1. When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth
The Mesozoic Era
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth

2. The Triassic World

3. Mesozoic Era
1. Triassic
2. Jurassic
3. Cretaceous
Began around 245 million years ago after a mass extinction in the Paleozoic Era and ended because of another…
*Mass Extinction
After mass extinction there is lots of new area open for animals to live in
Pangaea begins to crack

4. Still dominant during the Mesozoic Era… Reptiles
Turtles, Crocodiles/Alligators, Lizards, etc.
3 types of animals: ~ Leftover from before the extinction ~ New groups that lasted only a short time ~ New groups that lasted a long time

5. First small mammals and birds appear

6. In the TRIASSIC period we see the … Earliest Dinosaurs
Pisanosaurus
Length:3 feet Height:1 foot Weight:15 pounds
Eoraptor:
Length:3 feet Height:1 feet Weight:20 pounds
Lesothsaurus:
Length:3 feet Height:1 foot Weight:15 pounds

7. Triassic Plant Life
Mosses
Scale Trees (like palm trees)
Ginkos

8. The Jurassic World

9. The Jurassic Period 206 - 144 Million Years Ago
Oceans full of fish, squid, sharks, etc.

10. Jurassic Plant Eating Dinosaurs
Many had armor to protect themselves
Triceratops; Ankylosaurus
Many very large (larger than a Rhino/Hippo)
Some were extremely large (as long as a city block): Diplodocus
Diplodocus
Ankyloasaurus

11. Jurassic Carnivorous Dinosaurs Carnivorous = meat-eaters
*Some were very large: Allasaurus
*Some were smaller: Raptors, and many more
**All had sharp teeth, claws, and speed

12. Jurassic Marine Dinosaurs
Most with similar shapes as a dolphins or sharks
Ate fish and other marine animals
Some were VERY large
All could swim VERY fast
Ichthyosaurus

13. Jurassic Pterosaurs Pterodactyls and Pterosaurs
Most had trouble ‘walking’
Were very good flyers
Had hollow bones
Small (~ 1 foot) and very large (~ 16 feet)

14. The Cretaceous World

15. The Cretaceous Period 144 - 66 million years ago
First flowering plants
The kinds of mammals increased
T- REX time!
First plants with flowers
Their appearance was very rapid
They appeared at the same time as the number of insects increased…
Could insects have helped the flowering plants evolve?

16. The Cretaceous Mass Extinction
Around 60% of all species went extinct.
Affected many land animals/plants
Affected fewer marine animals

17. What organisms went extinct?
All dinosaurs
All pterosaurs
All ichthyosaurs
Many terrestrial plants
Many marine animals

18. What organisms survived?
MAMMALS (!)
Birds
Many plants (ferns were the most successful plant for a while)
Trees with flowers
Small lizards/crocodiles/alligators/turtles
Fish, squids, sharks, etc.

19. What caused the extinction?
Meteorite impact theory
66 million years ago, a ~6 mile wide meteorite struck the Earth near what is now Mexico.

20. Meteorite Impact
This is an EXAGGERATED view of a meteorite impact

21. How? A METEORITE What did it do?
Shock waves, tidal waves, and sent a tremendous amount of dust into the atmosphere
As the dust heated the atmosphere causing HUGE forest fires
Over time, could have blocked sunlight and cooled the Earth
Plants, animals, etc went extinct due to climate change & competition between organisms

22. EXIT TICKET
What do you think would be the most successful traits/adaptations to have in order to avoid becoming extinct during the meterorite of the Mesozoic Era? And why??