Triassic Parking Lot Trivia Quiz

Answer: Eoraptor

Discovered in north-western Argentina in 1993, Eoraptor is the most primitive of all known dinosaurs. It lived in the Carnian stage of the late Triassic, roughly 225 million years ago.

Eocursor is something of a mystery. Known from a partial skeleton discovered in South Africa in 1993, palaeontologists still aren't sure exactly what it ate, as its teeth seem to indicate it may have eaten both meat and vegetation.

Eodromaeus was a small theropod discovered by Richardo Martinez and Jim Murphy in Argentina in 1996.

Palaeontologists have had a lot of trouble deciding exactly what type of dinosaur Eucnemesaurus was. No one knows for sure if it was a theropod or a prosauropod.

Answer: Euskelosaurus

Known from a set of leg bones, Euskelosaurus was the first dinosaur to be discovered in Africa. One of its most distinguishing features is its twisted thigh bones.

Euparkeria, Endennasaurus and Erythrosuchus were not dinosaurs. Endennasaurus belonged to a group of marine reptiles called Thalattosaurs while Euparkeria and Erythrosaurus were Thecodonts, the group of animals that would eventually evolve into crocodiles, pterosaurs, and ultimately, dinosaurs.

Answer: Halticosaurus

Very little is known about Halticosaurus as palaeontologists have only one partial skull, discovered in Germany in the early 1900s.

Hypuronector, Henodus and Hyperodapedon were not dinosaurs. Henodus was a marine reptile called a Placodont. It resembled a turtle.

Hypuronector was a type of gliding lizard while Hyperodapedon belonged to a group of reptiles called Rhynchosaurs which have been discovered in various countries including Scotland, India, England, Madagascar and the USA.

Answer: Coelophysis

Coelophysis is one of the best known dinosaurs. In 1947, dozens of skeletons were found at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Some specimens appeared to contain the bones of juveniles. It was originally thought that these were unborn babies, but due to the size of the bones, many palaeontologists began to suggest that the juveniles may, in fact, have been the last meals of the adults. A study done in 2002 now seems to suggest that, when they died, the adults and juveniles were simply lying on top of each other.

Once called Avalonia, Camelotia was a large Prosauropod discovered in southern England in the 1890s.

Camposaurus was a small theropod known from a few vertebrae and some legs bones found in Arizona, USA, in the late 1990s.

First believed to be a prosauropod, Chindesaurus was later identified as a small theropod. It was discovered in Arizona and New Mexico, USA, in the early 1980s.

Answer: Plateosaurus

Plateosaurus was one of the most common European dinosaurs and is the best known prosauropod. Its fossils have been found all over central Europe, mostly in Germany, France and Switzerland.

Known from only a single skeleton discovered in Germany in 1913, Procompsognathus was a tiny theropod, standing no taller than a large chicken.

Preondactylus and Peteinosaurus were not dinosaurs. They belonged to a group of flying reptiles called Pterosaurs. While Preondactylus had a wingspan of around six feet, the wingspan of Peteinosaurus was only sixty centimetres.

Answer: Thecodontosaurus

Thecodontosaurus was the fourth dinosaur to be officially named. It was discovered in Wales and southern England in 1834.

Technosaurus was a small ornithopod known from only a single jawbone discovered in Texas, USA, in the early 1980s.

Terrestrisuchus and Thalassiodracon were not dinosaurs. Thalassiodracon belonged to a group of long-necked marine reptiles called Plesiosaurs while Terrestrisuchus was a tiny, distant relative of todays crocodiles.

Answer: Gojirasaurus

Found in New Mexico, USA, in 1997, Gojirasaurus is known from only the partial skeleton consisting of ribs, a shoulder blade, a tooth and pieces of the backbone, hind legs and hips. The skeleton is from a juvenile, so palaeontologists don't know for sure how big Gojirasaurus was.

Gracilisuchus, Gerrothorax and Grippia were not dinosaurs. Gerrothorax was an early amphibian, Gracilisuchus was an early crocodile and Grippia belonged to a group of dolphin-like marine reptiles called Ichthyosaurs.

Answer: Efraasia

Efraasia is known only from a partial skeleton discovered in Germany in 1909. Some palaeontologists believe it may be a juvenile form of the larger prosauropod, Sellosaurus, but this is unclear.

Eudimorphodon, Ericiolacerta and Erpetosuchus were not dinosaurs. Ericiolacerta was a mammal-like reptile, Eudimorphodon was a pterosaur and Erpetosuchus was an early crocodile.

Answer: Riojasaurus

The best known South American prosauropod, Riojasaurus was also among the largest. Due to its size, Riojasaurus lacked the ability to walk upright on its hind legs like many other prosauropods, therefore, it was confined to walking on all-fours. It was discovered in Argentina in the 1960s.

Redondasaurus, Rutiodon and Rebellatrix were not dinosaurs. Rutiodon and Redondasaurus were early crocodiles while Rebellatrix was a fish.

Answer: Pippin Pisanosaurus

Pisanosaurus is the earliest known ornithopod, living approximately twenty-five million years before the existence of ornithopods such as Heterodontosaurus. It was discovered in Argentina in the late 1960s.

Aliwalia and Shuvosaurus were both small theropods, similar to Herrerasaurus, while Saturnalia was a small prosauropod known from three partial skeletons discovered in Brazil.