List of European dinosaurs
Dinosaurs evolved partway through the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, around 230 Ma (million years ago). At that time, the earth had one supercontinental landmass, called Pangaea, of which Europe was a part.[1] So it remained throughout the Triassic. By the start of the Jurassic period, some 30 million years later, the supercontinent began to split into Laurasia and Gondwana. The largest inlet from Panthalassa, the superocean that surrounded Pangaea, was called the Tethys Ocean, and as this inlet cut deeper into the supercontinent, much of Europe was flooded.
By the Cretaceous, from 145 to 66 million years ago, the continents were beginning to approach their present shapes, but not their present positions, and Europe remained tropical. At times, it was a chain of island-microcontinents including Baltica and Iberia.
Europe is relatively rich in fossils from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary, and much of what is known about European dinosaurs dates from this time. During the Maastrichtian the end of the Cretaceous dinosaurs were dominating western and Central Europe as the Tremp Formation in Spain dates back to that age. Examples of dinosaurs from Maastrichtian Europe are Struthiosaurus and Canardia.
Criteria for inclusion
- The creature must appear on the List of dinosaur genera.
- Fossils of the creature must have been found in Europe.
- This list is a complement to Category:Dinosaurs of Europe.
List of European dinosaurs
| Nomen dubium |
| Invalid |
| Nomen nudum |
Name Period Diet[2] Country Notes Acanthopholis Cretaceous herbivore England An ankylosaur. Adynomosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain The first non-avian dinosaur described in 2019. Aepisaurus Cretaceous herbivore France A dubious sauropod. Agrosaurus Triassic herbivore England Mistakenly thought to be from Australia; now considered possibly the same as Thecodontosaurus. Ajkaceratops Cretaceous herbivore Hungary The first definitive ceratopsian from Europe. Allosaurus Jurassic carnivore Portugal (other species are known from the United States) The European species is Allosaurus europaeus. Alocodon Jurassic (herbivore) Portugal Possibly a neornithischian. Altispinax Cretaceous carnivore England Includes "Becklespinax". Amanzia Jurassic herbivore Switzerland A non-neosauropod eusauropod, possibly a turiasaur. Ampelosaurus Cretaceous herbivore France A titanosaur known to possess spike-like osteoderms. Anoplosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England An ankylosaur formerly considered to be an ornithopod. Aragosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain A Camarasaurus-like sauropod from Spain. Archaeopteryx Jurassic carnivore Germany Possibly a bird. Arcovenator Cretaceous carnivore France One of the few abelisaurs from the Northern Hemisphere. Arenysaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain One of the last lambeosaurine hadrosaurs. Aristosuchus Cretaceous carnivore England A compsognathid. Asylosaurus Triassic herbivore/omnivore England Similar to Thecodontosaurus; its remains survived bombing during World War II. Atsinganosaurus Cretaceous herbivore France A member of the clade Lirainosaurinae. Aviatyrannis Jurassic carnivore Portugal tyrannosauroid. Balaur Cretaceous herbivore/omnivore Romania Either a bird or a non-avialan paravian. Barilium Cretaceous herbivore England Almost called "Torillion". Baryonyx Cretaceous carnivore Spain, Portugal, England A spinosaurid adapted to catch fish. Betasuchus Cretaceous carnivore Netherlands One of the few known non-avian dinosaurs from the Netherlands. Bihariosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Romania Actually a nomen nudum and invalid. Blasisaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain One of the last lambeosaurines, together with Arenysaurus. Bothriospondylus Jurassic herbivore England Type species was found in England. Attributed remains from France and Madagascar have been assigned to other genera. Bradycneme Cretaceous (carnivore) Romania Either a troodontid or alvarezsaur. Burianosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Czech Republic An ornithopod named