Named after the serpent god of the Azteks, and with the same wingspan of a military fighter jet, Quetzalcoatlus was the undisputed king of the skies; a magnificent pterosaur, the largest flying vertebrate to have ever existed. It stood 5.5 meters high, so tall that it could have looked at a giraffe straight in the eyes. It soared over the lands of North America about 66 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous. Fossil remains suggest that Quetzalcoatlus had a long sharp beak, similar to that of modern storks. It was probably a scavenger, scanning the ground for a meal from far up in the sky and using its long neck and skull to probe deep into the carcasses of dead animals such as dinosaurs.

Albertosaurus was a close relative of Tyrannosaurus, but smaller and not as heavily built. In lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 70 million years ago. Albertosaurus was a fierce predator and, on average, adults measured up to 9 m long and weighed between 1.3 tonnes and 1.7 tonnes, making them the apex predators of their environment.

Known from several well-preserved skeletal remains found in Madagascar, Majungasaurus has become one of the best-studied theropod dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere. It appears to be most closely related to the abelisaurids, a unique and bizarre group of carnivorous therapod dinosaurs that lived during the late Cretaceous.

Majungasaurus shared common characteristics with other abelisaurids, mainly the short snout and very short forelimbs. However, it was distinct for its wider skull and a single rounded horn on the roof of its skull. It also had a very rough, sculptured texture and thickened bone on the outside faces of the skull bones. This was carried to an extreme on the nasal bones, which were extremely thick and fused together. In life, these structures would have been covered with some sort of integument, possibly made of keratin. Majungasaurus was a medium-sized theropod that measured on average around 7 meters in length, though being the largest and most fierce predator in its domain.

Gigantopithecus was the largest ape to ever exist. It lived during the Early to Middle Pleistocene of southern China.
Although the size estimates are highly speculative, as only tooth and jaw elements are known, it is estimated that
Gigantopithecus had a total height of about 3 meters and a weight of up to 250 kg, which is about 40% heavier than the average male gorilla.

Proceratosaurus had unusually large nostrils and a crest on its head. It lived in what is now England, about 167 million years ago, during the Middle Jurassic. Like most of the others theropods, Proceratosaurus was a predator and had sharp serrated teeth. Although it is known only from the discovery of a single partial skull, a recent examination of the same revealed many similarities with the Asian tyrannosauroids. Indeed, the shape of the teeth and the cranial crest of Proceratosaurus are characteristics also shared by the Guanlong (a primitive ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex). Thus, based on these recent observations, it can be assumed that the Proceratosaurus is one of the oldest tyrannosaurids ever discovered.

Citipati is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period, about 75 million million years ago. It was among the largest oviraptorids; it is estimated to have been around 2.9 m in length and to have weighed about 80 kg. Its skull was peculiar in shape and relatively short. It also had a tall crest formed by the
premaxilla and the nasal bones, which superficially resembled that of a modern cassowary. Both upper and lower jaws were toothless and developed a horny beak. This suggests that Citipati likely fed on seeds, insects, plants and perhaps, dinosaur eggs.

Europejara is a relatively small pterosaur with an estimated wingspan of 2 metres. The jaws were toothless and the lower jaws bear a large downwards pointing crest. The diet of Europejara is still matter of debate. It lived during the early Cretaceous period, in what is now Spain, when most of Europe was made up of islands, surrounded by wide shallow seas. It is therefore likely that Europejara ate fish. However it is also possible that this pterosaur ate fruit, using its peculiar beak to better separate the fruit flesh from the seeds, like some extant toucans.

Coelophysis was a relatively small carnivorous dinosaur whose remains have been found in Mid to Late Triassic strata of the western United States. It was a primitive theropod, usually growing to lengths of about 2 meters, and had a long, slender neck, tail, and hind legs. Its teeth were typical of predatory dinosaurs: blade-like, recurved, sharp and jagged with fine serrations on both the anterior and posterior edges, ideal for cutting flesh. Coelophysis also had a successful body plan: it was agile and lightly built and had a diet which possibly consisted of other small reptiles and early mammals.

Tyrannosaurus rex, whose name means "king of the tyrant lizards", was one of the largest and deadliest predators to ever roam the Earth.

With a massive body, sharp teeth, and jaws powerful enough to easily crush bones, this famous dinosaur was built to rule, and indeed it dominated North America during the Late Cretaceous, some 65 million years ago.

