History Trivia / DinosaurPlanet

** The ''Saltasaurus'' from "Alpha's Egg" and "titanosaurs" (''Ampelosaurus''?) and ''Magyrosaurus'' from "Pod's Travels". All share the same sauropod model, and aside from being resized there's virtually no difference between the latter two save for a very subtle shade of green.

* NoBudget: Some of the program's inaccuracies are a result of the animators using the same models for related species, recoloring them for different episodes (sometimes even within the same episode). This usually results in at least one of the species being quite incorrect in its anatomical features.

* ''Einiosaurus'' is shown with four fingers contacting the ground, when ceratopsians actually only walked on their inner three digits.

** Deinonychosaurs ("raptors") and oviraptorosaurs should all have actual clawed wings, with the wing itself extending off the second finger just as in modern birds, plus their second and third fingers being fused by flesh. The ''Oviraptor'', ''Velociraptor'', and troodontids are the best in this regard, given half wings (though still not properly feathered) that extend as far down as the wrist, while the dromaeosaurs in "Pod's Travels" lack any attempt at wings and just have "feather sleeves". Additionally, while none of them completely pronate their hands, they still fold them in a semi-pronated posture that is contradictory to what we now know about wing anatomy.
** Many of the designs have fairly reduced (if not completely absent) tail fans that are limited to just the end of the tail, but recent finds show that such features actually ran along at least half the length of the tail in many, if not most, species.
** The feathers covering the bodies of most of the designs appear to be simple filamentous integument (like downy feathers on baby birds) when in fact many of them should have an outer covering of more structurally complex feathers, giving them a smoother and less fuzzy appearance. The presumed feather type also affects the coloration; some colors like bright blues and greens are a result of the structure of complex feathers and thus cannot be produced by more hairlike simple feathers.

** The large theropods are generally portrayed with exposed upper teeth while the smaller ones like dromaeosaurs have covered teeth, as was convention at the time (largely influenced by the Greg Paul-ian dinosaurs of ''Jurassic Park''). In all likelihood, non-beaked theropods generally had immobile lizard-esque lips covering their teeth.
*** The "''Troodon''" in both episodes they appear in do have exposed teeth, though it's hard to immediately distinguish them.

** The ornithischians are depicted with mammalian cheeks that cover the sides of the mouth as far as the beak margins, but a recent study has shown that most groups had more lizard-like configurations wherein the jaw muscles mostly attached at the back of the jaw. This means that there was no extra-oral tissue ("cheeks") along the sides of the mouth, giving them a seemingly wider gape.

** Dromaeosaurs ("raptors"), troodontids and oviraptorosaurs should all have actual clawed wings, with the wing itself extending off the second finger just as in modern birds, plus their second and third fingers being fused by flesh. The ''Oviraptor'', ''Velociraptor'', and troodontids are the best in this regard, given half wings (though still not properly feathered) that extend as far down as the wrist, while the dromaeosaurs in "Pod's Travels" lack any attempt at wings and just have "feather sleeves". Additionally, while none of them completely pronate their hands, they still fold them in a semi-pronated posture that is contradictory to what we now know about wing anatomy.

** Mainland (''Rhabdodon'') and dwarf "''Iguanodon''" (''Zalmoxes'') from "Pod's Travels".

** ''Pyroraptor'' and the dwarf ''Pyroraptor'' from "Pod's Travels".

** Deinonychosaurs ("raptors") and oviraptorosaurs should all have actual clawed wings, with the wing itself extending off the second finger just as in modern birds, plus their second and third fingers being fused by flesh. The ''Oviraptor'', ''Velociraptor'', and troodontids are the best in this regard, given half wings (though still not properly feathered) that extend as far down as the wrist, while the dromaeosaurs in "Pod's Travels" lack any attempt at wings and just have "feather sleeves". Additionally, while none of them completely pronate their hands, they still fold them in a semi-pronated posture that is contradictory to what we now know about wing anatomy.

