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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 in Lindi Region of Tanzania. 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

Valid genera

Name	Year	Formation	Location	Notes	Images
Aardonyx	2010	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian)	South Africa	Primarily bipedal but also capable of quadrupedal locomotion
Abrictosaurus	1975	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	Known from two skulls, one of which possesses tusks
Adratiklit	2019	El Mers II Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian	Morocco	The oldest known stegosaur; related to Late Jurassic European forms despite its early age[1]
Aegyptosaurus	1932	Bahariya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Egypt	Its holotype specimen was lost during World War II
Afromimus	2017	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Originally described as an ornithomimosaur[2] but later redescribed as a noasaurid[3]
Afrovenator	1994	Tiourarén Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	Niger	Originally thought to hail from the Early Cretaceous
Ajnabia	2020	Ouled Abdoun Basin (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Morocco	The only hadrosaur known from Africa; part of a clade of lambeosaurines otherwise endemic to Europe[4]
Algoasaurus	1904	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	South Africa	Today known from only a few bones; several more may have been made into bricks before they could be studied[5]
Angolatitan	2011	Itombe Formation (Late Cretaceous, Coniacian)	Angola	First non-avian dinosaur described from Angola
Antetonitrus	2003	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	Had grasping forelimbs and feet adapted for weight-bearing
Arcusaurus	2011	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian)	South Africa	Possessed traits of both basal and derived sauropodomorphs
Atlasaurus	1999	Guettioua Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian to Callovian)	Morocco	A sauropod with characteristically elongated legs
Australodocus	2007	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	Potentially the oldest known euhelopodid[6]
Bahariasaurus	1934	Bahariya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Egypt	Large but known from very few remains
Berberosaurus	2007	Azilal Formation (Early Jurassic, Toarcian)	Morocco	A medium-sized, early ceratosaur
Blikanasaurus	1985	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	South Africa	A "hyper-robust" form that niche partitioned with other Late Triassic Elliot sauropodomorphs[7]
Carcharodontosaurus	1931	Bahariya Formation, Continental intercalaire, Echkar Formation, Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Algeria  Egypt  Morocco  Niger	One of the longest carnivorous dinosaurs, comparable to Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus. Two species are known
Chebsaurus	2005	Aïssa Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	Algeria	Known from two juvenile specimens
Chenanisaurus	2017	Ouled Abdoun Basin (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Morocco	A large, late-surviving abelisaurid
Cristatusaurus	1998	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Potentially a synonym of Suchomimus but could also be a valid genus[8]
Deltadromeus	1996	Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Morocco	Variously suggested to be a basal coelurosaur,[9] a carnosaur,[10] a megaraptoran,[11] and more recently a giant noasaurid[12]
Dicraeosaurus	1914	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	A short-necked sauropod that may have been a low browser
Dracovenator	2005	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	Only known from fragments of a skull, but those are enough to tell that it was related to Dilophosaurus
Dysalotosaurus	1919	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Tanzania	Known from multiple remains that revealed much about its life history,[13] diet,[14] and even disease[15]
Elaphrosaurus	1920	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Tanzania	A large basal ceratosaur,[3] potentially a noasaurid,[16] with a gracile build
Elrhazosaurus	2009	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	Niger	Closely related to Valdosaurus
Eocarcharia	2008	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Niger	Its frontal bone was swollen into a thick band, which gave it a menacing glare
Eocursor	2007	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	One of the most completely-known early ornithischians
Eucnemesaurus	1920	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Carnian to Norian)	South Africa	Some fossils of this sauropodomorph were originally interpreted as those of a giant herrerasaurid
Euskelosaurus	1866	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	Lesotho  South Africa  Zimbabwe	Large and robustly built
Geranosaurus	1911	Clarens Formation (Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian to Toarcian)	South Africa	Poorly known but potentially a heterodontosaurid
Giraffatitan	1988	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	Known from several specimens. Popularly associated with Brachiosaurus but several differences between the two exist[17]
Gryponyx	1911	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	Potentially a synonym of Massospondylus but could also be distantly related[18]
Heterodontosaurus	1962	Clarens Formation, Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	South Africa	Possessed three types of teeth, including analogues to incisors and tusks, as well as a keratinous beak
Ignavusaurus	2010	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	Lesotho	Sometimes thought to be a juvenile specimen of Massospondylus[19] but could potentially be more closely related to Sarahsaurus[20]
Inosaurus	1960	Irhazer Group? (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Barremian)?	Niger	Very poorly known
Iyuku	2022	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian)	South Africa	Primarily known from hatchling and juvenile fossils
Janenschia	1991	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	Occasionally thought to be a titanosaur[21] but some analyses recover it as a more basal eusauropod in a clade with Bellusaurus and Haestasaurus[6][22] with possible turiasaurian affinities
Jobaria	1999	Tiourarén Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	Niger	Known from an almost complete skeleton
Kangnasaurus	1915	Kalahari Deposits Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	South Africa	Comparisons have been made with dryosaurids[23] but one study suggests a position within Elasmaria[24]
Karongasaurus	2005	Dinosaur Beds (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	Malawi	Described from only a mandible and teeth