after paleoartist Zdenek Burian. Calamosaurus Cretaceous (carnivore) England Either a compsognathid or an ornithomimosaur. Calamospondylus Cretaceous (carnivore) England Possibly a primitive oviraptorosaur. Callovosaurus Jurassic herbivore England One of the oldest dryosaurids. Camarillasaurus Cretaceous carnivore Spain A primitive spinosaur. Camelotia Triassic herbivore England One of the largest dinosaurs of the Triassic period. Canardia Cretaceous herbivore France It represents a lineage of hadrosaurs previously unknown in Europe. Cardiodon Jurassic herbivore England Its remains are the first sauropod remains ever found. Ceratosaurus Jurassic carnivore Portugal and Switzerland? (other species are known from the United States) Remains from Portugal and possibly Switzerland have been attributed to Ceratosaurus. Cetiosauriscus Jurassic herbivore England Once thought to be a primitive diplodocoid. Cetiosaurus Jurassic herbivore England The first sauropod correctly identified as such. Chondrosteosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England A dubious sauropod with a convoluted taxonomic history. Compsognathus Jurassic carnivore Germany and France One of the smallest non-avian dinosaurs. Concavenator Cretaceous carnivore Spain A strange carcharodontosaurid with a hump-back and possibly feathers. Craspedodon Cretaceous herbivore Belgium Maybe a ceratopsian. Craterosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Possibly an Early Cretaceous stegosaur. Cruxicheiros Jurassic carnivore England A basal tetanuran. Cryptosaurus Jurassic herbivore England An ankylosaur. Cumnoria Jurassic herbivore England A relative (or species) of Camptosaurus. Dacentrurus Jurassic herbivore England, France, Spain and Portugal A large stegosaur and the first of its kind to be discovered. Darwinsaurus Cretaceous herbivore England One of the many iguanodonts from Early Cretaceous England. May be the same as Hypselospinus. Delapparentia Cretaceous herbivore Spain May be the same as Iguanodon. Demandasaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain A rebbachisaurid. Dinheirosaurus Jurassic herbivore Portugal May be a species of Supersaurus (as S. lourinhanensis) Dinodocus Cretaceous herbivore England Despite its similar-sounding name, it probably wasn't closely related to Diplodocus. Dolichosuchus Triassic carnivore Germany A primitive theropod. Draconyx Jurassic herbivore Portugal A close relative of Camptosaurus. Dracopelta Jurassic herbivore Portugal An ankylosaur. Dracoraptor Jurassic carnivore Wales The first non-avian theropod found in Wales. Dromaeosauroides Cretaceous carnivore Denmark The first non-avian dinosaur genus named from Scandinavian remains. Dubreuillosaurus Jurassic carnivore France Found in France. Duriatitan Jurassic herbivore England Formerly a species of Cetiosaurus. Duriavenator Jurassic carnivore England Formerly a species of Megalosaurus. Also informally known as "Walkersaurus". Echinodon Cretaceous omnivore England The latest surviving heterodontosaurid. Efraasia Triassic herbivore Germany Mixed up with a lot of other reptiles throughout its history. Elopteryx Cretaceous (carnivore) Romania Either a troodontid or alvarezsaur. Emausaurus Jurassic herbivore Germany A basal thyreophoran that may be either bipedal or quadrupedal. Eotyrannus Cretaceous carnivore England A tyrannosauroid. Eousdryosaurus Jurassic herbivore Portugal A dryosaurid ornithopod. Erectopus Cretaceous carnivore France A basal carnosaur. Eucamerotus Cretaceous herbivore England A sauropod with a convoluted history. Eucercosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Possibly an ornithopod. Euronychodon Cretaceous carnivore Portugal (another species is known from Uzbekistan) A tooth taxon that may be a troodontid. Europasaurus Jurassic herbivore Germany An island-living sauropod that grew to small sizes. Europatitan Cretaceous herbivore Spain A large sauropod. Europelta Cretaceous herbivore Spain Represents Europe's most completely known ankylosaur. Eustreptospondylus Jurassic carnivore England Some have suggested it could swim. Galvesaurus Jurassic/Cretaceous herbivore Spain Also spelled "Galveosaurus". See article for more information. Garrigatitan