Notable Dinosaurs

the ones worth knowing

Dinosaurs worth knowing

Sixty-odd genera that made history, broke records or simply defy belief, plus four famous animals that are not dinosaurs at all. Every number is sourced; every card opens into a timeline, a fossil map and a size comparison.

63 dinosaurs · 4 famous non-dinosaurs
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When they lived

Bars show the fossil record of each genus in the Paleobiology Database; the red line is the end-Cretaceous extinction. Open the full timeline · Open the fossil map

PermianTriassicJurassicCretaceousPaleogene6080100120140160180200220240260280300End-Cretaceous extinction, 66 MaDimetrodon: 298.9–266.9 Ma · A sail-backed predator that is closer to mammals than to any dinosaurDimetrodonHerrerasaurus: 237–227.3 Ma · An early predator from the dawn of the dinosaurs, named after the goat herder who found itHerrerasaurusEoraptor: 233.6–227.3 Ma · One of the very first dinosaurs, a dog-sized omnivore from 231 million years agoEoraptorCoelophysis: 227.3–192.9 Ma · A slender Triassic predator found by the hundreds at Ghost RanchCoelophysisPlateosaurus: 227.3–199.5 Ma · The first big plant-eater: a two-legged Triassic forerunner of the sauropodsPlateosaurusMegalosaurus: 205.7–66 Ma · The first dinosaur ever named, in 1824, decades before the word 'dinosaur' existedMegalosaurusPlesiosaurus: 205.7–66 Ma · The long-necked sea reptile Mary Anning found, often mistaken for a dinosaurPlesiosaurusDilophosaurus: 201.4–184.2 Ma · A seven-metre Early Jurassic predator with twin head crests, and no venom or neck frillDilophosaurusHeterodontosaurus: 201.4–184.2 Ma · A fox-sized dinosaur with tusks, incisors and cheek teeth all in one mouthHeterodontosaurusCryolophosaurus: 199.5–184.2 Ma · The first dinosaur named from Antarctica, with a pompadour-like crestCryolophosaurusMamenchisaurus: 168.2–113.2 Ma · The longest neck of any animal: up to 15 metres, half of its bodyMamenchisaurusKulindadromeus: 168.2–165.3 Ma · A plant-eater with feather-like fuzz, suggesting all dinosaurs could grow feathersKulindadromeusAnchiornis: 168.2–152.2 Ma · The first dinosaur with its whole colour pattern reconstructedAnchiornisYi: 165.3–154.8 Ma · A pigeon-sized dinosaur with bat-like membrane wingsYiStegosaurus: 161.5–93.9 Ma · Plates on its back, spikes on its tail and a famously small headStegosaurusAllosaurus: 161.5–137.1 Ma · The top predator of the Jurassic plains of North AmericaAllosaurusBrachiosaurus: 157.9–143.1 Ma · The giraffe of the dinosaur world, with front legs longer than its hind legsBrachiosaurusDiplodocus: 157.9–143.1 Ma · A 26-metre whip-tailed giant known from some of the most complete sauropod skeletonsDiplodocusApatosaurus: 157.9–143.1 Ma · A stockier cousin of Diplodocus with an extraordinarily thick neckApatosaurusBrontosaurus: 154.8–143.1 Ma · The dinosaur that was declared a mistake in 1903 and resurrected in 2015BrontosaurusIguanodon: 154.8–66 Ma · The second dinosaur ever named, whose thumb spike was first mistaken for a nose hornIguanodonCompsognathus: 154.8–145.1 Ma · A chicken-sized hunter and the first dinosaur known from a complete skeletonCompsognathusSupersaurus: 154.8–143.1 Ma · Possibly the longest dinosaur known from reasonably complete remainsSupersaurusEuropasaurus: 152.2–149.2 Ma · A sauropod shrunk to the size of a cow by life on a small islandEuropasaurusArchaeopteryx: 149.2–121.4 Ma · The feathered 'first bird' that tied birds to dinosaurs two years after Darwin's OriginArchaeopteryxMaraapunisaurus: 149.2–143.1 Ma · The lost vertebra that may have belonged to the largest dinosaur of allMaraapunisaurusDeinonychus: 143.1–93.9 Ma · The claw that launched the Dinosaur RenaissanceDeinonychusCarcharodontosaurus: 143.1–72.2 Ma · An African giant with serrated, shark-like teeth, rediscovered after its bones were bombedCarcharodontosaurusBaryonyx: 139.1–110.1 Ma · A crocodile-snouted fish-eater found by an amateur in a Surrey clay pitBaryonyxPsittacosaurus: 137.1–100.5 Ma · The best-understood dinosaur: colour, skin, bristles and even its cloaca are knownPsittacosaurusUtahraptor: 137.1–132.6 Ma · The largest raptor, with