What Were the First Dinosaurs That Walked the Earth?
Dinosaurs are some of the most fascinating creatures that ever walked the planet, partially because of the mystery that surrounds them. These creatures lived for millions of years, and many of the species we know today came from the middle to the end of their reign. But what about the beginning? Let’s take a look at what the first dinosaurs to walk on Earth were like.
Earth’s Impact
Dinosaurs emerged during the late Triassic period, the first major period of the Mesozoic era. During this period, the Earth was a single landmass known as Pangaea, and hot, dry conditions characterized the climate. This is important because drier landscapes impacted living conditions for early dinosaur species, as fewer plants could flourish.
What Early Dinosaurs Looked Like
The first dinosaurs were relatively small, often bipedal, and had long, tail-like appendages. Earth didn’t have many large species, let alone giants, yet; instead, most species were the size of a dog or a horse at the largest. Their smaller size and frame allowed these early beasts to move quickly and agilely.
Dino Fact
Giant species of dinosaur, like Brachiosaurus and Allosaurus, wouldn’t come around until the Jurassic period, when there was more prey for them to feast on.
A Look at Early Species
Exploring specific species is the best way to know what the first dinosaurs on Earth looked like. After all, these were animals, and like today’s species, no two were perfectly identical. Some of the species included the following creatures.
Eoraptor
The Eoraptor was around the size of a house cat but had a longer tail. This little dinosaur walked on two legs and had sharp teeth that it likely used to eat small animals, lizards, and insects.
Plateosaurus
The Plateosaurus was one of the first herbivores, so it feasted on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation. This beast was between 16 and 32 feet long, quite large for the Late Triassic. This herbivore was likely larger due to its time period; by the Late Triassic, Earth’s climate was becoming more similar to a rainforest, meaning there were more plants for a Plateosaurus to feed on.
What Happened to Them?
The Triassic period ended with a mass extinction event that wiped out roughly half of Earth’s species. Scientists suspect that this happened due to an increase in volcanic activity, climate change, and the natural destruction of ecosystems.
During the mass extinction, species either died off or evolved so that their descendants could survive into the Jurassic period. For example, Theropods living during the Triassic (such as Herrerasaurus or Coelophysis) had many descendants that lived on, including the Velociraptor and modern-day birds!
Get Dinosaur Action Figures
Although the beasts of yesterday are physically gone, they can live on in other forms in your home! Creative Beast Studio designs realistic dinosaur action figures and has beasts that lived throughout the Mesozoic era. Get collectables of your favorite dinosaurs to keep these beasts alive in your heart.
