Dino Times! How Dinosaurs Lived What did a dinosaur’s world look like? Step back in time—about Eco-Quest 130 million years—to a part of eastern Asia now known as 1. What similarities can you find Liaoning (“lee-ow-NING”), China. Here, in fossilized lakebeds, between the bird (Confuciusornis scientists have uncovered thousands of fossil remains, including sanctus) and Sinosauropteryx plants, insects, frogs, fish, small mammals, and even feathered prima or Dilong paradoxus dinosaurs! Together this collection creates a more complete pic- dinosaurs? Are you surprised by ture of what a dinosaur ecosystem (its community of plants, the similarities? Why or why not? animals, landscape, and weather) probably looked like. 2. Scientists believe that Dilong How did these animals and plants live together? Check out the paradoxus had a thin coat of feathers, but like its featherless illustrations below of Liaoning species discovered. Then answer cousin, the T. rex, it couldn’t fly. the questions in “Eco-Quest” to the right. What function do you think its feathers served? Think about what modern animals use feath- ers for. 3. Repenomamus giganticus was a carnivorous mammal about the B. Sinosauropteryx prima (“SIGN- size of a cat. From the plants and no-sore-AHP-ter-ix PREE-ma”), A. Eomaia scansoria (“ee- animals pictured here, what do feathered dinosaur oh-MY-ah SCAN-sor-ee- you suppose it ate? (Hint: It was- ah”), ancient mammal D. Dilong paradoxus n’t insects.) (“dee-LONG pair- 4. Scientists studied plant fossils uh-DOX-us”), feathered cousin and determined that the Liaoning of T. rex Forest was warm and dry. What can you tell about the climate in your area from looking at trees C. Confuciusornis sanctus and plants? (“con-FEW-shis-OR-nis SANK-tus”), flying bird with toothless beak H. Psittacosaurus (“se-TACK-ah-sor-us”), a herbivorous dinosaur F. Repenomamus giganticus (“ra-pen-o-MAM-us ji-GAN-teh- G. Archaefructus and kus”), cat-sized primitive Rehezamites trees E. Water strider mammal (insect) If dinosaurs didn’t swim, how come their fossils vary. may Answers 4. dinosaurs! ct! smaller and Baby 3. dinosaur. the insulated bly Fa were found in this fossilized lakebed? Dinosaurs were te proba- feathers These (warmth). insulation and i camouflage, display, flight, for feathers use m washed into the lake after they died. They were then quickly - birds Modern 2. ancestor. common a share o buried in ash from nearby volcanoes. Because the remains were pre- n dinosaurs and Birds feathers. and skulls, small i served so rapidly, many of the Liaoning fossils show almost the entire feet, and hands similar have legs), two on Dorganism, including its hair, feathers, and what it ate for dinner! (walk bipedal both are dinosaurs and Birds 1. ANSWERS © 2005 American Museum of Natural History. All Rights Reserved. .