a 24-centimetre killing clawUtahraptorSpinosaurus: 125.8–72.2 Ma · The longest predatory dinosaur, a sail-backed river hunter with a paddle tailSpinosaurusSinosauropteryx: 125.8–119.6 Ma · The first non-bird dinosaur found with feathers, and the first with a known colourSinosauropteryxYutyrannus: 125.8–119.6 Ma · A nine-metre tyrannosaur relative covered in shaggy feathersYutyrannusAmargasaurus: 125.8–121.4 Ma · A small sauropod with a double row of spines down its neckAmargasaurusConcavenator: 125.8–121.4 Ma · A Spanish predator with a strange hump before the hips and possible quill knobsConcavenatorMicroraptor: 121.4–113.2 Ma · A crow-sized dinosaur with four wings and glossy black feathersMicroraptorBorealopelta: 121.4–113.2 Ma · An armoured dinosaur so well preserved it looks like it is sleepingBorealopeltaOuranosaurus: 121.4–66 Ma · A sail-backed plant-eater from the Sahara, when it was a river deltaOuranosaurusNigersaurus: 121.4–100.5 Ma · The 'Mesozoic cow' whose vacuum-cleaner mouth held 500 teethNigersaurusPatagotitan: 113.2–100.5 Ma · The best-known of the super-giants: six individuals from one Patagonian ranchPatagotitanGiganotosaurus: 113.2–106.3 Ma · A South American predator that rivalled Tyrannosaurus in sizeGiganotosaurusLeaellynasaura: 113.2–110.1 Ma · A small polar dinosaur that lived through months of winter darknessLeaellynasauraArgentinosaurus: 110.1–106.3 Ma · Possibly the heaviest land animal ever, known from a handful of enormous bonesArgentinosaurusDeinocheirus: 100.5–66 Ma · For 50 years only a pair of 2.4-metre arms were known; the rest was a hump-backed, duck-billed surpriseDeinocheirusShantungosaurus: 100.5–66 Ma · The largest duck-bill and the biggest non-sauropod dinosaur knownShantungosaurusMosasaurus: 100.5–61.7 Ma · A giant marine lizard from the Maastricht chalk, the fossil that launched the idea of extinctionMosasaurusGallimimus: 93.9–66 Ma · The largest ostrich dinosaur, built for speed on the Gobi plainsGallimimusVelociraptor: 89.8–66 Ma · A turkey-sized, feathered hunter, not the man-sized monster of the moviesVelociraptorOviraptor: 89.8–72.2 Ma · Named an egg thief for a crime it did not commit: it was brooding its own nestOviraptorEdmontosaurus: 89.8–66 Ma · The duck-bill known from 'mummies' with skin, hooves and a fleshy crestEdmontosaurusPteranodon: 89.8–72.2 Ma · Not a dinosaur at all: a flying reptile with a seven-metre wingspan and a toothless beakPteranodonHadrosaurus: 85.7–66 Ma · The first dinosaur skeleton ever mounted for the public, in Philadelphia in 1868HadrosaurusTyrannosaurus: 83.6–66 Ma · The tyrant king: the most studied predator that ever walked the EarthTyrannosaurusTriceratops: 83.6–66 Ma · Three horns, a bony frill and the most common large herbivore of the final dinosaur ageTriceratopsAnkylosaurus: 83.6–66 Ma · A living tank with a bone-crushing tail clubAnkylosaurusParasaurolophus: 83.6–72.2 Ma · A duck-billed dinosaur whose metre-long crest worked like a tromboneParasaurolophusPachycephalosaurus: 83.6–66 Ma · A dome of solid bone 25 centimetres thick, probably for ramming rivalsPachycephalosaurusDreadnoughtus: 83.6–72.2 Ma · A giant named after battleships, known from an unusually complete skeletonDreadnoughtusMaiasaura: 83.6–72.2 Ma · The dinosaur that proved parents cared for their youngMaiasauraTroodon: 83.6–66 Ma · The 'smartest dinosaur', with big eyes and a big brain, now a name in troubleTroodonZuul: 83.6–72.2 Ma · An ankylosaur named after a movie demon, with skin and armour still in placeZuulCarnotaurus: 72.2–66 Ma · A horned predator with the smallest arms of any large theropodCarnotaurusTherizinosaurus: 72.2–66 Ma · A pot-bellied, long-necked theropod with metre-long claws, the longest of any animalTherizinosaurusNanotyrannus: 72.2–66 Ma · A small tyrannosaur or a teenage T. rex? One of palaeontology's longest argumentsNanotyrannusMajungasaurus: 72.2–66 Ma · The only dinosaur with direct evidence of cannibalismMajungasaurusAustroraptor: 72.2–66 Ma · The largest raptor of the southern hemisphere, with a long snout and short armsAustroraptor
TyrannosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Tyrannosaurustyrant lizard

