List of African dinosaurs facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Africa is a huge continent with a long history, and it was once home to many amazing dinosaurs! This article lists the non-flying dinosaurs whose bones have been found across Africa.

Africa has a lot of dinosaur fossils, but sometimes the record is incomplete. Still, we have found many dinosaurs from the Triassic and Early Jurassic periods. Some of these early African dinosaurs include Megapnosaurus, Dracovenator, Melanorosaurus, Massospondylus, Euskelosaurus, Heterodontosaurus, Abrictosaurus, and Lesothosaurus.

During the Middle Jurassic period, giant plant-eating dinosaurs called sauropods like Atlasaurus, Chebsaurus, Jobaria, and Spinophorosaurus lived here. A fierce meat-eater called Afrovenator also roamed Africa then.

The Late Jurassic period is well-known in Africa, especially thanks to the amazing Tendaguru Formation in Tanzania. Many dinosaurs have been found there, such as Veterupristisaurus, Ostafrikasaurus, Elaphrosaurus, Giraffatitan, Dicraeosaurus, Janenschia, Tornieria, Tendaguria, Kentrosaurus, and Dysalotosaurus. These dinosaurs seem very similar to those found in the Morrison Formation in the United States and the Lourinha Formation in Portugal. This tells us important things about how dinosaurs spread across the ancient world.

The Early Cretaceous period in Africa is mostly known from the northern part, especially Niger. Dinosaurs like Suchomimus, Elrhazosaurus, Rebbachisaurus, Nigersaurus, Kryptops, Nqwebasaurus, and Paranthodon lived during this time. The Early Cretaceous was a big moment for African dinosaurs. This was when Africa finally broke away from South America, forming the South Atlantic Ocean. This separation meant that African dinosaurs started to become unique to the continent because they were isolated.

The Late Cretaceous period in Africa is also mainly known from North Africa. During the early part of this period, North Africa was home to many different dinosaurs. These included the huge Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Rugops, Bahariasaurus, Deltadromeus, Paralititan, Aegyptosaurus, and Ouranosaurus.

List of African Dinosaurs
Dinosaur Names Still Being Debated
Timeline
Images for kids
See also

List of African Dinosaurs

This table lists many of the dinosaur types (genera) found in Africa.

