Glossary of Terms

Archosaurs

A clade of reptiles which includes dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and crocodilians. Began with their last common ancestor.

Bergmann's Rule

A biological phenomenom in which organisms within a specific clade living closer to the equator tend to be smaller in size than their polar counterparts. Notable in penguin species.

Binomial Nomenclature

In Linnean taxonomy, species are identified with two names - their genus and their species. For instance, a blue-and-yellow macaw is known as Ara ararauna In binomial nomenclature.

Body Plan

Serves at the basic blueprint for an organism. For instance, air sacs are a common part of a dinosaur's body plan.

Clade

A group of organisms that consists of its common ancestor and all descendants.

Holotype

A single specimen of a species that serves to represent its species for later research. Almost like the Platonic essence of its species.

Mesozoic Era

An era of geologic time lasting from about 252 million years ago to 66 million years ago. This time is also known as the age of dinosaurs, as dinosaurs became the dominant species.Divided into the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.

Paleontology

The study of prehistoric organisms. A clever French dinosaur might call biology "the paleontology of the present."

Ptersosaur

A clade of flying reptiles that existed in the Mesozoic era. While they are not considered dinosaurs, they are closely related as they are in the archosaur clade. Pterosaurs are the first known species of vertebrate to fly.

Sexual Dimorphism

The existence of differing traits of a species based on biological sex. For instance, the brown patterned feathers on female snowy owls.