The tyrant king: the most studied predator that ever walked the Earth

Length
12.3 m
Lived
84–66 Ma
Named
1905
VelociraptorTheropod · carnivore

Velociraptorswift seizer

A turkey-sized, feathered hunter, not the man-sized monster of the movies

Length
2 m
Lived
90–66 Ma
Named
1924
TriceratopsCeratopsian · herbivore

Triceratopsthree-horned face

Three horns, a bony frill and the most common large herbivore of the final dinosaur age

Length
8.5 m
Lived
84–66 Ma
Named
1889
StegosaurusArmoured dinosaur · herbivore

Stegosaurusroof lizard

Plates on its back, spikes on its tail and a famously small head

Length
9 m
Lived
162–94 Ma
Named
1877
BrachiosaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Brachiosaurusarm lizard

The giraffe of the dinosaur world, with front legs longer than its hind legs

Length
22 m
Lived
158–143 Ma
Named
1903
DiplodocusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Diplodocusdouble beam

A 26-metre whip-tailed giant known from some of the most complete sauropod skeletons

Length
26 m
Lived
158–143 Ma
Named
1878
BrontosaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Brontosaurusthunder lizard

The dinosaur that was declared a mistake in 1903 and resurrected in 2015

Length
22 m
Lived
155–143 Ma
Named
1879
ApatosaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Apatosaurusdeceptive lizard

A stockier cousin of Diplodocus with an extraordinarily thick neck

Length
22 m
Lived
158–143 Ma
Named
1877
ArgentinosaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

ArgentinosaurusArgentine lizard

Possibly the heaviest land animal ever, known from a handful of enormous bones

Length
33 m
Lived
110–106 Ma
Named
1993
PatagotitanSauropodomorph · herbivore

PatagotitanPatagonian titan

The best-known of the super-giants: six individuals from one Patagonian ranch

Length
37 m
Lived
113–101 Ma
Named
2017
SpinosaurusTheropod · fish-eater

Spinosaurusspine lizard

The longest predatory dinosaur, a sail-backed river hunter with a paddle tail

Length
14 m
Lived
126–72 Ma
Named
1915
GiganotosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Giganotosaurusgiant southern lizard

