i24news has reported that fossilized skeletal remains of an ancient reptile dating back to 85 million years ago were discovered recently in the Arava desert in southern Israel, Israeli news site Ynet reported on Tuesday.
Parts of skeletons of the same species were found in the past in Iran, Jordan, Syria and Morocco.
Researchers from the Dead Sea and Arava Science Center found tooth and jaw fragments, broken limbs, fins and vertebrae of the Elasmosaurus (Elasmosaurid) reptile.
The Elasmosaurus was not “a dinosaur but a ‘cousin’ that lives in shallow waters of up to 200 meters,” Dr. Hanan Ginat told Ynet.
“The skeletal bones were found in a limestone bedrock rich with microscopic fossils that indicate a previous open marine environment with high fertility – that is to say there was a lot of marine life there,” said Dr. Ginat.
“The location, adjacent to the bone fragments, as well as the nature of the rock that was fossilized, indicate that the marine reptile was found (at the location) where he died. This is the first ever marine reptile of this kind found in Israel. In the past, similar evidence was found in Arab countries.
The fossilized finding in the limestone slab enables the research crew to understand the conditions and living environment of the Arava millions of years ago, which used to be the site of the ocean line of the ancient ocean of “Tethys.”
Article source: http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/society/60758-150211-85-million-year-old-dinosaur-fossile-discovered-in-southern-israel
Our exhibitions also feature the gentle Apatosaurus in the form a ride. Kids can jump on its back and feel like the king of the jungle millions of years ago.
Kids love to get into the saddle of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The ride has movement and sound and will make any kid feel like a pre-historic cowboy.
Iguanodon was a bulky herbivore that grew up to 13 metres long. It had a beak with teeth similar to that of today’s iguana. Its name means “iguana-tooth”. It lived during the Mid-Jurassic period and could walk on 2 or 4 legs.
Caudipteryx means “tail feather”. It was a peacock-sized theropod dinosaur and lived during the Aptian age of the early Cretaceous period. It measured about 1 metre and had an interesting mix of reptile and bird-like features.
Oviraptor was a small theropod dinosaur. Its name means “egg taker” as it used to feed off other dinosaur eggs. It lived some 75 million years ago in the inner Mongolian region of China. Oviraptor was one of the most bird-like of non-avian dinosaurs.
Styracosaurus means “spiked lizard”. A herbivore, it measured 5.5 metres in length and weighed approximately 2721.55 kilograms. Much like its family member, Triceratops, it used its powerful horns to protect itself against predators.
Diplodocus was first discovered in 1877. It’s an easily identifiable dinosaur with its classic shape, long neck and tail, and four sturdy legs. It was a herbivore and reached lengths of up to 33 metres, making it one of the longest dinosaurs to live.
Spinosaurus means “spine lizard’ and this huge carnivore measured 15 metres in length. It has been a contender for the longest and largest theropod dinosaur and is thought to have lived both on land and in water. It existed during the Cretaceous period.
Brachiosuarus was first discovered in 1903 from fossils found in the Grand Canyon. It was a huge herbivore measuring up to 26 metres. Brachiosaurus was part of the sauropod family and lived during the Jurassic period.
Ankylosaurus was a sturdy herbivore that measured up to 9 metres and weighed 5443.11 kilograms. It featured a famous hard, bony tail that acted as a club against predators. Ankylosaurus lived towards the very end of the Cretaceous period.
Stegosaurus’ name means “covered lizard” and it was a heavily-built herbivore that measured as long as 9 metres. On the end of its tail, it sported 4 sharp spikes which it used to fend off predators. It lived during the Late Jurrasic period.
Saltasaurus means “Lizard from Salta”. It lived during the Cretacious period and was one of the smaller Sauropod dinosaurs. This dinosaur was an estimated 12 metres long. It was a herbivore and weighed an estimated 7257.48 kilograms.
Pteranodon was part of the flying reptile genus called Pterosaurs. Some Pterosaurs had a wingspan of over 6 metres. They existed during the late Cretacious period and were mostly found in parts of North America.
This dinosaur’s name means “near crested lizard” and it was an estimated 9.5 metres long and weighed approximately 2267.96 kilograms. It was part of the hadrosaurid group. A herbivore, it was known for the elongated crest on its head.
Pachycephalosaurus means “thick headed lizard”. It was discovered in South Africa and used its thick skull to defend itself from attackers. This omnivore lived during the late Cretaceous period.
Triceratops was a gentle herbivore and lived some 68 million years ago. It was estimated to have reached up to 9 metres long and 3 metres high. It was equiped with 3 horns on its enormous skull – one of the largest skulls of all dinosaurs.
The T-Rex is a cultural phenomenon whose name translates into “tyrant lizard”. It lived throughout western North America. Rex means “King” in latin. It was a carnivore and lived up to its name as a true predatory king, measuring up to 12.3 metres.
The name “Allosaurus” means “different lizard” and it lived during the late Jurrasic period. This dinosaur was a predator and measured over 12 metres long. As a meat eater it was equiped with rows of sharp teeth to tear through its prey.