With its distinctive prominent nasal horn and two other horns over both eyes, Ceratosaurus is instantly recognizable. This unique feature has actually led to its naming; Ceratosaurus, in fact, means "horned lizard" in Greek. Although only the bony horn core of the skull is known from fossils, in the living animal, this core would have supported a keratinous sheath, making it larger in size. It is likely that these structures were ornamental, hence, used during mating displays to impress females. Although Ceratosaurus was medium in size, compared to other late Jurassic predators of its time (like Allosaurus), it moved on powerful hind legs and was likely a formidable hunter.

Rhamphorhynchus was a relatively small pterosaur that lived during the Jurassic period. It had a long tail and a peculiar skull. The teeth of Rhamphorhynchus used to intermesh when the jaws were closed and this suggests that it had a piscivorous diet. Adults also developed a strong upward "hook" at the end of the lower jaw. The largest known specimens would have measured up to 1.3 meters in length with a wingspan of about 1.8 meters.

Mymoorapelta was a very primitive ankylosaur. It was one of the few that lived during the Jurassic period. It is usually classified as being in Polacanthidae, but there is some debate, since it is so primitive, whether or not it deserves its own family. It was named after Mygatt-Moore, the quarry in which its fossil remains were found. It was about 3 meters long and the thick armor on its body was intended to provide protection from large Jurassic age predators such as Allosaurus.

Daeodon was a large, pig-like mammal known as an “entelodont”. It was widespread during the late Oligocene and early Miocene epochs, around 20 million years ago, in what is now the United States. Although entelodonts, like Daeodon, had pig-like physical characteristics, it is unclear whether they were directly related to true pigs, and recent studies point to a closer relationship to hippos instead.

Daeodon's skull was enourmous, it had large canine tusks and it was covered in knobs and flaring protrusions, similarly to modern day warthogs. Daeodon was one of the largest of the entelodonts, it had a strong and muscular body and it was near in size to the rhinoceros of today. It may have been an omnivore, feeding on roots and tubers and scavenging on dead animals, much like the modern day warthogs.

In the late Jurassic it would have been hard to believe that such a small predator like the Guanlong would lead to the evolution of the most ferocious and famous dinosaur of all, Tyrannosaurus rex. In fact, it is one of the first known tyrannosaurids and lived in China about 95 million years before Tyrannosaurus rex. Its name comes from the Chinese words meaning "crown" and "dragon", a clear reference to the unusual crest, one of the most distinct among known theropod dinosaurs, which was probably used for display and to intimidate rivals and predators.

Zhenyuanopterus was a bizzare pterosaur from the early Cretaceous, known from a single specimen, which is almost entirely complete. The skull is 54 cm long and is characterized by a rectangular crest extending along the top of the snout. Both the upper and lower jaws are lined with many long, slightly curved, needle-shaped teeth, with the longest teeth concentrated near the ends of the jaws. Some of them are so long, that they extend above and below the margins of the jaws when the mouth is closed.

Bergamodactylus is a genus of basal pterosaur that lived during the late stages of the Triassic in what is now present-day Bergamo, in Italy. Bergamodactylus is one of the smallest known pterosaurs, with an estimated wingspan of just under 0.5 meters.
It also has has multi-cusped teeth, similar to those of Eudimorphodon, that would have been used to catch insects or fish.

Saltriovenator is one of the few large dinosaurs that have been discovered in Italy and it has been identified as a genus of ceratosaurian therapod dinosaur. It lived during the Early Jurassic, and because of the fragmentary nature of its remains, it is practically impossible to directly measure the size of Saltriovenator. However, by comparing the fossil evidence from Ceratosaurus, it is estimated that this mysterious dinosaur had a body length of about 7 meters.

A lifelike reconstruction of one of the largest and most fascinating early Jurassic theropod dinosaurs, following the latest paleontological discoveries.

Eocursor is a genus of basal ornithischian dinosaur that lived in what is now South Africa during the Early Jurassic.

It was a relatively small, lightly built and gentle herbivore that measured about 1 meter in length.

Lambeosaurus lived about 75 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period of North America. This relatively large hadrosaurid dinosaur, which measured up to 7 meters in length, is known for its distinctive cranial crest. This peculiar crest resembled a hatchet and it was somewhat shorter and more rounded in specimens interpreted as females. The cranial crest also presented a nasal cavity, which ran back through the crest, making it mostly hollow. Many suggestions have been made for the function of the crest, including improving the sense of smell, acting as a resonating chamber for producing sounds, or being a method for different sexes of the same species to recognize each other.