A South American predator that rivalled Tyrannosaurus in size

Length
12.5 m
Lived
113–106 Ma
Named
1995
CarnotaurusTheropod · carnivore

Carnotaurusmeat-eating bull

A horned predator with the smallest arms of any large theropod

Length
8 m
Lived
72–66 Ma
Named
1985
AllosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Allosaurusdifferent lizard

The top predator of the Jurassic plains of North America

Length
9 m
Lived
162–137 Ma
Named
1877
AnkylosaurusArmoured dinosaur · herbivore

Ankylosaurusfused lizard

A living tank with a bone-crushing tail club

Length
7 m
Lived
84–66 Ma
Named
1908
ParasaurolophusOrnithopod · herbivore

Parasaurolophusnear crested lizard

A duck-billed dinosaur whose metre-long crest worked like a trombone

Length
9.5 m
Lived
84–72 Ma
Named
1922
IguanodonOrnithopod · herbivore

Iguanodoniguana tooth

The second dinosaur ever named, whose thumb spike was first mistaken for a nose horn

Length
10 m
Lived
155–66 Ma
Named
1825
MegalosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Megalosaurusgreat lizard

The first dinosaur ever named, in 1824, decades before the word 'dinosaur' existed

Length
7 m
Lived
206–66 Ma
Named
1822
HadrosaurusOrnithopod · herbivore

Hadrosaurusbulky lizard

The first dinosaur skeleton ever mounted for the public, in Philadelphia in 1868

Length
8 m
Lived
86–66 Ma
Named
1858
ArchaeopteryxTheropod · carnivore

Archaeopteryxancient wing

The feathered 'first bird' that tied birds to dinosaurs two years after Darwin's Origin

Length
0.5 m
Lived
149–121 Ma
Named
1861
MicroraptorTheropod · carnivore

Microraptorsmall thief

A crow-sized dinosaur with four wings and glossy black feathers

Length
0.9 m
Lived
121–113 Ma
Named
2000
DeinonychusTheropod · carnivore

Deinonychusterrible claw

The claw that launched the Dinosaur Renaissance

Length
3.4 m
Lived
143–94 Ma
Named
1969
OviraptorTheropod · omnivore

Oviraptoregg thief

Named an egg thief for a crime it did not commit: it was brooding its own nest

Length
1.8 m
Lived
90–72 Ma
Named
1924
TherizinosaurusTheropod · herbivore

Therizinosaurusscythe lizard

A pot-bellied, long-necked theropod with metre-long claws, the longest of any animal

Length
10 m
Lived
72–66 Ma
Named
1954
DeinocheirusTheropod · omnivore

Deinocheirushorrible hand

For 50 years only a pair of 2.4-metre arms were known; the rest was a hump-backed, duck-billed surprise

Length
11 m
Lived
101–66 Ma
Named
1969
PachycephalosaurusPachycephalosaur · omnivore

Pachycephalosaurusthick-headed lizard

A dome of solid bone 25 centimetres thick, probably for ramming rivals

Length
4.5 m
Lived
84–66 Ma
Named
1943
CompsognathusTheropod · carnivore

Compsognathuselegant jaw

A chicken-sized hunter and the first dinosaur known from a complete skeleton

Length
1 m
Lived
155–145 Ma
Named
1861
CoelophysisTheropod · carnivore

Coelophysishollow form

A slender Triassic predator found by the hundreds at Ghost Ranch

Length
3 m
Lived
227–193 Ma
Named
1889
EoraptorEarly dinosaur · omnivore

Eoraptordawn thief

One of the very first dinosaurs, a dog-sized omnivore from 231 million years ago

Length
1 m
Lived
234–227 Ma
Named
1993
HerrerasaurusEarly dinosaur · carnivore

HerrerasaurusHerrera's lizard

An early predator from the dawn of the dinosaurs, named after the goat herder who found it

