Record Breakers — Microsoft Dinosaurs

Record Breakers

From the tiniest to the most terrifying — meet the dinosaurs that broke all the rules.

The dinosaur world was very diverse. Not all dinosaurs were huge, nor were they all fierce. While some measured over 100 feet long, others were barely two feet in length. Most were peaceable plant-eaters; others had to kill for their food. Some lumbered about on four legs; others traveled swiftly on two. Pictured here are some of the most exceptional dinosaurs. They represent the extremes in the dinosaur kingdom. Can you guess the record breakers pictured below?

Explore

One of the Meanest

The largest flesh-eater ever to walk the Earth was Tyrannosaurus rex. Measuring nearly forty feet long from nose to tail, it weighed up to seven tons. Tyrannosaurus rex had massive, powerful jaws lined with sharp, serrated teeth up to seven inches in length. Using its short, powerful neck muscles, it could twist and tear away huge hunks of flesh from its victims. While Tyrannosaurus rex stood twenty feet tall, it probably carried its head low, extending its thick tail as a counterweight. Its relatively small arms had two sharp claws, which may have been used to hold on to its prey while it consumed it.

The Longest

Diplodocus, one of the great plant-eaters, measured around eighty-five feet in length and weighed up to fifteen tons. Until recently, it was believed to be the longest dinosaur that existed. But newly discovered bones in New Mexico could make the plant-eater Seismosaurus the longest known dinosaur, with an unofficial length of 120 feet.

The Most Common

Fossils of Iguanodon were among the first dinosaur remains discovered. Many have been found, often in groups. The large plant-eater weighed in at five tons, and measured twenty-nine feet long. It had a toothless beak, but could possibly defend itself with its spiky thumbs.

The Smallest

At just two feet long, Compsognathus was about the size and weight of a chicken. It was a swift runner that chased insects and other small creatures 145 million years ago.

The Fastest

The dinosaur Gallimimus looked similar to the modern ostrich. Its long, slender legs might have carried it at thirty miles per hour. Gallimimus lived 70 million years ago in what is now Mongolia, where it preyed on flying insects and small lizards.

The Dumbest

Kentrosaurus, a small relative of Stegosaurus, had a very small brain for its body size. The four-legged plant-eater was about seventeen feet long and had two rows of triangular plates along the neck and shoulders, then tall, narrow spines above the neck and tail. Intelligence was apparently not necessary for its survival, since Kentrosaurus and its stegosaur cousins survived for over seventy million years.

The Strangest

The horn-like crest on top of Tsintaosaurus's head may have supported a flap of skin that the dinosaur could inflate like a balloon. Not only would this creature have looked strange with its forehead inflated, but it must have made strange sounds as well. Scientists think this crest may have acted as a "resonator," amplifying the dinosaur's voice.

One of the Last

Triceratops, named for its three face horns, lived about 65-70 million years ago, at the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. Its horns and bony neck frill provided a lot of protection against predators of the time, like Tyrannosaurus rex.

Explore more

The Weirdest Dinosaurs

Source: Microsoft Dinosaurs (1993) CD-ROM. Text liberated from original screen art; images & audio restored from disc. Original media is Microsoft/supplier copyright — non-commercial educational preservation. Credits & Acknowledgements