Cretaceous herbivore France A relative of Ampelosaurus. Genusaurus Cretaceous carnivore France An indeterminate abelisauroid. Gideonmantellia Cretaceous herbivore Spain A basal ornithopod similar to Hypsilophodon. Gigantosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Not to be confused with Giganotosaurus. This is a sauropod. Haestasaurus Cretaceous herbivore England A small indeterminate sauropod with known skin impressions. Halticosaurus Triassic carnivore Germany A dubious theropod. Heptasteornis Cretaceous (carnivore) Romania Possibly an alvarezsaur. Histriasaurus Cretaceous herbivore Croatia One of the oldest rebbachisaurids. Horshamosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Formerly a species of Polacanthus. Hungarosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Hungary A nodosaur. Huxleysaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Named after scientists Thomas Henry Huxley. May be the same as Hypselospinus. Hylaeosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England The third animal recognized as a non-avian dinosaur. Hypselosaurus Cretaceous herbivore France The first titanosaur known to science. Hypselospinus Cretaceous herbivore England An iguanodont. Hypsilophodon Cretaceous herbivore England One of the more well-known basal ornithischians. Iguanodon Cretaceous herbivore England, Belgium and Spain The second non-avian dinosaur known to science, and the first known herbivorous non-avian dinosaur. Iliosuchus Cretaceous carnivore England Once considered a tyrannosauroid. "Ischyrosaurus" Jurassic herbivore England This name is preoccupied, but by what is unknown. Iuticosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England A sauropod. Juratyrant Jurassic carnivore England A tyrannosauroid. Juravenator Jurassic carnivore Germany It shows evidence of having both scales and feathers. Koutalisaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain May be the same as Pararhabdodon. Kukufeldia Cretaceous herbivore England Named after Cuckfield in England. May be the same as Barilium. Lexovisaurus Jurassic herbivore England, France A stegosaur from the Middle Jurassic. Liassaurus Jurassic (unknown) England May be the same as Sarcosaurus. Liliensternus Triassic carnivore Germany An early predator often reconstructed with a crest on its snout. Lirainosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain A lithostrotian titanosaur. Lohuecotitan Cretaceous herbivore Spain A lithostrotian titanosaur. Lophostropheus Triassic/Jurassic carnivore France One of the few dinosaurs that lived in two separate geologic periods. Loricatosaurus Jurassic herbivore England and France Most Lexovisaurus remains have been transferred to this animal. Losillasaurus Jurassic/Cretaceous herbivore Spain A large sauropod. Lourinhanosaurus Jurassic carnivore Portugal A bizarre theropod that may have swallowed gastroliths. Lourinhasaurus Jurassic herbivore Portugal A macronarian sauropod. Lusitanosaurus Jurassic herbivore Portugal Possibly dubious. Lusotitan Jurassic herbivore Portugal Formerly thought to represent European remains of Brachiosaurus. Lusovenator Jurassic carnivore Portugal A carcharodontosaurian theropod. Macrurosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Possibly a sauropod. Magnamanus Cretaceous herbivore Spain An iguanodont with unusually large hands. Magnosaurus Jurassic carnivore England A megalosaurid theropod. Magyarosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Romania One of the smallest adult sauropods, reaching up to a maximum of 6 meters (20 feet) in length. Mantellisaurus Cretaceous herbivore Belgium, England, Germany A common ornithopod. Mantellodon Cretaceous herbivore England May be the same as another English ornithopod, possibly Mantellisaurus. Marmarospondylus Jurassic herbivore England A sauropod. Matheronodon Cretaceous herbivore France An ornithopod with two unusually large teeth. Megalosaurus Jurassic carnivore England The first non-avian dinosaur known to science. Merosaurus Jurassic carnivore England Once thought to belong to Scelidosaurus. Metriacanthosaurus Jurassic carnivore England A close relative of Allosaurus. Miragaia Jurassic herbivore Portugal A stegosaur