Mesozoic and Cenozoic Life - Study Guide

Mesozoic Life: Dinosaurs, saurischian (lizard-hipped), extremes, theropods, sauropods; ornithischians (bird-hipped), ceratopsians, ankylosaurs, stegosaurs, ornithopods, pachycephalosaurs;

Other reptiles: flying pterosaurs, swimming

warm vs. cold blooded: size, blood vessels in bones, predator/prey ratio, speed, sociability, thermal regulation, feathers

causes of extinction: climate change, asteroid, iridium anomaly, mini-extinctions, methane

 

Cenozoic Life: mammals, monotremes, marsupials, placentals, warm blooded, furry, mammary glands, differentiated teeth; carnivores, ungulates, proboscideans, rodents, cetaceans, primates

 

Describe the evolution of plants and how they spread adapted to life on land.

Why are pterosaurs and ichthyosaurs not considered dinosaurs? What are the two main groups of dinosaurs? How are they differentiated? Describe at least two examples of each.

Why do some scientists think that dinosaurs were cold-blooded? Why do others think that dinosaurs were warm-blooded?

What caused the dinosaurs to become extinct?

How do mammals differ from reptiles? How do they reproduce?
Go back to Geology page