This is a list of

dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...

s whose remains have been recovered from

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. North America has a rich dinosaur fossil record with great diversity of dinosaurs.

History

The earliest potential record of dinosaurs in North America comes from rare, unidentified (possibly theropod) footprints in the Middle-Late

Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...

Pekin Formation of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. However, the most reliable early record of North American dinosaurs comes from fragmentary saurischian fossils unearthed from the Upper Triassic Dockum Group of Texas. Later in the Triassic period, dinosaurs left more recognizable remains, and could be identified as specific genera. Examples of later Triassic North American dinosaur genera include '' Coelophysis'', '' Chindesaurus'', ''

Gojirasaurus ''Gojirasaurs'' (meaning "Godzilla lizard")K. Carpenter, 1997, "A giant coelophysoid (Ceratosauria) theropod from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico, USA", ''Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen'' 205 (#2): 189-208 is ge ...

'', and '' Tawa''. Fossils of ''Tawa''-like dinosaurs have also been found in South America, which has important indications about

paleogeography Palaeogeography (or paleogeography) is the study of historical geography, generally physical landscapes. Palaeogeography can also include the study of human or cultural environments. When the focus is specifically on landforms, the term pale ...

. During the Early Jurassic Period, dinosaurs such as '' Dilophosaurus'', '' Anchisaurus'', '' Coelophysis'' (formerly known as ''Megapnosaurus''), and the early thyreophoran '' Scutellosaurus'' lived in North America. The latter is believed to have been the ancestor of all

stegosaurs Stegosauria is a group of Herbivore, herbivorous ornithischian dinosaurs that lived during the Jurassic and early Cretaceous Period (geology), periods. Stegosaurian fossils have been found mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, predominantly in what i ...

and

ankylosaurs Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms, similar to turtles. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. ...

. The

Middle Jurassic The Middle Jurassic is the second epoch of the Jurassic Period. It lasted from about 174.1 to 163.5 million years ago. Fossils of land-dwelling animals, such as dinosaurs, from the Middle Jurassic are relatively rare, but geological formations co ...

is the only poorly represented time period in North America, although several Middle Jurassic localities are known from Mexico. Footprints, eggshells, teeth, and fragments of bone representing theropods, sauropods, and ornithopods have been found, but none of them are diagnostic to the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

level. The Late Jurassic of North America, however, is the exact opposite of the Middle Jurassic. The Late Jurassic

Morrison Formation The Morrison Formation is a distinctive sequence of Late Jurassic, Upper Jurassic sedimentary rock found in the western United States which has been the most fertile source of dinosaur fossils in North America. It is composed of mudstone, sandsto ...

is found in several U.S. states, including

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

, and

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. It is notable as being the most fertile single source of dinosaur fossils in the world. The roster of dinosaurs from the Morrison is impressive. Among the theropods, '' Allosaurus'', '' Saurophaganax'', '' Torvosaurus'', '' Ceratosaurus'', '' Coelurus'', ''

Ornitholestes ''Ornitholestes'' (meaning "bird robber") is a small theropod dinosaur of the late Jurassic (Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, middle Kimmeridgian age, about 154 million years agoTurner, C.E. and Peterson, F., (1999). "Biostratigraph ...

'', ''

Tanycolagreus ''Tanycolagreus'' is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod from the Late Jurassic of North America. Discovery and naming In 1995 Western Paleontological Laboratories, Inc. uncovered the partial skeleton of a small theropod at the Bone Cabin Quarr ...

'', '' Stokesosaurus'', and '' Marshosaurus'' are found in the Morrison. An abundance of sauropods has been found there, including ''

Apatosaurus ''Apatosaurus'' (; meaning "deceptive lizard") is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic period. Othniel Charles Marsh described and named the first-known species, ''A. ajax'', in 1877, an ...

'', ''

Diplodocus ''Diplodocus'' (, , or ) was a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs, whose fossils were first discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. The generic name, coined by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1878, is a neo-Latin term derived from Greek διπ� ...

'', ''

Barosaurus ''Barosaurus'' ( ) was a giant, long-tailed, long-necked, plant-eating sauropod dinosaur closely related to the more familiar ''Diplodocus''. Remains have been found in the Morrison Formation from the Upper Jurassic Period of Utah and South Da ...

'', ''

Brachiosaurus ''Brachiosaurus'' () is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic, about 154to 150million years ago. It was first described by American paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in th ...

