Paleontologists have named over a thousand dinosaur species, but a mere 12 of them have saturated popular culture to the extent that they're instantly recognizable. Here are the dozen dinosaurs you should commit to memory right now, lest you be accused of falling behind the prehistoric times.
1. Tyrannosaurus Rex
Wikimedia Commons
The undisputed king of the dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex is immensely popular thanks to a fawning press, countless starring roles in movies and TV shows, and, let's not forget, a really cool name (which is Greek for "tyrant lizard king"). Read more facts, figures and news about Tyrannosaurus Rex
2. Velociraptor
Alain Beneteau
More than any other dinosaur, Velociraptor can trace its popularity to a single movie: Jurassic Park, in which this feathered, chicken-sized raptor was portrayed by the much bigger (and much more dangerous) Deinonychus. Read more facts, figures and news about Velociraptor
3. Triceratops
Wikimedia Commons
Probably the most instantly recognizable of all the dinosaurs, Triceratops combined a gentle, live-and-let-live, plant-eating disposition with fearsome horns designed to keep hungry tyrannosaurs and raptors at bay. Read more facts, figures and news about Triceratops
4. Diplodocus
Flickr
Whether you pronounce it dip-low-DOE-cuss (wrong) or dip-LOW-doe-cuss (right), Diplodocus remains the most famous of the gigantic, long-necked, long-tailed, elephant-footed sauropods. Read more facts, figures and news about Diplodocus
5. Spinosaurus
Flickr
An up-and-comer on the dinosaur popularity charts, Spinosaurus was distinguished by its huge size (this predator was even bigger than Tyrannosaurus Rex) as well as the mysterious sail on its back. Read more facts, figures and news about Spinosaurus
6. Archaeopteryx
Emily Willoughby
Was it a bird? Was it a dinosaur? Or was it something in between? Whatever the case, the exquisitely preserved fossils of Archaeopteryx (discovered in the 19th century) are among the most famous in the world. Read more facts, figures and news about Archaeopteryx
7. Brachiosaurus
Sergio Perez
Like Velociraptor, the huge sauropod Brachiosaurus owes much of its current popularity to its featured cameo in Jurassic Park, munching placidly on tall trees (and sneezing on Ariana Richards). Read more facts, figures and news about Brachiosaurus
8. Allosaurus
Emily Willoughby
Smaller than Tyrannosaurus Rex, but probably faster and more vicious, Allosaurus was the all-purpose predator of the Mesozoic period--and may even have brought down its herbivorous prey in packs. Read more facts, figures and news about Allosaurus
9. Giganotosaurus
Ezequiel Vera
Ever since Giganotosaurus was discovered in South America, kids have been endlessly curious about this oversized meat-eater--which is known to have feasted on the huge sauropod Argentinosaurus. Read more facts, figures and news about Giganotosaurus
10. Apatosaurus
H. Kyoht Luterman
Apatosaurus owes most of its popularity to the fact that it used to be known as Brontosaurus--a name that epitomized dinosaurs for a whole generation of adults growing up in the '50's and '60's. Read more facts, figures and news about Apatosaurus
11. Stegosaurus
Wikimedia Commons
No one knows why Stegosaurus had such distinctive plates along its back, or even how they were arranged--but that hasn't kept this herbivore from holding a tight grip on the popular imagination. Read more facts, figures and news about Stegosaurus
12. Pterodactyl
Nobu Tamura
When people say "Pterodactyl," they're really referring to one of two pterosaurs--either Pterodactylus or Pteranodon, both of which were distinctive (and frightening) in their own way. Read more facts, figures and news about Pterodactyl
