DINOSAUR STATISTICS FOR 2005

[Vladimír Socha <Seismosaurus@seznam.cz>]

Last update yesterday, on 30th december 2005:

Good day to all listmembers. As the year 2005 passes and 7 new genera joined 
the ever growing dinosaur genera lists, I've also updated my database (Genera 
per era table included). So here's what it currently (as of 5th May 2005) looks 
like:

COUNTRIES PER NUMBER OF VALID DINOSAUR GENERA:
(=uncertain, validity doubted by some scientists)

1.) USA 137 (1)

2.) China 121 (1)

3.) Mongolia 59

4.) Argentina 59

5.) Canada 44

6.) UK 40 (1)

7.) France 22 (1)

8.) Portugal 18

9.) Brazil 15
RSA 15

11.) Niger 14 

12.) Australia 13 (1)

13.) Spain 13

14.) Germany 11
Uzbekistan 11

16.) Morocco 10

17.) Tanzania 9 (1)

18.) India 9

19.) Romania 8

20.) Madagascar 7 (1)

21.) Lesotho 7

22.) Algeria 6

23.) Egypt 5
Russia 5

24.) Thailand 4
Uruguay 4
Zimbabwe 4

28.) Mexico 3
Tunisia 3

30.) Kazakhstan 2 (1)

31.) Austria 2
Belgium 2
Hungary 2
Japan 2
Kyrgyizstan 2
Malawi 2
Orange Free State 2
Switzerland 2

39.) Antarctica 1
Denmark 1
Chile 1
Croatia 1
Italy 1
Laos 1
Lybia 1
Namibia 1 
South Korea 1
Tajikistan 1
Tibet 1
...
Czech Republic (2) can't resist ;o)

Total of 706 genera (some occur in various countries), 573 valid genera known 
as for 30th December 2005. 49 countries with at least 1 undoubtedly valid genus 
listed so far.

CONTINENTS BY NUMBER OF VALID DINOSAUR GENERA:
(=uncertain, validity doubted by some scientists)

1.) ASIA 214 (3)

2.) NORTH AMERICA 181 (1)

3.) EUROPE 128 (2)

4.) AFRICA 87 (1)

5.) SOUTH AMERICA 79

6.) AUSTRALIA 13 (1)

7.) *CENTRAL AMERICA* 3

8.) ANTARCTICA 1


DINOSAUR GENERA PER ERA

PERIOD NUMBER LENGHT NUMBER PER MA

LATE TRIASSIC
Carnian 25 11.5 2.2
Norian 28 12.9 2.1
Rhaetian 10 4.0 2.5
EARLY JURASSIC
Hettangian 19 3.1 6.1
Sinemurian 24 6.9 3.5
Pliensbachian 20 6.6 3.0
Toarcian 13 7.4 1.8
MIDDLE JURASSIC
Aalenian 7 4.0 1.7
Bajocian 9 3.9 2.3
Bathonian 24 3.0 8.0
Callowian 30 3.5 8.6
LATE JURASSIC
Oxfordian 24 6.2 3.9
Kimmeridgian 59 4.2 14.0
Tithonian 44 5.3 8.3
EARLY CRETACEOUS
Berriasian 16 5.3 3.0
Valanginian 34 3.8 8.9
Hauterivian 37 6.4 5.8
Barremian 62 5.0 12.4
Aptian 61 13.0 4.7
Albian 71 12.4 5.7
LATE CRETACEOUS
Cenomanian 44 6.1 7.2
Turonian 34 4.2 8.1
Coniacian 18 3.8 4.7
Santonian 32 2.0 16.0
Campanian 133 12.9 10.3
Maastrichtian 114 5.1 22.3

Plus uncertain eras for 1 ET, 3 MJ, 2 (?) LJ, 5 EC and 2 LC genera, so not 
included 
here. 

Interesting trends in the distribution of dinosaur taxa through the 
Mezozoic...most relevant data for any conclusions are in the rightmost column 
(genera per 1 Ma in that era). Amazing values are IMHO mainly the rapid growth 
in Hettangian, earliest Jurassic, than at the end of Jurassic in Kimmeridgian 
(the value of 14.0 is then surpassed only after Santonian wiht 15.5), but 
suppose it is caused by obviously better preservation of Kimmeridgian-age 
formations in comparison with the EC ones. Another rapid growth of dinosaur 
diversity would be in Santonian, continues (though declines somewhat) in a long 
era of Campanian and culminates in Maastrichtian with 22 genera/Ma. Although 
this is probably caused by the status of preservation for this youngest 
Mezozoicum era, it also shows that dinosaur diversity wasn't much weakened 
before the K-T event...I just can't resist loving the idea of Paleocene 
hadrosaurs, BTW. Any comments, ideas?


