The Tale of the Dinosaur and the Crocodile, Research Paper Example

It is pertinent that each living animal has its own ancestors, dating from millions of years ago. It is believed that dinosaurs share common ancestors with the crocodiles. Notably, with all the reptiles’ living nowadays they have changed a little from their first ancestors. The prehistoric ancestors of the reptile were the cretaceous dating over 65 million years ago.

Generally, together the dinosaurs and the pterosaurs, crocodiles are archosaurs offshoot. Here, it is evident that the dinosaur’s and the crocodile looked alike in many ways. Primarily, crocodile got distinction from the dinosaurs with their noted features as the splayed limbs and the muscular jaws, which was more deadly (Bret 69). Consequently, it was until Mesozoic Era that the three main stages of the crocodiles evolved which there are identified up to, today. The features are the sleek bodies, the stubby legs as well as the lifestyle.

Following the above, first crocodile was regarded as the phytosaurs during the prehistoric ages. Uniquely as the names suggest the phytosaurs were a vegetarian, but the researchers ad scientist has it that the above lead to the evolution of the crocodile. It is unbelievable how an animal can evolve from plats but again that is a proved research.

It is disturbing to note that, the current crocodile are much more different that their said ancestors. It is pertinent to note that their ancestors lived on land unlike the current crocodile, which are water habitant, or rather aquatic. Some of the distinctive features are the sprouted legs trucked beneath their body. However, they resemble mammals, and the dinosaurs, unlike the current crocodile, the above species were faster and maneuverable on land. More precisely most of them were small like dogs and cats.

Dinosaurs, crocodiles, pterosaurs and the birds all belong to the family of the archosaurs. In description, archosaurs are reptiles with teeth attached to the socket of the jaw. In addition, they have two opening uniquely located at an opening on the skull. With the several unique features that the Archosaur share with the crocodile, it is evident that crocodiles and dinosaurs had the same ancestors. Here are some illustrations of the fossils of the crocodile studied many years ago.

The above is far much better simplified phylogeny but based on the Oaks. Considerably, the above-simplified phylogeny is a representation of the fresh water crocodile form the Indopacific assemblage. The below fossils of crocodile did rate million of years ago:

Phylogeny

Precisely, this entails the relationships of the species and groups of species genealogically represented in a tree like diagram. phylogram is the represented diagram and it shows the relationship of the lineage to each other, and further illustrates which lineage shares a common ancestors.

After identifying the phylogeny of the crocodile let us, review the phylogeny of the dinosaur. It is important to note that, the study of the dinosaur dates as far as 160 millions of years ago. The following is the phylogram of the dinosaur and it best illustrates how dinosaurs developed.

Here are some fossil of the dinosaur dating as far as 160 millions of years ago in conjunction to the phylogram.

Crocodile Taxonomy

For a good head and identification of organism, scientist thought it better that all the animals be grouped in their specific groups to avoid conflicts. In most cases, animals are grouped according to the following basic elements: the kingdom to which the animal belongs, the phylum, class, order as lastly the family. To add that, some scientist goes further to the arrow down the sub-family and the genus. Similarly, crocodile has been placed in its class accordingly as follows:

Kingdom:          animalia

Phylum:             chordata

Class:                reptilia

Order:               crocodylia

Family:              crocodylidae

Sub-family:       crocodyliae

Genus:               crocodylus

This is apparently how the crocodile are classified for easy way of identifying and appreciation of the scientist nature.

On other hand, the following illustrations show the correct classification of the dinosaur as follows:

Kingdom:          animalia

Phylum:             dynosaudae

Class :               dinosauropoda

Order:               prosauropoda

Family:              diplodocimorpha

Generally, the classification of the dinosaur is based on the evolution ad the linnean approach. Therefore, there are two orders related to dinosaur by the name Orithischia ad the Saurischia. Systematic and taxonomy illustrates a good ground in the understanding and the correct study of the diversity of the dinosaur with a given period. This also, enables the accurate sights in ushering into the palaeobiology evolutionary of the group (Miller 56). Precisely, here is an example of the dinosaur’s fossil discovered with a complete skeleton in Broke Bay:

Similarly the below images demonstrates the crocodile fossils rated as far as 160 millions of years ago.

Hypothesis

Hypotheses are some tested statement. Therefore, the hypothesis answers the question “why certain phenomena happened” several features may have developed as follows: development of the features like the crocodile limbs of the crocodile is because of the changing of the environment from the land into the water. Earlier on, the crocodile were residing on the ground and head extremely small eye socket. Therefore, the reduction eye size was because of environmental change. Lastly for the development of the strong jaws in the crocodile is the adaptation of the crocodile to its predators in water. To add on, developed a less and hidden ears to in order to manipulate the waters with ease. The crocodile developed on the other hand, dinosaur had its lips elongated to suit into the environment. Further he dinosaur had strong jaws like that of the crocodile for feeding and self-defense. Generally, both the crocodile and the dinosaur did change from their ancient features to its current features in order to fit into the current environment (Hutkis 326). To curb it all, from the ancient times, all the animals have gone into stages by evolving in order to fit into the ecosystems.

Descriptions of Crocodile fossils

Considerably, fossils are characteristics that make it possible to be identified with the parent animal. Here, the skull of the crocodile identified as MRCRS103, was identified to belong to “maroccosuchus zenaroi” type of crocodile. Notably, the size of the skull was large, due to its size; it is evident that the said crocodile did feed ion the large prey compared to the current crocodile. Specifically, the fossil had a vertebral column the specimen enhances good preservation detail. It is pertinent to note that the ancestors of the current crocodile were of large sizes ad that they were capable of praying of a larger organism. This is as the result of the scientific analysis by the first researchers who were responsible in naming the fossils.

Description of the Dinosaur fossils

Dinosaur fossils are named by Greek words meaning the magnificent lizard that was dug. There are several fossils related to the discovery of the dinosaur named accordingly by the scientist. For instance, the early discovery of the fossils was done in England, in the year 1784 to 1856 by the Buckland William. Specifically, the fossils were unusually large that it was mistaken to be of the giant. Indeed, all the vertebrates found was noticed to only one bone. therefore to crown it all it is noticed that the early ancestor were much larger in size compared to the current living things (Dawkins 125). This is because during evolution, most features get small instead of getting g bigger. Luckily, as much as the features gets smaller, they are more efficient.

Summary

It is noted that the scientist uses the taxonomic rating to name species in order to avoid confusion or the conflicts that may arise from the same. In addition, it is noted again that, as living things evolved, they develop more advanced features due to the subsequent environment. Further, current species like the crocodile, its ancestors were the dry land dwellers and therefore, they change habitat as they evolved from the ancestral features to the current modified features.

In conclusion, it is apparent that there are several theories that deal with evolution and at least they put a certain species into a certain type of ancestors. Lastly, it is necessary to note that the tale may be or may not be true. Again, each animal has its sense of belonging .in Other words, every species of animal has a related animal, which share a common ancestor. Despite of the great change in animal due to evolution, still they can be traced down.

Work Cited

Dawkins, Richard and Wong, Yan. The Ancestor’s Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution. Britain: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2009.

Hutkis, Mcgbbourg.Human Evolution Books (Book Guide): The Ancestor’s Tale, the Descent of Man, Up from Dragons, Man’s Place in Nature . New York.N.Y : PA education.2007.

Miller, Bruce.The Millers’ tale: a history of the ancestors. Great Books of Tara:London.2008.

Bret, Harte. The ancestors of Peter Atherly and other tales.Texas: PublisherHoughton Mifflin.200