1. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya)

2. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - climate: Dry; low sea levels; one large supercontinent beginning to break up

3. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - inverts: - marine communities - gastropods and molluscs begin to dominate in these initially depauperate faunas... the 'modern marine fauna', including modern reef-builders

4. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Plants: - recovery from the mass extinction is slow; lycopsids dominate early, but soil formation is very slow... - dry climate selects for seed plants with pollen; the Gymnosperms... Petrified Forest N. P.

5. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - Medium sized therapsids dominate early... like Lystrosaurus

6. Triassic survivors Mammals Gorgonopsids Therapsids Pelycosaurs Dicynodonts Cynodonts

7. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - Medium sized therapsids dominate early... like Lystrosaurus - Temnospondyls resurgent (Mastodonosaurus - 6m)

8. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - radiation of the diapsids, but only Ichthyosaurs abundant early Diapsida Younginiformes Ichthyosaurs Lepidosaurs: Lizards, Snakes, Sphenodonts, Plesiosaurs) Archosaurs: Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Crocodilians, Birds

9. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - the opening of the shallow Tethys Sea between Laurasia and Gondwanaland created a very productive marine environment, which was exploited by a diverse group of evolving marine reptiles in the three major diapsid groups:

10. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - marine reptiles: Ichthyosaurs Placodonts Archeosaurs: Tanystropheus Lepidosaurs: Nothosaurus

11. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - marine reptiles: Lepidosaurs: Nothosaurus Shonisaurus - 21m (Blue Whale = 33m, 110 ft)

12. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. Crocodylomorphs (Ornithosuchans and Phytosaurs) Pterosaurs Dinosaurs crucrotarsi Ornithodira (Marasuchas)

13. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. - Crocodylomorphs:

14. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. - In the late Triassic, the first Dinosaur radiations occur. Ornithichians Prosauropods Sauropods Theropods Saurichians

15. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. - In the late Triassic, the first Dinosaur radiations occur. Ornithichians Prosauropods Sauropods Theropods Ornithischians

16. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. - In the late Triassic, the first Dinosaur radiations occur. Ornithichians Prosauropods Sauropods Theropods Saurischian s

17. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. - In the late Triassic, the first Dinosaur radiations occur. Oldest Dinosaurs are the Theropod-like Eoraptor

18. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - As the Triassic proceeds, the Archosaurs displace the Therapsids. - In the late Triassic, the first Dinosaur radiations occur. The first radiation of large dinosaurs were the herbivorous Prosauropods By the late Triassic, all large herbivores were Sauropodomorphs.

19. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) - Verts: - the first mammaliforms... Morganucodontids

20. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Climate: A global greenhouse - lush tropical habitats and rich shallow seas lead to the period of maximum Dinosaur domination.

21. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Marine Reptiles: Ichthyosaurs still present...

22. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Marine Reptiles: but now joined by Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs (both Lepidosaurs)

23. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Marine Reptiles: and marine crocodylians....

24. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Herbivores: Ornithichian Stegosaurs

25. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Herbivores: Sauropods - the first of the real giants 1, small head and peg-like teeth (and elongated cervical vertebrae) 2, addition of extra cervical vertebrae to the neck 3, apron-like pubis 4, fore limbs as long as or longer than hind limbs, making the back slope posteriorly 5, teeth restricted to front of mouth 6, armor.

26. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Herbivores: Sauropods - the first of the real giants Ultrasaurus (maybe a Brachiosaurus) stood 98 ft long, 140 tons

27. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Herbivores: Sauropods - the first of the real giants Diplodocus - 90 ft long 11 tons

28. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Carnivores: 1. three-toed foot 2. digits IV and V lost on hand 3. long arms 4. semilunate carpal 5. fused pelvis 6. large hole in lacrimal bone in skull 7. ?no unique derived characters? 8. giant, hook-like claw on digit II of pes 9. flight feathers

29. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Carnivores: - Ceratosaurs Ceratosaurus

30. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Carnivores: - Carnosaurs Allosaurus

31. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Carnivores: - Avialae Archaeopteryx

32. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Carnivores: - Avialae Archaeopteryx First fossil - 1860 - a flight feather (asymmetrical)

33. The 'London' Specimen - 1861The 'Berlin' Specimen - 1877

35. 10th specimen described in 2005 - shows intermediately rotated halux

36. 10th specimen described in 2005 - shows intermediately rotated halux and hyperextended 2nd digit (like Deinonychosaurs - their sister clade)

38. A. Herrerasaurus- five digits are present, Digit V shaded yellow and hidden on other side of hand. B. Coelophysis. Note that digit V is gone. C. Deinonychus. Note loss of both digits V and IV D. Archaeopteryx. Note very close correspondence in proportions and relative lengths of bones to Deinonychus. E. Hoatzin embryo. Number of bones reduced in digit III. F. Hoatzin adult. Most of the bones of the hand fused Hand Morphology

39. Ornitholestes (theropod dinosaur) Archaeopteryx Sinornis (a Cretaceous bird) Modern chicken Another Set of Examples Archaeopteryx Chicken

40. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Pterosaurs They were present in the Triassic, but reached their greatest diversity in the Jurassic, with over 80 species recorded. However, they would attain their greatest size in the Cretaceous.

41. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Pterosaurs They were present in the Triassic, but reached their greatest diversity in the Jurassic, with over 80 species recorded. However, they would attain their greatest size in the Cretaceous.

42. III. Mesozoic Era B. Jurassic (200-146 mya) - Mammals: Docodonts.... a group of beaver-like animals... the most impressive fossil of the group was found in Feb 2006 - oldest animal with fur - demonstrates that mammals were radiating into a variety of habitats

43. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (145 - 65 mya)

44. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - the warming trend of the Jurassic continues, and results in very high sea levels and the expanse of shallow seas over significant portions of continents

45. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Plants: Evolution of Angiosperms Initially in low abundance Come to dominate by end of Cretaceous Gymnosperms

46. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Plants: Evolution of Angiosperms Initially in low abundance Come to dominate by end of Cretaceous Gymnosperms Angiosperms

47. Archaefructus sinensis Science 2002

48. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Plants: Evolution of Angiosperms Initially in low abundance Come to dominate by end of Cretaceous Gymnosperms

49. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Plants: Evolution of Angiosperms Initially in low abundance Come to dominate by end of Cretaceous Gymnosperms

51. III. Mesozoic Era A. Triassic Period (250 - 205 mya) B. Jurassic (205 - 146 mya) C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Inverts: radiation of pollinators radiation of pollinators and herbivores ground beetles do not

52. C. Cretaceous - Verts: -Crocodylians Sarcosuchus 11m

53. C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Inverts: - Verts: Ornithischians: Stegosaurs give way to a variety of new Ornithischian groups:

54. Ornithischians: Ankylosaurs

55. Ornithischians: Ceratopsians

56. Ornithischians: Iguanodonts

57. Ornithischians: Hadrosaurs

58. Ornithischians: Pachycephalosaurs

59. C. Cretaceous (146 - 65 mya) - Inverts: - Verts: Ornithischians: Saurischians - Sauropods The Titanosaurs (and they were still big)

60. The Titanosaurs Andesaurus 40m (?) 80 tons (?) incomplete skeleton

61. The Titanosaurs Argentinasaurus Largest one known with confidence, but there are bigger single bones.... 35m 80-100 tons incomplete skeleton but a hip girdle, vertebrae, and tibia

62. C. Cretaceous - Theropods: carnivores get big!! Carnosaurs - Giant Allosaur cousins like: Giganotosaurus Longer than the largest Tyrannosaurus rex by 2m 40-45 ft... from Argentina (1995)

63. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Giant Allosaur cousins like: Carcharodontosaurus 40 ft - slightly smaller than T. rex from Niger (1927)

64. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Albertosaurus

65. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Gorgosaurus

66. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Tyrannosaurus (3 sp.)

67. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Tyrannosaurus (3 sp.)

68. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Tyrannosaurus (3 sp.) Soft tissue from a femur? Yup! http://www.livescience.com/41537- t-rex-soft-tissue.html

69. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Dilong paradoxicus Feathered

70. C. Cretaceous Carnosaurs - Tyrannosaurs: - Spinosaurs - Spinosaurus – largest land carnivore? 40-60 ft?

71. C. Cretaceous - Deinonychians Deinonychus Velaciraptor

72. III. Mesozoic C. Cretaceous - theropods (still) - Deinonychians Velociraptor

73. C. Cretaceous - non-bird feathered dinosaurs: Sinosauropteryx prima (1996) first non-bird dinosaur with feathers... a Cretaceous contemporary of birds

74. - Protobirds

75. - Protobirds: Sinornithosaurus (Jurassic)

76. - Protobirds: Microraptor (Cretaceous)

77. Protobirds: - Deinonychians Velociraptor

78. - Protobirds: Unenlagia (Cretaceous)

79. - Protobirds: Caudipterxy (Cretaceous)

80. - Protobirds: Protarchaeopteryx (Cretaceous)

81. - Protobirds: Eoalulavis (Cretaceous)

82. - Pterosaurs:

83. Pteranodon - wingspan 7.5 m

84. - Pterosaurs: Quetzalcoatlus - largest ptersaur; 40 ft wingspan....

85. - Quetzalcoatlus - largest flying animal Quetzalcoatlus - largest ptersaur; 40 ft wingspan....

86. - Mammals...

87. - Multituberculates Dominate in Cretaceous - over 200 species

88. The K-T Boundary

89. hmm... a new star in the constellation of Orion... THAT'S weird...

90. The K-T Boundary

91. WHAT THE HELL!!! It's the Ceratopsians... they're attacking...!!!

92. The K-T Boundary