with an unusually long neck. Mochlodon Cretaceous herbivore Austria and Hungary A rhabdodontid. Morelladon Cretaceous herbivore Spain An ornithopod with a sail which is not as high as that in Ouranosaurus. Morinosaurus Cretaceous herbivore France A sauropod. Neosodon Jurassic herbivore France Unlike practically all taxonomic genera, this has no referred species to it. Neovenator Cretaceous carnivore England A large predator. Newtonsaurus Triassic carnivore England Formerly "Zanclodon cambrensis". Normanniasaurus Cretaceous herbivore France A sauropod. Notatesseraeraptor Triassic carnivore Switzerland Shows a combination of features normally found in different groups of early theropods. Nuthetes Cretaceous carnivore England Either a dromaeosaur or a tyrannosauroid. Oceanotitan Jurassic herbivore Portugal A sauropod. Ohmdenosaurus Jurassic herbivore Germany A small basal sauropod. Oligosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Austria May be the same as Rhabdodon. Oplosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England A sauropod. Ornithodesmus Cretaceous carnivore England A dromaeosaur formerly considered to represent a pterosaur. Ornithomerus Cretaceous herbivore Austria May be the same as Rhabdodon. Ornithopsis Cretaceous herbivore England A sauropod. Orthomerus Cretaceous herbivore Netherlands A possibly dubious ornithopod from the Netherlands. Ostromia Jurassic carnivore Germany A possible anchiornithid formerly thought to represent a pterosaur or an Archaeopteryx. Owenodon Cretaceous herbivore England An ornithopod. Paludititan Cretaceous herbivore Romania A contemporary of Magyarosaurus. Pantydraco Triassic herbivore Wales A small basal sauropodomorph. Pararhabdodon Cretaceous herbivore Spain The first known lambeosaurine from Europe. Pareisactus Cretaceous herbivore Spain A rhabdodont known from a single bone from a hadrosaur bonebed. Pelecanimimus Cretaceous carnivore Spain A primitive ornithomimosaur with 200 teeth. Pelorosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England & Portugal A sauropod with a confusing taxonomy. Phyllodon Jurassic herbivore Portugal Tooth taxon; probably an ornithopod. Piveteausaurus Jurassic carnivore France A theropod. Plateosaurus Triassic herbivore Germany, France, Switzerland and Norway (possible remains found in Greenland) Fossils of this basal sauropodomorph genus have been found widespread across Europe. Pneumatoraptor Cretaceous carnivore Hungary An indeterminate paravian. Poekilopleuron Jurassic carnivore England A close relative of Megalosaurus. Polacanthoides Cretaceous herbivore England May be the same as either Polacanthus or Hylaeosaurus. Polacanthus Cretaceous herbivore England A relatively well known nodosaur. Priodontognathus Jurassic herbivore England A dubious ankylosaur. Proa Cretaceous herbivore Spain Named for its prow-shaped jaw. Proceratosaurus Jurassic carnivore England A tyrannosauroid. Procompsognathus Triassic carnivore Germany A coelophysoid. Proplanicoxa Cretaceous herbivore England Probably the same as Mantellisaurus. Pterospondylus Triassic carnivore Germany A possibly dubious coelophysoid. Pyroraptor Cretaceous carnivore France Named because it was found after a forest fire took place. Regnosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England One of the first stegosaurs discovered. Rhabdodon Cretaceous herbivore France and Spain A common ornithopod. Rhadinosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Austria Either a synonym of Struthiosaurus or a crocodilian. Riabininohadros Cretaceous herbivore Crimea (Russia/Ukraine) Formerly assigned to Orthomerus. Ruehleia Triassic herbivore Germany A basal sauropodomorph ("prosauropod"). Saltriovenator Jurassic carnivore Italy A ceratosaur that appeared for eighteen years as a nomen nudum called "Saltriosaurus". It was possibly the biggest predator of its time. Sarcolestes Jurassic herbivore England A Jurassic ankylosaur. Sarcosaurus Jurassic carnivore England Either a ceratosaur or a coelophysoid. Scelidosaurus Jurassic herbivore England A primitive thyreophoran. Schleitheimia Triassic herbivore Switzerland A derived non-sauropod sauropodiform or an basal sauropod, depending on the