Megalosaurids facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Megalosaurids Temporal range: Middle - Late Jurassic, 170–148Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Possible Berriasian-Valanginian record
Skeletal mount of Torvosaurus tanneri, Museum of Ancient Life
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	Theropoda
Clade:	†Megalosauria
Family:	†Megalosauridae Huxley, 1869
Type species
†Megalosaurus bucklandii Mantell, 1827
Subgroups
†Megalosaurinae †Megalosaurus †Torvosaurus †Duriavenator †Wiehenvenator †Eustreptospondylinae †Eustreptospondylus †Afrovenatorinae †Streptospondylus? †Afrovenator †Dubreuillosaurus †Leshansaurus †Magnosaurus †Piveteausaurus †Poekilopleuron?
Synonyms
Torvosauridae Jensen, 1985 Eustreptospondylidae Paul, 1988 Streptospondylidae Kurzanov, 1989

Megalosauridae is a monophyletic family of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs in the order Megalosauroidea. They appeared in the Middle Jurassic,

They are closely related to the family Spinosauridae. Some members of this family include Megalosaurus, Torvosaurus, Eustreptospondylus, and Afrovenator.

Megalosaurids were among the first major adaptive radiations of large theropod dinosaurs, but they became extinct by the end of the Jurassic period. They were a relatively primitive group of basal tetanurans with two main subfamilies, Megalosaurinae and Afrovenatorinae.

The basal genus Eustreptospondylus differs from both subfamilies. Its position is unclear

Images for kids

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  Megalosaurid skulls. Clockwise from top left: Dubreuillosaurus, Torvosaurus, Afrovenator, Megalosaurus, Eustreptospondylus

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  Tooth from Megalosaurus

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  Megalosaurus femur

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  A reconstruction of Torvosaurus tanneri

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  Wiehenvenator, a typical megalosaurine

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  Megalosaurid trackways from Vale de Meios, Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park

See also

In Spanish: Megalosauridae para niños