Book 5, Question 22
So Many Dinos! Why Did So Many Kinds Exist?
Dinosaurs lived for a very long time, and during those millions of years, the world changed. As places and plants changed, new kinds of dinosaurs appeared to fit new homes and foods. That is why scientists have found so many different kinds.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 5
More fun facts
- Scientists group similar dinosaur species into groups called genera.
- In 1990, scientists knew of 285 dinosaur genera.
- About 15 new genera are discovered every year, and the total has nearly doubled.
- A math model suggests over 1,300 dinosaur groups are still waiting to be discovered.
- Most dinosaur genera have only one known species.
Sources: National Geographic, Science News Explores
Questions kids ask
Have we found all the dinosaurs?
Not even close. Scientists estimate more than 1,300 groups are still undiscovered.