Late Jurassic Period
163.5-145 Million years ago · Prehistoric
The Late Jurassic Period (163.5 to 145 million years ago) was characterized by diverse dinosaur fauna, including giant sauropods like Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus, as well as stegosaurs and carnivores like Allosaurus. The first birds evolved during this time, including Archaeopteryx. Significant fossil evidence from this period is preserved in the Morrison Formation in North America and the Solnhofen Limestone in Germany.
Key Figures
Arthur LakesOthniel Charles MarshEdward Drinker CopeEarl Douglass
Locations
Morrison FormationSolnhofen Limestone
Topics
dinosaursperiodslife
Connected Events — 2 Connections
Late Jurassic ecosystems and continental positions provided the evolutionary foundation from which Late Cretaceous dinosaurs diversified, with many lineages tracing back through the intervening Early Cretaceous Late Cretaceous Period
The Late Jurassic represents the final and most diverse phase of Jurassic evolution, when continental separation had progressed enough to create distinct regional dinosaur faunas while retaining the warm global climate that characterized the entire period Jurassic Period
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