Spinosaurus is probably the most enigmatic dinosaur of all. For decades, this colossal theropod has been the subject of much controversy in the scientific community and many have wondered how this predatory giant from the Cretaceous period could live and hunt. Spinosaurus was huge, in fact it is considered the largest known carnivorous dinosaur and measured about 15 meters in length. It also had an extravagant "sail" on its back, which measured more than a man's height. The function of this peculiar back structure is not known with certainty. One hypothesis suggests that the sail was used to regulate body temperature.

When the animal had its sail turned sideways towards the sun's rays, its large surface, covered with blood vessels, would quickly absorb the heat, thus heating the whole body. An alternative hypothesis suggests that the sail was decorated with bright colors, and was therefore used by males for sexual displays to attract the attention of females.

Recent studies suggest that Spinosaurus spent most of its time in the water and swam using its powerful, fin-like tail. This lifestyle is apparently unique among dinosaurs. There were already several clues that suggested an adaptation of this animal to an aquatic lifestyle: the teeth were similar to those of crocodiles and perfect for catching fish, the front legs were equipped with strong curved claws to hold the most slippery prey, the hind legs were short and the foot bones were broad, suggesting that this dinosaur possessed webbed feet, like those of seabirds.

Dilong is one of the most primitive known tyrannosaurs, a group that includes the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex and other similar dinosaurs, and the first tyrannosauroid discovered with feathers. It lived around 126 million years ago, in what is now western China. Dilong was comparatively small, with a total length of just under 2 metres. It also differed from other tyrannosaurs in having proportionally larger forelimbs and three-fingered, grasping hands, a trait that would be later lost by the larger tyrannosaurs.

Carcharodontosaurus was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs to ever existed. Its head was impressive, in fact it measured as much as the height of a person. It is estimated that this colossal theropod reached 13 meters in length and a body weight of between 6 and 15 tons. Despite its incredible size, its body was relatively slender, with a long tail, slender yet powerful hind legs and well developed arms. Carcharodontosaurus lived about 100 million years ago in North Africa, at a time when the arid land of today was instead a lush and humid environment.

Pisanosaurus was a small, lightly-built herbivore that lived approximately 220 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period in what is now South America. It could grow up to 1 meter in length and weigh between 2.5 and 9 kilograms.

Scipionyx was a theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Italy. There is only one perfectly preserved fossil known of Scipionyx, discovered in 1981 by an amateur paleontologist and brought to the attention of the scientific community in 1993. The fossil is that of a juvenile, the length being just 237 millimetres, and experts believe that it was perhaps just three days old. The full adult size of this carnivorous dinosaur is therefore still unknown.

Megapnosaurus, also known as Syntarsus (possibly synonymous with Coelophysis), was a primitive theropod dinosaur.

By the standards of the early Jurassic period, about 190 million years ago, this meat-eating dinosaur was relatively large in size: it measured 3 meters in length and may have weighed about 30 kilograms. It was an agile predator, much like Coelophysis. The bones of 30 Megapnosaurus individuals were found all together in a fossil bed in Zimbabwe, so paleontologists believe that this early theropod may have hunted in packs.

Monolophosaurus was a medium size theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic period. It was named after the large and single crest on top of its skull, which was probably brightly colored to aid in mating rituals. The only specimen that has been discovered measured 5 metres in length and weighed about 500 kilograms.

Torvosaurus, meaning "savage lizard" in Greek, was a large megalosaurid theropod from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formations, which lived about 145 million years ago.

It was one of the largest known Jurassic theropods, rivaling other large predators, such as Saurophaganax, Allosaurus and Megalosaurus in size. It is estimated that it grew between 9 to 11 meters in length, and weighed between 2.5 and 5 tons, making it one of the largest carnivores to inhabit the Earth until the Late Jurassic. And, given its size, it was likely the top predator in what is now Portugal.

Camptosaurus is a genus of plant-eating, beaked ornithischian dinosaurs that lived in the Late Jurassic in western North America. Adult Camptosaurus could have reached up to 7 meters in length and about 830 kg in weight. And, based on studies of other iguanodonts, experts believe they may have been able to achieve running speeds of up to 25 km per hour, to avoid the large and hungry Jurassic predators like Allosaurus.

