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Quiz about The Dinosaurs of 2012
Quiz about The Dinosaurs of 2012

The Dinosaurs of 2012 Trivia Quiz


Hi guys! This quiz is about some of the dinosaur discoveries of 2012! Beware... this quiz is not for the faint of heart...

A multiple-choice quiz by dinotrek27. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
dinotrek27
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
356,137
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
265
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Based on fragmentary remains, a new apex predator seems to have emerged from the sands 95 million years ago from North Africa. Based on parts of the skull, this huge Charcharodontosaurid is estimated to be 10-12m long, an upper estimate the same as T-Rex. What is this terrifying creature? P.S. "Lord of the Rings" fans, it's associated with a pretty famous character from that book... Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. This dinosaur, named in 2012, had lived in Northern Mexico 73 million years ago. A herbivore, this beast had a huge, prominent nose not unlike that of Muttaburrasaurus. However, this was an earlier cousin and it did not live in the same place. What was the name of this creature? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. While still in debate at its 2012 naming, this creature may just be the oldest dinosaur ever found, living 10 million years before previous record holders. At an estimate of 100 pounds or less, it was not really the giant you might expect all dinosaurs to be. What was this creature's scientific name? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This tiny little devil lived 200 million years ago. Despite its small, 0.6m long body, it sported porcupine-like quills and a set of vampire-like teeth. Its name? Pegomastax. But which group of dinosaurs did it belong to? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In 2006, a new species of giant pliosaur has been discovered in Svalbard. Dubbed Predator X, this sea monster is one of the largest creatures to ever swim the oceans. At 15-18m long and a bite force measured at 20 tons, it was a leviathan that put T-Rex to shame. Now, scientists finally named this beast in 2012. What do you think its name is? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. This strange pterosaur was found in 120-million-year-old river deposits in China. Named Guidraco venator, it was one of the freakiest pterosaurs ever discovered. What does its name mean? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. This feathered dinosaur was named only from a single juvenile specimen found in Germany in 150-million-year-old limestone. Despite being a member of a large theropod dinosaur species, it is covered with feather and plumage impressions, especially around its tail. What is the name of this dinosaur? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. One of the biggest discoveries of 2012 comes from China. A relative of T-Rex, Yutyrannus weighed as much as a car and yet lived 50-60 million years before most of its more famous ancestors evolved. However, that was not what made paleontologists excited... So what was so unique about Yutyrannus? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. As it turns out, dinosaurs were not the only big creatures that roamed the Cretaceous landscape. In 2010, the skull of a huge bird has been discovered. In real life, Gargantuavis would have stood at 3m tall and, if it flew, a 4m wingspan. Where do you think this creature could have lived? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In 2012, a new spinosaur, called Ichthyovenator, was discovered in Asia, the first ever spinosaur from that part of the world. What was one distinctive feature that separated this species from the rest of its kind? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Based on fragmentary remains, a new apex predator seems to have emerged from the sands 95 million years ago from North Africa. Based on parts of the skull, this huge Charcharodontosaurid is estimated to be 10-12m long, an upper estimate the same as T-Rex. What is this terrifying creature? P.S. "Lord of the Rings" fans, it's associated with a pretty famous character from that book...

Answer: Sauroniops

The species, Sauroniops pachytholus, or "eye of Sauron" in Greek, was identified from a single fossil unearthed in southeastern Morocco in 2007 but has only officially been described in 2012. Since the creature is known mainly from a single eye socket, the scientists studying the dinosaur named it after the demonic "Eye of Sauron" from the "Lord Of The Rings."

Oh and by the way there is no such thing as Ellesarvator...
2. This dinosaur, named in 2012, had lived in Northern Mexico 73 million years ago. A herbivore, this beast had a huge, prominent nose not unlike that of Muttaburrasaurus. However, this was an earlier cousin and it did not live in the same place. What was the name of this creature?

Answer: Latirhinus

Meaning "wide nose" in Greek, this 9m, 6,000 pound beast probably had an acute sense of smell. Latirhinus, while similar to Muttaburrasaurus in many ways, is more closely related to its less flamboyant cousins of the same era like Gryposaurus.
3. While still in debate at its 2012 naming, this creature may just be the oldest dinosaur ever found, living 10 million years before previous record holders. At an estimate of 100 pounds or less, it was not really the giant you might expect all dinosaurs to be. What was this creature's scientific name?

