Name

Anchisaurus (Yaleosaurus)

Meaning
Near lizard
Pronunciation
AN-key-SAWR-us
Found in 
Connecticut and Massachusetts, USA
Anatomy
Leaf-shaped teeth with serrated edges spaced out along the jaw. 

Lightly built skull with a blunt front.

Lightly built, agile

Long tail

Long neck

Large eyes

Hind legs larger then front legs. 

5 toes on slender foot

Length
2.5 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
30-70 kilograms
Locomotion
Quadruped that could also walk on two legs.
Food preference
Herbivore (plants)
Time period
Early Jurassic (200-190 million years ago) 
Type of hip
Dinosaur group
Prosauropods
Remains
Almost complete fossils have

Been found in Connecticut and Massachusetts

 
Name
Coelphysis
Meaning
Hollow form
Pronunciation
See-LOH-fiss-iss
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Built for speed and agility. 

Powerful hollow hind legs and long thin body. 
Long narrow head, large eyes and mouth filled with sharp teeth. 
Its front legs were small and were probably used for clawing and grasping at food.
Length
3 meters
Height
About 2 meters
Weight (mass)
27 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (vertebrates)
Time period
Triassic (225-220 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard-hipped
Dinosaur group
Saurischia
Remains
Complete skeleton was found in 1947.

 
Name
Compsognathus
Meaning
Pretty jaw
Pronunciation
Comp-so-g-Nath-us
Found in 
Europe
Anatomy
Small, pointed head, and sharp teeth.

Long flexible tail took up more then half of its length and helped to keep its balance.

Long thin powerful hind legs

Three toed feet

Short arms with two clawed fingers on each hand. 

Length
0.7-1.4 meters
Height
About 0.7 meters
Weight (mass)
3.6 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivorous (vertebrates)
Time period
Jurassic (145-140 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard-hipped
Dinosaur group
Theropod
Remains
In 1850's an almost complete skeleton was found in limestone. Only the tip of its tail was missing. 

 
Name
Deinonychus
Meaning
Terrible claw
Pronunciation
Die-NON-I-kuss
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Two powerful hind legs 

the slender neck was curved and flexible. 
Had large eyes of a predator. 
Had a large head and jaws. The skull was lightly built and its jaws were packed with sharp teeth that had serrated edges and which curved backward inside its mouth.
Length
3 meters
Height
1.5 meters
Weight (mass)
75 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (vertebrates, plant eating dinosaurs)
Time period
Cretaceous (110-100 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Theropod
Remains
Skull, limbs, and backbone in 1931, in 1964 several nearly complete skeletons were discovered in the same area.


 
Name

Draidosaurus

Meaning
Dravidanadu [the name of the southern part of India] Lizard
Pronunciation
druh-VID-oh-SAWR-us
Found in 
India
Anatomy
A small, narrow head with a pointed beak, and perhaps some armored plates.
Length
3 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
Locomotion
Swimming reptile
Food preference
Time period
Late Cretaceous period (88.5-87.5 million years ago)
Type of hip
Dinosaur group
Plesiosaur
Remains

 

Name

Dromaeosuarus

Meaning
Running lizard
Pronunciation
DROM-ee-oh-saw-russ
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Back foot had large claw for kicking

Small razor-sharp backward curving teeth

Length
1.8 meters
Height
About 0.8 meters
Weight (mass)
About 15 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (vertebrates)
Time period
Cretaceous (76-74 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Theropod
Remains
A recent Chinese fossil revealed what is perhaps downy feathers on a new dromaeosaurid
 
Name

Eoraptor

Meaning
Dawn thief
Pronunciation
ee-oh-rap-tor
Found in 
Patagonia, Argentina, South America
Anatomy
It had light, hollow bones, a long head with dozens of small, sharp teeth, and five fingers on its hands (two of the fingers on each hand were very small)
Length
1 meter
Height
Weight (mass)
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (scavenger)
Time period
Triassic period (228 million years)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Theropod
Remains
It was first found by Ricardo Martinez in 1991 in Argentina, South America, in the Ischigualasto Basin. This area was a river valley during the late Triassic period but is a dry, eroding desert badlands today. Eoraptor was found in the same rock formation that yielded Herrerasaurus, another very early theropod. Three specimens have been found, all in the Ischigualasto Basin.