'', ''

Camarasaurus ''Camarasaurus'' ( ) was a genus of quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaurs and is the most common North American sauropod fossil. Its fossil remains have been found in the Morrison Formation, dating to the Late Jurassic epoch (Kimmeridgian to Titho ...

'', ''

Brontosaurus ''Brontosaurus'' (; meaning "thunder lizard" from Greek , "thunder" and , "lizard") is a genus of gigantic quadruped sauropod dinosaurs. Although the type species, ''B. excelsus'', had long been considered a species of the closely related ''A ...

'' and ''

Amphicoelias ''Amphicoelias'' (, meaning "biconcave", from the Greek ἀμφί, ''amphi'': "on both sides", and κοῖλος, ''koilos'': "hollow, concave") is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived approximately 150 million years ago during t ...

''. Three genera of stegosaurs, ''

Alcovasaurus ''Alcovasaurus'', alternatively known as ''Miragaia longispinus'', is a genus of herbivorous thyreophoran dinosaur that lived in the Late Jurassic. It was found in the Morrison Formation of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. The type species ...

'', '' Stegosaurus'' and '' Hesperosaurus'', have been found there. Finally, ornithopods found in the Morrison include '' Camptosaurus, Dryosaurus,'' and '' Nanosaurus'', During the

Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous ( geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous (chronostratigraphic name), is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 145 Ma to 100.5 Ma. Geology Pro ...

, new dinosaurs evolved to replace the old ones. Sauropods were still present, but they were not as diverse as they were in the Jurassic Period. Theropods from the Early Cretaceous of North America include

dromaeosaurids Dromaeosauridae () is a family of feathered theropod dinosaurs. They were generally small to medium-sized feathered carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period. The name Dromaeosauridae means 'running lizards', from Greek ('), meaning ...

such as '' Deinonychus'' and ''

Utahraptor ''Utahraptor'' (meaning "Utah's thief") is a genus of large dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in North America during the Early Cretaceous period. It was a heavy-built, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivore. It contains a single species, ''Utahrap ...

'', the carnosaur '' Acrocanthosaurus'', and the coelurosaur ''

Microvenator ''Microvenator'' (meaning "small hunter") is a genus of dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Cloverly Formation in what is now south central Montana. ''Microvenator'' was an oviraptorosaurian theropod. The holotype fossil is an incomplete skeleton ...

''. Sauropods included '' Astrodon'', ''

Brontomerus ''Brontomerus'' (from Greek ''bronte'' meaning "thunder", and ''merós'' meaning "thigh") is a possibly dubious genus of camarasauromorph sauropod which lived during the early Cretaceous (Aptian or Albian age, approximately 110 million years ago ...

'', and '' Sauroposeidon''. Ornithischians were more diverse than they were in the Jurassic Period. '' Tenontosaurus'', ''

Dakotadon ''Dakotadon'' (meaning "Dakota tooth") is a genus of iguanodont dinosaur from the Barremian-age Lower Cretaceous Lakota Formation of South Dakota, USA, known from a partial skull. It was first described in 1989 as '' Iguanodon lakotaensis'', by ...

'', ''

Protohadros ''Protohadros'' (meaning "first hadrosaur") is a genus of herbivorous ornithischian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous ( Cenomanian stage). Gary Byrd, a part-time palaeontologist, discovered some remains of this euornithopod (ribs and an ungual) ...

'', and '' Eolambia'' are some of the ornithopods that lived during this time period. Ankylosaurs replaced their stegosaur cousins in the Cretaceous. Ankylosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of North America include ''

Sauropelta ''Sauropelta'' ( ; meaning 'lizard shield') is a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that existed in the Early Cretaceous Period of North America. One species (''S. edwardsorum'') has been named although others may have existed. Anatomically, ''Saurop ...

'' and '' Gastonia''. Therizinosaurs such as ''

Falcarius ''Falcarius'' (meaning "sickle cutter") is a genus of primitive therizinosaur dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period in what is now North America. Its remains were first collected in the Cedar Mountain Formation in 1999, with subs ...

'' are also known from the Early Cretaceous of North America. Finally, during the

Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the ...

Period, the greatest abundance and diversity of dinosaurs of all time lived in North America. During the early part of the Late Cretaceous, the therizinosaur ''

Nothronychus ''Nothronychus'' (meaning "slothful claw") is a genus of therizinosaurid theropod dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period. The type species, ''Nothronychus mckinleyi'', was described by James Kirkland and Douglas ...

