The First Dinosaurs
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Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis is an early carnivorous dinosaur. Its exact relationship has been heavily debated, being considered either related to the Sauropodomorphs, close to the common ancestry of both sauropodomorphs and theropods, or a primitive theropod.
Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 231 Ma
Museum of Ancient Life, Utah
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Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis skull cast.
Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan, Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 230 Ma
Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota
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As with Herrerasaurus, the evolutionary relationships of Eoraptor sp. have been debated. Some studies suggest it is one of the most primitive theropods, but others have found it to be an ancestral sauropodomorph. In either case, it demonstrates the characteristics typical of the earliest dinosaurs: small size, bipedal posture, agile, and carnivorous.
Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 231 Ma
Museum of Ancient Life, Utah
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Eoraptor sp. skull cast.
Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan, Argentina
Middle Triassic Period, 230 Ma
Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota
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Mixed Species Displays
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Tyrannosaurus rex (Theropoda, Tyrannosauroidea) & Triceratops sp. (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia).
Western North America
Late Cretaceous Period
Los Angeles Museum of Natural History
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Allosaurus fragilis (Theropoda, Allosauroidea) & Stegosaurus stenops (Ornithischia, Stegosauria).
Morrison Formation, Moffat Co., Colorado
Late Jurassic Period
Denver Museum of Science & Nature
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Saurophaganax (= Allosaurus?) maximus (Theropoda, Allosauroidea) & Seismosaurus (= Diplodocus) hallorum (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Morrison Formation, New Mexico
Late Jurassic Period
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
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Monolophosaurus jiagni (Theropoda) & Bellusaurus sui (Sauropoda).
China
Middle Jurassic Period, 170-165 Ma
Wyoming Dinosaur Center
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Dromaeosaurus albertensis (Theropoda, Dromeosauridae) & Hypacrosaurus sp. (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda).
Western North America
Late Cretaceous Period, 75 Ma
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Colorado
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Life model of a Tanycolagreus sp. (Therapoda, Coelurosaurus) chasing a Nanosaurus sp. (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda).
Taxonomy: Dinosauria
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma; Western North America
Museum of Ancient Life, Utah
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Life model of a Deinonychus antirrhopus (Therapoda, Dromeosauridae) chasing a Tenontosaurus tilletti (Ornithischia, Ornithopoda).
Taxonomy: Dinosauria
Late Cretaceous Period; Montana
Museum of the Rockies, Montana
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Mixed dinosaur bones in situ (in place where found & not extracted), probably mostly Apatosaurus sp. (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
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Mixed dinosaur bones in situ, probably mostly Apatosaurus sp. (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
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Mixed dinosaur bones in situ, probably mostly Diplodocus sp. (Sauropodomorpha, Diplodocoidea).
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
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Unidentified dinosaur egg cluster (possibly Theropoda).
Black Hills Institute Museum, South Dakota
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Unidentified dinosaur egg cluster (probably Ornithopoda).
Morrison Formation, Fremont Co., Colorado
Late Jurassic Period, 150 Ma
Denver Museum of Science & Nature
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Additional Dinosaur Exhibits:
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