List of European dinosaurs facts for kids

The Tethys Ocean splitting Laurasia from Gondwana.

Dinosaurs first appeared during the Triassic period, about 230 million years ago. Back then, all the Earth's land was joined together in one huge continent called Pangaea. Europe was part of this supercontinent.

Later, around the start of the Jurassic period (about 30 million years after dinosaurs first appeared), Pangaea began to break apart. It split into two main landmasses: Laurasia and Gondwana. A large ocean called the Tethys Ocean started to cut deep into Pangaea, causing much of Europe to be covered by water.

By the Cretaceous period, from 145 to 66 million years ago, the continents were starting to look more like they do today. However, they weren't in their current positions. Europe was still a tropical place, often a chain of small islands and mini-continents like Baltica and Iberia.

Many dinosaur fossils from Europe come from the time when the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods met. This helps us learn a lot about European dinosaurs from that era. Towards the very end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago, dinosaurs were common in western and central Europe. For example, Struthiosaurus and Canardia lived in Europe during this time.

List of European Dinosaurs

Valid Genera

Name	Year	Formation	Location	Notes	Images
Abditosaurus	2022	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	This large sauropod was related to others but seems to have moved to Europe from another continent.
Acanthopholis	1867	Chalk Group (Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous, Albian to Cenomanian)	England	It had oval-shaped armor plates and long spikes on its body.
Adynomosaurus	2019	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	This dinosaur was quite basic in its features, even though it lived later in the Cretaceous period.
Aepisaurus	1852	Grès vert (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	France	We only know this dinosaur from one arm bone, which looks a bit like bones from other sauropods.
Ajkaceratops	2010	Csehbánya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Santonian)	Hungary	Its ancestors might have traveled from Asia by hopping between islands.
Allosaurus	1877	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Portugal	Two types of Allosaurus are known from the United States. The European one might be the same as A. fragilis.
Alocodon	1973	Cabaços Formation (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian)	Portugal	This dinosaur had teeth with vertical grooves.
Altispinax	1923	Wadhurst Clay Formation (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian)	England	It had long spines on its back, possibly supporting a hump, like Concavenator.
Amanzia	2020	Reuchenette Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Switzerland	One bone has preserved cartilage. It was first thought to be a different dinosaur.
Ampelosaurus	1995	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation, Grès de Labarre, Gres de Saint-Chinian, Marnes Rouges Inférieures Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	France	It had three kinds of bony armor plates: spines, flat plates, and round bumps.
Anoplosaurus	1879	Cambridge Greensand (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	England	It's thought to be an ankylosaur, even though no armor plates have been found.
Aragosaurus	1987	Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	Spain	This dinosaur reportedly had a unique hip bone.
Arcovenator	2014	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	France	It was most closely related to meat-eating dinosaurs from India and Madagascar.
Arenysaurus	2009	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	This was one of the last lambeosaurines (a type of duck-billed dinosaur) before they died out.
Aristosuchus	1887	Wealden Group (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It might have had long claws, based on some toe bones found.
Asylosaurus	2007	Unnamed fissure fill (Late Triassic, Rhaetian)	England	Its bones were first thought to belong to Thecodontosaurus.
Atsinganosaurus	2010	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	France	It belongs to a special group of titanosaurs found in southwestern Europe.
Aviatyrannis	2003	Alcobaça Formation (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian to Tithonian)	Portugal	Though first called a tyrannosauroid, it might be the oldest known ornithomimosaur (an ostrich-like dinosaur).
Barilium	2010	Wadhurst Clay (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian)	England	This dinosaur was strongly built with powerful backbones and short spines.
Baryonyx	1986	Weald Clay Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	One Baryonyx fossil had fish and a young iguanodont in its stomach, meaning it ate many different things.