* NoBudget: Some of the program's inaccuracies are a result of the animators using the same models for related species, recoloring them for different episodes. (Sometimes even within the same episode.) This usually results in at least one of the species being quite incorrect in its anatomical features.

* The ''Carcharodontosaurus''[[note]]that is ***very*** out of place[[/note]] drags the ''Saltasaurus'' carcass, but a recent study on the carcass-moving capabilities of large theropods -- specifically on ''Carcharodontosaurus'' itself -- shows that it wouldn't have been capable of doing this with such a large prey item, considering that ''Saltasaurus'' is estimated to weigh about three times the maximum dragging capacity of the theropod.

* The South American carcharadontosaurid should be properly called ''Aerosteon'' (although there is some debate whether megaraptorans are actually carnosaurs).

** The large theropods are generally portrayed with exposed upper teeth while the smaller ones like dromaeosaurs have covered teeth, as was convention at the time (largely influenced by the Greg Paul-ian dinosaurs of ''Jurassic Park''). In all likelihood, non-beaked theropods generally had lizard-esque lips covering their teeth.
*** The "''Troodon''" in both episodes they appear in do have exposed teeth, though it's hard to immediately distinguish them.

* The ''Maiasaura'' models lack the small spiky ridge/crest between their eyes that they should have.

** Despite being the crux of the episode's story, ''Velociraptor'' probably didn't need to live in packs to survive. In fact, there's no evidence to suggest pack life for pretty much any dromaeosaur.

** The narration uses an outdated 100 lb (45 kg) figure for White Tip's weight, but more modern studies of dinosaur mass give a 33-43 lb (15-19 kg) range -- about a third of the initial estimate.

** The juvenile/subadults featured are presented as identical to the adults, but it's since been shown that pachycephalosaurs seem to have started out flat-headed before dramatically growing their characteristic domes during adolescence. Additionally, these domes would likely be covered in a keratin pad rather than skin and scales as shown.

* ''Pyroraptor'' is (confusingly, given ''Velociraptor'''s portrayal) shown with a heavily scaled lizard-like face as opposed to the skin and/or feather-covered face that dromaeosaurs had. Additionally, Pod's uniformly bright red coloration is unlikely given his reconstruction's presumed feather type (filamentous integument rather than complex feathers he should have) and diet.

*** Its inclusion in the episode is inaccurate, since the animal(s) that the name refers to lived over 5 million years after the setting. Azhdarchid remains that have been found in the Dinosaur Park Formation have since been referred to either ''Montanazhdarcho'' or an unnamed species separate from ''Quetzalcoatlus''.
*** Appearance-wise, the animal is shown with scaly/leathery hide and the proportions of a pteranodontid (short neck, small head, long broad wings) with a squat posture on the ground. However, all pterosaurs had a covering of filamentous integument called pycnofibers [[note]]that are probably homologous to dinosaur feathers[[/note]] across their bodies[[note]]this was actually already known since at least the 1970s if not nearly a century earlier, but pop culture was very slow to adapt[[/note]], and azhdarchids like ''Quetzalcoatlus'' generally had proportionately long necks and large heads that contrasted with their proportionately short wings, as well as a more upright posture that would allow for an efficient gait.

** Pterosaurs were probably not outcompeted by birds, as the two coexisted for 85 million years with seemingly little noticeable effect on each other's species diversity.
** Young pterosaurs, unlike what the show implies, seem to have been highly precocial to the point that they could fly within minutes of hatching. The majority of nests and eggs that have been found also appear to have been buried in an underground nest.

** Pterosaurs were probably not outcompeted by birds, as the two coexisted for 85 million years with seemingly no real effect on each other's species diversity.
** Young pterosaurs, unlike what the show implies, seem to have been highly precocial to the point that they could fly within minutes of hatching. The majority of nests and eggs that have been found also appear to have been buried in an underground nest.

* The episode is set in the Two Medicine Formation of Montana, 75 million years ago. While most of the fauna presented are at least based on remains from the formation, the formation itself covers a nearly 10-million year stretch of time and subsequent studies of its stratigraphy show that not all of the animals there actually coexisted due to being spread out across that time range. ''Daspletosaurus'' and ''Einiosaurus'' are the only two genera to come from rocks of a similar enough age to justify their inclusion.

