in order to power their large wings. *could have breathing problems due to long neck.

Abdominal Muscles: Tightly packed in several internal organs. When the animal flexed muscles lungs expanded. (e.g.. Catch prey)

Air Sacs: Relied to provide enough oxygen. It extended into the interior of the bones

form of tiny tubes pumping additional oxygen Geochemical and data indicate ->

dinosaurs appeared atmospheric oxygen concentration was half of today’s

Development of avian-type resp. system may been the “key” dinosaur’s evolution success.

RESPIRATORY AND CIRCULAR SYSTEMS(PTEROSAUR) (2)

Circulatory: Vertical column above heart would require blood pressure

Implications for cardiac size and function led to alternative cardiopulmonary designs.

When young, metabolism went fast but as they reached the adult size metabolism slowed down.

Diminished the load on circulatory system. Had four chambered hearts.

SENSORY SYSTEM (PTEROSAUR)

Animals had a massive focculus. (brain region that integrates signals from joints, muscles and skin) Flocculus send signals so that the eye muscles

produce automatic movements. Pterosaurs' flocculi occupied 7.5% of the animals'

total brain mass. Birds usually do not have large flocculi compared

with any other animal (1%-2% total brain mass) Have so large flocculus due to large wings. (more

sensory informartion to process)

SKULL

Diapsid: ("two arches") Reptiles (cold-blooded) Two holes behind each eye

Synapsids: ('fused arch') Mammal-like (warm-blooded) –

vertebrates/backbone Single Opening, (“temperal fenestra”)  ”skull roof”

behind each eye Synapsid developed from amnoites.

Primitive synapsids – Pelycosaurs Advanced mammal-like – Therapsids.

FUN FACTS

Hallow bones only found on dinosaurs and birds.

Number of bones and structure of a chicken is very similar to predatory dinosaurs.

Feathers are highly evolved scales Evidence of feathery dinosaurs came from

China

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://axxon.com.ar/not/152/c-1520148.htm http://

elcajondesastre.blogcindario.com/2005/09/00126-terodactilos-gigantes-los-mas-grandes-voladores.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeopteryx http://

www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2029779_2029777_2029766,00.html

http://axxon.com.ar/not/152/c-1520148.htm http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterodactylus http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/aviandinosaurs3/p/dimorphodon.htm http://www.educar.org/prehistoria/fosiles/Dimorphodon.asp http://www.dinoguia.com/carnivoros/dimorphodon http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimorphodon http://infodinos.blogspot.com/search/label/volador http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterosauria http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item5634817/?site_locale=en_GB http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/pterosauria.html