 
Name

Herrerasaurus

Meaning
Herrera’s lizard
Pronunciation
Found in 
South America, Argentina
Anatomy
Long curved pointed teeth 

Small hands with sharp claws 

Long hid legs

Big feet

Length
3 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
Locomotion
bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore
Time period
Late Triassic (230-220 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Saurapod
Remains

 

Name
Hypsilophodon
Meaning
High-ridge tooth
Pronunciation
Hip-sill-OH-fo-don
Found in 
Europe, North America
Anatomy
Short thigh and long shin shows that it could take long strides and run fast. 

It was horny beaked, with broad, chisel-like teeth.

Length
2 meters
Height
About 0.8 meters
Weight (mass)
About 50 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivorous
Time period
Cretaceous (125 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird-hipped
Dinosaur group
Ornithopod
Remains
Many skeletons found on the Isle of Wight. 
 
Name

Kentrosaurus

Meaning
Spiked Lizard
Pronunciation
ken-troh-sore-us
Found in 
Tendagura, Tanzania
Anatomy
Its small brain was the size of a walnut. Its skull was long and narrow, with a toothless beak and small cheek teeth. Its head was carried close to the ground. It had hoof-like claws on its toes.

A pattern of spikes down the back, the frontal spikes are plate-like, which gradually change to narrow spikes. There are tow spikes diagonally backward from the pelvis. Since these were not attached to its bones, no one is sure exactly how they were positioned.

Length
2.5 to 5 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
2 tons
Locomotion
Quadruped
Food preference
Herbivore (low-lying plants)
Time period
Late Jurassic (150-140 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Stegosaurids
Remains
Kentrosaurus fossils have been found in Tendaguru, Tanzania, Africa. Kentrosaurus was named in 1915 by Edwin Hennig.

 
Name
Leaellynasaura
Meaning
Named after Leaellyn Rich, the daughter of the paleontologist Tom Rich, and Patricia Vickers who found the skill.
Pronunciation
Lee-EL-in-a-SAW-rah
Found in 
Australia, Antarctica
Anatomy
Unusually large eye-socks, and two bumps further back for the optic nerve. 
Length
Up to 2 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
Up to 10 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Herbivore
Time period
Cretaceous (112 – 104 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard-hipped
Dinosaur group
Ornithropod
Remains
Well preserved skull
 
Name

Lesothosaurus (Fabrosaurus)

Meaning
Lizard from Lesotho
Pronunciation
Le-soo-too-sore-us
Found in 
Africa
Anatomy
Flexible neck and small triangular eyes

Sharp pointed incisors (front teeth)

Cheek teeth in the shape of arrowheads

Short arms with five fingers on each hand

Long hind legs

Each foot had four toes

Long pointed tail.

Light weight body

Length
1 meter
Height
Weight (mass)
30 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Herbivore (low growing plants)
Time period
Early Jurassic (200 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Ornithischia
Remains
Fragments of jaw with three teeth were found in the early 1960’s. 

 

Name
Massosphodylus
Meaning
Massive vertebrae
Pronunciation
Mass-oh-Spon-di-lus
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Had stomach stones to grind food
Length
4 meters
Height
1 meters
Weight (mass)
About 70 kilograms
Locomotion
Quadruped
Food preference
Herbivore (tough plant material)
Time period
Triassic (208-204 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Prosauropod
Remains
Paleontologist Richard Owen in 1854, based on vertebrae found in South Africa named Massospondylus. Many Massospondylus fossils have been found in Africa (in Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa) and North America (in Arizona).
 
Name

Mussaurus

Meaning
Mouse reptile
Pronunciation
moo-SAWR-us
Found in 
South America, Argentina
Anatomy
Smallest of any dinosaur

Long neck, long tail, a small head with a long snout, and large, five-fingered hands with a large thumb claw (and smaller claws on the other fingers). Its back legs were larger than its front legs.

