Q: I am doing a class project about sintaosaurus family of the Hadrosauridae. They are also known as big lizards from china. Please send me any information for my project, any information will be helpful. Thank you martin
from martitn o., deltona, FL, USA; September 28, 1998
A: Tsintaosaurus is a doubtful name and is probably the same as Tanius (which was named earlier and therefore retains its name). It was a crestless Hadrosaurid from China. These large, heavily-built plant-eaters were duck-bills that had a bony protuberance between the eyes on their flat head. They had toothless beaks, and strong jaws with self-sharpening cheek teeth (for chewing tough plant material). They had four-fingered hands and could walk on 2 or 4 legs. They date from the late Cretaceous period, about 88.5 to 65 million years ago. Tanius was named by Carl Wiman in 1929. Tsintaosaurus was named by Young Chung Chien in 1958.
Q: what is the name of the duck billed dinosaur?
from Tiffany S., woodhaven, ny, USA; August 18, 1998
A: There were a lot of different duck-billed dinosaurs, the Hadrosaurids, which included the family HADROSAURINAE and LAMBEOSAURINAE. They were all plant-eaters that had a toothless beak and many cheek teeth.
The Hadrosaurinae included species like Anatotitan, Edmontosaurus, Hadrosaurus, Kritosaurus, Maiasaura, Trachodon, Tsintaosaurus, and many others.
Lambeosaurinae were duck-bills with hollow, bony head crests and included species like Lambeosaurus, Bactrosaurus, Corythosaurus, Jaxartosaurus, Parasaurolophus, and many others.
Q: Can you give me some information regarding the duck billed dinosaur, I believe is a hadrosaur, such as when lived, size and weight, carnivorous or herbivor or anything you can tell me.
from Leslie, USA; July 17, 1998
A: There were a lot of hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs), including Maiasaura, Lambeosaurus, etc. For a page of information on the hadrosaurs, click here. There you will also find links to information sheets on individual genera of hadrosaurids.
Q:We are trying to find out about the Herrerasaurus. Can you help? thank you
from ?; Feb. 27, 1998
A: Herrerasaurus (meaning "Herrera's lizard;" Herrera was a goat-herd who was a friend of the discoverer of the fossil) was a late Triassic dinosaur from about 230 million years ago. It was a very early dinosaur and a primitive prosauropod. It was a speedy carnivore about 6-8 feet (1.5-2 m) long and about 300 pounds (136 kg) in weight. It was bipedal (walked on two legs), had a short neck and a large head. Fossils have been found in Argentina, South America.
Q:How big was the Heterodontosaurus? (height and weight). Who were his greatest enemies?
from Alayna B., Age 6 - 1st Grade, Lascassas, TN, USA; Feb. 7, 1998
A: Heterodontosaurus (meaning "different-tooth lizard"), was an early ornithopod from the lower Jurassic period (about 200 million years ago). Fossils have been found in South Africa. This lightly-built dinosaur was roughly the size of a turkey; about 2 feet tall and probably weighed about 50 pounds.
Large predators from that time were: 
pterosaurs, and 
crocodilians. Other dinosaurs from South Africa who lived during the lower (early) Jurassic include: Massopondylus, Thecodontosaurus, Lanasaurus, and Lesothosaurus.
Q:My student, Ethan, needs some information about the dinosaur called Hoplitosaurus. He would appreciate any facts on this dinosaur so he can complete his report.
Thank you, G. B., PMA
from G. Bourne, Laconia, NH, USA; Feb. 16, 1998
A: Hoplitosaurus (meaning "Hoplite lizard;" a hoplite was an armed soldier) was an ankylosaur, an armored dinosaur. It had rows of flattened horny plates running along its back. Hoplitosaurus was an herbivore (a plant-eater) that walked on four legs and lived during the early Cretaceous period. An incomplete fossil was found in South Dakota, USA.
Q: I'm doing a report on the Hylaeosaurus and information is proving to be very scarce. If you could post some info on this dino, I wouild be very grateful
from Kim, Stillwater, Minnesota, USA; May 5, 1998
A: Hylaeosaurus (meaning "woodland lizard") was an armored, quadrupedal, plant-eating dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period, about 135-119 million years ago. It was about 13 feet (4 m) long, had short legs, spikes along its shoulders and sides, and oval plates all over the top of its body. It had a toothless beak and leaf-shaped cheek teeth. It ate low-lying plants. It was an ankylosaur and a nodosaur (with no tail club). Its fossils have been found in southeast England. Hylaeosaurus was named in 1833 by the British paleontologist Gideon A. Mantell. For more information on Hylaeosaurus, click here.
Q: Recently found Hypsilophondontidae dinosaur skeletons in South East Australia show evidence of large optic lobes and large eyes. How might these structures have been selectively advantageous for these dinosaurs in their Australian Cretaceous environment?
from Heather F., St. Paul, Minnesota, Ramsey, USA; April 15, 1998
A: Hypsilophodontids were a group of small, gazelle-like, herbivorous, large-eyed, long-legged, five-fingered, four-toed, herding dinosaurs which included Hypsilophodon, Dryosaurus, Othnielia, Tenotosaurus, Parksosaurus, Thescelosaurus, etc. Hypsilophodontids lived from the late Triassic period until the late Cretaceous. Hypsilophodontid fossils have been found on most continents.
