Dinosaur Brains and Early Dinosaur Evolution

How we can tell dinosaur brain size and shape from their skulls; Evidence from the brain of Thescelosaurus shows it may have burrowed; Plus an update on Ornithoscelida

For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Dracovenator, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Dracovenator-Episode-492/

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Dinosaur of the day Dracovenator, a close relative of Dilophosaurus from the Jurassic of South Africa.

In dinosaur news this week:

• Brain size varied in dinosaurs
• Turns out, the dinosaur Thescelosaurus had a powerful sense of smell, a sensitive vestibular system, but terrible hearing—all which may mean it was a burrower
• A new hiking trail with 134 sauropod dinosaur footprints is now open to the public in Colorado, according to The Denver Gazette
• The Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park is opening in June in New Jersey

Listener Questions:

• What would a real "modern tyrannosaur" look like?
• Update on the Ornithoscelida debate (where theropods and ornithischians are grouped together). We also explain Saurischia (sauropods + theropods) and Phytodinosauria/Ornithischiformes (sauropods + ornithischians).

Fun Fact: According to the Dinosaur Heresies, pterosaurs are dinosaurs.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

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