DINOSAUR ERA

The oldest fossil of the infra class Archosauria dates back to 248 million years ago, where as the latest dates back to 65 million years ago. So, the age of the reptiles is extremely large about 100 million years ago. But classifying dinosaurs on the basis of Cladistics requires the accurate dating of a particular sub classification or genus. To make this intricacy a bit simpler a separate era was allotted to the reptiles, that was the Mesozoic Era (meaning: Middle Life).

Mesozoic Era
(248-65 million years ago)

Mesozoic is a very long era. It had a large rule for nearly 100 million years, which means the period of human rule is hardly one thousandth of this era. Mesozoic was the ruling period of dinosaurs. Its vegetation and physical features were best suited for the inhabitation of dinosaurs. Earlier in this era Pangaea or a super single continent existed in the whole of the earth, surrounded by water. Dispersal and breeding of dinosaurs become very easy. Later on they split apart to form continents. With reference to vegetation, there were supportive for the spread of dinosaurs too, there were tall trees, large widespread forests consisting ferns and bushes. Mesozoic is sub divided into three periods for accurate dating namely Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous.

Triassic
(230-194 million years ago)

Probable land conditions during the Triassic'Triassic', this name came after the three folds division in Germany. This period is believed to be the smallest period of the Mesozoic Era. The first small dinosaurs came to life in this period. All mammals and amphibians of the Permian Period (Another era such as Mesozoic) were extinct; this made land good for reptiles. The small reptiles of Triassic them self evolved to the huge dinosaurs. The whole world was a dense forest; deserts, salt lakes and shallow seas formed. Pangaea began spliting apart. Reptiles like the synapsids, plesiosaur, ithyosaurs became common. Plants were in plenty; Cicadas, conifers and ferns grew all over.

Jurassic
(195-135 million years ago)

Probable land conditions during the Jurassic'Jurassic', was named after the Jura Mountains of French-Swiss frontier. Dinosaurs roam the earth. Varieties of dinosaurs were there. Sea invades the land Continents possibly began to divide. Dinosaurs evolved greatly. Plant life was exuberant and varied but was still coniferous. Plant eaters such as the super sauropods developed weak teeth for they ate soft plants and leaves. Stegosaurs were the most developed ornithischians, hadrosaurids were yet to evolve. But the ornithopods had took over rapidly, and were large in number, and formed the basics for the advancement of the theropods. Theropods like the carnosaurs, ceratosaurs reached their zenith, coelurosaurs were evolving with great speed, but the best were yet to come. Little theropods, and lizards took to air, devoloped gliders and pterosaurs evolved. By the end of the period the world was ideal for reptiliac survival. Reptiles roamed on land, swam in seas and glide in sky.

Cretaceous
(135-65 million years ago)

Probable land conditions during mid Cretaceous'Cretaceous', from the Latin word meaning, 'Chalk'. This is considered the best and the longest period of the dinosaurs. Carnivores grwe up to 15 metres in length. Some of the best carnivores developed, such as the tyrannosaurids in the northern hemisphere, while charcharodontsaurids in the southern parts. These super carnivores were precisely matched with the heavily armed herbivores, such as the ceratopsians, stegosaurs, ankylosaurs and nodosaurs. There was a change in the vegetation this made the plant-eaters develop strong and increased number of teeth that were situated far back in the mouth. Ornithopods developed into hadrosaurs, lambaeosaurs. Pachycephalosaurs were common. The geographical conditions had almost stoped changing rapidly. Swamps and deltas were formed. Rocky and Andes Mountains were formed. By the end of this period Pangaea had split up, but continents were still moving apart.


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