Length
20 centimeters to 3 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
120 kg
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Herbivore (conifers and cycads)
Time period
Late Triassic (215 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard Hipped
Dinosaur group
Saurischian
Remains
Ten fragmentary juvenile fossils, 4 skulls, and eggs have been found in the El Tranquilo Formation, Santa Cruz, Argentina

 

Name
Orodromeus
Meaning
Mountain runner
Pronunciation
Or-odd-rom-Ay-us
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Horny beak, grinding teeth
Length
2.5 meters
Height
About 1 meters
Weight (mass)
About 50 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Herbivore (tough plant material)
Time period
Cretaceous (74 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Remains
 
Name

Ornitholestes

Meaning
Robber bird
Pronunciation
Or-ni-thoe-les-teez
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Strong Jaws

Powerful grasping hands

Length
2 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
12 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (small animals, frogs, lizard, mammals)
Time period
Late Jurassic (160-145 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Coelurosaus
Remains
Ornitholestes fossils have been found in Wyoming and Utah, USA. Ornitholestes was first described and named by the US paleontologist Henry

F. Osborn in 1903.


 
Name
Oviraptor
Meaning
Egg thief
Pronunciation
Oh-vee-RAP-tor
Found in 
Asia
Anatomy
Beak, no teeth Curved upper and lower jaws could crush even hard objects. Short stump of a horn on its nose. 

Long tail was used for balance when attacking prey and when running. 
Its slender powerful legs were ideal for high-speed pursuit. 
Three-toed feet with claws. 
Three long fingers and nails on each hand that were used for grasping its prey.
Length
1.8 meters
Height
About 0.8 meters
Weight (mass)
About 20 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Omnivore (hard fruits, eggs, and possibly shellfish)
Time period
Cretaceous (70-65 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Theropod
Remains
Scientist first found Oviraptor lying on a batch of eggs that were thought to belong to Protoceratops. Modern scientific techniques have been used to examine the embryo inside the eggs. Oviraptor is now known to have been lying on its own un-hatched young. 
 
Name

Proceritops

Meaning
First horned face
Pronunciation
pro-oe-ser-a-tops
Found in 
Mongolia, Asia
Anatomy
Bill-like mouth

Wide neck frill that grew out of its big, heavy skull. 

Powerful jaw muscles to frill to help chew food. Making it harder for predators to attack it. 

Had a clawed foot. 

Longer back legs, which were powerful.

Shorter front legs with five toes. 

Bump on the snout may have been used for protection or mating. 

Length
2.7 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
180 kilograms
Locomotion
Quadruped 
Food preference
Herbivore
Time period
Late cretaceous (about 70 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Ornithiscia
Remains
The first fossilized eggs found in 1923 in Mongolia.

 

Name
Psittacosaurus
Meaning
Parrot lizard
Pronunciation
Sit-ak-oh-sore-us
Found in 
Asia
Anatomy
Square skill and horny bill shaped like that of a parrot

Powerful lower jaw muscles were anchored to a ridge of bone at the back of the head.

Long neck, and long legs.

Length
2.5 meters
Height
1 meters
Weight (mass)
About 50 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal or quadruped
Food preference
Herbivore
Time period
Cretaceous (130-90 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Ornithopod
Remains
Two almost complete skeletons.
 
Name

Saurornithoides

Meaning
Bird-like lizard
Pronunciation
Sore-or-nay-thus-dies
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Large brain

Slender body

Saucer like eyes It had eyes faced partly forward while most dinosaurs had eyes on the side of their head.

Small sharp teeth serrated only on posterior edges. 

The foot has a slightly enlarged claw

The enlarged middle ear cavity and other ear-related structures indicate that Saurornithoides had a highly developed auditory system.

Length
2 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
13-27 kilometers
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (small reptiles and mammals)
Time period
Late cretaceous (95-72 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Deinonychosauria, Troodontidae
Remains
No complete, or even nearly complete skeleton is known today.

