This is a compulsory exercise! The dinosaur halls of the American Museum of Natural history are located on the 4th floor; you will have to pay admission to the museum (unless you are a member). Note: Lab students do only Part 3.

Note: Please read the directions on the web to the American Museum of Natural History.
There is an $7.50 "suggested" admission price for students with ID and the AMNH's hours are 10:00am to 5:45 PM every day.

Note that the best times to visit the Museum are the first couple of horus in the Morning, especially on Weekends. However, try to avoid those days when schools vist. The noise level is unbeilevable! Call (212) 769-5606 to find which days those are.

Also, remember to take your class notes and the text with you. This excercise should take several hours, so budget you time accordingly.

Once you reach the Museum, get a floorplan, and follow the following instructions:

The purpose of this exercise is to get a feel for the different dinosaur groups.

The write-up should consist of: your notes from Part 1, the answers to the questions (Part 2 and 3), and your drawings from Part 2. The written parts should be typed. Drawings should be done in pencil, and have scales and labels. The write-up is due by the last day of class: Monday, April 30, 2001.
 
 

Part 1 - Movie on life and cladistics:

Go to the Orientation Center, between the Mammal and Vertebrate Origins halls on the 4th floor. Watch the movie, taking notes on the shared derived characters for the different animal groups (not just the dinosaurs).
 
 

Part 2 - The Halls of the Dinosaurs:

Go to the 4th Floor. Below is a cladogram of dinosaurs provided as the core of this exercise. Note also that there are cladograms sprinkled around the exhibits. Use these to help guide you. Using this cladogram, answer the following questions:

1. Identify the synapomorphies (shared-derived characters) on the cladogram (remember, there is one at each branching point, so there will be several on each cladogram).
2. Draw this character as it is found in an example of one taxon that contains it (i.e. if the character is found in 3 taxa, just draw it for one taxon, preferably the least-evolved taxon). You only need to draw the character, NOT the whole dinosaur!
3. What are the functional uses (what did the animal use this feature for) and ecological implications (what does this say about the animalís environment) of these characters?
4. Identify the autapomorphies (unique derived characters) for each taxon on the cladogram. A few are given in the text at each display & some are in the text; the rest you will have to figure out for yourself by comparing with the other taxa present.
5. Draw the autapomorphies for each taxon (again, do not draw the whole dinosaur!)
6. Place these unique derived characters in their functional and ecological context.
7. Compare the appearance in time of each taxon with their position on the cladogram. Are any apparently out of order?


Early Birds

8. Find the skeletons of the oldest known bird (Archaeopteryx ) and sketch the feet and hands. What are the major similarities and differences between hands and feet of Archaeopteryx, Deinonychus and Allosaurus? What value are these similarities and differences in assessing the relationships of birds and dinosaurs?


(Go to the Barosaurus & Allosaurus mounts in the Roosevelt Rotunda, on Floor 2)

9. Draw the pelves of Allosaurus and Barosaurus in side, front and back views labeling all of the bones. How do the two pelves differ and how might the differences be related to inheritance from a common ancestor or a functional adaptation?
10. Are there any adaptations in the Barosaurus skeleton that might support its stance? Sketch them and state your reasoning.
11. How does Barosaurus differ from Apatosaurus, Diplodocus and Camarasaurus? Be specific and cladistic.

1. Describe the history of the carbon cycle and the early history of the Earth, giving specific examples of rock types produced by biological processes and a specific time scale for the events.
2. Thinking back to the exhibits in the dinosaur halls, how could dinosaurian activities interact with the carbon cycle to influence climate?