Dinosaurs around the world

[Gwangi]

I watch WWD almost every day. I love it so much. NO other documentary can beat it. And the Americans try, and do good, but some like WDRA are just bias for dinosaurs in America. I personally think that creatures outside of the US are cooler, like in Argentina, Canada, China, and the UK.

Huh? Tyrannosaurus? Apatosaurus, Diplodocus? Utahraptor? Nearly every horned ceratopsian? The U.S. is full of fantastic dinosaurs and one of the best places in the world to find them, I don't understand how you have have that sort of bias.

[Takama]

I watch WWD almost every day. I love it so much. NO other documentary can beat it. And the Americans try, and do good, but some like WDRA are just bias for dinosaurs in America. I personally think that creatures outside of the US are cooler, like in Argentina, Canada, China, and the UK.

Huh? Tyrannosaurus? Apatosaurus, Diplodocus? Utahraptor? Nearly every horned ceratopsian? The U.S. is full of fantastic dinosaurs and one of the best places in the world to find them, I don't understand how you have have that sort of bias.

Probably because they are all Cliche.

Argentina has giants and Wirerdos (Argentinasaurus and Carnotourus) China has the featherd Dragons. Canada is the same as USA, only diffrent Genus, and Europe gave birth to all we know about dinosaurs with Megalosaurus

[Gwangi]

I don't understand how a once living thing can be Cliche. They once lived and breathed just as the multitude of more obscure dinosaurs did. Their exposure to the human limelight makes them no less spectacular. The dinosaurs of the American west are the ones the world knows best because they are the ones we know the most about, the ones we've been able to learn the most from. These were the dinosaurs that shaped our understanding of the Mesozoic. Europe may have been home to the first discoveries but it certainly didn't "give birth to all we know", our understanding of dinosaurs was very limited when Megalosaurus was described as the sculptures by B. Waterhouse Hawkins indicate. 
America is home to plenty of unique dinosaurs. As I mentioned previously, all known horned dinosaurs save for one recent discovery come from North America. Styracosaurus, Triceratops, Chasmosaurus, Diabloceratops, Kosmoceratops...are we forgetting about these guys? Strange animals like Acrocanthosaurus with its hump along its back. Sauropods like Sauroposeidon and Alamosaurus who were among the last sauropods on earth. Classics like Diplodocus who is to this day is the longest known dinosaur from a complete skeleton. Nesting sites for dinosaurs like Maiasaura who contributed greatly to our understanding of dinosaur parenting. The dinosaurs of the Hell Creek formation who actually paid witness to the extinction event that finished off the non-avian dinosaurs. Tyrannosaurus who is still among the largest theropods ever discovered. Dromaeosaurs like Deinonychus discovered in 1969 that brought about the "Dinosaur Renaissance". It sounds to me like people take these amazing animals for granted and that is not fair, these were amazing animals who rightly deserve our attention. 

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I am a fan of south american dinosaurs generally myself, but I kinda have to go with gwangi here on this. America has a massive heritage of dinosaur species that are unique and quite charistmatic.

[Balaur]

I watch WWD almost every day. I love it so much. NO other documentary can beat it. And the Americans try, and do good, but some like WDRA are just bias for dinosaurs in America. I personally think that creatures outside of the US are cooler, like in Argentina, Canada, China, and the UK.

Huh? Tyrannosaurus? Apatosaurus, Diplodocus? Utahraptor? Nearly every horned ceratopsian? The U.S. is full of fantastic dinosaurs and one of the best places in the world to find them, I don't understand how you have have that sort of bias.

I didn't mean to say it like that. There are good fossil formations, like the Morrison Formation, the Hell Creek Formation, the Chinle Formation and my favourite, the Cedar Mountain Formation. I just said that there are more creatures that I like outside of the US. Like Velociraptor and Mapusaurus.

[tyrantqueen]

I watch WWD almost every day. I love it so much. NO other documentary can beat it. And the Americans try, and do good, but some like WDRA are just bias for dinosaurs in America. I personally think that creatures outside of the US are cooler, like in Argentina, Canada, China, and the UK.

Huh? Tyrannosaurus? Apatosaurus, Diplodocus? Utahraptor? Nearly every horned ceratopsian? The U.S. is full of fantastic dinosaurs and one of the best places in the world to find them, I don't understand how you have have that sort of bias.

The landmass that became the continent we now know as America looked nothing like it does now. The colonies were not even formed.

I think the point that balaurbondoc was trying to make is that popular culture is saturated with discoveries in North America. Open a dinosaur book and you will find pages written on Diplodocus, Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops etc. Nearly every documentary focuses on North American dinosaurs.