Betasuchus	1932	Maastricht Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Netherlands	This was the first land animal named from the Maastrichtian age.
Blasisaurus	2010	Arén Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	We only know it from part of a skull, but it's different from other duck-billed dinosaurs of its time.
Bothriospondylus	1875	Kimmeridge Clay (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	England	Many bones were once thought to belong to this dinosaur, but most have been moved to other groups.
Bradycneme	1975	Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	It might have been a type of alvarezsaurid, a group of small, bird-like dinosaurs.
Brighstoneus	2021	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It had a long snout with a small bump at the end.
Burianosaurus	2017	Peruc-Korycany Formation (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian)	Czech Republic	It may be closely related to the rhabdodontids, a group of small, plant-eating dinosaurs.
Calamosaurus	1891	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	We only know it from two neck bones. Many other bones were linked to it, but it's hard to be sure.
Calamospondylus	1866	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian)	England	We only know it for sure from a hip bone and other related parts.
Callovosaurus	1980	Oxford Clay (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	England	This is the oldest known dryosaurid, a type of plant-eating dinosaur.
Calvarius	2023	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	It might have walked on two legs and run fast, like earlier ornithopods.
Camarillasaurus	2014	Camarillas Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It was first called a ceratosaur, but now it's thought to be a spinosaurid (a type of fish-eating dinosaur).
Camelotia	1985	Westbury Formation (Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, Rhaetian to Hettangian)	England	This was one of the largest sauropod-like dinosaurs that wasn't a true sauropod.
Canardia	2013	Marnes d'Auzas Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	France	It might have been a close relative of Aralosaurus, another duck-billed dinosaur.
Cardiodon	1841	Forest Marble Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	England	This was the first sauropod ever named, but we only know it from a tooth.
Ceratosuchops	2021	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It's different from Baryonyx in small details of its skull.
Cetiosauriscus	1927	Oxford Clay (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	England	Its place in the sauropod family tree has been debated a lot.
Cetiosaurus	1841	Rutland Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bajocian to Bathonian)	England	This was the first sauropod known from good fossils. People once thought it was a large sea animal.
Chondrosteosaurus	1876	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	The air sacs in its backbones were first thought to be filled with cartilage.
Compsognathus	1859	Alcobaça Formation?, Portland Stone, Solnhofen Limestone (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	France  Germany  Portugal?	This was one of the smallest non-bird dinosaurs known.
Concavenator	2010	La Huérguina Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It had bumps on its arm bone, which might have held feathers or been for muscle attachments.
Craspedodon	1883	Unnamed formation (Late Cretaceous, Santonian)	Belgium	It might be the first neoceratopsian (a type of horned dinosaur) found in Europe.
Craterosaurus	1874	Woburn Sands Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian to Albian)	England	It might be the same dinosaur as Regnosaurus.
Cruxicheiros	2010	Chipping Norton Limestone (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	England	Its exact place in the dinosaur family tree is not clear.
Cryptosaurus	1869	Ampthill Clay (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian)	England	We only know this dinosaur from a single thigh bone.
Cumnoria	1888	Kimmeridge Clay (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	England	It might be a type of Camptosaurus or something more basic.
Dacentrurus	1902	Alcobaça Formation, Argiles d'Octeville, Kimmeridge Clay, Lourinhã Formation, Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, Kimmeridgian to Berriasian)	England  France  Portugal  Spain	Many fossils of this dinosaur have been found, showing it lived in a wide area.
Demandasaurus	2011	Castrillo de la Reina Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Aptian)	Spain	It was most closely related to African rebbachisaurids, suggesting dinosaurs moved between these continents.
Dinodocus	1884	Lower Greensand Group (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	The only known arm bone is almost complete.
Dolichosuchus	1932	Löwenstein Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	It was first thought to be an early crocodile.