'' and the ceratopsian ''

Zuniceratops ''Zuniceratops'' ('Zuni-horned face') was a ceratopsian dinosaur from the mid Turonian of the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now New Mexico, United States. It lived about 10 million years earlier than the more familiar horned Ceratopsidae ...

'' lived. During the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous, an enormous diversity of dinosaurs is known. Theropods included the tyrannosaurs '' Albertosaurus'', '' Gorgosaurus'', ''

Daspletosaurus ''Daspletosaurus'' ( ; meaning "frightful lizard") is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur that lived in Laramidia between about 79.5 and 74 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous Period. The genus ''Daspletosaurus'' contains three species ...

'', ''

Teratophoneus ''Teratophoneus'' ("monstrous murderer"; Greek: ''teras'', "monster" and ''phoneus'', "murderer") is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur which lived during the late Cretaceous period (late Campanian age, about 77 to 76 million years ago) in what i ...

'', ''

Bistahieversor ''Bistahieversor'' (meaning "Bistahi destroyer"), also known as the "Bisti Beast", is a genus of eutyrannosaurian tyrannosauroid dinosaur; the genus contains only a single known species, ''B. sealeyi'', described in 2010, from the Late Cretaceo ...

'', and ''

Appalachiosaurus ''Appalachiosaurus'' ( ; "Appalachian lizard") is a genus of tyrannosauroid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of eastern North America. Like almost all theropods, it was a bipedal predator. Only a juvenile skeleton has been found ...

'', and the dromaeosaurids ''

Dromaeosaurus ''Dromaeosaurus'' (, "running lizard") is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous period (middle late Campanian and Maastrichtian), sometime between 80 and 69 million years ago, in Alberta, Canada and the ...

'', ''

Saurornitholestes ''Saurornitholestes'' ("lizard-bird thief") is a genus of carnivorous dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur from the late Cretaceous of Canada (Alberta) and the United States (Montana, New Mexico, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina). Two spec ...

'', ''

Atrociraptor ''Atrociraptor'' (meaning "savage thief") is a genus of saurornitholestine dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian stage) of Alberta, Canada. The type (and only) specimen of ''Atrociraptor'', holotype RTMP 95.1 ...

'', and ''

Bambiraptor ''Bambiraptor'' is a Late Cretaceous, 72-million-year-old, bird-like dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur described by scientists at the University of Kansas, Yale University, and the University of New Orleans. The holotype fossil is less than one m ...

''. Ceratopsians, such as ''

Pachyrhinosaurus ''Pachyrhinosaurus'' (meaning in Greek "thick-nosed lizard", from ' (), thick; ' (), nose; and (), lizard) is an extinct genus of centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of North America. The first examples were discove ...

'', ''

Styracosaurus ''Styracosaurus'' ( ; meaning "spiked lizard" from the Ancient Greek / "spike at the butt-end of a spear-shaft" and / "lizard") is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period (Campanian stage), about 75.5 to 74.5&nbs ...

'', '' Centrosaurus'', '' Monoclonius'', '' Brachyceratops'' and '' Pentaceratops'' also existed. Among hadrosaurs,''

Hypacrosaurus ''Hypacrosaurus'' (meaning "near the highest lizard" reek υπο-, ''hypo-'' = less + ακρος, ''akros'', high because it was almost but not quite as large as ''Tyrannosaurus'') was a genus of duckbill dinosaur similar in appearance to ''Co ...

Gryposaurus ''Gryposaurus'' (meaning "hooked-nosed (Ancient Greek, Greek ''grypos'') lizard"; sometimes incorrectly translated as "griffin (Latin ''gryphus'') lizard") was a genus of hadrosaur, duckbilled dinosaur that lived about 80 to 75 million years ...

Kritosaurus ''Kritosaurus'' is an incompletely known genus of hadrosaurid (duck-billed) dinosaur. It lived about 74.5-66 million years ago, in the Late Cretaceous of North America. The name means "separated lizard" (referring to the arrangement of the cheek ...

Parasaurolophus ''Parasaurolophus'' (; meaning "near crested lizard" in reference to '' Saurolophus)'' is a genus of herbivorous hadrosaurid ornithopod dinosaur that lived in what is now North America and possibly Asia during the Late Cretaceous Period, abou ...

