Dinosaur fossils have been unearthed on all seven continents, offering astonishing glimpses into the prehistoric world. In 1822, large teeth were discovered in England by Mary Ann Mantell and her husband, Gideon. They believed that these teeth must have belonged to a massive, extinct iguana. More fossils had been found, contributing to this ancient mystery. It was not until 1841 that British scientist Richard Owen had the epiphany that such fossils were distinct from any known living creature, and deserved their own categorization. He coined the name “dinosauria”, which means “terrible lizards”.
Many of the fossils discovered contained varying forms of teeth, from serrated, spear-like teeth designed to grip and tear flesh to complex dental batteries designed to peel, strip, and grind down plant material. This infographic examines the teeth of 25 dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, visualizing the shapes and sizes and serving up bite-sized tidbits of knowledge.
Click the chart below to view the full size infographic!
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