Draconyx	2001	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Portugal	It might have been part of an ornithopod group not found in North America.
Dracopelta	1980	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Portugal	Its leg structure suggests it might have been a fast runner.
Dracoraptor	2016	Lias Group (Early Jurassic, Hettangian)	Wales	It might have lived near the shore because of its island home.
Dromaeosauroides	2003	Jydegaard Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	Denmark	A fossilized poop (coprolite) with fish remains was found, but it could belong to a turtle.
Dubreuillosaurus	2005	Calcaire de Caen (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	France	It would have lived in a coastal swamp with mangrove trees.
Duriatitan	2010	Kimmeridge Clay (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	England	It was first named as a type of Cetiosaurus.
Duriavenator	2008	Inferior Oolite (Middle Jurassic, Bajocian)	England	This is the most basic megalosaurine known, which fits with its early time period.
Echinodon	1861	Purbeck Group (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	England	It was first wrongly identified as a plant-eating lizard.
Efraasia	1973	Löwenstein Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	Some bones now linked to this dinosaur were first put into different groups.
Elopteryx	1913	Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	It might be closely related to Balaur and Gargantuavis.
Emausaurus	1990	Ciechocinek Formation (Early Jurassic, Toarcian)	Germany	This is one of the oldest and most basic thyreophorans (armored dinosaurs).
Eotyrannus	2001	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It had grasping hands with three long fingers.
Eousdryosaurus	2014	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Portugal	It was called a dryosaurid, but one study suggests it's close to elasmarians.
Erectopus	1923	La Penthiève Beds (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	France	This is one of the youngest known European carnosaurs (large meat-eating dinosaurs).
Eucamerotus	1872	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It shows a lot of evidence of air sacs in its bones.
Eucercosaurus	1879	Cambridge Greensand (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	England	Sometimes it's seen as an ankylosaur, but one study puts it with iguanodonts.
Euronychodon	1991	Argiles et sables de Taveiro (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	Portugal	We only know it from teeth. Another type has been found in Uzbekistan.
Europasaurus	2006	Süntel Formation (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian)	Germany	It was much smaller than other sauropods because it lived on an isolated island.
Europatitan	2017	Castrillo de la Reina Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Aptian)	Spain	Some of its fossils include several backbones. Its name honors director Clint Eastwood.
Europelta	2013	Escucha Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Spain	Almost its entire skeleton has been found.
Eustreptospondylus	1964	Oxford Clay (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian)	England	It might have swum between islands, like a Komodo dragon.
Fylax	2021	Figuerola Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	It lived very late in the Cretaceous, even though it was a more basic type of dinosaur.
Galvesaurus	2005	Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Spain	It's also spelled Galveosaurus. Two groups of scientists named the same fossil without knowing about each other.
Garrigatitan	2021	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	France	Fossils of both adult and young dinosaurs have been found.
Garumbatitan	2023	Arcillas de Morella Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It had a smaller claw on its third toe.
Genusaurus	1995	Bevons Beds (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	France	It has been suggested to be either a noasaurid or an abelisaurid.
Gideonmantellia	2012	Camarillas Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It was first wrongly identified as a Hypsilophodon fossil.
Gigantosaurus	1869	Kimmeridge Clay (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	England	It might have had armor plates.
Haestasaurus	2015	Hastings Beds (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	England	It has impressions of different-sized hexagonal scales on its skin.
Halticosaurus	1908	Löwenstein Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	Its bones were historically mixed up with those of unrelated animals.
Heptasteornis	1975	Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	It was once thought to be a giant prehistoric owl.
Histriasaurus	1998	Unnamed formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian to Barremian)	Croatia	Even though it was found in Europe, it might have lived between southern Europe and Africa.
Horshamosaurus	2015	Weald Clay (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	A bone thought to be a shin bone was later identified as a hip bone.