 
Name

Stenonychosaurus

Meaning
Narrow claw lizard
Pronunciation
ste-NON-ik-oh-SAWR-us
Found in 
Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta North America
Anatomy
Credited as the most intelligent dinosaurs.

Relatively large brain

Large eyes

Slender flexible fingers

Light body

Small sharp teeth. 

Length
2 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (mammals)
Time period
Late cretaceous (85-80 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Saurornithodids
Remains

 

Name
Troodon
Meaning
Wounding tooth
Pronunciation
TRO-oh-don
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Relatively large brain, large eyes and stereoscopic vision. 

Lightly built but agile, could run faster then most other dinosaurs of the time. 
Had excellent co-ordination and vision.
Length
2 meters
Height
1-1.5 meters
Weight (mass)
About 40 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (small vertebrates, Lizards, mammals)
Time period
Cretaceous (76-74 million years ago)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Theropod
Remains
1982 scientist in Alberta, Canada uncovered the fossilized brain case.
 
Name
Utahraptor
Meaning
Robber from Utah
Pronunciation
YOO-tah-RAP-tor
Found in 
North America
Anatomy
Lager eyes, long grasping hands and powerfully clawed feet. 

Wickedly hooked slashing claw on each foot 

The toe joint is specially enlarged so that its massive claw could be raised up ward and backward to avoid damage while running. 

Length
Up to 6.5 meters long
Height
Up to 2 meters high
Weight (mass)
Up to almost a ton
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore
Time period
Cretaceous (112-110 million years)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Dromaeosaur –“swift lizards”
Remains
Well-preserved skeleton in Utah and fragmentary remains form South America. 
 
Name

Velociraptor

Meaning
Quick plunderer
Pronunciation
Vel-oh-see-rap-tor
Found in 
Mongolia, Asia
Anatomy
Its head was about 7 inches (18 cm) long.

Flat snout

Long jaws Sharp teeth Curved teeth in a long, some of the teeth were over an inch (2.5 cm) long.

Shorter front legs with three claws

Large brain cavity

Longer hind legs with powerful muscles 

This predator had an s-shaped neck, long thin legs, and arms with three-fingered clawed hands and four-toed clawed feet. Third and forth toes used to bear weight. The second toe had a long sharp curved claw. This toe was lifted back while running

Length
1.8 meters
Height
1 meter
Weight (mass)
7 to 15 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Carnivore (Proceratops)
Time period
Late cretaceous (about 70 million years ago.)
Type of hip
Lizard hipped
Dinosaur group
Surischia
Remains
Velociraptor was first found and described by paleontologist H. F. Osborn in Mongolia in 1924. About a dozen Velociraptor fossils have been found, including one who died in a battle to the death with Protoceratops and two hatchling Velociraptor skulls that were found near an oviraptorid nest in Mongolia (they may have been a meal). Fossils have been found in Mongolia, Russia, and China

 
Name
Wannanosaurus
Meaning
Wannan lizard named for the place of origin.
Pronunciation
Wan-an-oh-sore-us
Found in 
China
Anatomy
Small flat head with a thick bony skull and a tiny brain. 

Diagnostic features include low, fan-shaped dietary crowns with marked median eminence on the lateral crown surface and the extreme flexure of the humorous. 

Many teeth insides its mouth.

Length
60 centimeters
Height
Unknown
Weight (mass)
Unknown
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Herbivore
Time period
Cretacious 
Type of hip
Bird hipped. 
Dinosaur group
Ornithischia
Remains
Partial skull roof, mandible, post cranial fragments, Vertebrae and limb bones.
 
Name

Xiaosaurus

Meaning
Dawn lizard
Pronunciation
Shee-ah-oh-sore-us
Found in 
Asia
Anatomy
Large eyes

Cheek teeth that are shaped like leaves

Length
1.5 meters
Height
Weight (mass)
40 kilograms
Locomotion
Bipedal
Food preference
Herbivore
Time period
Middle Jurassic (165 million years ago)
Type of hip
Bird hipped
Dinosaur group
Ornithischia
Remains
Single incomplete skeleton. Found in the early 1980’s. A few teeth and part of the skull were found.

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