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Garudimimidae (Garudimimids)
Translation: Garuda (mythical bird) Mimics
The Garudimimidae (gah-RUE-dye-MYE-mi-day) is a family of ornithomimosaurid
(ostrich-like) theropods. "Garuda" is the Hindu name for a mythological
bird which was part eagle and part man. It is symbolic of speed and strength,
which are attributes members of the Garudimimidae are believed to have
possessed. The hands of Garudimimids were relatively large, and rather
than the three toes of the usual ornithomimosaurid, their feet bore four
short toes.
Gastroliths
Translation: Stomach Stones
Gastroliths (GAS-tro-liths) are smooth stones for grinding food in the
stomachs of animals. Because they have no teeth, today's birds use gastroliths
in their gizzards to facilitate grinding seeds. Piles of gastroliths have
been found near several sauropod fossils. Although sauropods had teeth,
they were ill-suited for grinding; therefore, it is thought that sauropods
swallowed small stones (gastroliths) to grind the food they swallowed whole.
Genera (Plural of Genus) (JEN-er-uh)
See Genus.
Genus
Genus (JEE-nus) is one of the major groups used to scientifically classify
plants or animals. Several closely related species, or one species, make
up a genus, while several genera (the plural of genus) make up a family.
Other taxonomic groups -- in descending order -- are Kingdom, Phylum, Class,
Order, Family, Genus, Species.
Geosaurus
Translation: Earth Lizard
Geosaurus (JEE-uh-sawr-us) was an ocean-dwelling crocodile, not a dinosaur.
It came ashore to lay its eggs, and swam the oceans during the Early Jurassic
Period. Marked by its paddle-shaped legs, it grew to about 15 feet (4.6
meters) long.
Gigandipus
Translation: Giant Biped
Gigandipus (jih-GAN-dih-pus) is the name given to a trackway made by a
three-toed bipedal dinosaur. The tracks are those of a carnosaur that lived
during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Periods.
Gondwanaland
Gondwanaland (gond-WAH-nuh-land) is the name given to the southern-most
continent that drifted apart from Pangea. Gondwanaland comprised today's
South America, Africa, Arabia, India, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand,
and Antarctica. The term "Gondwanaland" is derived from "land
of the Gonds," an ancient kingdom of India.
Bibliography Format
"Arts & Letters Corporation" www.dinodatabase.com. The Dino Database is an online version
of material originally part of the Jurassic Art Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01 July 2003
.
"Dinosaur Database" Arts & Letters Jurassic Art. Version 7.0. CD-ROM.
Arts & Letters Corporation 1994 to present.
© 2005 Arts & Letters Corporation / http://www.arts-letters.com
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