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Carnivorous and Herbivorous Dinosaurs

During the last 150 years more than 500 different dinosaur species were discovered and determined through many discoveries of fossilized bones, skeletons, footprints and other fossil remains. Using their characterstics the dinosaurs are divided in carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs.

Among the carnivores are

  • Dinosaurs with hollow bones like Coelophysis had thin bones, and thus a light body
  • Sickle-clawed dinosaur like Deinonychus had a long sickle-shaped claw on the back legs
  • Birdlike dinosaurs like Sinosauropteryx had a similarity to nowadays ratites
  • Predatory dinosaurs like Allosaurus had strong claws and were feared hunters

Coelophysis
Deinonychus
Sinosauropteryx
Allosaurus


Among the herbivores are

  • early plant-eaters like Plateosaurus are among the oldest dinosaurs that were found to this day
  • long-necked plant-eaters like Apatosaurus had a very long neck and tail and a small head
  • bird-feet dinosaurs like Iguanodon had three running toes with claws
  • dinosaurs with stings like Stegosaurus had dragon-shaped spines on the neck, the back and tail
  • armored dinosaurs like Ankylosaurus had an armor of bone plates
  • horn dinosaurs like Triceratops had several horns and a neck shield

Plateosaurus
Apatosaurus
Iguanodon
Stegosaurus
Ankylosaurus
Triceratops

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