Line #33 Main/TropesaurusIndex


1	[[quoteright:345:[[Magazine/NationalGeographic https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tropesaurusindex_6321.jpg]]]][[caption-width-right:345:This is not a ''Velociraptor''.[[note]]It's a ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherSmallTheropods Masiakasaurus]]'', which lived in Madagascar later into the Cretaceous, was likely featherless, did not have sickle claws on its feet, and was not closely related to ''Velociraptor''.[[/note]]]]
2
3	For UsefulNotes/{{dinosaurs}}, dinosaur-related, and other prehistoric tropes and UsefulNotes. Despite the name, this index also covers non-dinosaurian prehistoric/extinct life. See also AvianTropes, for the dinosaurs' descendants aka the last living theropod dinosaurs.
4
5	!!Tropes:
6	[floatboxright:
7	Related:
8	+ AvianTropes
9	+ DragonTropes
10	]
11
12	[[foldercontrol]]
13	[[index]]
14	[[folder:Prehistory in General]]
15	* AgeOfReptiles: When even a ConstructedWorld has an age ruled by dinosaurs and/or other reptilian creatures that later gave way to a modern age of mammals.
16	* AllFlyersAreBirds: Pterosaurs (and other flying animals like bats) are often given bird-like characteristics, regardless of how much they actually have in common with birds.
17	* AnachronismStew: A very common case when coping with prehistoric or extinct life, ex. cavemen interacting with nonbird dinosaurs.
18	* ArtisticLicensePaleontology: Unrealistic or inaccurate depictions of prehistoric life.
19	* BehemothBattle: Giant prehistoric animals are often seen battling each other.
20	* DinosaurDoggieBone: Dogs chewing on fossilized bones the way they would on regular bones.
21	* ExtinctAnimalPark: A zoo or park hosting restored extinct wildlife.
22	* FossilRevival: Fossilized creatures being brought back to life.
23	* HiroshimaAsAUnitOfMeasure: The explosive power of the celestial body that hit the Earth at the end of the Cretaceous killing the last dinosaurs is often measured in billions of Hiroshima bombs.
24	* HollywoodPrehistory: Generalized prehistoric setting melding together creatures from wildly different time periods, chiefly dinosaurs, cavemen and mammoths.%%Custom name display begins with the digit "1".
25	* JurassicFarce: Parodies of ''Franchise/JurassicPark'', one of the most influential works featuring dinosaurs.
26	* LostWorld: A hidden, often secret location where people and creatures long gone from the outside world still survive.
27	* MedievalPrehistory: Prehistoric life in a vaguely medieval setting.
28	* MisplacedWildlife: Dinosaurs or other extinct creatures are often misplaced in fiction, ex. the North American ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' living alongside (or [[SpinosaurusVersusTRex fighting]]) with the African ''Spinosaurus aegyptiacus''.
29	* PerilousPrehistoricSeas: The seas and oceans of the prehistoric era are dangerous to be traversing or living in.
30	* PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs: Ascribing the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs to a variety of eclectic causes.
31	* {{Prehistoria}}: Video game levels themed around dinosaurs and prehistory.
32	* PrehistoricAnimalAnalogue: Using extinct animals as source for designs for fictional creatures.
33	* PrehistoricMonster: Extinct creatures depicted as scary and violent brutes rather than looking and behaving like natural present-day animals.
34	* PrimateVersusReptile: A giant primate and a giant reptile, often something dinosaurian, fight King Kong-style.
35	* ScienceMarchesOn: An extremely common trope when coping with prehistoric life, heavily influencing the popular portrayals of extinct creatures.
36	* TimeTravelersDinosaur: An extinct creature makes an appearance due to time travel.
37	* UndeadFossils: When the remains of prehistoric animals start moving on their own.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Dinosaurs & Relatives]]
41	* AlternateHistoryDinosaurSurvival: A hypothetical take on what if the dinosaurs never became extinct and continued to evolve beyond the Cretaceous Period.