Hungarosaurus	2005	Csehbánya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Santonian)	Hungary	It had a raised shoulder, which might have helped it eat leaves from tall plants.
Hylaeosaurus	1833	Grinstead Clay Formation?, Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian)	England  Germany?	This was one of the three animals first used to define dinosaurs, along with Iguanodon and Megalosaurus.
Hypselosaurus	1869	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	France	Several round eggs have been linked to this dinosaur.
Hypselospinus	2010	Wadhurst Clay (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian)	England	It had long spines sticking up from its backbones.
Hypsilophodon	1869	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian to Barremian)	England	It might have been a low-browsing animal, like a deer, eating young shoots and roots.
Iberospinus	2022	Papo Seco Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Portugal	This dinosaur was basic but already showed signs of living partly in water.
Iguanodon	1825	Arcillas de Morella Formation, Camarillas Formation, Sainte-Barbe Clays Formation, Wadhurst Clay, Weald Clay, Wealden Formation, Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Aptian)	Belgium  England  Germany?  Spain	Many fossils of this dinosaur have been found, making it one of the best-known dinosaurs.
Iliosuchus	1932	Stonesfield Slate (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	England	We only know it from three hip bones.
Iuticosaurus	1993	Upper Greensand Formation, Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian to Barremian)	England	Two types have been named, each from a single tail bone.
Juratyrant	2013	Kimmeridge Clay (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	England	It was first named as a type of Stokesosaurus.
Juravenator	2006	Painten Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Germany	Impressions of both scales and feathers have been found. Its tail might have had special organs to hunt fish at night.
Lexovisaurus	1957	Oxford Clay (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	England	Its hip area was very large.
Liliensternus	1984	Trossingen Formation (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	Germany	Even though it's often shown with a head crest, there's no proof it had one.
Lirainosaurus	1999	Marnes Rouges Inférieures Formation?, Sierra Perenchiza Formation, Sobrepena Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	France?  Spain	For a titanosaur, it was small and had a slender build.
Lohuecotitan	2016	Villalba de la Sierra Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	Spain	It might have had "bulb-and-root" shaped armor plates, which are common where it was found.
Lophostropheus	2007	Moon-Airel Formation (Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, Rhaetian to Hettangian)	France	This is the only well-known meat-eating dinosaur from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary.
Loricatosaurus	2008	Marnes a Belemnopsis latesulcatus Formation, Oxford Clay (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	England  France	It had narrow, flat plates on its back and round, pointed spines along its tail.
Losillasaurus	2001	Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, Kimmeridgian to Berriasian?)	Spain	It had four different types of teeth, one of which was heart-shaped.
Lourinhanosaurus	1998	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Portugal	More than a hundred eggs have been linked to this dinosaur.
Lourinhasaurus	1998	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Portugal	It was closely related to Camarasaurus but had longer front limbs.
Lusitanosaurus	1957	Unknown formation (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian)	Portugal	It's not well known, but it was clearly large for an early armored dinosaur.
Lusotitan	2003	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Portugal	It was first named as a European type of Brachiosaurus.
Lusovenator	2020	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, Kimmeridgian to Berriasian)	Portugal	This is the oldest carcharodontosaurian (a type of large meat-eating dinosaur) known from Eurasia.
Macrurosaurus	1869	Cambridge Greensand, Chalk Group? (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	England	We only know it from a series of tail bones.
Magnamanus	2016	Golmayo Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian to Barremian)	Spain	It had unusually large hands.
Magnosaurus	1932	Inferior Oolite (Middle Jurassic, Bajocian)	England	Confusingly, a fossil linked to this dinosaur was also named as a type of Sarcosaurus.
Magyarosaurus	1932	Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	This was a dwarf titanosaur that lived on an island, making it one of the smallest of its kind.
