Dinosaurs 101 | National Geographic

When did the earliest dinosaurs appear, and what was the name of the supercontinent where most landmasses were joined?

• Permian Period, Laurasia

• Triassic Period, Pangea

• Jurassic Period, Gondwana

• Cretaceous Period, Eurasia

Dinosaurs branched into two major groups, Saurischia and Ornithischia. What was this classification based on?

• Their diet (herbivore or carnivore)

• Their size and weight

• The shape and orientation of their pelvis

• Their ability to fly or walk

What type of diet did Hadrosaurs have, and what specialized adaptation did they evolve for it?

• Carnivore, sharp claws for hunting

• Herbivore, specialized teeth for grinding tough plant material

• Omnivore, strong jaws for crushing bones

• Piscivore, long beaks for catching fish

Around 66 million years ago, most dinosaurs died out. What is the most well-known explanation for this event, and what did some surviving dinosaur species evolve into?

• Volcanic eruptions, mammals

• Climate change, fish

• An asteroid strike, today's birds

• Disease outbreak, reptiles