It gets really boring after a while. The term "dinosaur" was not coined in America.
IMO, the rest of the world has tons of awesome dinosaurs to offer, just look at Antarctica, Australia, China, or the Netherlands for example.

[Gwangi]

I watch WWD almost every day. I love it so much. NO other documentary can beat it. And the Americans try, and do good, but some like WDRA are just bias for dinosaurs in America. I personally think that creatures outside of the US are cooler, like in Argentina, Canada, China, and the UK.

Huh? Tyrannosaurus? Apatosaurus, Diplodocus? Utahraptor? Nearly every horned ceratopsian? The U.S. is full of fantastic dinosaurs and one of the best places in the world to find them, I don't understand how you have have that sort of bias.

The landmass that became the continent we now know as America looked nothing like it does now. The colonies were not even formed.

I think the point that balaurbondoc was trying to make is that popular culture is saturated with discoveries in North America. Open a dinosaur book and you will find pages written on Diplodocus, Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops etc. Nearly every documentary focuses on North American dinosaurs.

It gets really boring after a while. The term "dinosaur" was not coined in America.
IMO, the rest of the world has tons of awesome dinosaurs to offer, just look at Antarctica, Australia, China, or the Netherlands for example.

I'm aware of continental drift and that America was vastly different throughout the time of the dinosaurs. What is the point here? Popular culture is saturated with American dinosaurs because as I said previously, they're the ones we know the best and have been able to study the most. They're taken for granted. The dinosaurs of other continents are no less spectacular I agree, but the dinosaurs of North America are no less spectacular than those other dinosaurs either.

EDIT: I should note that I'm not picking favorites, just defending the "home team" so to speak. I agree that more exposure for the more obscure dinosaurs would be nice but I still maintain that there is nothing boring about the American dinosaurs.

[Balaur]

I watch WWD almost every day. I love it so much. NO other documentary can beat it. And the Americans try, and do good, but some like WDRA are just bias for dinosaurs in America. I personally think that creatures outside of the US are cooler, like in Argentina, Canada, China, and the UK.

Huh? Tyrannosaurus? Apatosaurus, Diplodocus? Utahraptor? Nearly every horned ceratopsian? The U.S. is full of fantastic dinosaurs and one of the best places in the world to find them, I don't understand how you have have that sort of bias.

The landmass that became the continent we now know as America looked nothing like it does now. The colonies were not even formed.

I think the point that balaurbondoc was trying to make is that popular culture is saturated with discoveries in North America. Open a dinosaur book and you will find pages written on Diplodocus, Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops etc. Nearly every documentary focuses on North American dinosaurs.

It gets really boring after a while. The term "dinosaur" was not coined in America.
IMO, the rest of the world has tons of awesome dinosaurs to offer, just look at Antarctica, Australia, China, or the Netherlands for example.

I'm aware of continental drift and that America was vastly different throughout the time of the dinosaurs. What is the point here? Popular culture is saturated with American dinosaurs because as I said previously, they're the ones we know the best and have been able to study the most. They're taken for granted. The dinosaurs of other continents are no less spectacular I agree, but the dinosaurs of North America are no less spectacular than those other dinosaurs either.

EDIT: I should note that I'm not picking favorites, just defending the "home team" so to speak. I agree that more exposure for the more obscure dinosaurs would be nice but I still maintain that there is nothing boring about the American dinosaurs.

I agree, in fact, T-Rex and Utahraptor are on my tope ten list of favourite dinosaurs, so there is nothing boring about American dinosurs, I agree. It was just a dumb comment on my part.

[Takama]

woah how did this become its own topic?    Must be The Doc

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I think one aspect that is being missed in this discussion that bears a mention, at least. American dinosaurs are well known and the entire dinosaur culture IS saturated with American dinosaurs certainly, yes. There is another reason besides how popular and well known the animals are, and that is focus. The American scientific institute has spent quite a bit of money, effort and time getting these animals discovered, mounted, and described for everyone to see in museums yes, but even beyond that. In America you have the hollywood movie mythos that created the Jurassic park juggernaut, as well as being home to the some of the most massive and widespread printing houses in the world. Our dinosaurs do get more press and attention because generally it is American presses, institutions, and scientists writing the books and making the documentaries.
  Some countries are starting to pick up the pace, but we had a massive headstart on them. Even then much of the discovery work and recovery is being led by American scientists, for instance Paul Sereno and his work in the African continent and even China. Horner recently led a dig in China to recover a massive bone bed of Psittacosaurus. American scientists are continually teaming up with Chinese, Canadian, Australian, and south American paleo-efforts .
  I also think that there is alot of attention given foreign dinosaurs. Consider Amargasaurus, giraffatitan, carnotaurus, giganotosaurus, oviraptor, psittacosaurus, or Spinosaurus, and you quickly realize that other than American dinosaurs do get a great deal of notice as well.

