Alvarezsaurus

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Alvarezsaurus

ZooTek Phoenix

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Author: Moondawg

Keywords: extinct, dinosaurs

Release Date: Oct 14, 2008

Current AlvarezsaurusMD_2008.ztd dated 1 October 2008

File Size: 1.55mb

Compatibility: DD or CC

Description: The Alvarezsauridae are an enigmatic family of small, long-legged running dinosaurs
Alvarezsaurids range from 0.5–2 m (20–80 inches) in length, although some possible members may have been substantially larger, including the European Heptasteornis (also called Elopteryx) that may have reached 2.5 m (8 ft).

At least one species of Alvarezsaurid, Shuvuuia deserti, has down-like, feathery, integumental structures that are preserved in the fossil. Schweitzer et al. (1999) subjected these filaments to microscopic, morphological, mass spectrometric, and immunohistochemical studies and found that they consisted of beta Keratin, which is the primary protein in feathers.

Alvarezsaurus, and thus Alvarezsaurinae, Alvaresauridae, and Alvarezsauria are named for the historian Don Gregorio Alvarez, not the more familiar physicist Luis Alvarez, who proposed that the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event was caused by an impact event.

Alvarezsaurus
Alvarezsaurus ("Alvarez's lizard") was a genus of small alvarezsaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of Argentina, approximately 89 - 85 million years ago. Estimates suggest that it measured about 2 metres in length and weighed approximately 20 kg. It was found in the Bajo de la Carpa Formation and was named by paleontologist José Bonaparte in 1991 after the historian Don Gregorio Alvarez.

The type species is A. calvoi. It was bipedal, had a long tail and its leg structure suggests that it was a fast runner. It may have been insectivorous and was basal to better-known members of its family, such as Mononykus and Shuvuuia. It has been alternately classified with both non-avian theropod dinosaurs and early birds

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Additional info:

AlvarezsaurusMD_2008.ztd                   uca: 2E285026 dated 1 October 2008

Results From Configuration Checking:

2e285026.uca date: Wed Oct 01 23:07:40 2008
No Errors or Warnings to show.
Animal Type: 2E285026

Alvarezsaurus

The Alvarezsauridae are an enigmatic family of small, long-legged running
dinosaurs. Although originally thought to represent the earliest known
flightless birds, a consensus of recent work suggests that they are primitive
members of the Maniraptoriformes. Other work found them to be the sister group
to the Ornithomimosauria. Alvarezsaurs are highly specialized. They bear tiny
but stoutly proportioned forelimbs with compact birdlike hands and their
skeleton suggests they had massive breast and arm muscles, possibly adapted
for digging or tearing. They have tubular snouts, elongate jaws, and minute
teeth. They may have been adapted to prey on colonial insects such as
termites.                                                                     
                                                                             
                             Alvarezsaurids range from 0.5.2 m (20-80 inches)
in length, although some possible members may have been substantially larger,
including the European Heptasteornis (also called Elopteryx) that may have
reached 2.5 m (8 ft).
    (plus 3 other paragraphs)

Animal Characteristics:

Habitat: Coniferous Forest; Location: South America; Era: Cretaceous
Minimum happiness needed for chance of breeding: 98.
Preferred shelter: Rock Cave.
Animal can jump.
Animal can climb cliffs.
Cannot be used in original Zoo Tycoon: cKeeperFoodType (6) is not 0 to 5.

Exhibit Preferences:

Foliage:
Lodgepole Pine Tree, Fir Tree, Pine Tree, Yew Tree, Spruce Tree
Yellow Cedar Tree, Western Red Cedar Tree, Chinese Fir Tree, Broadleaf Bush
Pine Bush, Club Moss Shrub (DD), Walchian Conifer Tree (DD)
Dawn Redwood Tree (DD), Lepidodendron Tree (DD), Monkey Puzzle Tree (DD)
Norfolk Island Pine Tree (DD)

Rocks:
Large Rock, Large Rock - 1, Large Rock - 2, Large Rock - 3, Large Rock - 4
Small Rock - Medium, Small Rock - Small, Small Rock - 7, Small Rock - 8
Small Rock - 9, Stone Ruins, Coniferous Forest Rock - Formation
Rainforest Rock - Formation, Medium Coniferous Rock (DD)

Other specifically liked items:
Jungle Rock - Formation

Exhibit Construction:

Number of animals allowed per exhibit: 3-10 with 20 squares for each adult.

Exhibit size (for 3 adults): 60 grid squares

Terrain (for exhibit with 60 grid squares):
27 Coniferous Floor, 6 Dirt, 9 Fresh Water, 18 Grass

Foliage (for exhibit with 60 grid squares):
4 grid squares should contain foliage.
Foliage that would give the most happiness: Lepidodendron Tree (DD)
Since this is a small plant, greatest happiness will occur
if each of the 4 grid squares contains 4 of this plant.

Rocks (for exhibit with 60 grid squares):
5 Small Rock - Small, which is its most liked rock.

Elevation: Of the 60 squares, 2 nonadjacent squares should be elevated.