Mantellisaurus	2007	Arcillas de Morella Formation, Lower Greensand Group, Sainte-Barbe Clays Formation, Vectis Formation, Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian to Aptian)	Belgium  England  Germany?  Spain	Many fossils are known. It's different from Iguanodon because it had a more slender body.
Marmarospondylus	1875	Forest Marble Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	England	It's usually put in the group Bothriospondylus, but this can't be confirmed.
Matheronodon	2017	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	France	It had very special teeth, possibly for eating tough monocot plants.
Megalosaurus	1824	Chipping Norton Limestone Formation, Taynton Limestone Formation (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	England	This was the first non-bird dinosaur to be scientifically named and described.
Metriacanthosaurus	1964	Oxford Clay (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian)	England	It had relatively tall spines on its backbones for a carnosaur.
Miragaia	2009	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Portugal	It had a very long neck with seventeen backbones.
Mochlodon	1881	Csehbánya Formation, Gosau Group (Late Cretaceous, Santonian to Campanian)	Austria  Hungary	It was first named as a type of Iguanodon.
Morelladon	2015	Arcillas de Morella Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It had a low sail on its back, supported by long spines.
Morinosaurus	1874	Unnamed formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	France	Not much is known about this dinosaur.
Neosodon	1885	Sables et Grès a Trigonia gibbosa (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	France	No specific types are assigned to this group. It's often linked to "Iguanodon" praecursor but is actually a different dinosaur.
Neovenator	1996	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian to Barremian)	England	It had a complex system of canals in its snout.
Normanniasaurus	2013	Poudingue Ferrugineux (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	France	It represents a group of early titanosaurs that spread in Europe.
Notatesseraeraptor	2019	Klettgau Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Switzerland	It has features from different groups of early meat-eating dinosaurs.
Nuthetes	1854	Lulworth Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	England	We only know it from jaws and teeth. It was traditionally called a dromaeosaurid, but it might be a proceratosaurid.
Oblitosaurus	2023	Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Spain	This was the largest ornithopod known from the Late Jurassic in Europe.
Oceanotitan	2019	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Portugal	It might be the oldest known somphospondylian (a group of sauropods).
Ohmdenosaurus	1978	Posidonia Shale (Early Jurassic, Toarcian)	Germany	It was first wrongly identified as a plesiosaur (a marine reptile).
Oplosaurus	1852	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	The tooth from its first fossil was pointed, leading to it being wrongly called a meat-eating reptile.
Ornithodesmus	1887	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	Its bones were historically mixed up with those of the pterosaur Istiodactylus.
Ornithopsis	1870	Wealden Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England)	It was first thought to be a mix between birds, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs.
Orthomerus	1883	Maastricht Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Netherlands	It might be a doubtful and hard-to-identify dinosaur.
Ostromia	2017	Painten Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	Germany	It was thought to be a small pterosaur until 1970, when it was re-described as Archaeopteryx.
Owenodon	2009	Purbeck Limestone (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	England	It was linked to Iguanodon and Camptosaurus before getting its own group.
Paludititan	2010	Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	Some of its bones are the same as Magyarosaurus, but we can't confirm they are the same dinosaur.
Pararhabdodon	1993	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	This was the first lambeosaurine (duck-billed dinosaur) found in Europe.
Pareisactus	2019	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	It's known from a single shoulder blade found in a bonebed of duck-billed dinosaurs.
Pelecanimimus	1994	La Huérguina Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It has amazing soft tissue impressions, showing a crest on its head and a pouch like a pelican's.
Pelorosaurus	1850	Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian)	England	This was the first sauropod identified as a land animal.
Pendraig	2021	Pant-y-Ffynnon Quarry (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	Wales	It would have lived on a dry limestone island.
Phyllodon	1973	Alcobaça Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Portugal	The front and back of its teeth were not the same.
