List of African dinosaurs

This is a list of dinosaurs whose remains have been recovered from Africa. Africa has a rich fossil record, but it is patchy and incomplete. It is rich in Triassic and Early Jurassic dinosaurs. African dinosaurs from these time periods include Coelophysis, Dracovenator, Melanorosaurus, Massospondylus, Euskelosaurus, Heterodontosaurus, Abrictosaurus, and Lesothosaurus. In the Middle Jurassic, the sauropods Atlasaurus, Chebsaurus, Jobaria, and Spinophorosaurus, flourished, as well as the theropod Afrovenator. The Late Jurassic is well represented in Africa, mainly thanks to the spectacular Tendaguru Formation. Veterupristisaurus, Ostafrikasaurus, Elaphrosaurus, Giraffatitan, Dicraeosaurus, Janenschia, Tornieria, Tendaguria, Kentrosaurus, and Dysalotosaurus are among the dinosaurs whose remains have been recovered from Tendaguru. This fauna seems to show strong similarities to that of the Morrison Formation in the United States and the Lourinha Formation in Portugal. For example, similar theropods, ornithopods and sauropods have been found in both the Tendaguru and the Morrison. This has important biogeographical implications.

The Early Cretaceous in Africa is known primarily from the northern part of the continent, particularly Niger. Suchomimus, Elrhazosaurus, Rebbachisaurus, Nigersaurus, Kryptops, Nqwebasaurus, and Paranthodon are some of the Early Cretaceous dinosaurs known from Africa. The Early Cretaceous was an important time for the dinosaurs of Africa because it was when Africa finally separated from South America, forming the South Atlantic Ocean. This was an important event because now the dinosaurs of Africa started developing endemism because of isolation. The Late Cretaceous of Africa is known mainly from North Africa. During the early part of the Late Cretaceous, North Africa was home to a rich dinosaur fauna. It includes Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Rugops, Bahariasaurus, Deltadromeus, Paralititan, Aegyptosaurus, and Ouranosaurus.

Criteria for inclusion

  • The creature must appear on the List of dinosaur genera.
  • Fossils of the creature must have been found in Africa.
  • This list is a complement to Category:Dinosaurs of Africa.