'', ''

Corythosaurus ''Corythosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of hadrosaurid "duck-billed" dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Period (geology), Period, about 77–75.7 million years ago. It lived in what is now North America. Its name means "helmet lizard", derived fr ...

'', ''

Lambeosaurus ''Lambeosaurus'' ( , meaning " Lambe's lizard") is a genus of hadrosaurid dinosaur that lived about 75 million years ago, in the Late Cretaceous period (Campanian stage) of North America. This bipedal/quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaur is k ...

'' and ''

Prosaurolophus ''Prosaurolophus'' (; meaning "before ''Saurolophus''", in comparison to the later dinosaur with a similar head crest) is a genus of hadrosaurid (or duck-billed) dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America. It is known from the remains of ...

'' existed. During the latest Cretaceous, the

Maastrichtian The Maastrichtian () is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the latest age (uppermost stage) of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series, the Cretaceous Period or System, and of the Mesozoic Era or Erathem. It spanned the interval from ...

age, the diversity of dinosaurs saw a decline from the preceding Campanian stage. North American herbivorous dinosaurs from this time period include the

titanosaur Titanosaurs (or titanosaurians; members of the group Titanosauria) were a diverse group of sauropod dinosaurs, including genera from all seven continents. The titanosaurs were the last surviving group of long-necked sauropods, with taxa still th ...

sauropod ''

Alamosaurus ''Alamosaurus'' (; meaning "Ojo Alamo lizard") is a genus of opisthocoelicaudiine titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs, containing a single known species, ''Alamosaurus sanjuanensis'', from the late Cretaceous Period of what is now southern North Am ...

'', the ceratopsians ''

Bravoceratops ''Bravoceratops'' is a genus of large chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that lived approximately 70 million years ago, and is known from the Late Cretaceous Javelina Formation in what is now Texas, United States. Discovery and naming ''Bravocer ...

'', ''

Regaliceratops ''Regaliceratops'' (meaning "Royal horned face") is a monospecific genus of chasmosaurinae, chasmosaurine ceratopsidae, ceratopsid dinosaur from Alberta, Canada that lived during the Late Cretaceous (middle Maastrichtian stage, 68.5 to 67.5 Ma) i ...

'', ''

Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivore, herbivorous Chasmosaurinae, chasmosaurine Ceratopsidae, ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period, about 68 m ...

'', '' Leptoceratops'', ''

Torosaurus ''Torosaurus'' ("perforated lizard", in reference to the large openings in its frill) is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Cretaceous period, between 68 and 66 million years ago, tho ...

'', ''

Nedoceratops ''Nedoceratops'' (meaning "insufficient horned face") is a controversial genus of ceratopsid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period Lance Formation of North America. It is known only from a single skull discovered in Wyoming. Its status is the ...

'', ''

Tatankaceratops ''Tatankaceratops'' (meaning "Bison horn face") is a controversial genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur. It is a small chasmosaurine ceratopsian which lived during the Late Cretaceous period (latest Maastrichtian stage) in what is now South ...

'' (the latter two possible species of ''Triceratops''), and ''

Ojoceratops ''Ojoceratops'' ( meaning "Ojo Alamo horned face") is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur which lived in what is now New Mexico, United States. ''Ojoceratops'' fossils have been recovered from strata of the Ojo Alamo Formation (Naashoibito Member), d ...

'', the pachycephalosaurs ''

Pachycephalosaurus ''Pachycephalosaurus'' (; meaning "thick-headed lizard", from Greek ''pachys-/'' "thick", ''kephale/'' "head" and ''sauros/'' "lizard") is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs. The type species, ''P. wyomingensis'', is the only known species, ...

'', '' Stygimoloch'', ''

Dracorex ''Pachycephalosaurus'' (; meaning "thick-headed lizard", from Greek ''pachys-/'' "thick", ''kephale/'' "head" and ''sauros/'' "lizard") is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs. The type species, ''P. wyomingensis'', is the only known species, ...

'', and '' Sphaerotholus'', the hadrosaurs ''

Augustynolophus ''Augustynolophus'' is an extinct genus of herbivorous saurolophine hadrosaur dinosaur which was discovered in the Moreno Formation in California, dating to the late Maastrichtian age, making it one of the last dinosaurs known from the fossil re ...