Piveteausaurus	1977	Marnes de Dives Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	France	It has been suggested to be a type of Proceratosaurus.
Plateosaurus	1837	Klettgau Formation, Löwenstein Formation, Lunde Formation, Trossingen Formation (Late Triassic, Norian to Rhaetian)	France?  Germany  Norway  Switzerland	Over a hundred skeletons are known, many of them almost complete.
Pneumatoraptor	2010	Csehbánya Formation (Late Cretaceous, Santonian)	Hungary	One study suggests it might be an early palaeognath (a group of birds).
Poekilopleuron	1836	Calcaire de Caen (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	France	Its first fossil was found with fish remains.
Polacanthus	1865	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It had a flat shield over its hips with small bumps.
Portellsaurus	2021	Margas de Mirambell Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It was closely related to Ouranosaurus.
Priodontognathus	1875	Lower Calcareous Grit (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian)	England	We only know it from a single upper jaw bone with teeth.
Proa	2012	Escucha Formation (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Spain	The front of its jaw was shaped like the front of a ship.
Proceratosaurus	1926	Great Oolite Group (Middle Jurassic, Bathonian)	England	It had a small horn on its snout, which might have held a crest like Guanlong.
Procompsognathus	1913	Löwenstein Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	It has been suggested that it might not be a dinosaur.
Protathlitis	2023	Arcillas de Morella Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It was large but basic for a spinosaurid.
Pterospondylus	1913	Trossingen Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	We only know it from a single, large backbone.
Pyroraptor	2000	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	France	Its first fossil was found after a forest fire.
Regnosaurus	1848	Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	England	It might be a stegosaur similar to Huayangosaurus.
Rhabdodon	1869	Gres de Labarre Formation, Gres de Saint-Chinian, Marnes Rouges Inférieures Formation, Villalba de la Sierra Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	France  Spain	Most rhabdodontids were dwarf dinosaurs living on islands, but this one was much larger.
Riabininohadros	2020	Unnamed formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Crimea ( Russia de facto;  Ukraine de jure)	It had a thigh bone so unique that no other iguanodont had anything like it.
Riparovenator	2021	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It had long spines on its tail bones, a bit like Spinosaurus.
Ruehleia	2001	Trossingen Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	It's known from a single, almost complete skeleton.
Saltriovenator	2018	Saltrio Formation (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian)	Italy	This was the biggest meat-eating dinosaur known from the Early Jurassic.
Sarcolestes	1893	Oxford Clay (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	England	It was first wrongly identified as a meat-eating dinosaur.
Sarcosaurus	1921	Lias Group, Scunthorpe Mudstone (Early Jurassic, Hettangian to Sinemurian)	England	Its exact place in the early meat-eating dinosaur family tree has been debated.
Scelidosaurus	1859	Lias Group (Early Jurassic, Sinemurian to Pliensbachian)	England	It had hundreds of small armor plates in rows along its back.
Schleitheimia	2020	Klettgau Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Switzerland	It had a relatively large hip bone.
Scipionyx	1998	Pietraroja Plattenkalk (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	Italy	It was so well preserved that scientists could figure out where its internal organs were.
Sciurumimus	2012	Unnamed formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Germany	It had a bushy tail, like a squirrel's.
Soriatitan	2017	Golmayo Formation (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian to Barremian)	Spain	This was the first confirmed brachiosaurid (a type of sauropod) from Early Cretaceous Europe.
Stenopelix	1857	Obernkirchen Sandstein Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian)	Germany	It might be closely related to early horned dinosaurs from Late Jurassic China.
Streptospondylus	1832	Marnes de Dives/Marnes de Villers? (Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic, Callovian to Oxfordian)	France	It was first thought to be a marine crocodile.
Struthiosaurus	1871	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation, Gosau Group, Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Santonian to Maastrichtian)	Austria  France  Hungary?  Romania	Studying its brain suggests it had poor hearing and lived a slow, solitary life.
Syngonosaurus	1879	Cambridge Greensand (Early Cretaceous, Albian)	England	It's usually seen as the same as Acanthopholis, but it has been re-identified as an iguanodont.
