Glossary DRY - DYS
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DRYPTOSAUROIDES
(pronounced DRIP-toh-sawr-ROI-deez) Dryptosauroides (meaning: "similar
to Dryptosaurus") was a large theropod dinosaur that is known from
only a few vertebrae found in India. This bipedal meat-eater lived during
the late Cretaceous Period, about 97.5-65 million years ago. The type
species is D. grandis. Dryptosauroides was named by paleontologist von
Heune in 1932. This is a doubtful genus due to the sparsity of fossils.
DRYPTOSAURUS
(pronounced DRIP-toh-SAWR-us) Dryptosaurus (meaning: "wounding lizard"
) was a speedy, bipedal, meat-eating dinosaur (a late coelurosaur) with
serrated teeth and a large claw (8 inches = 21 cm long) on the first finger
of each hand. It was about 20 feet (6 m) long. Late in his life, paleontologist
E. Cope envisioned Dryptosaurus as a leaping dinosaur and commissioned
Charles Knight to construct a model of Dryptosaurus leaping on another
dinosaur. Dryptosaurus probably ate duck-bills and other dinosaurs. Dryptosaurus
dates from the late Cretaceous Period, about 70 to 65 million years ago.
Dryptosaurus was the first theropod discovered in North America (in New
Jersey) and was named by paleontologist O. Marsh in 1877. The type species
is D. aquilunguis. Dryptosaurus replaced Cope's Laelaps.
DSUNGARIPTERUS
Dsungaripterus was a pterosaur with 10 feet (3 m) wide leathery wings.
It had an unusual bony crest running along its snout and had long, narrow,
curved jaws with a pointed tip. It had flat teeth at the back of the jaws,
probably for crushing the shells of its prey. It lived in what is now
China during the early Cretaceous Period. It was not a dinosaur, but a
type of extinct, flying reptile. It was named by Young in 1964.
Duckbill
This group of two-legged herbivore dinosaurs were the the dominant plant-eaters
during the late Cretaceous period. They had a duck-like beak and teeth
suited to chewing further back in their mouths.
Dung Beetle
Insects with a scooper-like head which are used to form dung into balls.
They lay their eggs in the balls and bury them to provide their young
with a ready food supply when they hatch.
DUNKLEOSTEUS
Dunkleosteus, the biggest member of the family Dinichthyidae ("terrible
fishes"), was a heavily armored primitive fish from the Late Devonian
period, about 400 million years ago. This top predator was up to 11.5
ft (3.5 m) long and had large, scissor-like cutting jaws with serrated,
razor-sharp bones, but no teeth. Its skull was was over 2 feet (65 cm)
long. It had a jointed neck, an eel-like tail, a scale-less body, and
hinged body shields. Dunkleosteus was not a shark but a placoderm with
a shark-like tail. It may have eaten sharks. Fossils have been found in
Morocco, Africa, Poland, Belgium, and the USA.
Dwarf allosaur
A medium sized two legged carnivore which lived in the Early Cretaceous
period. Smaller than Allosaurus, but still a vicious predator, it roamed
the forests and marshes of Australia in search of prey.
DYOPLOSAURUS
(pronounced DIE-oh-plo-SAWR-us) Dyoplosaurus (meaning: "double-armored
lizard") was a heavily armored, plant-eating dinosaur from the late
Cretaceous Period, about 76-70 million years ago. Dyoplosaurus is probably
a invalid name for Euoplocephalus, It was about 20-23 feet (6-7 m) long
and about 5.8 feet (1.7 m) wide. This solitary animal had a bony tail-club
and armor covering most of its body. Fossils were found in Alberta, Canada.
Euoplocephalus was named by paleontologist Parks in 1924 (Euoplocephalus
was named in 1910 by Lambe).
DYSGANUS
(pronounced dis-GANN-us) Dysganus (meaning: "bad brightness"
[referring to its tooth enamel]) was a ceratopsian dinosaur from the late
Cretaceous Period. This horned plant-eater (a Ceratopsid) walked on four
thick legs. It was named by paleontologist E. Cope in 1876. It is only
known from fossilized teeth found in Montana, USA, and is a dubious genus,
with four dubious species. The type species is D. encaustus.
DYSLOCOSAURUS
(pronounced dis-low-co-SAWR-us) Dyslocosaurus was a plant-eating dinosaur
from the late Jurassic Period. Dyslocosaurus means "hard to place
lizard" because it isn't known in which rock formation in Wyoming
its fossils were found - either the 0 Formation or the Lance Formation].
This diplodocid sauropod had a long neck, a long, whip-like tail, and
a bulky body; it walked on four columnar legs. It was 55-60 feet (17-18
m) long. Dyslocosaurus was named by paleontologists MacIntosh, Coombs
and D. A. Russell in 1992. It is only known from some leg bones found
in Wyoming, USA. The type species is D. polyonychius- polyonychius means
many claws.
DYSTYLOSAURUS
(pronounced die-STIE-lo-SAWR-us) Dystylosaurus (meaning: "double-beamed
lizard") was a large, sauropod dinosaur from the late Jurassic Period,
about 156 to 145 million years ago. This long-necked plant-eater walked
on four thick legs and had a small head with blunt teeth; it was either
a brachiosaurid (with a giraffe-like stance) or a diplodocid (with a whip-like
tail). Fossils were found in Colorado, USA. It was named by paleontologist
Jim Jensen in 1985. The type species is D. edwini.