Hypsilophodontids had no natural defenses from predators except their speed, senses and small claws on their toes. The presence of large optic lobes and large eyes suggests that they had good eyesight which would help them detect the presence of predators and help them avoid being caught and eaten by a meat-eater.
Q: Thanks for answering my other question, but I have one more about the Hypsilophodons: How did they raise their young? Did they abandon them so they could mature on their own,
or did they defend them against predators untill they were old enough to take care of themselves? Thanks...
from T.L., Beckley, W.V., USA; November 19, 1998
A: There is bonebed evidence that Hypsilophodon may have been a herding animal (about 20 Hypsilophodon fossils were found together on the Isle of Wight, off the
southern coast of England). There is no fossil evidence about the nurturing of their young. For more information on Hypsilophodon, click here.
Q: Did the Hypsilophodontids have any kind of defences against predators?
from Tonya L, Beckley, W.V., USA; November 18, 1998
A: Hypsilophodontids were small, speedy plant-eaters whose first line of defense was probably their speed. One Hypsilophodon (the type genus for the Hypsilophosontids) was found with some bony plates nearby, indicating that it might possibly have been armored (but no other armored examples have been found, so this is doubtful). For more information on Hypsilophodon, click here.
Q: How, why and when did Hypsilophodon become extinct?
from Amy P., Killingworth, CT, USA; December 8, 1998
A: Hypsilophodon went extinct about 115 million years ago in a background extinction. For more information on Hypsilophodon, click here.
Q: Can you please tell me the "How, Who, What, When & Where" of the discovery of the Hypsilophodon? For whatever reason I can't get to that link. Thanks!
from Karrie M., Newark, OH, USA; May 29, 1998
A: Hypsilophodon was first described by Thomas Huxley in 1870 and paleontologists thought that it was quite similar to the modern-day tree kangaroo. For over 100 years, scientist believed that Hypsilophodon lived in trees. In 1974, paleontologist Peter M. Galton's reconstruction of Hypsilophodon showed that there is no evidence for tree-dwelling behavior, and that Hypsilophodon was a terrestrial dinosaur.
Fossils of Hypsilophodon, and many other Cretaceous species (Iguanodon, crocodilians, turtles, fish, insects, mammals, and plants) have been found on the Wealden of southeast England and on the Isle of Wight. About 20 Hypsilophodon fossils were found together on the Isle of Wight (off the southern coast of England).
For more information on Hypsilophodon, click here.
Q:Did Hypsilophodon travel in a herd or by itself?
from Alaina, Boone, IA, USA; Feb. 25, 1998
A: A bonebed of about 20 Hypsilophodon fossils were unearthed together on the Isle of Wight (an island off the coast of southern England). This indicates that a herd of Hypsilophodon died together.
Q: Can you show me a picture of the dinosaur nicknamed the "spitter" or Hypsilophodon
from Mark Lorenz A. P., Angono, Rizal, Phillipines; September 1, 1997
A: Hypsilophodon was a small, fast, horny-beaked Ornithopod with self-sharpening teeth. It lived in the early Cretaceous (125 million years ago). For more information, see this page on Hypsilophodon.
Q: I was wondering if you could please send me some pics. and some info of a hypsilophodon. It would be greatly appreciated.
from Joey and Jonny T.; March 16, 1998
A: Your e-mail address didn't work! All the pictures and information about Hypsilophodon are online, just click here.
Q: What Era did the Iguanadon live in
from David F., NY, NY, USA; December 4, 1998
A: Iguanodon, like all dinosaurs, lived during the Mesozoic Era. In particular, it lived during the early Cretaceous period, about 135 to 110 million years ago. For more information about Iguanodon, click here.
Q: I have to do a report on Iguanadonts, do you have any information on them? Also If you could show a picture, that would be great!
from Kevin, New Hampshire, USA; April 7, 1998
A: Iguanodontids or Iguanodonts were the family of large ornithopods that were bipedal (walked on two legs), long-toed, herbivores (plant-eaters) that had a single row of teeth. They lived from the late Jurassic to the late Cretaceous periods. Iguanodontids included the dinosaurs Iguanodon, Ouranosaurus, Probactrosaurus, and others. Their fossils have been found all over the world.
Iguanodon is the largest known Iguanodontid, about 30 feet (9.3 m) long. It had a horny, toothless beak, cheek teeth and a conical thumb-spike. For an an information sheet on Iguanodon, click here.
Q: Well I was just learning about the Iguanadon and well we didn't learn how long it lived and if it was a lizard or bird
from Jonathan S., San Jose, CA, USA; November 9, 1998
A: Iguanodon was a dinosaur (and a reptile) but not a bird or a lizard. For more information on Iguanodon, click here.