Answer: Nyasasaurus

Living 243 million years ago, this 3m long creature was slim and slender with a long neck and tail that made up half its body length. Its name is derived from Lake Nyasa in Tanzania, where its bones are found.
4. This tiny little devil lived 200 million years ago. Despite its small, 0.6m long body, it sported porcupine-like quills and a set of vampire-like teeth. Its name? Pegomastax. But which group of dinosaurs did it belong to?

Answer: heterodontosaurs

Amazingly, this seemingly fearsome creature was a plant-eater! Its huge fangs were only used to help spar with other members of its kind for dominance and mating rights. Its fearsome quills helped keep predators from snacking on this spiky devil. It lived in Africa at a time with many deadly predators, thus forcing this herbivore to create its own defense system in the form of sharp quills.
5. In 2006, a new species of giant pliosaur has been discovered in Svalbard. Dubbed Predator X, this sea monster is one of the largest creatures to ever swim the oceans. At 15-18m long and a bite force measured at 20 tons, it was a leviathan that put T-Rex to shame. Now, scientists finally named this beast in 2012. What do you think its name is?

Answer: Pliosaurus funkei

What a funky name! I have no idea why they named it that but it seems a little too funky for a creature with a bite force four times that of T-Rex. Analysis of bones from the four flippers suggest that the animal cruised using just two fore-flippers, using the back pair for extra speed when pursuing and capturing prey. P. funkei's brain was of a similar type and size, proportionally, to that of today's great white shark, meaning that it probably led a similar lifestyle.
6. This strange pterosaur was found in 120-million-year-old river deposits in China. Named Guidraco venator, it was one of the freakiest pterosaurs ever discovered. What does its name mean?

Answer: ghost dragon hunter

Gui means 'ghost' in Chinese, and draco meaning 'dragon' as well as venator meaning 'hunter' are in Latin. With huge teeth at the front of its bill and an odd crest jutting out at the base of its skull, this pterosaur would have certainly been a sight to behold.
7. This feathered dinosaur was named only from a single juvenile specimen found in Germany in 150-million-year-old limestone. Despite being a member of a large theropod dinosaur species, it is covered with feather and plumage impressions, especially around its tail. What is the name of this dinosaur?

Answer: Sciurumimmus

Named "squirrel mimic" for the bushy tail, this specimen seems to be a baby and adults probably grew up to 6m in length. However, the fossil shows clear signs of plumage and has helped supported an ongoing theory that most dinosaurs were covered in fur or primitive feathers when young.
8. One of the biggest discoveries of 2012 comes from China. A relative of T-Rex, Yutyrannus weighed as much as a car and yet lived 50-60 million years before most of its more famous ancestors evolved. However, that was not what made paleontologists excited... So what was so unique about Yutyrannus?

Answer: Biggest feathered dinosaur found

Amazingly, this huge carnivore was preserved with small but detailed imprints of simple feathers that could have made the dinosaur appear fussy in real life. It is one of the biggest tyrannosaurids ever discovered in China and could have possibly hunted the variety of iguanodontids and maybe sauropods.
9. As it turns out, dinosaurs were not the only big creatures that roamed the Cretaceous landscape. In 2010, the skull of a huge bird has been discovered. In real life, Gargantuavis would have stood at 3m tall and, if it flew, a 4m wingspan. Where do you think this creature could have lived?

Answer: France

Alongside a relative found in Kazakhstan, this was probably the biggest non-dinosaurian bird of the age. It is also possible that many of the fossil eggs that are found in this region could have been laid by Gargantuavis instead of by a dinosaur.
10. In 2012, a new spinosaur, called Ichthyovenator, was discovered in Asia, the first ever spinosaur from that part of the world. What was one distinctive feature that separated this species from the rest of its kind?

Answer: Double-sails

Scientists still don't know what the double-sails' function was. However, some popular theories include heat regulation, a sign of sexual maturity or simply a way to distinguish their kind from other dinosaurs of the region. While its size is still a matter of controversy, estimates put it between 8-10m.
Source: Author dinotrek27

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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