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

All dinosaurs belong to a taxonomic group called a clade. They’re all descended from a single ancestor and make up “Dinosauria” clade. But not all large, reptilian animals belong to that group.

It’s not unlike how there are many arthropods, but only some are classified as insects.

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