Q:We are doing a group project and need to find out all we can about the Iguanodon. This is a question we have: How fast did the Iguanodon travel and what was the size of its claws? What kind of nest did they build ? What was the size of the eggs?
from Michael, Mike & Scott, DeWitt, Iowa, USA; Feb. 3, 1998
A:Iguanodon may have travelled as fast as 15-20 km/hr (according to D. Fastovsky and D. Weishampel in "The Evolution and Extinction of the Dinosaurs). They had a conical thumb spike on each hand that was about 5 cm long (same source). I don't know if any of their eggs or nests have been found.
Q: What is the Kentrosaurus's ancestors? Why do people think the Kentrosaurus is extinct?
from Joy S., Cerritos, CA, USA; May 15, 1998
A: Kentrosaurus was a stegosaurid, a Thyreophoran, and an Ornithischian dinosaur. The earliest Thyreophoran was Scutellosaurus.
Kentrosaurus was a plated and spiked plant-eater that was about 17 feet long (5 m) and weighed about 2 tons. If there were any of them still around, we couldn't miss them! For more information on Kentrosaurus, click here.
Q: Where did the Lambeosaurus live?
from ???, WA, USA; May 19, 1998
A: Lambeosaurus fossils have been found in Montana, Baja California (USA) and Alberta (Canada). Lambeosaurus was a herding dinosaur that may have migrated from shorelines to higher ground to reproduce. For more information on Lambeosaurus, click here.
Q: Hi , I'm in second grade and I'm doing a project on the Leptoceratops. I can't find any information and I need to know when it lived, how big it was, what it ate, how it looked, how it protected itself, anything that makes my dinosaur special, and what the name means.
from MFJ, MA, USA; Feb. 21, 1998
A: Leptoceratops means "slim-horned face." It was a primitive ceratopsian, the family of large, frilled, herding dinosaurs (other ceratopsians include Psittacosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus,
Montanoceratops, Chasmosaurus, Centrosaurus, Triceratops, Styracosaurus,
and Protoceratops). It lived during the late Cretaceous period and fossils have been found in Alberta, Canada. It was about 6-9 feet long and 2.5 feet tall. It had a short bony frill protruding from its large
skull and a parrot-like beak. It could walk on two or four legs; it's front legs were much shorter than its hind legs. It probably ran on four legs and grazed on two. It was a plant eater (an herbivore).
Q: Where did the Lesothosaurus live and what was it like?
from Kevin M., ??; March 8, 1998
A: Lesothosaurus was one of the earliest dinosaurs yet found, and dates from the early Jurassic period. It walked on two long legs, had short arms, a long tail, a small head, and was small, about 3 feet (1 m) long. It was an herbivore (plant-eater) and a fast, agile runner. It was an ornithischian dinosaur (the "bird-hipped" dinosaurs), an ornithopod (bipedal dinos with no body armor), and belonged to the family Fabrosauridae (the earliest ornithopods). Two Lesothosaurus fossils were found together in Lesotho, South Africa.
Q:What continent did the Maiasaura live on?
from Ashley, DeWitt, IA, USA; Jan. 29, 1998
A: 
Thousands of Maiasaura fossils have been found in North America (in western Canada and the United States), which was part of the continent of Laurasia during the late Cretaceous period, when Maiasauras lived. Around this time, the supercontinent Pangaea 
was breaking up into Laurasia (what is now North America and EurAsia) and Gondwana (Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, and India).
Q:Did the Maiasaura walk on two legs or four legs?
from Dani and Kimberly, Coralville, IA, USA; Feb. 20, 1998
A: Maiasauras (click here for more information) walked on four legs. Maiasaura's front legs were much shorter than the rear legs. When they ran, they probably used only their back legs, using the tail for balance.
Q: I don't have any question but I do have a request, can you please send me some pic of the dinosaur Maiasaura. I need a lot 4 a project. Please send B 4 5-5-98. Thanks U R a life
saver!!!
D.J. :)
THANKS
from D. J. J., Stafford, TX, USA; May 5, 1998
A: At the moment, all my dinosaur information is on-line. For information and a picture of Maiasaura, click here.
Q: Do you have any information on Lesothosaur, Mamenchisaurus, or Titanosaurus?
Please send me all the info you have on them,and pictures
from Heather M., Cumberland, West Virginia, USA; April 30, 1998
A: I have an information sheet on Lesothosaurus - click here to see it.
Mamenchisaurus was a long-necked, long-tailed, quadrupedal, plant-eating sauropod from the late Jurassic period, about 156 to 145 million years ago. It was about 70 feet (21 m) long. Mamenchisaurus had the longest neck of any known dinosaur, about 46 feet (14 m). It had 19 vertebrae in its spine, more than any other known dinosaur. Mamenchisaurus was named by Chung Chien Young, a Chinese paleontologist, in 1954. Fossils have been found in China. Mamenchisaurus may be closely related to Diplodocus.
Titanosaurus was another large sauropod, having a long neck, long tail, and small head. It walked on four legs, ate plants and had a heavy body with armor on its back. It was about 40 feet (12 m) long and lived during the late Cretaceous period. It is only known from incomplete fossils. Fossils have been found in India, Europe, and perhaps South America. Titanosaurus was named by British paleontologist Richard Lydekker in 1877.
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