• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Subscribe To DinoPit Weekly
  • Contact DinoPit
  • Shop
    • Jurassic Cart

DinoPit

Dinosaurs Online

  • Dinosaur Profiles
  • Science
    • Paleontology
    • Dinosaur Books
    • Dinosaur Exhibits
  • Fun Dino Things
    • DinoCrafts
    • Dinosaur in Entertainment
    • Dinosaur Jokes
    • Gifts for Dinosaur Lovers
    • PaleoArt
  • Latest News
  • The DinoPit Podcast
You are here: Home / Latest News / Dinosaurs And Continental Drift

Dinosaurs And Continental Drift

Strewn Dinosaur Species and Continental Drift

It is a fairly well-known concept today that continental drift is responsible for the seven separate continents we have today on Earth (schools of perception vary—some claiming the existence of six or even five continents today; however, this is beside today’s topic). 

It is also fairly well-known that much of the theory behind the existence of prehistoric animal species relies on theories of continental drift.  It is a bigger challenge however, to help some people cross the gap of belief when it comes to dinosaurs, and so each new discovery is important to witness and study in order that our own such advanced species be better prepared—if possible—for our own future on Earth.

Continental Drift
Image Courtesy of Flickr User The.Comedian

A recent article in the Charlotte Observer highlights just one important discovery—recently made and concerning the separate remains of two dinosaurs of the same species and within the same time period and epoch, 1000 miles apart—in Utah’s Wahweap Formation and the Campanian Two Medicine Formation in Montana.

The article covers the type species Acristavus gagslarsoni, a genus of hadrosaurine dinosaur.  What is significant is that—unlike most other (but one) genus species– A. gagslarsoni lacked the trademark ornamentation on its skull usually associated with hadrosaurine dinosaur. ..but why?

Continental Drift and Dinosaur Evolution

Mountainous eruption, changes in sea level, land bridges…all of these phenomenon had immense impact on the adaptations and survival of prehistoric animals such as the dinosaur.  Approximately 79 million years ago, mountains of the Laramide range of the Rocky Mountains were raised in the Laramide orogeny.  (Oregeny is the term used to describe the forces and events leading to severe structural deformation of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle. These are forces that occur due to the movement and engagement of tectonic plates. Response to this engagement results in the formation of long tracts of highly deformed rock—eventually, they become the mountainous mounds of rocks known as The Rockies, the Sierra Nevada or the Sierra Madres…just a few examples. )

As the new orogenic belts erupted east to west across the narrow Laramide strip, they created fragmented dinosaur habitats which were once one.   Before this, Laramidia was a prehistoric island that stretched more than 1,200 miles, from today’s Canada all the way south, down to today’s Mexico.  At one time long ago, before the mountainous eruptions that would split regions, sauropod dinosauars roamed uninhibited from north to south and back again—utilizing the entire stretch of land in genus groups of species herds.

The Significance of Dinosaur Detours Caused By Continental Drift

It is exactly these kinds of “dinosaur detours” that propagate change among genus type species, and sometimes bring about such change too quickly and can affect species endangerment due to species isolation or other change.  However, as these changes occur quite naturally—over millions of years—endangerment doesn’t have to be a problem of genus, as individual species are able to biologically endeavor to adaptation.  Adaptation is ultimately responsible for (through the allowance of) evolution itself.

After studying the fossil records, it is believed that hadrosaurs (duck-bills) developed crests and horns that varied from habitat to habitat in order to help identify each other’s species origin and encourage recognition of the same species for mating.  Most scientists believe that the hadrosaur was a traveler anyway, and moved in large herds for long distances.  When new mountains eventually inhibited the usual travel of the genus, they were restricted in ways that they weren’t before.  Lack of food and increase of predation by the new Theropod dinosaurs ultimately meant trouble for the hadrosaur.

Add to this the drift of continents into new temperate regions, with permanent (lasting millions of years) adjustments to required ambient temperatures for various animal species.  Again, these kind of changes take place naturally over long periods of time.  Where some species and an entire genus may die out, there are others somewhat similar to take their place.  It’s still understood that in order for mass extinctions to occur, there had to have been major events – like continental drift – take place that would impact many species in a relatively short amount of time.

Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: Dinosaur News

Learn More About Dinosaurs

Stegosaurus

Just How Big Was Stegosaurus?

Stegosaurus is one of the more famous names in dinosaur history and makes the favorite dinosaur list for millions of dinosaur lovers world wide. Most commonly recognized for the incredible and beautiful plates on it’s back, this Jurassic period herbivore was a formidable opponent to any meat eater willing to take it on. With a […]

More Science Posts

Fun With Dinos

Dinosaur Desktop Sci-Fi

More Dinosaur Wallpaper

Dinosaur Wallpaper Galore! Here at Dino Pit we have had a couple of posts sharing dinosaur wallpapers and they are always popular and followed by requests for more. So today I have some more dinosaur desktops to share in case you didn’t find any good ones in the last two posts! Dinosaur Wallpaper For Your […]

More Dinosaur Fun

Primary Sidebar

Latest Podcast Episode

Dromaeosaurs (Or What Jurassic Park Got Wrong, and Right, About Raptors)

https://media.transistor.fm/702f9565.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:20 — 11.3MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Dromaeosaurs, from Microraptor to Utahraptor, are amongst the most iconic and fascinating families of dinosaurs. Bolstered by both Jurassic Park and endless scientific studies linking them directly to birds, it’s almost impossible to not love them.

Resources:

  • Quill knobs in bones
  • Utahraptor death trap
  • The Climbing Claw

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS

T-Shirts: Dino-Style

  • Young Tyrannosaur Sticker $3.00 – $5.00
  • It's Raining Pachies $60.00

Topics

Carnivorous Dinosaurs Ceratopsia Ceratopsidae Chasmosaurinae Cretaceous Period Dinosaurs Dinosaur Art Dinosaur Cakes Dinosaur Clothing Dinosaur Craft Ideas Dinosaur Crafts Dinosaur Cupcakes Dinosaur Exhibits Dinosaur Extinction Dinosaur Facts Dinosaur Games Dinosaur Gifts Dinosaur Movies Dinosaur News Dinosaur Research Dinosaur T-Shirt Dinosaur Toys Dinosaur TV Dinosaur Videos Diplodocidae Dromaeosauridae Eudromaeosauria Feathered Dinosaurs Hadrosauridae Herbivorous Dinosaurs Jurassic Period Dinosaurs Make a Dinosaur Monday Omnivorous Dinosaurs Ornithischia Ornithopoda Saurischia Saurolophinae Sauropoda Sauropodomorpha Seismosaurus Theropoda Triassic Period Dinosaurs Triceratops Troodon Tyrannosaurus Rex Velociraptor

Footer

Dinosaurs Everywhere!

  • Dinosaur Profile
  • Dinosaurs
  • Fun Dino Things
    • DinoCrafts
    • Dinosaur in Entertainment
    • Dinosaur Jokes
    • Gifts for Dinosaur Lovers
    • PaleoArt
  • Latest News
  • Podcast
  • Science
    • Dinosaur Books
    • Dinosaur Exhibits
    • Paleontology

Main Categories

  • Dinosaur Profiles
  • Science
    • Paleontology
    • Dinosaur Books
    • Dinosaur Exhibits
  • Fun Dino Things
    • DinoCrafts
    • Dinosaur in Entertainment
    • Dinosaur Jokes
    • Gifts for Dinosaur Lovers
    • PaleoArt
  • Latest News
  • The DinoPit Podcast

Recent Posts

  • Pryroraptor
  • A Toothsome Spinosaurus Bed Keeps The Charismatic Theropod Plunged In The River
  • Danger Ahead For Original Jurassic Park Trio
  • Sweet Dino Skull T-Shirts Based On Real Diagrams
  • Dromaeosaurs (Or What Jurassic Park Got Wrong, and Right, About Raptors)

Dinopit.Com

  • Contact Dinopit
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS

Copyright © 2021 · Scott Kraus · Log in