42	* AquaticHadrosaurs: The outdated depiction of hadrosaur dinosaurs ("duckbills") as semi-aquatic creatures.
43	* AquaticSauropods: The outdated depiction of sauropod dinosaurs, such as ''Diplodocus'' and ''Brachiosaurus'', as primarily water-dwelling animals.
44	* AweInspiringDinosaurShot: Dinosaurs are shown or depicted as majestic creatures and their world as fantastical through a cutscene. Often used as an EstablishingSeriesMoment.
45	* TheDayTheDinosaursDied: The K-Pg extinction is often depicted in media for dramatic effect.
46	* DinosaurMedia: Index of media focusing on dinosaurs and prehistoric life.
47	* DinosaursAreDragons: Dinosaurs and dragons tend to be treated as the same thing or to borrow traits from one another.
48	* TheDinosaursHadItComing: The dinosaurs brought their extinction on themselves.
49	* DomesticatedDinosaurs: Dinosaurs kept as domesticated animals for various purposes.
50	* DoofyDodo: Dodos (not prehistoric but extinct a few centuries ago) are often portrayed as goofy and harmless.
51	* DumbDinos: Dinosaurs are often portrayed as very stupid, slow, and overly aggressive.
52	* FeatheredFiend: Just because something is covered in fluffy feathers (whether it's a giant bird or a non-avian theropod), it can still be terrifying!
53	* GentleGiantSauropod: The generic depiction of the giant long-necked dinosaurs being docile and friendly animals.
54	* GoofyFeatheredDinosaur: Feathered dinosaurs portrayed as comedic and non-threatening.
55	* HeadButtingPachy: The portrayal of pachycephalosaur dinosaurs (''Pachycephalosaurus'' and its kin) headbutting things.
56	* KidsLoveDinosaurs: There's something fascinating about dinosaurs in the eyes of children.
57	* LivingDinosaurs: Surviving non-avian dinosaurs found living somewhere remote.
58	* MokeleMbembe: An aquatic dinosaur said to live deep within isolated jungles.
59	* {{Notzilla}}: When a {{Kaiju}} is based on the very theropod-like Franchise/{{Godzilla}}.
60	* RaptorAttack: Unrealistic or inaccurate portrayals of dromeosaurid dinosaurs (dinosaurs like ''Deinonychus'' and ''Velociraptor'').
61	* SavageSpinosaurs: Spinosaurids, such as ''Spinosaurus'' and ''Baryonyx'', depicted as fearsome predators even deadlier than ''T. rex''.
62	* {{Slurpasaur}}: Real-life lizards with fake horns or fins glued on used as stand-ins for dinosaurs in old movies.
63	* SocialOrnithopod: The ornithopod dinosaurs (like the hadrosaurs and ''Iguanodon'') are usually shown to be social animals that either live in herds, groups and/or are placid in nature.
64	* SpinosaurusVersusTRex: Whenever a ''Spinosaurus'' and a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' appear in the same work, they always have a fight.
65	* StockDinosaurArchetypes: the archetypal personalities stereotypically attributed to various species of dinosaurs.
66	* StockNessMonster: Portrayals of the Loch-Ness Monster or similar things, implied to be surviving dinosaurs.
67	* TemperCeratops: The ceratopsian dinosaurs (such as ''Triceratops'') are described as being akin to bulls and rhinos; temperamental and aggressive by herbivore standards.
68	* TerrifyingTyrannosaur: Tyrannosaurs (''T. rex'' and its kin) portrayed terrifying and imposing.
69	* TerrorDactyl: Portrayals of pterosaurs ("pterodactyls") as monstrous, often with traits from bats, dragons, or birds of prey.
70	* ToughArmoredDinosaur: The thyreophoran dinosaurs, like ''Stegosaurus'' and ''Ankylosaurus, portrayed as warlike and resilient.
71	* ToxicDinosaur: Certain types of dinosaurs possess poison, either as a weapon or as a form of defense.
72	* TRexpy: A fictional creature inspired by ''Tyrannosaurus rex''.
