Eli5: why are some prehistoric reptiles not dinosaurs?

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I’ve gone my entire life being told “that’s not a dinosaur that’s a (insert what it is) but why? What’s makes one giant lizard a Dinosaur but a different giant reptile not a dinosaur?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

What made a reptile a dinosaur specifically was the special hips; their legs went straight down underneath them like a horse or dog or, ahem, ***bird***, not out to the side like an alligator or iguana or ***any*** modem reptile.

All those gigantic ancient reptiles that you’re told aren’t technically dinosaurs? I’ll bet they’ve got their legs sticking straight out the side like an alligator.

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