Name	Year	Formation	Location	Cool Facts
Aardonyx	2010	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian)	South Africa	This dinosaur could walk on two legs, but also on all four.
Abrictosaurus	1975	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	Lesotho South Africa	We know it from two skulls. One has tusks, which might mean males and females looked different.
Adratiklit	2020	El Mers Group (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	Morocco	This is the oldest known stegosaur. It's related to later European stegosaurs.
Aegyptosaurus	1932	Bahariya Formation, Continental intercalaire?, Farak Formation? (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Egypt Niger?	Sadly, its main fossil was destroyed in World War II.
Afromimus	2017	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	It was first thought to be an African ornithomimosaur, but later studies suggested it might be a noasaurid.
Afrovenator	1994	Tiourarén Formation (Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic, Bathonian to Oxfordian)	Niger	Scientists first thought it lived in the Early Cretaceous.
Ajnabia	2021	Ouled Abdoun Basin (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Morocco	This was the first hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) found in Africa. It's related to European lambeosaurines.
Algoasaurus	1904	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	South Africa	Today, we only have a few bones. More might have been used to make bricks before they could be studied!
Angolatitan	2011	Itombe Formation (Late Cretaceous, Coniacian)	Angola	This was the first non-flying dinosaur found in Angola.
Antetonitrus	2003	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	Its limbs were built to carry weight, but its front limbs could still grasp things.
Arcusaurus	2011	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	South Africa	It has features of both early and more advanced sauropodomorphs.
Atlasaurus	1999	Guettioua Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian to Callovian)	Morocco	This sauropod had unusually long legs for its kind.
Australodocus	2007	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	It might be an early member of the euhelopodid group.
Bahariasaurus	1934	Bahariya Formation, Farak Formation? (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian to Turonian)	Egypt Niger?	It was a very large dinosaur, but we only have a few bones of it.
Berberosaurus	2007	Azilal Formation (Early Jurassic, Toarcian)	Morocco	This is one of the oldest ceratosaurs we know about.
Blikanasaurus	1985	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	South Africa	It was a very strong dinosaur that lived alongside other sauropodomorphs.
Carcharodontosaurus	1931	Bahariya Formation, Chenini Formation?, Continental intercalaire, Echkar Formation, Elrhaz Formation?, Kem Kem Group, Wadi Milk Formation? (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Algeria Egypt Morocco Niger Sudan? Tunisia	This was one of the longest meat-eating dinosaurs. Two types (species) are known.
Chebsaurus	2005	Aïssa Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	Algeria	We know it from two young dinosaur specimens.
Chenanisaurus	2017	Ouled Abdoun Basin (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Morocco	It might be a type of abelisaurid dinosaur found only in Africa.
Cristatusaurus	1998	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Many scientists think it's the same as Suchomimus, but some believe it's a separate type.
Deltadromeus	1996	Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Morocco	Scientists have had different ideas about where it fits in the dinosaur family tree.
Dicraeosaurus	1914	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	This sauropod had a short neck and ate plants close to the ground. Two types are known.
Dracovenator	2005	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	We only have skull pieces, but they show it was related to Dilophosaurus.
Dysalotosaurus	1919	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Tanzania	Many fossils have been found, teaching us about its life, what it ate, and even diseases it had.
Elaphrosaurus	1920	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Tanzania	It had a surprisingly shallow chest for a meat-eating dinosaur of its size.
Elrhazosaurus	2009	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	Niger	It is very closely related to Valdosaurus.
Eocarcharia	2008	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Niger	Its forehead bone was thick, giving it a fierce look.
Eocursor	2007	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	South Africa	This is one of the most complete early ornithischian dinosaurs known.
Eucnemesaurus	1920	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Carnian to Norian)	South Africa	Some fossils of this dinosaur were first thought to be from a giant herrerasaurid.
Euskelosaurus	1866	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	Lesotho South Africa Zimbabwe	It was first thought to have bow-legs.
Geranosaurus	1911	Clarens Formation (Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian to Toarcian)	South Africa	We don't know much about it, but it might be a heterodontosaurid.
Giraffatitan	1988	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	It's often linked to Brachiosaurus, but there are several differences between them.
Gryponyx	1911	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	It's usually seen as the same as Massospondylus, but one study found it to be different.
Heterodontosaurus	1962	Clarens Formation, Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	South Africa	It had three kinds of teeth, including tusks, and a hard beak.
Igai	2023	Quseir Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	Egypt	It's more closely related to European titanosaurs than to those from southern Africa.
Ignavusaurus	2010	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	Lesotho	We only know it from one mostly complete young skeleton with a squashed skull.
Inosaurus	1960	Bahariya Formation?, Eckhar Formation?, Tegama Group? (Early Cretaceous, Albian)?	Niger	Very little is known about this dinosaur.
Iyuku	2022	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian)	South Africa	It's special because it's known from a group of mostly baby and young fossils.
Janenschia	1991	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	It might be a close relative of Bellusaurus, Haestasaurus, and Tehuelchesaurus.
Jobaria	1999	Tiourarén Formation (Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic, Bathonian to Oxfordian)	Niger	We have an almost complete skeleton of this dinosaur.
Kangnasaurus	1915	Kalahari Deposits Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	South Africa	It has been compared to dryosaurids, but some studies suggest it belongs to Elasmaria.
Karongasaurus	2005	Dinosaur Beds (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	Malawi	It was described from only a jawbone and separate teeth.
Kentrosaurus	1915	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	It had two rows of plates that turned into spikes near its tail, and a long spike on each shoulder.
Kholumolumo	2020	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Lesotho	Before its official name, it was called "trash heap lizard" because its main fossil was found near a trash heap.
Kryptops	2008	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Some bones thought to be from this abelisaurid might actually be from a carcharodontosaurid.
Ledumahadi	2018	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	This was one of the largest Triassic dinosaurs, weighing about 12 tons!
Lesothosaurus	1978	Clarens Formation, Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	Lesotho South Africa	It might have been an omnivore, eating meat when plants were scarce.
Lurdusaurus	1999	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	Its body shape suggests it might have been a plant-eater that lived partly in water, like a hippopotamus.
