Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous are the three main periods of the Mesozoic Era, known as the "Age of Dinosaurs".
Triassic marks the beginning, Jurassic represents the peak diversity of dinosaurs, and Cretaceous signifies their dominance, encompassing both gigantic herbivorous and carnivorous species.
Triassic Period (approximately 252-201 million years ago): During the Triassic period, the first dinosaurs appeared. They were mainly small and lightweight reptiles, such as Eoraptor and Herrerasaurus. Most dinosaurs from this period were small and had adaptations for life on land.
Jurassic Period (approximately 201-145 million years ago): This marks the peak diversity of dinosaurs. During the Jurassic, significant groups of dinosaurs emerged, such as sauropods (e.g., Brachiosaurus), theropods (e.g., Allosaurus), and ornithopods (e.g., Stegosaurus). Dinosaurs achieved morphological and ecological diversity, adapting to various environments and lifestyles.
Cretaceous Period (approximately 145-66 million years ago): This was the time of dinosaur dominance. During the Cretaceous, dinosaurs became the largest land animals, encompassing both massive herbivorous species, such as Triceratops and Brachiosaurus, and powerful carnivorous predators, such as Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor. The Cretaceous concluded with a mass extinction event that occurred approximately 66 million years ago, leading to the extinction of the majority of dinosaurs.
After the Cretaceous mass extinction that ended the era of dinosaurs, some dinosaur groups survived and evolved into new forms of life. One of them was small theropods, which evolved towards more avian forms. Through a long process of evolution, some of these dinosaur birds eventually transformed into modern birds such as chickens, ducks, and pigeons. Thus, through prolonged changes in anatomy, behavior, and ecology, dinosaurs evolved into one of the most diverse and widespread groups of animals on Earth - birds.
So what do you think came first?
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