PERIODS ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF GENERA PER 1Ma

1.) Maastrichtian 22.3 
2.) Santonian 16.0
3.) Kimmeridgian 14.0
4.) Barremian 12.4
5.) Campanian 10.3
6.) Valanginian 8.9
7.) Callowian 8.6
8.) Tithonian 8.3
9.) Turonian 8.1
10.) Bathonian 8.0
11.) Cenomanian 7.2
12.) Hettangian 6.1
13.) Hauterivian 5.8
14.) Albian 5.7
15.) Aptian 4.7
16.) Coniacian 4.7
17.) Oxfordian 3.9
18.) Sinemurian 3.5
19.) Pliensbachian 3.0
20.) Berriasian 3.0
21.) Rhaetian 2.5
22.) Bajocian 2.3
23.) Carnian 2.2
24.) Norian 2.1
25.) Toarcian 1.8
26.) Aalenian 1.7


NUMBER OF DINOSAUR GENERA ACCORDING TO STARTING LETTER

A 64 (A 64
B 30 S 64 
C 48 C 48 
D 24 P 48 
E 27 T 42
F 6 M 33
G 26 B 30
H 22 L 28
I 10 E 27
J 6 G 26
K 12 D 24
L 28 H 22
M 33 N 20
N 20 R 15
O 13 O 13
P 48 K 12
Q 4 I 10
R 15 V 8
S 64 F 6
T 42 J 6
U 5 Y 6
V 8 U 5
W 2 Z 5 
X 4 Q 4
Y 6 X 4
Z 5 W 2) 


A and S "in the lead" both with 64 genera. W only with 2 valid genera. Total of 
572 valid genera (as of December 30th, 2005).


MOST PROLIFIC YEARS BY NUMBER OF VALID DINOSAUR GENERA
(described that year)

1.) 2003 - 30

2.) 1998 - 26

3.) 2001 - 25

4.) 1999 - 24

5.) 2005 - 23 

6.) 2000 - 19

7.) 1996 - 18

8.) 2004 - 17

9.) 1991 - 16

10.) 1994 - 15

11.) 1979 - 13

12.) 1995 - 12
2002 - 12

14.) 1993 - 11

15.) 1877 - 9
1914 - 9
1973 - 9
1983 - 9
1990 - 9

20.) 1977 - 8
1980 - 8
1984 - 8
1985 - 8

24.) 1924 - 7
1933 - 7
1981 - 7

27.) 1932 - 6
1970 - 6
1974 - 6
1986 - 6
1989 - 6
1997 - 6

33.) 1972 - 5
1978 - 5
1987 - 5
1988 - 5
1992 - 5

38.) 1869 - 4
1903 - 4
1922 - 4
1923 - 4
1929 - 4
1975 - 4
1976 - 4
1982 - 4

46.) 1885 - 3
1889 - 3
1890 - 3
1902 - 3
1905 - 3
1913 - 3
1915 - 3
1928 - 3
1954 - 3
1964 - 3

56.) 1854 - 2
1859 - 2
1876 - 2
1891 - 2
1893 - 2
1908 - 2
1910 - 2
1911 - 2
1916 - 2 
1925 - 2
1927 - 2
1936 - 2
1937 - 2
1942 - 2
1948 - 2
1950 - 2
1957 - 2
1960 - 2
1969 - 2
1971 - 2

77.) 1824 - 1
1825 - 1
1833 - 1
1836 - 1
1837 - 1
1838 - 1
1841 - 1
1848 - 1
1850 - 1
1856 - 1
1857 - 1
1861 - 1
1865 - 1
1866 - 1
1867 - 1
1870 - 1
1875 - 1
1878 - 1
1879 - 1
1881 - 1
1883 - 1
1884 - 1
1888 - 1
1894 - 1
1901 - 1
1904 - 1
1909 - 1
1912 - 1
1917 - 1
1919 - 1
1920 - 1
1921 - 1
1926 - 1
1931 - 1
1934 - 1
1939 - 1
1940 - 1
1941 - 1
1943 - 1
1947 - 1
1951 - 1
1952 - 1
1953 - 1
1955 - 1
1956 - 1
1958 - 1
1959 - 1
1962 - 1
1963 - 1
1965 - 1
1966 - 1
1967 - 1
1968 - 1

total of 128 years (from 181 year time from the first dinosaur description). 
573 valid dinosaur genera means that in average, 3.166 new genera each year 
from 1824 was discovered.
New dinosaur genera were described every year since 1949 (resp. 1950), 55 years 
in a straight row. In this millenium, after 5 years (2001 - 2005), total of 108 
new genera were described, that's a breathtaking 21.6 genera per year! Golden 
age of dinosaur paleontology ;o))

Great new year AD 2006 to everyone!

As always, any comments appreciated