Kentrosaurus	1915	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	Possessed two rows of plates that gradually merged into spikes towards the tail, as well as a long spike on each shoulder
Kholumolumo	2020	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Lesotho	Before its formal description, it had been informally referred to as "Kholumolumosaurus" and "Thotobolosaurus"
Kryptops	2008	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Postcranial remains referred to this abelisaurid may have instead come from a carcharodontosaurid[25]
Ledumahadi	2018	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	One of the largest Triassic dinosaurs, estimated as weighing 12 tonnes (26,000 lb)[26]
Lesothosaurus	1978	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	Lesotho  South Africa	Remains from multiple individuals have been discovered, suggesting a gregarious lifestyle
Lurdusaurus	1999	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Niger	The proportions of its body and limbs suggest it was a semiaquatic herbivore similar to a hippopotamus[27]
Lycorhinus	1924	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	Originally misidentified as a cynodont
Malawisaurus	1993	Dinosaur Beds (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Aptian)	Malawi	Skull and osteoderm material are known
Mansourasaurus	2018	Quseir Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	Egypt	Closely related to Eurasian forms;[28] its discovery shows Africa was not as isolated during the Late Cretaceous as previously thought
Massospondylus	1854	Bushveld Sandstone, Clarens Formation, Elliot Formation, Forest Sandstone (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	Lesotho  South Africa  Zimbabwe	Abundant remains have been discovered. Several specimens were once assigned to their own genera and species
Melanorosaurus	1924	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	South Africa	A robust, quadrupedal herbivore. Some specimens assigned to this genus may not represent the same taxon[7]
Meroktenos	2016	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	Lesotho	Its femur was unusually robust
Mnyamawamtuka	2019	Galula Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	Tanzania	The specific name moyowamkia is Swahili for "heart tail", which references the heart-shaped cross-section of its caudal vertebrae
Ngwevu	2019	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	Known from a skull originally assigned to Massospondylus, assigned to its own genus based on its unique proportions
Nigersaurus	1999	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	All of its teeth were at the front of its jaws, which were wider than the rest of its skull, an adaptation to low browsing
Nqwebasaurus	2000	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	South Africa	The first coelurosaur named from mainland Africa
Orosaurus	1867	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Carnian to Norian)	South Africa	Probably a synonym of Euskelosaurus
Ostafrikasaurus	2012	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	Described from a single tooth as an early spinosaurid[29] but it could also be a ceratosaurid[30]
Ouranosaurus	1976	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Long neural spines projected from its vertebrae, which may have supported a sail or a hump
Paralititan	2001	Bahariya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Egypt	Would have lived in a mangrove swamp
Paranthodon	1929	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	South Africa	Though only known from fragmentary specimens, they are enough to tell that it was a stegosaur
Pegomastax	2012	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	Had a robust jaw with a short beak
Plateosauravus	1932	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	South Africa	Known from multiple specimens, including those of juveniles
Pulanesaura	2015	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	A quadrupedal, short-necked low browser
Rebbachisaurus	1950	Aoufous Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Morocco	Carried a row of elongated neural spines, which would have supported a ridge or low sail on its back
Rugops	2004	Echkar Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Niger	Preserves two rows of seven holes on the top of its skull, which may have anchored a display structure[31]
Rukwatitan	2014	Galula Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Tanzania	One of the few titanosaurs known from mid-Cretaceous Africa, filling in a gap in their evolutionary history
Sefapanosaurus	2015	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	Had a distinctive cross-shaped astragalus
Shingopana	2017	Galula Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Tanzania	Most closely related to South American titanosaurs
Spicomellus	2021	El Mers Group (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian to Callovian)	Morocco	The oldest ankylosaur known and the first one from Africa. Uniquely, its osteoderms were fused directly to its ribs
Spinophorosaurus	2009	Irhazer Shale (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	Niger	Originally described as possessing a thagomizer like stegosaurs;[32] these turned out to be clavicles.[33] A high browser with tall shoulders and an elevated neck[34]
Spinosaurus	1915	Bahariya Formation, Chenini Formation, Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian to Turonian)	Egypt  Morocco  Tunisia	Possess a myriad of features that suggest a semiaquatic lifestyle, including webbed feet[35] and a paddle-like tail[36]
Spinostropheus	2004	Tiourarén Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	Niger	Possibly closely related to Elaphrosaurus[37]
Suchomimus	1998	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Similar to Baryonyx but with a low sail on its back
Tataouinea	2013	Aïn el Guettar Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Tunisia	Its bones were extensively pneumatized, supporting the theory that sauropods had bird-like respiratory systems
Tazoudasaurus	2004	Azilal Formation (Early Jurassic, Toarcian)	Morocco	One of the few Early Jurassic sauropods known from reasonably complete remains
Tendaguria	2000	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	A large sauropod with possible turiasaur affinities[6]
Tornieria	1911	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	Has been assigned to different genera throughout its history
Veterupristisaurus	2011	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	A large, early relative of Acrocanthosaurus
Vulcanodon	1972	Forest Sandstone (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian to Pliensbachian)	Zimbabwe	Theropod teeth were found associated with the holotype
Wamweracaudia	2019	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	The first definitive mamenchisaurid known from outside Asia

