During the Jurassic period, the super continent, known as Pangaea, split into two continents. One, in the north called Laurasia, and the southern continent called Gondwana. The splitting continents separated the dinosaurs, and allowed them to develop differently, and also develop adaptions. Because Pangaea split apart, there were many different species of dinosaurs that evolved in the Jurassic. Instead of having small sleek predators like Coelophysis, and Prosauropods like Plateosaurus, many other species evolved, like Stegosaurs or Sauropods. Big Predators like Allosaurus also evolved.
There were many different dinosaur that developed at this time. Many of the most popular dinosaurs developed at this time. Here are some dinosaurs in the Jurassic period:
- The Jurassic was much more Tropical, It was warm and humid, allowing lush jungles to grow. - The Jurassic period started 200 million years ago and ended 145 million years ago - The Jurassic period lasted 54 million years - Birds first appeared in the Jurassic period - Lots of vegetation supported food for the herbivores. This allowed them to grow to huge sizes. Early Prosauropods grew to the bigger Sauropods. - was considered the "age of reptiles" because the evolution in dinosaurs and other giant reptiles - Palm plants and conifers were plentiful supplying food for the plant eating dinosaurs.
Jurassic life
The Jurassic period started right after the end Triassic extinction, which a big extinction that happened at the end of the Triassic period, which is 199 million years ago. The end Triassic extinction wiped out about 76% of all marine and terrestrial animals, including dinosaurs. Most paleontologist agree that the extinction was caused by climate change and rising sea levels, but the extinction was not all bad. In fact, the end Triassic extinction gave a chance for the dinosaurs to rise up. Before the extinction, most of the top predators were crocodiles, and Archosaurs, which stopped the dinosaur population from growing. Since the extinction killed off the Archosaurs and crocodiles, the dinosaurs finally had a chance to grow, and ruled the world. The dinosaurs grew to many different species and sizes during this time period. This was mainly because the climate changed and the super- continent Pangea, moved apart. Many different types of dinosaurs appeared, like the Stegosaurs (or technically called Stegosauridae), or the Allosaurs (Allosauridae). Marine reptiles and pterosaurs evolved too. Instead of small, toothed pterosaurs, some types had slender, narrow heads, and very small teeth. Others lost their tails, and grew bigger. Marine reptiles also changed, small plesiosaurs, changed into long necked giants! Pliosaurs (Pliosauroidae) evolved in the Jurassic too, Giants like Liopleurodon. Even though Pliosaurs were related to plesiosaurs, the Pliosaurs had a short thick neck, and a big head.