There was life on Earth for over 3,000 million years before the dinosaurs. Mammal-like reptiles were living on the land just before the dinosaurs appeared. Some scientists think Lagosuchus (which means rabbit crocodile) was the ancestor of all dinosaurs.
Were there any other animals?
Insects, small mammals and many modern forms of life lived in the shadow of the dinosaurs, as well as other reptiles. Pterosaurs soared through the air, while Ichthyosaurs and Plesiosaurs swam in the seas.
Amazing! There were many groups of land-based reptiles 245 million years ago. These included crocodile-like animals which grew up to five metres long.
How do we know that dinosaurs existed?
Scientists called palaeontologists examine dinosaur bones and piece them together. They also study fossilized footprints, nests and eggs, dung and even toothmarks on bone.
Is it true? We know everything about dinosaurs from fossils.
No. Scientists must guess what colour dinosaurs were, what noises they made and how they behaved. They compare what they know about dinosaurs with the animals alive today.
Picture Credit : Google
