ZoomDinosaurs.com DINOSAUR ANATOMY AND BEHAVIOR

Some dinosaur species apparently lived in groups, as revealed by fossil evidence, which includes:

• many fossils found together in bonebeds (large deposits of bones of the same species in an area)
• fossilized trackways of many dinosaurs travelling together
• large groups of fossilized nests grouped together.

Some dinosaurs may have grouped together for protection (like Hypsilophodon), and some may have cooperated for more effective hunting (like Velociraptor). The existence of herds can also suggest the necessity of seasonal migratory movements to feed a large group of animals.

Some herds may have been temporary, however, with the dinosaurs simply congregating temporarily at rich feeding grounds.

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HERDS - SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Many plant-eating dinosaurs travelled in herds, feeding and perhaps nesting and migrating together. The advantage of congregating in herds was primarily in protection against predators (meat-eating animals).

Many sauropods may have travelled in herds, as evidence from multiple trackways (fossilized footprints) suggests. The trackways also indicate that the young sauropods travelled toward the center of the herd for protection.

A bonebed of about 100 Styracosaurus fossils was found in Arizona, indicating that they also travelled in herds. Protoceratops bonebeds have also been found. Other ceratopsians, like Triceratops, may have also travelled in herds.

Maiasaura fossils have been found in a huge group of about 10,000 animals. This strongly indicates herding behavior. These Maiasauras were buried in volcanic ash along with a field of nests and eggs. Other duck-billed dinosaurs (hadrosaurs like Parasaurolophus) may have also congregated in herds to feed, nest, and perhaps migrate.

A bonebed of about 20 Hypsilophodon fossils were unearthed together on the Isle of Wight (an island off the coast of southern England).

Several hundred Coelophysis fossil skeletons have been found in Arizona, New Mexico, and perhaps Utah. Adults and juveniles of this meat-eating dinosaur have been found.

Other dinosaurs that may have travelled in groups were Ornithomimus and Dryosaurus.

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PACKS - BETTER HUNTING

Some meat-eating dinosaurs may have hunted in packs, combining their strength in order to kill very large prey.

The deadly and intelligent Velociraptor may have hunted in packs, attacking even very large animals. Other Dromeosaurids (the most intelligent dinosaurs), like Deinonychus may have also hunted in deadly packs, attacking even huge sauropods and ankylosaurids.

ZoomDinosaurs.com DINOSAUR ANATOMY AND BEHAVIOR

General Anatomy

Size

Teeth

Herds, Packs

Offense

Defense

Reproduction, Nests & Eggs

Blood Pressure

Skeleton

Tails

Brains

Male or Female?

Skin

Diet

Locomotion

Life Span

Hot or Cold Blooded?

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