List of African dinosaurs

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NamePeriodDiet[1]CountryNotes
AardonyxJurassicherbivoreSouth AfricaA transitional form between primitive and advanced sauropodomorphs.
AbrictosaurusJurassicherbivoreSouth AfricaA heterodontosaurid.
AdratiklitJurassicherbivoreMoroccothe first stegosaur from North Africa.
AegyptosaurusCretaceousherbivoreEgypt, NigerThe remains of this sauropod were lost in World War II.
AetonyxJurassicherbivoreSouth Africa, Lesotho, ZimbabweProbably synonymous with Massospondylus
AfrovenatorJurassiccarnivoreNigerOnce thought to be from the Cretaceous.
AjnabiaCretaceousHerbivoreMoroccoIts name means "stranger" or "foreigner" because it is the first hadrosaur found in Africa.
AlgoasaurusJurassic/CretaceousherbivoreSouth AfricaA dubious sauropod.
AllosaurusJurassiccarnivoreTanzania, USA, & PortugalThe African species is Allosaurus tendagurensis.
AngolatitanCretaceousherbivoreAngolaThe first non-avian dinosaur from Angola.
AntetonitrusTriassic or JurassicherbivoreSouth AfricaOne of the earliest true sauropods.
ArcusaurusJurassicherbivoreSouth AfricaNamed after the fact that South Africa was the "Rainbow Nation".
AtlasaurusJurassicherbivoreMoroccoIt had long legs for a sauropod.
AustralodocusJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaProbably an equivalent to Diplodocus of North America.
BahariasaurusCretaceouscarnivoreEgypt,Niger, Morocco, AlgeriaA poorly-known theropod.
BerberosaurusJurassiccarnivoreMoroccoA primitive ceratosaur.
BlikanasaurusTriassicherbivoreSouth AfricaKnown from only a foot.
CarcharodontosaurusCretaceouscarnivoreAlgeria, Egypt, Morocco, NigerOne of the largest terrestrial carnivores.
ChebsaurusJurassicherbivoreAlgeriaOne of the few known dinosaurs from Algeria.
ChenanisaurusCretaceouscarnivoreMoroccoA late-surviving abelisaur.
CoelophysisJurassiccarnivoreUSA, South Africa, & ZimbabweAfrican remains once classified as "Syntarsus" or "Megapnosaurus".
CristatusaurusCretaceouscarnivoreNigerProbably the same as Suchomimus.
DeltadromeusCretaceouscarnivoreMorocco, Algeria, EgyptA poorly known theropod.
DicraeosaurusJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaQuite short-necked for a sauropod.
DracovenatorJurassiccarnivoreSouth AfricaA relative of Dilophosaurus.
DysalotosaurusJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaRemains once classified as Dryosaurus.
ElaphrosaurusJurassiccarnivoreTanzaniaA lightweight relative of Ceratosaurus.
ElrhazosaurusCretaceousherbivoreNigerOne of the few dryosaurids to survive into the Cretaceous.
EocarchariaCretaceouscarnivoreNigerKnown only from two pieces of a skull.
EocursorTriassic or JurassicherbivoreSouth AfricaOne of the oldest ornithischians.
EucnemesaurusTriassicherbivoreSouth AfricaAn African relative of South America’s Riojasaurus.
EuskelosaurusTriassicherbivoreSouth Africa, Zimbabwe, LesothoProbably bow-legged.
FabrosaurusJurassicherbivoreLesothoMaybe the same as Lesothosaurus.
GeranosaurusJurassicherbivoreSouth AfricaA poorly-known ornithischian.
GiraffatitanJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaOnce classified as "Brachiosaurus brancai".
GyposaurusJurassicherbivoreSouth Africa and ChinaIt may be the same as another basal sauropodomorph.
HeterodontosaurusJurassicomnivoreSouth AfricaIt had three types of teeth in its mouth.
IgnavusaurusJurassicherbivoreLesothoThe name means cowardly lizard.
InosaurusCretaceouscarnivoreEgyptA mysterious theropod.
JanenschiaJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaNamed after paleontologist Werner Janensch.
JobariaJurassicherbivoreNigerLike Afrovenator, it was once thought to be from the Cretaceous.
KangnasaurusCretaceousherbivoreSouth AfricaAn obscure dryosaur.
KarongasaurusCretaceousherbivoreMalawiOnly known from a lower jaw with some teeth.
KentrosaurusJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaAn African relative of Stegosaurus.
KryptopsCretaceouscarnivoreNigerSome have suggested it is a chimaera.
LesothosaurusJurassicherbivoreLesothoMay be a thyreophoran.
LihkoelesauusTriassic(unknown)South AfricaPossibly not a dinosaur (disputed)
LurdusaurusCretaceousherbivoreNigerPossibly a semi-aquatic, hippo-like herbivore.
LycorhinusJurassicomnivoreSouth AfricaOriginally thought to be a non-mammalian therapsid.
MalawisaurusCretaceousherbivoreMalawiHas good skull material.
MassospondylusJurassicherbivoreSouth Africa, Lesotho, ZimbabweKnown from multiple remains.
MelanorosaurusTriassicherbivoreSouth AfricaOne of the largest non-sauropods.
NgwevuJurassicHerbivoreSouth AfricaA basal sauropodomorph originally thought to be a Massospondylus.
NigersaurusCretaceousherbivoreNigerIt had an unusually-shaped head.
NqwebasaurusCretaceousomnivoreSouth AfricaPossibly one of the earliest ornithomimosaurs.
NyasasaurusTriassiccarnivoreTanzaniaIt may be the earliest known dinosaur or a non-dinosaurian dinosauromorph. (disputed)
OstafrikasaurusJurassiccarnivoreTanzaniaPossibly the earliest spinosaur.
OuranosaurusCretaceousherbivoreNigerIt had long spines on its back that may have supported a hump or sail.
ParalititanCretaceousherbivoreEgyptOne of Africa's largest dinosaurs.
ParanthodonCretaceousherbivoreSouth AfricaOne of the few Cretaceous stegosaurs.
PegomastaxJurassicomnivoreSouth AfricaIt may have had spines on its back.
PlateosauravusTriassicherbivoreSouth AfricaMay be the same as Euskelosaurus.
RebbachisaurusCretaceousherbivoreMorocco, Niger, Tunisia, SpainA large, sail-backed sauropod.
RugopsCretaceouscarnivoreNigerHoles on its skull may have supported a display structure.
RukwatitanCretaceousherbivoreTanzaniaIts closest relatives were from South America.
SaturnaliaTriassicherbivoreBrazil & ZimbabweA basal sauropodomorph.
SauroniopsCretaceouscarnivoreMoroccoNamed after the Eye of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings franchise.
SigilmassasaurusCretaceouscarnivoreMoroccoMay be the same as Spinosaurus.
SpinosaurusCretaceouscarnivoreEgypt & MoroccoPossibly the largest carnivorous dinosaur.
SpinophorosaurusJurassicherbivoreNigerIt may have had a thagomizer like stegosaurs.
SpinostropheusJurassiccarnivoreNigerA contemporary of Afrovenator and Jobaria.
SuchomimusCretaceouscarnivoreNigerA crocodile-like fish eater.
TataouineaCretaceousherbivoreTunisiaNamed after the region of Tunisia where it was found.
TazoudasaurusJurassicherbivoreMoroccoOne of the earliest true sauropods.
TendaguriaJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaA poorly-known sauropod.
ThotobolosaurusTriassicherbivoreLesothoA nomen nudum until 2020.
TornieriaJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaRemains originally identified as Barosaurus.
VeterupristisaurusJurassiccarnivoreTanzaniaPossibly the oldest carcharodontosaur.
VulcanodonJurassicherbivoreZimbabweOnce thought to be a carnivore.
WamweracaudiaJurassicherbivoreTanzaniaOriginally identified as Gigantosaurus.

Timeline

This is a timeline of selected dinosaurs from the list above. Time is measured in mya along the x-axis.

MesozoicTriassicJurassicCretaceousRugopsChenanisaurusDeltadromeusBahariasaurusAegyptosaurusSigilmassasaurusParalititanCarcharodontosaurusRebbachisaurusSpinosaurusNigersaurusOuranosaurusEocarchariaKryptopsSuchomimusCristatusaurusLurdusaurusJobariaNqwebasaurusValdosaurusParanthodonTendaguriaMalawisaurusGiraffatitanElaphrosaurusTornieriaAustralodocusCeratosaurusKentrosaurusDysalotosaurusJanenschiaDicraeosaurusSpinostropheusAfrovenatorChebsaurusAtlasaurusAdratiklitBerberosaurusGyposaurusDracovenatorMegapnosaurusLesothosaurusLycorhinusHeterodontosaurusAbrictosaurusMassospondylusStormbergiaTazoudasaurusEocursorVulcanodonPlateosauravusMelanorosaurusEuskelosaurusEucnemesaurusBlikanasaurusAntetonitrusMesozoicTriassicJurassicCretaceous

See also

Notes

  1. Diet is sometimes hard to determine for dinosaurs and should be considered a "best guess"
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