Length
4.5 m
Lived
237–227 Ma
Named
1963
DreadnoughtusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Dreadnoughtusfears nothing

A giant named after battleships, known from an unusually complete skeleton

Length
26 m
Lived
84–72 Ma
Named
2014
MaiasauraOrnithopod · herbivore

Maiasauragood mother lizard

The dinosaur that proved parents cared for their young

Length
9 m
Lived
84–72 Ma
Named
1979
PsittacosaurusCeratopsian · herbivore

Psittacosaurusparrot lizard

The best-understood dinosaur: colour, skin, bristles and even its cloaca are known

Length
2 m
Lived
137–101 Ma
Named
1923
BorealopeltaArmoured dinosaur · herbivore

Borealopeltanorthern shield

An armoured dinosaur so well preserved it looks like it is sleeping

Length
5.5 m
Lived
121–113 Ma
Named
2017
SinosauropteryxTheropod · carnivore

SinosauropteryxChinese reptilian wing

The first non-bird dinosaur found with feathers, and the first with a known colour

Length
1 m
Lived
126–120 Ma
Named
1996
YutyrannusTheropod · carnivore

Yutyrannusfeathered tyrant

A nine-metre tyrannosaur relative covered in shaggy feathers

Length
9 m
Lived
126–120 Ma
Named
2012
YiTheropod · omnivore

Yiwing

A pigeon-sized dinosaur with bat-like membrane wings

Length
0.3 m
Lived
165–155 Ma
Named
2015
MamenchisaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

MamenchisaurusMamenchi lizard

The longest neck of any animal: up to 15 metres, half of its body

Length
26 m
Lived
168–113 Ma
Named
1954
MaraapunisaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Maraapunisaurushuge lizard

The lost vertebra that may have belonged to the largest dinosaur of all

Length
32 m
Lived
149–143 Ma
Named
2018
EdmontosaurusOrnithopod · herbivore

Edmontosauruslizard from Edmonton

The duck-bill known from 'mummies' with skin, hooves and a fleshy crest

Length
12 m
Lived
90–66 Ma
Named
1917
TroodonTheropod · omnivore

Troodonwounding tooth

The 'smartest dinosaur', with big eyes and a big brain, now a name in trouble

Length
2.4 m
Lived
84–66 Ma
Named
1856
GallimimusTheropod · omnivore

Gallimimuschicken mimic

The largest ostrich dinosaur, built for speed on the Gobi plains

Length
6 m
Lived
94–66 Ma
Named
1972
DilophosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Dilophosaurustwo-crested lizard

A seven-metre Early Jurassic predator with twin head crests, and no venom or neck frill

Length
7 m
Lived
201–184 Ma
Named
1970
BaryonyxTheropod · fish-eater

Baryonyxheavy claw

A crocodile-snouted fish-eater found by an amateur in a Surrey clay pit

Length
9 m
Lived
139–110 Ma
Named
1986
CarcharodontosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Carcharodontosaurusshark-toothed lizard

An African giant with serrated, shark-like teeth, rediscovered after its bones were bombed

Length
12.5 m
Lived
143–72 Ma
Mass
7 t
UtahraptorTheropod · carnivore

UtahraptorUtah's thief

The largest raptor, with a 24-centimetre killing claw

Length
6 m
Lived
137–133 Ma
Named
1993
NanotyrannusTheropod · carnivore

Nanotyrannusdwarf tyrant

A small tyrannosaur or a teenage T. rex? One of palaeontology's longest arguments

Length
5.5 m
Lived
72–66 Ma
Named
1988
PlateosaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Plateosaurusbroad lizard