* Despite being set 80 million years ago in the Gobi Desert, the formation this environment and ecosystem represents has since been found to be about 75 million years old.

** The juvenile/subadults featured are presented as identical to the adults, but it's since been shown that pachycephalosaurs seem to have started out flat-headed before dramatically growing their characteristic domes during adolescence. Additionally, these crests would likely be covered in a keratin pad rather than skin and scales as shown.

* ''Pyroraptor'' is (confusingly, given ''Velociraptor'''s portrayal) shown with a heavily scaled lizard-like face as opposed to the skin and/or feather-covered face that dromaeosaurs had. Additionally, Pod's uniformly bright red coloration in unlikely given his reconstruction's presumed feather type (filamentous integument rather than complex feathers he should have) and diet.
** A pack of (likely wholly fictional, though possibly based on then-scant remains of ''Balaur''[[note]]which itself is now recognized as an herbivorous flightless bird[[/note]]) dwarf ''Pyroraptor'' are shown successfully taking down prey several times their own size, a common hypothesis that has largely fallen out of favor in the last decade or so since there's little good evidence for it and no modern animals really routinely behave this way. Their green feathers are also unlikely given their intended feather type.
* Aside from its presence in the story to begin with, a couple problems with the plesiosaur:

* The episode is set in the Two Medicine Formation of Montana, 75 million years ago. While most of the fauna presented are at least based on remains from the formation, the formation itself covers a nearly 10-million year stretch of time, and subsequent studies of its stratigraphy show that not all of the animals there actually coexisted due to be spread out across that time range. ''Daspletosaurus'' and ''Einiosaurus'' are the only two genera to come from rocks of a similar enough age to justify their inclusion.

** Pterosaurs were probably not outcompeted by birds, as the two coexisted for 85 million years.
** Young pterosaurs, unlike what the show implies, seem to have been highly precocial to the point that they could fly within minutes of hatching.

** The large theropods are generally portrayed with exposed upper teeth while the smaller ones like dromaeosaurs have covered teeth, as was convention at the time (largely influenced by the Greg Paul-ian dinosaurs of ''Jurassic Park''). In all likelihood, theropods generally had lizard-esque lips covering their teeth.

*** Appearance-wise, the animal is shown with scaly/leathery hide and the proportions of a pteranodontid (short neck, small head, long broad wings) with a squat posture on the ground. However, all pterosaurs had a covering of filamentous integument called pycnofibers [[note]]that are probably homologous to dinosaur feathers[[/note]] across their bodies, and azhdarchids like ''Quetzalcoatlus'' generally had proportionately long necks and large heads that contrasted with their proportionately short wings, as well as a more upright posture that would allow for an efficient gait.

Despite being one of the main points of pride for the show, many of the fully feathered maniraptoran designs do show their age:
** Dromaeosaurs ("raptors"), oviraptorosaurs, and troodontids should all have actual clawed wings, with the wing itself extending off the second finger just as in modern birds, plus their second and third fingers being fused by flesh. The ''Oviraptor'', ''Velociraptor'', and troodontids are the best in this regard, given half wings (though still not properly feathered) that extend as far down as the wrist, while the dromaeosaurs in "Pod's Travels" lack any attempt at wings and just have "feather sleeves". Additionally, while none of them completely pronate their hands, they still fold them in a semi-pronated posture that is contradictory to what we now know about wing anatomy.

Lack of lips

* ''Quetzalcoatlus'' didn't look nor live like that.
* Pterosaurs were probably not outcompeted by birds, as the two coexisted for 85 million years.

** The finding that pachycephalosaurs were poorly equipped for head-on collisions (à la bighorn sheep) yet still show signs of cranial injury due to repeated usage has led to the idea that they were using their heads more like wrecking balls, swinging into an opponent's body in a similar fashion to giraffes.

