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Megalosaurus
Click here for more Megalosaurus Pictures
Megalosaurus was a carnivore (meat-eater) that lived in
Europe
(including
France
Portugal,
and southern England),
during the
middle Jurassic period,
between about 181 to 169 million years ago.
Part of Megalosaurus bone was discovered in a quarry in
England in
1676. Although it was correctly identified as the femur from a large animal,
but it was wrongly thought to be the thigh bone of a giant human! Further
discoveries were made in the 19th century, starting from 1815
and acquired by William Buckland.
In 1818, French anatomist, Georges Cuvier, visited, and realized the bones were from
a giant lizard-like creature, and thus in 1824,
Buckland
reported and named the animal in a report entitled
"Notice on the Megalosaurus or Great Fossil Lizard of Stonesfield".
Megalosaurus was in fact the first dinosaur named - in fact it had its name,
even before the word dinosaur existed - the term "dinosauria" was only coined by
Sir Richard Owen in 1842.
Early reconstructions of Megalosaurus (such as the one found at
Dinosaur Court)
tend depict the animal as a heavily-built quadruped (to add to the confusion, some early literature refers to
all dinosaurs found in Europe
as Megalosaurus). We now know however that Megalosaurus was a bipedal carnivore with relatively short
fore limbs.
In addition to fossils of Megalosaurus bones,
scientists have also discovered fossils of trackways (footprints) made by the animal. A replica
of one such trackway can be found on the lawn outside the
Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Megalosaurus was a carnivore (meat-eater) that lived from 181 to 169 million years ago
Related Information & Resources
See Also
Megalosaurus Facts
Here is a summary of some of the key facts about Megalosaurus:
- Megalosaurus was a genus of dinosaur.
- "Megalosaurus" means "big lizard". It was the first dinosaur named, its name being chosen by William Buckland in 1824.
- Megalosaurus was a member of the Saurischia ("lizard-hipped") order of dinosaurs. What this means, is that although Megalosaurus was not closely related to lizards, it did have similarly shaped pelvic bones.
- Megalosaurus was a Theropod - a member of a group of related bipedal dinosaurs that included the ancestors of birds (although Megalosaurus was not itself an ancestor of birds).
- Megalosaurus lived between about 181 million years ago and 169 million years ago, during the Jurassic period.
- Megalosaurus lived in Europe (including England, France, and Portugal).
- Megalosaurus was a carnivore (meat-eater).
- Megalosaurus was about 30 feet (9 meters) long.
- Megalosaurus weighed about 1 ton.
Megalosaurus Pictures and Posters
by AllPosters
Here are some Megalosaurus pictures and posters:
(Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by AllPosters. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website).
Megalosaurus Toys
Here are some toys/games from Amazon.com:
Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by Amazon.com. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website.
Endless Games
Toy
 | Lowest New Price: $4.95*
*(As of 14:16 Pacific 9 Mar 2010 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
CHOCKING HAZARD - CONTAINS SMALL PARTS - NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 |
|
ImagiPLAY
Toy
 | List Price: $18.00*
Lowest New Price: $17.95*
*(As of 14:16 Pacific 9 Mar 2010 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
This 6pc hand-crafted, hand-painted Megalosaurus puzzle stands up to brighten any room. As beautiful to look at as it is fun to put together! Great intermediate puzzle. Because the pieces are double-sided, this puzzle is equivalent to a 12pc puzzle, since you don't know which side is up. Hand-crafted & hand painted with child-safe paints. Made from plantation-grown rubberwood, an environmentally-friendly hardwood. |
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Toy
 | | Product Description:
Colorful free-standing wooden jigsaw puzzles. This 6 pc 1" thick hand-crafted, hand-painted Megalosaurus Dinosaur Chunky Wooden Puzzle is beautiful to look at as it is fun to put together! The Megalosaurus puzzle is Hand-crafted & hand painted with child-safe paints. Made from plantation-grown rubberwood, an environmentally-friendly hardwood. Great Start Puzzles. |
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ImagiPLAY
Toy
| | Product Description:
############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################### |
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Megalosaurus Books
Here are some books from Amazon.com:
Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by Amazon.com. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website.
By Janet Riehecky
Capstone Press
Hardcover (24 pages; 1)
 | List Price: $22.65*
Lowest New Price: $14.12*
Lowest Used Price: $18.97*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 14:16 Pacific 9 Mar 2010 More Info)
Click Here | - ISBN13: 9781429600392
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description:
Megalosaurus is a Capstone Press publication.
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By Graham Coleman
Weekly Reader Books
Hardcover
 | Lowest Used Price: $25.00*
*(As of 14:16 Pacific 9 Mar 2010 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Crestaceous Period: Baryonyx, Chasmosaurus, Gallimimus, Maiasaura, Triceratops, Pachycephalosaurus, Psittacosaurusm - Jurassic: Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, Megalosaurus, Pterodactylus, Steogosaurus, Vulcanodon - Triassic: Coelophysis |
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By Susan Heinrichs Gray
Child's World
Hardcover (32 pages; 1)
 | List Price: $27.07*
Lowest New Price: $9.98*
Lowest Used Price: $6.95*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 14:16 Pacific 9 Mar 2010 More Info)
Click Here | - ISBN13: 9781592962365
- Notes:
Product Description:
How do scientists tell the bones of one dinosaur from those of another? How are they sure that all the bones are put together correctly? These are just a few of the questions that the history of Megalosaurus brings to light for young dinosaur fans. |
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By Graham Coleman
Gareth Stevens Pub
Library Binding (24 pages; 1)
 | List Price: $19.93*
Lowest New Price: $13.00*
Lowest Used Price: $0.04*
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Click Here |
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By Laura Alden
Childs World
Library Binding (32 pages)
| List Price: $21.36*
Lowest New Price: $61.60*
Lowest Used Price: $9.68*
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Click Here |
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By Laura Alden
The Childs World
Hardcover
| Lowest Used Price: $11.90*
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Click Here |
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By LauraAlden
Childs World.,1990
Hardcover
| Lowest Used Price: $39.95*
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Click Here |
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By Laura Alden
Childs World
Library Binding (32 pages; 1)
| List Price: $21.36*
Lowest New Price: $5.00*
Lowest Used Price: $0.01*
*(As of 14:16 Pacific 9 Mar 2010 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Describes the physical characteristics, natural environment, and habits of Megalosaurus, a huge, two-legged, meat-eating dinosaur. |
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By Janet Riehecky
Pebble Plus
Library Binding
| |
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By Oliver Perry Hay
Govt. pr. off
Unknown Binding
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