The First Dinosaurs
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Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis is an early carnivorous dinosaur. Its exact relationship has been heavily debated, being considered either related to the Sauropodomorphs, close to the common ancestry of both sauropodomorphs and theropods, or a primitive theropod.
Taxonomy: Dinosauria; Saurischia; Herrerasauridae
Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 231 Ma
Museum of Ancient Life, Utah
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Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis skeleton cast.
Taxonomy: Dinosauria; Saurischia; Herrerasauridae
Argentina
Late Triassic Period, 237-229 Ma
Field Museum, Chicago
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Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis skull cast.
Taxonomy: Dinosauria; Saurischia; Herrerasauridae
Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan, Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 230 Ma
Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota
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Life model of Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis.
Taxonomy: Dinosauria; Saurischia; Herrerasauridae
Argentina
Late Triassic Period, 237-229 Ma
Field Museum, Chicago
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As with Herrerasaurus, the evolutionary relationships of Eoraptor sp. have been debated. Some studies suggest it is one of the most primitive theropods, but others have found it to be an ancestral sauropodomorph. In either case, it demonstrates the characteristics typical of the earliest dinosaurs: small size, bipedal posture, agile, and carnivorous.
Taxonomy: Dinosauria; Saurischia; Sauropodomorpha?
Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 231 Ma
Museum of Ancient Life, Utah
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Eoraptor sp. skull cast.
Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan, Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 230 Ma
Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota
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The Silesauridae is a family of mostly quadrupedal, mostly herbivorous animals that dates to the Triassic Period. Originally thought to be Dinosauromorphs, that is, outside of dinosaurs proper, but some recent studies suggest they are the most basal members of the dinosaur clade Ornithischia.
This is Asilisaurus kongwe (skeleton cast), a relatively primitive silesaurid that is still somewhat bipedal and was likely herbivorous.
Taxonomy: Dinosauria; Ornithischia; Silesauridae
Tanzania
Middle Triassic Period, 245 Ma
Field Museum, Chicago
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Mixed Species Displays
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Tyrannosaurus rex (Theropoda, Tyrannosauroidea) & Triceratops sp. (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia).
Western North America
Late Cretaceous Period
Los Angeles Museum of Natural History
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Allosaurus fragilis (Theropoda, Allosauroidea) & Stegosaurus stenops (Ornithischia, Stegosauria).
Morrison Formation, Moffat Co., Colorado
Late Jurassic Period
Denver Museum of Science & Nature
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Allosaurus (formerly Saurophaganax) anax (Theropoda, Allosauroidea) & Seismosaurus (= Diplodocus) hallorum (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Morrison Formation, New Mexico
Late Jurassic Period
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
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Monolophosaurus jiagni (Theropoda) & Bellusaurus sui (Sauropoda).
China
Middle Jurassic Period, 170-165 Ma
Wyoming Dinosaur Center
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Dromaeosaurus albertensis (Theropoda, Dromeosauridae) & Hypacrosaurus sp. (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda).
Western North America
Late Cretaceous Period, 75 Ma
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Colorado
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Suskityrannus hazelae (Theropoda, Tyrannosauroidea) & Zuniceratops christopheri (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia).
Zuni Basin, New Mexico
Late Cretaceous Period, 92 Ma
Arizona Museum of Natural History
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Cast (with some reconstruction) of fossil of "Fighting Dinosaurs of Mongolia," featuring Protoceratops andrewsi (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia) & Velociraptor mongoliensis sp. (Theropoda, Dromeosauridae)
Western North America
Late Cretaceous Period, 75 Ma
Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
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Life model of a Tanycolagreus sp. (Therapoda, Coelurosaurus) chasing a Nanosaurus sp. (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda).
Taxonomy: Dinosauria
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma; Western North America
Museum of Ancient Life, Utah
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Life model of a Deinonychus antirrhopus (Therapoda, Dromeosauridae) chasing a Tenontosaurus tilletti (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda).
Taxonomy: Dinosauria
Late Cretaceous Period; Montana
Museum of the Rockies, Montana
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Mixed dinosaur bones in situ (in place where found & not extracted), probably mostly Apatosaurus sp. (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
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Mixed dinosaur bones in situ, probably mostly Apatosaurus sp. (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
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Mixed dinosaur bones in situ, probably mostly Diplodocus sp. (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
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Unidentified dinosaur egg cluster (possibly Theropoda).
Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota
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Unidentified dinosaur egg cluster (probably Ornithopoda).
Morrison Formation, Fremont Co., Colorado
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
Denver Museum of Science & Nature
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Additional Dinosaur Exhibits:
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