JuniorPaleontologistsJournal–Week4

Welcomeback,JuniorPaleontologists!

Doyourecalllastweek’smystery?

WhatisthebonethatisV-shapedinthemiddleofthechestinthisphotographofNothronychus?

Answer:Itisthewishbone,justlikethewishboneinaThanksgivingturkey.Allbirdshaveawishbone.

Whyisitimportant?Becauseitshowsadirectconnectiontobirds.Dinosaursinthecarnivore(meat-eater)categoryaretheancestorsofbirds.Or,anotherwaytosaythatis,“BIRDSareDINOSAURS.”

BONUS:AnewYouTubevideoshowsthevarietyoftherizinosaurs,includingourNothronychusandsomeoftheartfromMNA.Itusesalotofconfusingnames,butitshowshowstrangethisgroupis.Theartworkiswonderful!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4TrWckE5Gk

ForourfourthdinosaurforJuniorPaleontologists,letusthinkBIG!

OurnextdinosaurisHUGE.GIGANTIC.ENORMOUS.ThisismyownfavoriteLARGEdinosaur.

Itisalong-neckdinosaurfromtheColoradoPlateau,inNewMexico.ItisaJurassicgiant.Itsnamewillshakeyouup:Seismosauruswhichmeans“Earth-ShakerDinosaur.”Sayitoutloud:“SIZE-mo-SOAR-us.”

LookcarefullyatthispictureoftheskeletonondisplayattheNewMexicoMuseumofNaturalHistoryandScience.Seismosaurusisthegiantlong-neckdinosaurwiththelongtail.Youcanfollowtheneckallthewaytothehead,whichisjustbelowtheflyingpterosaur.ThedinosaurattackingitsneckisthegiantpredatorAllosaurus.OntherightsideofthepictureisStegosaurus.AllthesedinosaursarefromtheJurassicPeriod.

DinosaurDetectivesandArtists:

Puzzle:CanyoufigureouthowlongistheskeletonofSeismosaurusbyusingcluesinthispicture?

Or,canyoudrawthishugelong-neckdinosaurandcoloritlikeyouthinkitlooked?

Or,canyouwriteastoryaboutthisgentlegiant?

AnswertoDinosaurPuzzle:HowlongwasSeismosaurus?

Seismosauruswasabout120feetlong,orevenlonger.Thatisabout3largesizeschoolbusesinaline.TheskeletonissolongitstailhadtobecurvedbackwardtofitintheJurassicHall!

DinosaurDetectives:

Puzzle:HowheavywasSeismosaurus?

CanyouguesshowmanyelephantsitwouldtaketobeasheavyasSeismosaurus?

DinosaurDetectivesonyesterday’spuzzle:

HowheavywasSeismosaurus?Answer:asheavyas5or10elephants,orevenmore.CanyouseewhySamiscalledtheEarthShaker?

+ + =

Now,letusthinkaboutwhatSeismosaurusate.Doesitlooklikeapredator,ormeat-eater?No,thislongneckcouldonlywalkslowlyonallfourlegs.

DinosaurDetectives:

Puzzle:Whatdoyouthinkthisgiantlongneckdinosaurate?

DinosaurArtists:

CanyoumakeadrawingthatshowsSeismosauruseating?Or,canyouwriteastoryorpoemaboutthisdinosaur?

Tomorrow:Stones!

DinosaurDetectivesonyesterday’spuzzle:WhatdidSeismosauruseat?

Answer:plantsplantsplants.

Alllongneckshadtofeedonplants,alldaylong.Andmaybeallnightlongtoo!Theyhadtoeatallthetime.

Didyoualreadyknowwhatthelong-neckdinosaursate?

Thisphotographshowstheexcavationofsomeofthebonesofthetail,coveredinplastertoprotectthem.

DinosaurDetectives:Hereisahugemystery:whatarethesestones?WefoundthemwhenweexcavatedSeismosaurus.

ThesestoneswereaBIGsurprise!Whatdoyouthinktheyare?

Thispictureshowsmyhandattheexcavation,nexttoaribofSeismosaurusstillintherock,andoneofstonesthatwefound.Doesthisgiveyouanyideasontheanswertothepuzzle?

DinosaurArtists:CanyouwriteapoemorastoryaboutthesestonesthatwerefoundwiththeSeismosaurusskeleton?

DinosaurDetectivesandArtistsonyesterday’spuzzle:Whatareallthosestones?Theyarestomachstonesthatthedinosaurhadinitsbelly.Didyoufigurethatout?Orwriteastoryorpoemaboutthesestones?

Stomachstonesarealsocalled“gastroliths”whichmeans“stomachstones.”Gastrolithsarerareindinosaurexcavations.Thiswasaluckydiscovery!

Whywerethestonesinthebelly?Theyareprobablyusedtogrindupthefoodinthebelly.Thiswasespeciallyimportantbecausealongneckdinosaurwouldhavetoeatlotsoffoodeveryday.

DinosaurDetectivesandArtists:AFlyingDinosaurPuzzle

Whatishappeninghere?

Isthisadinosaurrescue?

Orsomethingelse?

Canyouimaginewhat’sgoingonandwriteastoryaboutit?

Haveyoueverseenadinosaurfly?

AnswernextMonday.

DoyouhaveanyquestionsforDinosaurDave?