Species in Dinosaur Hall
The species in Dinosaur Hall include both dinosaurs and Mesozoic species that are not dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs
Theropods: These are meat-eating dinosaurs that walk on their hind limbs. Tyrannosaurus is the most famous theropod. All theropods have three main toes on their (hind) feet.
- Albertosaurus libratus: A life-sized model showing some muscles and bone is located on the Main Floor.
- Compognathus longipes: The skeleton of this small theropod is located next to Archaeopterix in a cabinet on the Mezzanine.
- Deinonychus antirrhopus: A skeleton of this theropod is attacking a group of Tenontosaurus on the Main Floor.
- Dromaeosaurus albertensis: This small theropod is located in front of the treadmill on the Mezzanine.
- Tyranosaurus rex: A skeleton of this huge theropod is located on the Main Floor. A skull is located on the Mezzanine.
- theropod Skulls: A series of theropod skulls showing the evolution of this group from the Late Triassic to the Late Cretaceous is located next to the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus. The skulls include Eoraptor lunensis, Herrarasaurus ischigualastensis, Dilophosaurus wetherilli, Ceratosaurus nasicornis, Acrocanthosaurus atokensis, and Velociraptor mongoliensis.
Birds: Technically, birds are theropods, since they evolved from a group of theropods. They also have three main toes and walk on their hind legs.
- Archaeopterix lithographica: A skeleton of this famous bird is located in a large cabinet on the Mezzanine. A cast of its fossil is located in front of the cabinet.
Ceratopsians: These are the horned dinosaurs.
- Avaceratops lammersi: A skeleton of this small dinosaur is located on the Main Floor behind the skeleton of Chasmosaurus and across from the partial skeleton of Hadrosaurus.
- Chasmosaurus belli: A skeleton is located on the Main Floor.
- Torosaurus latus: A skull is located in the corner of the Main Floor next to the Fossil Prep Lab.
- Triceratops horridus: A skull of this famous dinosaur is located on the Mezzanine.
Hadrosaurs: These are called duckbill dinosaurs because the mouth of a couple of one species, Anatotian copei, looked like a duckbill. Most hadrosaurs don't have duckbills but the name stuck.
- Corythosaurus casuarius: A skeleton is located next to the stairway on the Main Floor.
- Hadrosaurus foulkii: A partial skeleton is located the back wall of on the Main Floor across from Avaceratops and next to Deinonychus and Tenontosaurus
- Lambeosaurus lambei: A skull is located in front of the skeleton of Corythosaurus.
- Parasaurolophus walkeri: A skull is located near the skeleton of Pachycephalosaurus on the Mezzanine.
Other Dinosaurs:
- Ankylosaurus magniventris: The tail club of this armored dinosaur is located near the skeleton of Pachycephalosaurus on the Mezzanine.
- Diplodocus carnegii: Diplodocus is a sauropod dinosaur related to Apatosaurus. A front leg of this sauropod is located next to the entrance of Dinosaur Hall on the Main Floor.
- Hipsolophodon foxii: A skeleton of this small dinosaur is located near the gems and skeleton of Dromaeosaurus on the Mezzanine.
- Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis: A skeleton of this dome-head dinosaur is located in the corner of the Mezzanine.
- Stegosaurus stenops: A life-sized model showing what scientists think this dinosaur's internal organs looked like is located on the Mezzanine. A fossil plate of Stegosaurus is located next to the model.
- Tenontosaurus tilletti: A skeleton of a juvenile and three young tenontosaurs are being attacked by a Deinonychus on the Main Floor.
- Ultrasauros machintoshi: A front leg of this giant sauropod is located next to the entrance of Dinosaur Hall on the Main Floor.
Not Dinosaurs
Ammonites: Ammonites are relatives of octopus and squid. They were a varied and successful group of marine animals that flourished for several hundred million years until they became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous.
- Platcenticeras meeki: This large ammonite is located in the front window just left of Tylosaurus.
Bony Fish: Bony fishes such as trout, tuna, and goldfish belong to a group of fishes that are more closely related to dinosaurs, frogs and people than they are to sharks. Sharks don't have true bone.
- Xiphactinus audax: This giant fish is located in front of the windows on the Main Floor.
Ichthyosaurs: These are marine reptiles that look more like dolphins than other marine reptiles.
- Ichthyosaurus sp.: This fossil is located in the corner next to the front windows on the Main Floor. If you look closely you can see its skull, front paddles and parts of its backbone.
Mosasaurs: These marine reptiles are related to modern monitor lizards. Both mosasaurs in Dinosaur Hall are located near the front windows on the Main Floor.
- Plioplatecarpus sp.: This is a juvenile mosasaur.
- Tylosaurus prorigor: This giant mosasaur skeleton better not be a juvenile!
Plesiosaurs: These are long-necked marine reptiles with large paddles.
- Elasmosaurus platyurnus: This giant plesiosaur is located in the Lobby.
Pterosaurs: These are the flying reptiles. They were very successful from the Triassic through the Cretaceous. Some were as small as sparrows while the giant Quetzalcoatlus probably had a wingspan greater than 35 feet.
- Pteranodon sp.: You can see the two skeletons of this pterosaur if you look up from the Main Floor or look down from the Mezzanine.
Turtles: Turtles are reptiles, but they are not closely related to the Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs or other marine reptiles in Dinosaur Hall. The earliest known turtles are from the Triassic.
- Toxochelys latiremis: This juvenile marine turtle is located near the front windows on the Main Floor.
