Top 8 Weirdest Dinosaurs That Ever Roamed Our Planet

From time to time, paleontologists discover dinosaurs so strange that some of them seem like a bad joke. Evolution has really tried different development paths, and giant lizards turned out to be a dead-end branch. But that’s fine because today, professional paleontologists can dig them up and make educated guesses about feathers, scales, and all that cool stuff. While 90% of the discovered species probably all looked badass, there were also the “ugly ducklings,” so to speak.

There are the top 8 weirdest dinos that had ever roamed the world:

1. Longisquama

This baby lived in the late Triassic period — the time when there were more deadly animals on Earth than in Australia and the Middle East combined. That’s why small dinosaurs and reptiles had to learn to hide in order not to be eaten. Although, being stealthy with such a contraption on the back is very problematic. Scientists suggest that the spikes allowed the Longisquama to glide through the air, jumping from trees, but let’s be honest — going downwards is not the best way to escape the predators.

2. Halszkaraptor

The Halszkaraptor, named after the Polish paleontologist Halszka Osmólska, really looks like a goose or a duck who had some fun time with a lizard. This funny-looking hybrid was able to live on land and in water, further confirming my theory about a time-traveling goose.

3. Epidexipteryx

Discovered in China, this small raptor had the strangest set of front limbs. Nicknamed “Hu Yao Ming’s dragon,” Epidexipteryx’s arms had these elongated fingers, which the dino probably used to scoop out bugs from the ground.