The first big plant-eater: a two-legged Triassic forerunner of the sauropods

Length
7 m
Lived
227–200 Ma
Named
1837
HeterodontosaurusOrnithopod · omnivore

Heterodontosaurusdifferent-toothed lizard

A fox-sized dinosaur with tusks, incisors and cheek teeth all in one mouth

Length
1.2 m
Lived
201–184 Ma
Named
1962
KulindadromeusOrnithopod · herbivore

KulindadromeusKulinda runner

A plant-eater with feather-like fuzz, suggesting all dinosaurs could grow feathers

Length
1.5 m
Lived
168–165 Ma
Named
2014
ShantungosaurusOrnithopod · herbivore

ShantungosaurusShandong lizard

The largest duck-bill and the biggest non-sauropod dinosaur known

Length
15 m
Lived
101–66 Ma
Named
1973
OuranosaurusOrnithopod · herbivore

Ouranosaurusbrave lizard

A sail-backed plant-eater from the Sahara, when it was a river delta

Length
8 m
Lived
121–66 Ma
Named
1972
AmargasaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

AmargasaurusLa Amarga lizard

A small sauropod with a double row of spines down its neck

Length
10 m
Lived
126–121 Ma
Named
1984
NigersaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

NigersaurusNiger lizard

The 'Mesozoic cow' whose vacuum-cleaner mouth held 500 teeth

Length
9 m
Lived
121–101 Ma
Named
1999
MajungasaurusTheropod · carnivore

MajungasaurusMahajanga lizard

The only dinosaur with direct evidence of cannibalism

Length
7 m
Lived
72–66 Ma
Named
1955
CryolophosaurusTheropod · carnivore

Cryolophosaurusfrozen crested lizard

The first dinosaur named from Antarctica, with a pompadour-like crest

Length
6.5 m
Lived
200–184 Ma
Named
1994
LeaellynasauraOrnithopod · herbivore

LeaellynasauraLeaellyn's lizard

A small polar dinosaur that lived through months of winter darkness

Length
1 m
Lived
113–110 Ma
Named
1989
EuropasaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

EuropasaurusEuropean lizard

A sauropod shrunk to the size of a cow by life on a small island

Length
6 m
Lived
152–149 Ma
Named
2006
ConcavenatorTheropod · carnivore

ConcavenatorCuenca hunter

A Spanish predator with a strange hump before the hips and possible quill knobs

Length
6 m
Lived
126–121 Ma
Named
2010
ZuulArmoured dinosaur · herbivore

Zuulnamed after the Ghostbusters demon

An ankylosaur named after a movie demon, with skin and armour still in place

Length
6 m
Lived
84–72 Ma
Named
2017
SupersaurusSauropodomorph · herbivore

Supersaurussuper lizard

Possibly the longest dinosaur known from reasonably complete remains

Length
34 m
Lived
155–143 Ma
Named
1985
AnchiornisTheropod · carnivore

Anchiornisnear bird

The first dinosaur with its whole colour pattern reconstructed

Length
0.4 m
Lived
168–152 Ma
Named
2009
AustroraptorTheropod · fish-eater

Austroraptorsouthern thief

The largest raptor of the southern hemisphere, with a long snout and short arms

Length
5 m
Lived
72–66 Ma
Named
2008
PteranodonPterosaur · fish-eater

Pteranodontoothless wing

Not a dinosaur at all: a flying reptile with a seven-metre wingspan and a toothless beak

Length
1.8 m
Lived
90–72 Ma
Named
1876
PlesiosaurusPlesiosaur · fish-eater

Plesiosaurusnear lizard

The long-necked sea reptile Mary Anning found, often mistaken for a dinosaur

Length
3.5 m
Lived
206–66 Ma
Named
1821
DimetrodonSynapsid · carnivore

Dimetrodontwo measures of teeth

A sail-backed predator that is closer to mammals than to any dinosaur

Length
3.5 m
Lived
299–267 Ma
Named
1878
MosasaurusMosasaur · carnivore

MosasaurusMeuse lizard

A giant marine lizard from the Maastricht chalk, the fossil that launched the idea of extinction

Length
14 m
Lived
101–62 Ma
Named
1822