73	* {{Whateversaurus}}: A fictional prehistoric critter that didn't exist in reality, often with a stock suffix in its name.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Other Prehistoric Life]]
77	* AllCavemenWereNeanderthals: Cavemen tend to be portrayed as knuckle-dragging, slow-witted brutes clad in skins and carrying clubs.
78	* BigCreepyCrawlies: While not exclusively about prehistory, giant arthropods were common in the Carboniferous and often show up in prehistoric-themed works or settings.
79	* ContemporaryCaveman: A caveman living in modern times for some reasons.
80	* DireBeast: Not an exclusively prehistoric trope, but many extinct animals are perceived as being bigger, scarier, and more monstrous versions of familiar modern animals, such as the dire wolf.
81	* FrazettaMan: Prehistoric "humans" portrayed as vicious, stupid, hairy, and generally little more than somewhat upright apes.
82	* HandsomeHeroicCaveman: Prehistoric cavemen with a NubileSavage appearance, usually TheHero in their stories.
83	* LowTechSpears: Spears are used as an archetypical weapon for less technologically advanced peoples, such as cavemen.
84	* MammothsMeanIceAge: Mammoths are the most common "face" or symbol of the Ice Age, and their presence is often used as a shorthand for it and associated concepts.
85	* MeekMesozoicMammal: Early mammals are portrayed as timid and easy prey for dinosaurs.
86	* PantheraAwesome: ''Smilodon'', or "saber-toothed cats", portrayed as a simple ancient version of modern big cats. Predatory dinosaurs are also often given color schemes based on those of big cats.
87	* PrimitiveClubs: Primitive beings, such as cavemen, are often portrayed as wielding crude, simple clubs.
88	* SnowySabertooths: Due to their close association with mammoths, saber-toothed cats (or fictional creatures analogous to them) are often portrayed as inhabiting cold, snowy environments year-round.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Useful Notes]]
92	* UsefulNotes/{{Dinosaurs}}: Facts about dinosaurs in general.
93	** UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex: Specifically about the most famous dinosaur.
94	* UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLife: Information about prehistoric animals, with a time-scale and a "translation guide" learning scientific names.
95	** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeDinosaurs: About the history of research on non-bird dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles.
96	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeLargeTheropods: About the big, predatory dinosaurs.
97	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeBirdlikeTheropods: About the birdlike dinosaurs.
98	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeBirds: About extinct true birds.
99	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherSmallTheropods: About the other remaining theropods.
100	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeSauropods: About the biggest dinosaurs.
101	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeSauropodPredecessors: About their smaller cousins.
102	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeStegosaurs: About the dinosaurs with plated backs and spiked tails.
103	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeAnkylosaurs: About the dinosaurs with tank-like bodies.
104	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeCeratopsids: About the horned dinosaurs.
105	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeCeratopsidPredecessors: About their smaller relatives.
106	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifePachycephalosaurs: About "bone-headed" dinos.
107	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeHadrosaurs: About the so-called "duck-billed" dinosaurs.
108	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeHadrosaurPredecessors: About the latter's relatives.
109	*** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifePrimitiveOrnithischians: About the most ancestral bird-hipped dinosaurs.
110	** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeNonDinosaurianReptiles: About non-dinosaur prehistoric reptiles (including mammal-ancestors).
111	** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeMammals: About our closest animal relatives (including human ancestors).
112	** UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherExtinctCreatures: About prehistoric amphibians, fish, invertebrates, plants, and bacteria.
113	* UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursTrueDinosaurs: The most commonly portrayed dinosaurs in media.
114	** UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs: ''Brontosaurus'', ''Tyrannosaurus'', and their relatives (extinct birds included).
115	** UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursOrnithischianDinosaurs: ''Stegosaurus'', ''Triceratops'', and their relatives.
116	** UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursNonDinosaurs: Non-dinosaur extinct critters (flying reptiles, swimming reptiles, ancient mammals, and others).
117	[[/folder]]
118	[[/index]]

Context Main / TropesaurusIndex