definition. Scipionyx Cretaceous carnivore Italy The first dinosaur described from Italy. Preserved internal organs of this genus have been found. Sciurumimus Jurassic carnivore Germany Once considered a megalosaurid; it is known for its feathered tail. Sellacoxa Cretaceous herbivore England An ornithopod that may be the same as Barilium. Soriatitan Cretaceous herbivore Spain A large, recently discovered sauropod. Stegosaurus Jurassic herbivore Portugal (most remains are known from the United States) Remains of an indeterminate species have been found in Portugal. Stenopelix Cretaceous herbivore Germany A basal ceratopsian. Streptospondylus Jurassic carnivore France The second non-avian theropod known to science. Struthiosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Austria, France, Romania and Hungary One of the smallest ankylosaurs. Suchosaurus Cretaceous carnivore England and Portugal Possibly the same as Baryonyx. Syngonosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Either a synonym of Acanthopholis or an iguanodont. Tanystrosuchus Triassic carnivore Germany A dubious theropod. Tarascosaurus Cretaceous carnivore France Possibly an abelisaur. Tastavinsaurus Cretaceous herbivore Spain A clade called "Laurasiformes" was named which is attached to this genus, but not all scientists recover it. Taveirosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Portugal, Spain An indeterminate ornithischian. Teinurosaurus Jurassic carnivore Portugal A theropod. Telmatosaurus Cretaceous herbivore Romania A small basal hadrosauromorph. Tethyshadros Cretaceous herbivore Italy One of the smallest known hadrosauromorphs. Thecocoelurus Cretaceous carnivore England Possibly an early ornithomimosaur. Thecodontosaurus Triassic herbivore England Sometimes found in Carboniferous deposits. Thecospondylus Cretaceous (carnivore) England Scientists are not sure if it is a saurischian or an ornithischian. Therosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England Confusingly, this genus was named for the type species of Iguanodon. Torvosaurus Jurassic carnivore Portugal and Germany (another species is known from the United States) T. guerneyi was found in Portugal, and an indeterminate species is known from Germany. Trimucrodon Jurassic herbivore Portugal Possibly an ornithischian. Turiasaurus Jurassic/Cretaceous herbivore Spain, Portugal One of the largest known dinosaurs. Valdoraptor Cretaceous carnivore England Possibly an early ornithomimosaur. Valdosaurus Cretaceous herbivore England A dryosaurid. Vallibonavenatrix Cretaceous carnivore Spain The first spinosaurid named since Ichthyovenator in 2012. Variraptor Cretaceous carnivore England A dromaeosaur. Vectaerovenator Cretaceous carnivore England This indeterminate theropod's remains were announced in a press release one month before the paper that names it was published. Velocipes Triassic carnivore Poland Its dinosaurian status has been questioned. Volgatitan Cretaceous herbivore Russia The only non-avian dinosaur known from the European part of Russia. Vouivria Jurassic herbivore France Formerly thought to represent Bothriospondylus. Wellnhoferia Jurassic carnivore Germany May be the same as Archaeopteryx. Wiehenvenator Jurassic carnivore Germany Originally nicknamed "Das Monster von Minden". Xenoposeidon Cretaceous herbivore England Possibly an early rebbachisaur. Yaverlandia Cretaceous carnivore England Once thought to represent a pachycephalosaur, now thought to be a maniraptor. Zalmoxes Cretaceous herbivore Romania A rhabdodontid. Zby Jurassic herbivore Portugal A large sauropod.
Timeline
This is a timeline of selected dinosaurs from the list above. Time is measured in Ma, megaannum, along the x-axis.
See also
- Category: Cretaceous paleontological sites of Europe
- List of European birds
Notes
- Manchester Metropolitan University Archived 2009-05-25 at the Wayback Machine
- Diet is sometimes hard to determine for dinosaurs and should be considered a "best guess"
Lists of dinosaurs by continent | ||
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| Non-avian dinosaurs |
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| Birds | ||
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