Iguanodon was the largest, best known, and most widespread of all the iguanodontids, a group of herbivorous dinosaurs that is closely related to the hadrosaurs, or duck-billed dinosaurs. Iguanodon lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous and was up to 9 metres long, stood nearly 2 metres tall at the hip, and weighed approximately 5 tons.

Aardonyx was a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic in South Africa. It was about 7 meters long, 2 meters tall at the hips, and weighed around 500 kilograms.

Experts believe that Aardonyx represents the transitional stage between bipedal ancestors and quadrupedal sauropod descendants, and this is evident when considering its strong legs, which show adaptations for slow and forceful walking, like larger long necked dinosaurs.

Eoraptor was a small, lightly-built, basal saurischian dinosaur. It is recognized as one of the earliest-known dinosaurs and lived about 230 million years ago during the Late Triassic in Western Gondwana, in the region that is now known as northwestern Argentina.

Tarbosaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaurs that roamed in Asia about 70 million years ago, at the end of the Late Cretaceous Period. Fossils have been recovered in Mongolia, with more fragmentary remains found further afield in parts of China.

Tarbosaurus was nearly as large as the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. While T-Rex can be called the Late Cretaceous king of the North American, Tarbosaurus was its counterpart in Asia. It had the smallest arms of any large tyrannosaur relative to its body size.

Camptosaurus is a genus of plant-eating, beaked ornithischian dinosaurs that lived in the Late Jurassic in western North America. Adult Camptosaurus could have reached up to 7 meters in length and about 830 kg in weight. And, based on studies of other iguanodonts, experts believe this dinosaur may have been able to achieve running speeds of up to 25 km per hour, to avoid the large and hungry Jurassic predators like Allosaurus.

Qianzhousaurus is often referred to by the nickname "Pinocchio Rex" for its long snout in comparison with other known tyrannosaurs. It was discovered in southern China and lived around 70 million years ago. Aside from its signature snout, Qianzhousaurus also had long and narrow teeth, while its relatives, like Tyrannosaurus rex and Tarbosaurus, had thick teeth and powerful, deep-set jaws for crushing their prey. Although only the skull of this animal has been discovered, it is estimated that Qianzhousaurus was 6.3 long and weighed about 750 kg.

Herrerasaurus lived about 237 million years ago, during the late Triassic, in Argentina. It was a contemporary of Eoraptor but much larger and more advanced. Its build was slender but strong, the hind limbs long and powerful and the front limbs very muscular. In addition, it had large claws on its hands that were used to grab prey, and sharp teeth to tear through flesh. Like many of the primitive dinosaurs, it was a carnivorous and bipedal animal. One reason for the success of the early dinosaurs was their ability to move quickly and nimbly on two legs.

Saurornitholestes is a genus of carnivorous dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in the late Cretaceous in Canada.

Compared to other members in the Dromaeosauridae family, Saurornitholestes was more long-legged and lightly built. It resembled the well-known Velociraptor; it had large, fanglike teeth in the front of the jaws, a long, curving, blade-like claw on the second toe and measured almost the same length (1.8 m).

Supersaurus was one of the largest sauropod dinosaurs to ever exist. Its fossil remains have been found in North America and date to about 153 million years ago. It possibly reached 34 meters in length, and a weight of 36 metric tons. It also had an incredibly long neck that was perfectly adapted to reach the tall Jurassic tree canopies and vegetation which it fed on.

Liliensternus was a basal neotheropod dinosaur that lived about 210 million years ago during the Late Triassic in what is now Germany.It is considered to be an intermediate between Coelophysis and Dilophosaurus, hence, it is often depicted with a small crest on the top of its skull to resemble that of a Dilophosaurus.Liliensternus was a moderate-sized, bipedal carnivore, that could grow up to 5 meters in length.Unfortunately, no Liliensternus specimen has been preserved with skin impressions, so it is unknown whether Liliensternus (and its relatives) had feathers or proto-feathers. In case it had, these structures would have allowed Liliensternus to maintain its body temperature.

Tarbosaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur that flourished in Asia about 70 million years ago, at the end of the Late Cretaceous Period. Fossils have been recovered in Mongolia, with more fragmentary remains found further afield in parts of China.

Tarbosaurus was nearly as large as the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. While T-Rex can be called the Late Cretaceous king of the North American, Tarbosaurus was its counterpart in Asia. It had the smallest arms of any large tyrannosaur relative to its body size.