Tamarro	2021	Tremp Group (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Spain	It might have been closely related to troodontids (bird-like dinosaurs) from Asia.
Tanystrosuchus	1963	Löwenstein Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	Its only known backbone was once wrongly identified as a phytosaur (a crocodile-like reptile).
Tarascosaurus	1991	Fuvelian Beds (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	France	If it was an abelisaurid, it would be one of the few found in northern areas.
Tastavinsaurus	2008	Forcall Formation, Xert Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	It could represent a little-known group of macronarians called Laurasiformes.
Taveirosaurus	1991	Argilas de Aveiro Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Portugal  Spain?	We only know it from teeth.
Teinurosaurus	1928	Mont-Lambert Formation (Late Jurassic, Tithonian)	France	Not much is known about this dinosaur.
Telmatosaurus	1903	Sânpetru Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	One fossil shows a facial problem caused by a tumor.
Tethyshadros	2009	Liburnia Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian)	Italy	Its limbs were built for speed but were too short for running.
Thecocoelurus	1923	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It has been placed in many different meat-eating dinosaur groups over time.
Thecodontosaurus	1836	Magnesian Conglomerate (Late Triassic, Rhaetian)	England	Fossils of this dinosaur are often found in much older rock cracks.
Thecospondylus	1882	Hastings Beds (Early Cretaceous, Valanginian to Hauterivian)	England	It's hard to tell what kind of dinosaur it was.
Torvosaurus	1979	Kimmeridge Clay?, Lourinhã Formation, Ornatenton Formation (Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic, Callovian to Tithonian)	England?  Germany  Portugal  Spain?	The main type was found in the United States. Several types lived worldwide, including Europe. T. gurneyi is Europe's largest land predator.
Transylvanosaurus	2022	Pui Beds (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	It had a very wide skull compared to other rhabdodontids.
Trimucrodon	1973	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Portugal	It has similarities with Alocodon and Taveirosaurus.
Tuebingosaurus	2022	Trossingen Formation (Late Triassic, Norian)	Germany	Though first linked to Plateosaurus, it has features that show it's a more advanced dinosaur.
Turiasaurus	2006	Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Spain	It was extremely large, even though it wasn't a member of the Neosauropoda group.
Valdosaurus	1977	Hastings Beds, Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation, Weald Clay, Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Barremian)	England	It was large and similar to Dryosaurus.
Vallibonavenatrix	2019	Arcillas de Morella Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	Spain	This is one of the most complete spinosaurids found in Spain.
Variraptor	1998	Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian to Maastrichtian)	France	It might be closely related to Bambiraptor.
Vectaerovenator	2020	Lower Greensand Group (Early Cretaceous, Aptian)	England	We only know it from four backbones, but they are unique enough to be a new dinosaur group.
Vectidromeus	2023	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It's mostly similar to Hypsilophodon but has enough differences to be a new group.
Vectipelta	2023	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian to Barremian)	England	It might have been more closely related to Asian ankylosaurs than to European ones.
Vectiraptor	2021	Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It shares some features with dromaeosaurids from North America.
Velocipes	1932	Lissauer Breccia (Late Triassic, Norian)	Poland	It has been thought to be a doubtful, unidentifiable vertebrate.
Volgatitan	2018	Unnamed formation (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian)	Russia	It was closely related to titanosaurs from South America.
Vouivria	2017	Calcaires de Clerval (Late Jurassic, Oxfordian)	France	This is the oldest known titanosauriform (a group of sauropods).
Wiehenvenator	2016	Ornatenton Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian)	Germany	Before it was formally named, people called it "the Monster of Minden."
Xenoposeidon	2007	Hastings Beds (Early Cretaceous, Berriasian to Valanginian)	England	We only know it from a single, very unique backbone.
Yaverlandia	1971	Vectis Formation?, Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian)	England	It was first wrongly identified as a pachycephalosaur because of its thick skull roof.
Zalmoxes	2003	Densus-Ciula Formation, Sânpetru Formation, Sebes Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian)	Romania	Two types of this dinosaur, with different sizes, have been named.
Zby	2014	Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian)	Portugal	It was first thought to be a type of Turiasaurus.