Dubious, uncertain, and invalid genera

• Aetonyx palustris: A potential junior synonym of Massospondylus.
• Fabrosaurus australis: Sometimes considered to be part of a family of small ornithischians called fabrosaurids. It may potentially be a synonym of Lesothosaurus.
• Gigantoscelus molengraafi: Probably a synonym of Euskelosaurus, but it cannot be confirmed.
• Gyposaurus: May be a juvenile of a contemporary sauropodomorph. A Chinese species has also been named, but it may not belong to this genus.
• Hortalotarsus skirtopodus: A possible synonym of Massospondylus.
• "Likhoelesaurus": Suggested to be a giant, early carnosaur but might actually be a pseudosuchian.
• Megapnosaurus: The African species M. rhodesiensis might belong to the genus Coelophysis. Another referred species, M. kayentakatae, probably needs its own genus name.
• Nyasasaurus parringtoni: Described in 2013 as the oldest known dinosaur, dating back to the Anisian, but both this date and its classification have been questioned.
• Sauroniops pachytholus: Known from only a single, thickened frontal, it might be synonymous with Carcharodontosaurus.
• Sigilmassaurus brevicollis: A spinosaurid contemporary with Spinosaurus; its status as a distinct genus and/or species is uncertain.
• Torvosaurus: Teeth originally named as Megalosaurus ingens have been reassigned to this genus.

Timeline

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

See also

• List of African birds

References

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