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North America is the northern continent of the Americas,[1] situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere.

Paleohistory[]

North America is the source of much of what humanity knows about geologic time periods.[2] The geographic area that would later become the United States has been the source of more varieties of dinosaurs than any other modern country.[2] According to paleontologist Peter Dodson, this is primarily due to stratigraphy, climate and geography, human resources, and history.[2] Much of the Mesozoic Era is represented by exposed outcrops in the many arid regions of the continent.[2] The most significant Late Jurassic dinosaur-bearing fossil deposit in North America is the Morrison Formation of the western United States.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ "North America". Encyclopaedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/418612/North-America. 
  2. ^ a b c d Dodson, Peter (1997). "American Dinosaurs." Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. Edited by Phillip J. Currie and Kevin Padian. Academic Press. p. 10-13.
  3. ^ Weishampel, David B; et al (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Jurassic, North America)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 543–545. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
Mantell's Iguanodon restoration
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