Invalid and Potentially Valid Genera

• Agrosaurus macgillivrayi: This dinosaur was first thought to be from Australia by mistake. Now, it's believed to be from England and might be the same as Thecodontosaurus.
• Archaeopteryx: This famous animal had bird-like feathers but also teeth, claws, and a long tail like reptiles. It's usually seen as an early bird, but it might also be a non-bird dinosaur related to dromaeosaurids.
• Balaur bondoc: This strange dinosaur had many unique features, like strong muscles, two sickle claws, and a deep belly. It might have been a plant-eater or omnivore living on an island. Studies suggest it was either a dromaeosaurid or an early bird.
• "Bihariosaurus bauxiticus": Even though it's sometimes shown as a real dinosaur, this name was never officially published.
• Ceratosaurus: Some fossils, mostly teeth, from Portugal and Switzerland have been linked to this dinosaur, but not to a specific type.
• Darwinsaurus evolutionis: This might be the same dinosaur as either Hypselospinus or Mantellisaurus.
• Delapparentia turolensis: This dinosaur is said to be exactly like Iguanodon.
• Dinheirosaurus lourinhanensis: This might be a second type of Supersaurus.
• Gresslyosaurus: It's often thought to be the same as Plateosaurus, but there are some differences between them.
• Huxleysaurus hollingtoniensis: This might be the same as Hypselospinus.
• "Ischyrosaurus": The name Ischyrosaurus was already used for another animal. This dinosaur might be the same as Ornithopsis.
• Koutalisaurus kohlerorum: It's usually seen as the same as Pararhabdodon, but it could also be its own dinosaur group.
• Kukufeldia tilgatensis: This might be the same as Barilium.
• "Liassaurus huenei": This could potentially be a second fossil of Sarcosaurus.
• Mantellodon carpenteri: Known from a single fossil from Maidstone, nicknamed a "Mantell-piece." It was first thought to be Iguanodon, but it might be the same as Mantellisaurus.
• "Merosaurus newmani": This was first linked to Scelidosaurus, but it seems to be a meat-eating dinosaur. This name is still informal.
• "Newtonsaurus" cambrensis: It's said to be an early meat-eating dinosaur, but it might be too hard to identify within the larger group of archosaurs.
• Oligosaurus adelus: This might be the same as another group of rhabdodontids.
• Ornithomerus gracilis: This might be the same as another group of rhabdodontids.
• Pachysauriscus ajax: It's usually seen as the same as Plateosaurus, but a 2023 study said it was different.
• Pantydraco caducus: It was first named as a type of Thecodontosaurus, and it might indeed belong to that group.
• Polacanthoides ponderosus: This might be the same as Hylaeosaurus, Polacanthus, or a mix of both.
• Proplanicoxa galtoni: This might be a younger name for Mantellisaurus.
• Rhadinosaurus alcimus: It's suggested to be the same as Struthiosaurus, but it might have been a crocodile instead.
• Sellacoxa pauli: This might be the same as Barilium.
• Stegosaurus: Some bones from Portugal have been linked to this dinosaur, but not to a specific type.
• Suchosaurus: Two types have been named, both from teeth. They look just like teeth from baryonychines and might actually belong to Baryonyx.
• Therosaurus: This group was named for the original type of Iguanodon, I. anglicus. However, it was named before the main type was changed to I. bernissartensis, so it's still a younger name for Iguanodon.
• Valdoraptor oweni: This might be a younger name for Thecocoelurus.
• Wellnhoferia grandis: This might be another fossil of Archaeopteryx.

Timeline

This is a timeline of some dinosaurs from the list above. Time is shown in millions of years ago (Ma) along the bottom.

See also

• Category: Cretaceous paleontological sites of Europe
• List of European birds
• List of dinosaur finds in the United Kingdom

Images for kids

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  Archaeopteryx

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  Balaur

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  Delapparentia

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  Dinheirosaurus

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  Gresslyosaurus

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  Huxleysaurus

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  "Ischyrosaurus"

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  Koutalisaurus

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  Kukufeldia

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  "Liassaurus"

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  Mantellodon

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  Merosaurus

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  "Newtonsaurus"

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  Pantydraco

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  Suchosaurus

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  Therosaurus

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  Valdoraptor

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  Wellnhoferia