Kinds Of Dinosaurs
There are well over 300 different kinds of dinosaurs that have been discovered and documented. While most individuals are only familiar with the typical species, such as the T. Rex, the Velociraptor, the Pterodactyl and the Brontosaurus, there are many other amazing types that astonish even the most seasoned scientists. As there are new types of skeletons and fossils being unearthed every few months, there is more information on the different kinds of dinosaurs than ever before.
If you are interested in studying the many kinds of dinosaurs, you will want to learn about the regions they are commonly found in. There are many dig sites around the world, although the one most people are familiar with is located in the western United States where there is a high volume of sedimentary rock. Arizona, Colorado, California, Texas, and Nevada are among the most well known dig sites. Nevada is one of the most famous, as these distinctive dig sites are often featured in films such as Jurassic Park.
Learning about the different kinds of dinosaurs is important if you wish to become a paleontologist, or someone who studies fossils, dinosaurs and prehistoric life. The job of a paleontologist is very similar to an archaeologist, except the paleontologist often deals with only bones and stone and does not work with artifacts of human eras. There are many areas of knowledge a paleontologist needs, including geology and the study of sedimentary rocks as well as a thorough knowledge of bone structure of the different kinds of dinosaurs. Without this knowledge, a paleontologist would not know what types of bones they are looking at.
For those with a more casual interest in dinosaurs, the different kinds of dinosaurs tend to fall into a series of categories. At the top most level, there are invertebrate and vertebrate dinosaurs, or, those without and with bones and definitive skeleton structures. Insects and bugs found in amber tend to be good examples of invertebrate species, while the T. Rex and Pterodactyl are both vertebrate species. Beyond this classification, how the different kinds of dinosaurs are grouped are based by preference. Some people prefer to discuss dinosaurs by whether or not they are reptiles, mammals, avian or marine species. Others prefer to discuss them based off of scientific classifications. Many people commonly think of dinosaurs in the terms of whether or not they eat meat, plants or both.
When studying the different kinds of dinosaurs, it is important to remember that new species are being found all of the time. Some species are even being renamed as more information is found out about them, and different sub groups of the same species are discovered.
