Dinosaur Infographic Timeline by DinoPit.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Refer to the dinosaur infographic pictured above for a visual representation of the information below.
Permian–Triassic extinction event
The “Great Dying” is the only time Earth has seen a mass extinction of insects. It also caused the extinction of 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates.
Triassic Approximately 250 to 200 Ma (million years ago) As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
Reptiles begin to dominate.
The climate during the Triassic period was hot, dry and desert like on the single super continent, Pangea.
Lower Triassic Period or the Early Triassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Induan 251.0 to 249.7 Ma
• Olenekian 249.7 to 245.0 Ma
Life was struggling following the “Great Dying,” much more basic life existed including: corals, mollusks and synapsids.
Middle Triassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Anisian 245.0 to 237.0 Ma
• Ladinian 237.0 to 228.0 Ma
The middle Triassic period saw some of the first dinosaur species: Coelophysis and Eoraptor.
Upper Triassic Period or the Late Triassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Carnian 228.0 to 216.5 Ma
• Norian 216.5 to 203.6 Ma
• Rhaetian 203.6 to 199.6 Ma
The late Triassic period saw the beginnings of Plesiosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Saltopus and Plateosaurus.
The Late Triassic extinction event
The breakup of the supercontinent Pangea occurred at this time.
This extinction event had a devastating effect on marine life, less adaptable dinosaur species, synapsids, small reptiles and larger amphibians. Surviving species would soon become more diverse and specialized.
Jurassic 199.6± 0.6 Ma (million years ago) As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
Small and furry creatures first begin to appear.
The climate during the Jurassic period was warm and humid. The former supercontinent of Pangea is now broken in to Laurasia and Gondwana.
Lower Jurassic Period or the Early Jurassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Hettangian 199.6 to 196.5 Ma
• Sinemurian 196.5 to 189.6 Ma
• Pliensbachian 189.6 to 183.0 Ma
• Toarcian 183.0 to 175.6 Ma
The Lower Jurassic period saw large growth and domination among ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs.
Many new dinosaurs began life in this era including the stegosaurs, pterosaurs and heterodontosaurids.
Middle Jurassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Aalenian 175.6 to 171.6 Ma
• Bajocian 171.6 to 167.7 Ma
• Bathonian 167.7 to 164.7 Ma
• Callovian 164.7 to 161.2 Ma
The middle of the Jurassic period saw the formation of the Atlantic Ocean.
A dominant form of marine life, the Ichthyosaurs showed a decline in diversity but many new dinosaur species appeared including: brachiosaurs, hypsilophodonts and megalosaurs.
Upper Jurassic Period or the Late Jurassic Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Oxfordian 161.2 to 155.7 Ma
• Kimmeridgian 155.7 to 150.8 Ma
•Tithonian 150.8 to 145.5 Ma
The late Jurassic period saw the boom of many “famous” dinosaur species including: Ankylosaurs, Allosaurus, Archaeopteryx, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus.
Cretaceous 145.5 ± 4 to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma (million years ago) As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
Bird-like species take to the skies and blooming plant life appears.
The climate during the Cretaceous period was warm due to volcanic activity.
Sea levels had begun to rise.
The continents of today were formed from the breaking up of Gondwana and Laurasia.
Lower Cretaceous Period or the Early Cretaceous Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Berriasian 145.5 to 140.2 Ma
• Valanginian 140.2 to 136.4 Ma
• Hauterivian 136.4 to 130.0 Ma
• Barremian 130.0 to 125.0 Ma
• Aptian 125.0 to 112.0 Ma
• Albian 112.0 to 99.6 Ma
Much more dinosaur diversity was seen during the early Cretaceous period. Dinosaurs that appeared during this period include: Iguanadon, Utahraptor and Compsognathus.
Upper Cretaceous Period or the Late Cretaceous Period As Portrayed on the Dinosaur Infographic Above
• Cenomanian 99.6 to 93.5 Ma
• Turonian 93.5 to 89.3 Ma
• Coniacian 89.3 to 85.8 Ma
• Santonian 85.8 to 83.5 Ma
• Campanian 83.5 to 70.6 Ma
•Maastrichtian 70.6 to 65.5 Ma
During the beginning of the late Cretaceous Ichthyosaurs died out while many more diverse dinosaur species thrived including: Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Dromaeosaurus, Parasaurolophus and Triceratops.
Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event
The end of the age of the dinosaurs.
30% of Cretaceous species survived this event. Many mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, plant life, amphibians, marine invertebrates and insects survived by having omnivorous, insectivorous and carrion based diets or being able to feed from detritus.
