Scope's Fauna

(These animals are not drawn to scale)

Crocodiles: Crocodiles have existed since the middle Triassic (230 million years ago-mya), though modern crocodiles did not appear until the Upper Cretaceous (100-65 mya).
Dinosaurs: We found evidence of serveral types of dinosaurs, both herbivores and carnivores. This drawing is of a small theropod, a diverse group of bipedal ("two-footed") carnivorous dinosaurs. This group of dinosaurs varied in size. Evidence now shows that birds are the descendants of small nonflying theropods.
Fish: We found fossils of several kinds of bony fish (Osteichythyes). Bony fish have a long evolutionary history beginning as far back as the Early Devonian (400 mya).
Gar: This is a predatory fish which includes several freshwater species of the genus Lepisosteus. Its body is covered with very hard diamond-shaped scales and it has a beak armed with large teeth. Gars appear in the fossil record beginning in the Late Cretaceous (100-65 mya).
Multi-tuberculates: Multi-tuberculates are the only major branch of mammals now completely extinct. They first appeared in the Late Jurassic (163-144 mya) and went extinct in the early Oligocene (36-30 mya). Over 200 species are known, some as small as the tiniest of mice, the largest the size of beavers.
Sharks: Sharks, skates, and rays make up the Chondrichthyes, or "cartilaginous fish." They first appeared on Earth almost 450 mya (Ordovician). What we identify as sharks probably appeared in the Triassic (245-208 mya), but modern-looking sharks did not appear until the Cretaceous (144-65 mya).