[tyrantqueen]

I don't want to get into a flamewar here, but who invented the theory of evolution? An old British guy with a beard.
Without his ideas, our understanding of extinct and extant animals wouldn't be as they are now.

Anyway, why do people have to turn these kind of things into a competition? It's humanity's achievements, not just a country's.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I don't want to get into a flamewar here, but who invented the theory of evolution? An old British guy with a beard.
Without his ideas, our understanding of extinct and extant animals wouldn't be as they are now.

Anyway, why do people have to turn these kind of things into a competition? It's humanity's achievements, not just a country's.

Err, I had somewhat accepted nature invented the theory of evolution when she created all of her gifts and glorious creations to our planet. That is my general understanding at least. As for a flamewar or whatever, I did not see it as that. Not in the least, I was merely stating what the current status quo is, nothing more. Not sure where anyone got the idea it was a competition or contest at all. If I offended it was not my intent, my comments were on target and accurate however.

[Gryphoceratops]

First off this whole "feathered dragons" in Asia only is totally false.  There were feathered dinosaurs all over the world including the USA the feathers just didn't preserve (Troodon, Deinonychus...the list goes on).

Second, USA has LOTS of dinosaurs that are not "cliche".  What about all those weird and wonderful newly discovered ceratopsids in the western USA?  Utaceratops, Kosmoceratops, Medusaceratops....come on people. 

And sure I suppose Europe is technically the birthplace for modern paleontology but its in the USA that actual more complete skeletons started to be unearthed.  Good old Dryptosaurus (not a very well known nor overused dinosaur by any means) was the first dinosaur that was ever confirmed as being bipedal!  That HAS to count for something.  A bipedal reptile?  That's a HUGE discovery! 

There are enough hipsters in the world I don't want any in the paleo-community too saying cool things are "cliche" and "overused".  Popular things are popular for a reason.

[tyrantqueen]

I don't want to get into a flamewar here, but who invented the theory of evolution? An old British guy with a beard.
Without his ideas, our understanding of extinct and extant animals wouldn't be as they are now.

Anyway, why do people have to turn these kind of things into a competition? It's humanity's achievements, not just a country's.

Err, I had somewhat accepted nature invented the theory of evolution when she created all of her gifts and glorious creations to our planet. That is my general understanding at least. As for a flamewar or whatever, I did not see it as that. Not in the least, I was merely stating what the current status quo is, nothing more. Not sure where anyone got the idea it was a competition or contest at all. If I offended it was not my intent, my comments were on target and accurate however.

I meant the theory of evolution is just the human word for it Or the word which describes our understanding of it.

Before Darwin's theory, evolution did not "exist" so to speak, because we did not know about it.

Not sure where anyone got the idea it was a competition or contest at all. If I offended it was not my intent, my comments were on target and accurate however.

That's the direction I felt this thread was going to head into....I thought it would be important to say something before it esculated

Stuff like this has happened before. People who think it has something to do with national pride or something :X Like dinosaurs even have nationalities...

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I cannot speak for everyone that might comment, but yourself tyranntqueen are aware of my love of Psittacosaurs, and most are aware of my affinities for the Amargasaurus, so you will not hear it from me. I love em all, borders and continents be hanged.

[Libraraptor]

I just decided not to contribute to this ridiculous discussion.

[Arioch]

I'm pretty sure Asia has a bit more diverse and exciting dinosaurian fauna. Not sure about the amount of skeletons unearthed and mounted, though. A lot of american dinosaurs are basically descendants of those who migrated from Asia or South America, after all...

[SBell]

I just decided not to contribute to this ridiculous discussion.

I had decided the same thing at the outset, except I'll post here to agree with you Libra.

[Gwangi]

I agree, this conversation is going to some strange and ridiculous places. I was just defending my home team is all. 

[Metallisuchus]

I can relate to people favoring the slightly more obscure or exotic things - because I'm this way when it comes to my other interests.

When it comes to dinosaurs, North America has produced 'the classics' and for several years now, the focus seems to be on South America and China/Mongolia. I think it's a great thing to be enthused about the attention given to these regions as well, but you're dead-on, Gwangi - a lot of the foundation in dinosaur paleontology lies here, with us. I suppose it's just that some people have already heard so much about Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, etc.

And Gryph, great point - the newer ceratopsians discovered here are about as bizarre-looking as anything you'd find anywhere else.

Personally though, I'd like to see more African and Antarctic discoveries.