Saurischians facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaurischiaTemporal range: Upper Triassic – Upper Cretaceous (non-avian)
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Saurischia
Seeley, 1887
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Saurischia is one of the two big groups of dinosaurs. In 1888, a scientist named Harry Seeley sorted dinosaurs into these two main groups. He looked at their hip structure to decide which group they belonged to. Saurischians are often called 'lizard-hipped' dinosaurs. The other group, ornithischians, are known as 'bird-hipped' dinosaurs. Their hip bones are put together in different ways.
All dinosaurs that ate meat, like the fierce theropods, belong to the saurischian group. Also, the giant long-necked dinosaurs, called sauropods, are saurischians. Famous examples include Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus.
Did you know that Birds are actually direct relatives of a group of theropod dinosaurs? This means that birds are a type of saurischian dinosaur in how scientists classify them today.
Contents
What Makes a Saurischian Dinosaur?
The main thing that makes a saurischian dinosaur special is its hip structure. In these dinosaurs, the pubic bone points forward, similar to how a lizard's hip is shaped. This is why they are called 'lizard-hipped'. This is different from the ornithischian dinosaurs, where the pubic bone points backward.
Two Main Saurischian Groups
The Saurischia group is divided into two main types of dinosaurs:
Theropods: Meat-Eating Dinosaurs
The theropods were mostly meat-eating dinosaurs. They walked on two legs and had sharp teeth and claws. This group includes some of the most famous dinosaurs. Think of the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex or the speedy Velociraptor. Even though some later theropods became plant-eaters, most were fierce predators.
Sauropods: Giant Plant-Eaters
The sauropods were huge, long-necked dinosaurs that ate plants. They walked on four strong legs and had very long tails. These were the largest animals to ever walk on land. Dinosaurs like Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, and Apatosaurus are all sauropods. They spent their days munching on leaves from tall trees.
Dinosaurs and Birds
It might seem strange, but modern birds are actually living dinosaurs! Scientists believe that birds evolved from small, feathered theropod dinosaurs. This means that birds are part of the saurischian family tree. So, next time you see a bird, remember you're looking at a distant relative of T. rex!
Related Pages
Images for kids
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Ornithischian pelvis structure (left side)
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Edmontosaurus pelvis (showing ornithischian structure – left side)
See also
In Spanish: Saurisquios para niños
