Temnodontosaurus Coloring Pages

A sea hunter with sharp teeth! Temnodontosaurus!

Temnodontosaurus was a sea creature with sharp teeth and a long, narrow mouth like a crocodile. It lived in the sea and chased fish and squid during the same time dinosaurs lived on land. It belongs to a group called ichthyosaurs.

When did it live?

Temnodontosaurus lived in the Jurassic Period, about 200 million to 180 million years ago. Big dinosaurs were very active on land back then, and many different kinds of sea creatures were growing in the ocean, too.

A super big body!

Temnodontosaurus had a really huge body!

• It was about 9 to 12 meters long! That is about as long as a big bus.
• Scientists think it weighed several tons.

It swam around the big ocean with such a huge body.

A long mouth and sharp teeth!

The main feature of Temnodontosaurus was its long, narrow mouth like a crocodile. Inside its mouth, it had many sharp teeth lined up just like saw teeth. It used these teeth to catch and eat fast-swimming fish and squid.

Sharp eyes!

Temnodontosaurus had very big eyes. We know that it had ring-like bone plates around its eyes. Scientists think these plates protected its eyes so it could see well even in the deep sea.

It gave birth to babies in the water!

We know that ichthyosaurs, including Temnodontosaurus, did not go up on land and gave birth to babies right in the water. This is the same as whales and dolphins today. It shows that they were fully used to living in the sea.

What does the name Temnodontosaurus mean?

In English, we write Temnodontosaurus as "Temnodontosaurus". This name comes from putting the Greek words "temno", "odontos", and "sauros" together. "Temno" means "cutting", "odontos" means "tooth", and "sauros" means "lizard". So it means "lizard with cutting teeth". This matches the sharp teeth of Temnodontosaurus very well.

Where were its fossils found?

Fossils of Temnodontosaurus have been found mainly in European countries like the UK and Germany. They are often found where ancient seas used to be.

How to Choose Colors: Pick the perfect colors for an ocean hunter!

Temnodontosaurus was a hunter that chased prey in the ocean, so blue and deep sea colors will look great on it. Coloring the top and bottom in different colors is also a good idea to make it look like a real sea creature!

• Basic body colors: Blue (dark blue, deep blue, or blue-gray), gray (dark gray or a slightly bluish gray), or dark green can really give the feel of the deep ocean.
• Belly colors: If you make the belly a little lighter than the body (like white, cream, or light gray), it looks like a fish or dolphin! People think this helped them hide from animals looking up from below because they blended in with the sky.
• Eyes: If you color its big, sharp eyes in yellow or orange, they will look shiny and super cool! Draw the pupils in bold black.
• Inside the mouth and teeth: Making the inside of the mouth a little red or pink will make it look alive. Color the sharp teeth in clear white.
• Flippers and tail fin: Use the same color as the body or a slightly darker shade to show off how powerfully it can swim.

Let's show off its sharp texture!

You can see lines on the body of Temnodontosaurus that show the flow of water and its strong muscles. Use these clues to make its body look sharp and fast in the water!

• If you use colored pencils: Try pressing hard for dark areas and pressing softly for light areas. This will make it look 3D and super fast!
• If you use crayons: Layering your colors a bit is a great way to give its body a shiny look.

How to make it look 3D: Think about "shadows" and "lights"!

Temnodontosaurus is drawn underwater in this picture, so try to imagine the light shining through the water as you color. Shadows fall on places like:

• The underside of the belly and the base of the flippers
• Under the jaw and deep inside the mouth
• The base of the tail and any curved parts of the body
• If you use a slightly darker color in these spots, it will pop out and look cool and 3D!
• If you leave lighter colors on the back and sides where light hits, it will look even more 3D.

Color the ocean background!

This picture shows the ocean where Temnodontosaurus is swimming.

• In the water: Use light blue or green to show sparkling water and the deep sea. Adding bubbles is fun, too!
• Seabed: Color the corals, shells, and seaweed at the bottom with bright colors. This makes the ocean look lively and full of sea creatures! Try using lots of colors like brown, green, red, and orange.
• Fish: Color the fish swimming around in any colors you like, such as orange, yellow, blue, or red. Just changing the fish colors will make your picture so much fun!

Tips for enjoying your coloring page!

• Express yourself freely!
  • You do not have to stick to real colors. You can color it in whatever colors make you think, "It would be so cool if a Temnodontosaurus like this existed!" A colorful Temnodontosaurus is awesome, too!
• Imagine the underwater world!
  • Your picture will come to life even more if you imagine how Temnodontosaurus is swimming and what kind of fish it is chasing while you color!