Lycorhinus	1924	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	It was first mistakenly identified as a type of mammal-like reptile.
Malawisaurus	1993	Dinosaur Beds (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Aptian)	Malawi	Many fossils have been found, including skull bones and armor plates, but they might not all be from the same type of dinosaur.
Mansourasaurus	2018	Quseir Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	Egypt	This is one of the few land animals known from the Late Cretaceous of northern Africa.
Massospondylus	1854	Bushveld Sandstone, Clarens Formation, Elliot Formation, Forest Sandstone (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Pliensbachian)	Lesotho South Africa Zimbabwe	Many fossils of this dinosaur have been found. Some were once thought to be different types.
Mbiresaurus	2022	Pebbly Arkose Formation (Late Triassic, Carnian)	Zimbabwe	This is one of the oldest dinosaurs from Africa. Its discovery shows that early dinosaurs lived in high-latitude areas.
Melanorosaurus	1924	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	South Africa	It was a strong, four-legged plant-eater. Some fossils might not belong to this type.
Meroktenos	2016	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	Lesotho	Its thigh bone was unusually strong for its size.
Mnyamawamtuka	2019	Galula Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	Tanzania	Its name means "heart tail" in Swahili, because its tail bones had a heart shape when cut across.
Ngwevu	2019	Clarens Formation (Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian to Toarcian)	South Africa	It's known from a skull first thought to be Massospondylus, but it has unique features.
Nigersaurus	1999	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	All its teeth were at the front of its wide jaws, perfect for eating low-growing plants.
Nqwebasaurus	2000	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	South Africa	This was the first non-flying coelurosaur (a group of meat-eating dinosaurs) found in mainland Africa.
Orosaurus	1867	Elliot Formation? (Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, Norian to Hettangian)	South Africa	It's probably the same as Euskelosaurus.
Ostafrikasaurus	2012	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	Described from a single tooth, it was thought to be an early spinosaurid, but it might be a ceratosaurid.
Ouranosaurus	1976	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	Niger	It had long spines on its backbones, which might have supported a sail or hump.
Paralititan	2001	Bahariya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian to Turonian)	Egypt	It would have lived in a muddy, coastal area with mangrove trees.
Paranthodon	1929	Kirkwood Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	South Africa	Even though we only have fragments, they show it was a stegosaur.
Pegomastax	2012	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian)	South Africa	Its jaws and beak suggest it ate tough plants.
Plateosauravus	1932	Elliot Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	South Africa	We have many fossils, including those of young dinosaurs.
Pulanesaura	2015	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	South Africa	It ate low-growing plants and didn't have the super long neck of later sauropods.
Rebbachisaurus	1954	Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Morocco	It had a row of long spines on its backbones, which would have supported a ridge or low sail.
Rugops	2004	Echkar Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Niger	Its skull had two rows of holes on top, which might have held a display structure or armor.
Rukwatitan	2014	Galula Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	Tanzania	This is one of the few titanosaurs from central Africa, helping us understand their history.
Sauroniops	2012	Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Morocco	We only know it from a single, thick forehead bone. Some thought it was Carcharodontosaurus, but this was proven wrong.
Sefapanosaurus	2015	Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	South Africa	It had a unique cross-shaped ankle bone.
Shingopana	2017	Galula Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	Tanzania	It is most closely related to titanosaurs found in South America.
Spicomellus	2021	El Mers Group (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian to Callovian)	Morocco	This is the oldest ankylosaur known and the first from Africa. Its armor plates were uniquely fused directly to its ribs.
Spinophorosaurus	2009	Irhazer Shale (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	Niger	It was first thought to have a "thagomizer" (tail spikes like a stegosaur), but these were actually misidentified collarbones. It ate high-growing plants.
Spinosaurus	1915	Bahariya Formation, Chenini Formation, Kem Kem Group (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian to Turonian)	Algeria Egypt Morocco Tunisia	This dinosaur had many features suggesting it lived partly in water, like webbed feet and a paddle-like tail. Scientists still debate if it mainly ate fish or was a general hunter near the shore.
Spinostropheus	2004	Tiourarén Formation (Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic, Bathonian to Oxfordian)	Niger	It's often considered related to Elaphrosaurus, but this is based on a fossil that might not belong to this type.
Suchomimus	1998	Elrhaz Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Albian)	Niger	It was similar to Baryonyx but had a low sail on its back.
Tataouinea	2013	Aïn el Guettar Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Tunisia	Its bones had many air sacs, supporting the idea that sauropods had bird-like breathing systems.
Tazoudasaurus	2004	Azilal Formation (Early Jurassic, Toarcian)	Morocco	This is one of the few Early Jurassic sauropods known from fairly complete fossils.
Tendaguria	2000	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	This was the first definite turiasaur found in Africa.
Tornieria	1911	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	It has been placed in different dinosaur groups over time.
Veterupristisaurus	2011	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Tanzania	We know it from a few backbones that are somewhat like those of Acrocanthosaurus.
Vulcanodon	1972	Forest Sandstone (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian to Toarcian)	Zimbabwe	Teeth from meat-eating dinosaurs were found near its main fossil.
Wamweracaudia	2019	Tendaguru Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Tanzania	This was the first definite mamenchisaurid found outside of Asia.

Dinosaur Names Still Being Debated

Sometimes, scientists find fossils that are hard to identify. They might be from a known dinosaur, or they might be a new type. Here are some dinosaur names from Africa that scientists are still discussing:

Aetonyx palustris: This might be the same as Massospondylus.
Fabrosaurus australis: Some think it's part of a group called fabrosaurids. It might also be the same as Lesothosaurus.
Gigantoscelus molengraafi: This is probably the same as Euskelosaurus, but it's hard to be sure.
Gyposaurus: The African type, G. capensis, might be a young sauropodomorph.
Hortalotarsus skirtopodus: This is a possible synonym of Massospondylus.
"Likhoelesaurus": It was thought to be a giant early meat-eating dinosaur, but it might actually be a different type of ancient reptile.
Megapnosaurus: The African type M. rhodesiensis might belong to the genus Coelophysis. Another type, M. kayentakatae, probably needs its own name.
Nyasasaurus parringtoni: Described in 2013 as the oldest known dinosaur, but both its age and its classification are debated.
Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis: This spinosaurid lived at the same time as Spinosaurus. Scientists are unsure if it's a separate type or species.
Torvosaurus: Teeth first called Megalosaurus ingens have been moved to this genus, but not as a separate species.