* Additionally, it would be safer to refer to the animals in the show as ''Citipati'', since ''Oviraptor'' itself is actually fairly poorly known from the fossil record and most popular depictions of this animal are actually based on ''Citipati''.

* The plesiosaur shouldn't have been able to eat Pod's sister, nor would it probably be interested.

** Dromaeosaurs ("raptors"), oviraptorosaurs, and troodontids should all have actual clawed wings, with the wing itself extending off the second finger just as in modern birds, plus their second and third fingers being fused by flesh. The ''Oviraptor'', ''Velociraptor'', and troodontids are the best in this regard, given half wings (though still not properly feathered) that extend as far down as the wrist, while the dromaeosaurs in "Pod's Travels" lack any attempt at wings and just have "feather sleeves". Additionally, while none of them completely pronate their hands, they still fold them in a semi-pronated posture that is contradictory to what we now know about wing anatomy.
** Many of the designs have fairly reduced (if not completely absent) tail fans that are limited to just the end of the tail, but recent finds show that such features actually ran along at least half the length of the tail in many, if not most, species.
** The feathers covering the bodies of most of the designs appear to be simple filamentous integument (like downy feathers on baby birds) when in fact many of them should have an outer covering of more structurally complex feathers, giving them a smoother and less fuzzy appearance. The presumed feather type also affects the coloration; some colors like bright blues and greens are a result of the structure of complex feathers and thus cannot be produced by more hairlike simple feathers.

** The large theropods are generally portrayed with exposed upper teeth while the smaller ones like dromaeosaurs have covered teeth, as was convention at the time (largely influenced by the Greg Paul-ian dinosaurs of ''Jurassic Park''). In all likelihood, theropods generally had lizard-esque lips covering their teeth.

** We now know ''Aucasaurus'' had even less developed arms, and lacked claws altogether.
** Raptors should have actual clawed wings.
** ''Quetzalcoatlus'' didn't look nor live like that.
** ''Oviraptor'' was probably not ''nearly'' the badass the show portrays it as. And the ones in the show should be called ''Citipati''.
** The plesiosaur shouldn't have been able to eat Pod's sister, nor would it probably be interested.
** Male deinonychosaurs were probably the ones responsible for brooding nests, and young deinonychosaurs were likely capable of foraging on their own instead of being fed.
** Pterosaurs were probably not outcompeted by birds, as the two coexisted for 85 million years.
** ''Velociraptor'' probably didn't need to live in packs to survive.
** A subversion; Pod wouldn't have been at the top of Hateg island's food chain, the much larger ''Hatzegopteryx'' would have been; it would have been willing to snack on Pod himself if it got the chance. However, the story takes place 80 million years ago and ''Hatzegopteryx's'' temporal range was ''66'' million years ago, so Pod would likely enjoy some time as the island's apex predator long before the giant pterosaurs arrive.
** The South American carcharadontosaurid should be properly called ''Aerosteon'' (although there is some debate whether megaraptorans are actually carnosaurs).

** Pod wouldn't have been at the top of Hateg island's food chain, the much larger ''Hatzegopteryx'' would have been; it would have been willing to snack on Pod himself if it got the chance. Then again, the story takes place "80 million years ago" and ''Hatzegopteryx's'' temporal range was much later than that, so it's not ''entirely'' inaccurate.

** Pod wouldn't have been at the top of Hateg island's food chain, the much larger ''Hatzegopteryx'' would have been; it would have been willing to snack on Pod himself if it got the chance.

** ''Oviraptor'' was probably not ''nearly'' the BadAss the show portrays it as. And the ones in the show should be called ''Citipati''.

** ''Velociraptors'' probably didn't need to live in packs to survive.
** Pod wouldn't have been at the top of Hateg island's food chain, the much larger ''Hatzegopteryx'' would have been. And it would have been willing to snack on Pod himself if it got the chance.

** Pod wouldn't have been at the top of Hateg island's food chain, the much larger ''Hatzegopteryx'' would have been (not mention the stiff competition he would face from similar sized dromaeosaurs like ''Balaur'').