'', ''

Saurolophus ''Saurolophus'' (; meaning "lizard crest") is a genus of large hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of Asia and North America, that lived in what is now the Horseshoe Canyon and Nemegt formations about 70 million to 68 million ...

'' and ''

Edmontosaurus ''Edmontosaurus'' ( ) (meaning "lizard from Edmonton") is a genus of hadrosaurid (duck-billed) dinosaur. It contains two known species: ''Edmontosaurus regalis'' and ''Edmontosaurus annectens''. Fossils of ''E. regalis'' have been found in rocks ...

'', the ornithopod '' Thescelosaurus'' the ankylosaur ''

Ankylosaurus ''Ankylosaurus'' is a genus of armored dinosaur. Its fossils have been found in geological formations dating to the very end of the Cretaceous Period, about 68–66 million years ago, in western North America, making it among the last of the n ...

'' and the nodosaurs '' Denversaurus'', ''

Glyptodontopelta ''Glyptodontopelta'' (meaning "''Glyptodon'' shield") is a monospecific genus of nodosaurid dinosaur from New Mexico that lived during the Late Cretaceous (lower to upper Maastrichtian, 69 to 66 Ma) in what is now the Naashoibito member of the O ...

'' and '' Edmontonia''. Predatory dinosaurs from this time period included the tyrannosaurids ''

Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosa ...

'', ''

Nanotyrannus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...

'' (which may just be a juvenile of the former) and '' Dryptosaurus'', the ornithomimids ''

Ornithomimus ''Ornithomimus'' (; "bird mimic") is a genus of ornithomimid dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now North America. ''Ornithomimus'' was a swift bipedal theropod which fossil evidence indicates was covered in feathers, equipped w ...

'', ''

Dromiceiomimus ''Dromiceiomimus'' is a genus of ornithomimid theropod from the Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian) of Alberta, Canada. The type species, ''D. brevitertius'', is considered a synonym of ''Ornithomimus edmontonicus'' by some authors, while other ...

'', '' Struthiomimus,'' the oviraptorids ''

Anzu Anzu may refer to: *Anzû, a divine storm-bird in several Mesopotamian religions * ''Anzu'' (dinosaur), a genus of theropod dinosaur containing the species ''Anzu wyliei'' As a given name is a Japanese given name for females. Kyoko is an altern ...

'', ''

Leptorhynchos The genus ''Leptorhynchos'' may refer to: * ''Leptorhynchos'' (dinosaur), a dinosaur genus in the family Caenagnathidae * ''Leptorhynchos'' (plant), a plant genus in the family Asteraceae {{Genus disambiguation ...

'' and ''

Ojoraptorsaurus ''Ojoraptorsaurus'' is a genus of oviraptorosaurian dinosaur from the late Cretaceous. ''Ojoraptorsaurus'' is only known from pubic bones found at the Naashoibito Member of the Ojo Alamo Formation dating to the early Maastrichtian, about 69 mi ...

'', the troodontids ''

Pectinodon ''Pectinodon'' is a genus of troodontid dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous period (66 mya). It currently contains a single valid species, ''Pectinodon bakkeri'' (sometimes classified as ''Troodon bakkeri''), known only from teeth. In 1982, ...

'', '' Paronychodon'' and '' Troodon'', the coelurosaur '' Richardoestesia'' and the dromaeosaurs '' Acheroraptor'' and ''

Dakotaraptor ''Dakotaraptor'' (meaning “thief from Dakota”) is a potentially chimaeric genus of large dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period. The remains have been found in the Maastrichtian stage of ...

''. The only recorded find of a dinosaur fossil in Central America consists of a single femur discovered from

Middle Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...

age deposits in

Comayagua Department Comayagua () is one of the 18 departments ''(departamentos)'' into which Honduras is divided. The departmental capital is Comayagua. Geography The department covers a total surface area of 5,124 km² and, in 2015, had an estimated population ...

in the central part of

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

. The fossil had been found in January, 1971 by Bruce Simonson and Gregory Horne, though it was later sent to the National Museum of Natural History, USA where it is deposited under catalogue number USNM PAL 181339. The discovery was not formally described until 1994 where it was identified as the femur of a small hadrosaur or iguanodontid, probably the former. The first report of a dinosaur from Central America ever however was a newspaper article published in August of 1933 by Canada’s

Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...

, though the story was picked up by several American newspapers. The fossil was an isolated metatarsus that had been collected by

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

explorer George Mason from woods near Olanchito, Honduras, though a vertebra was also mentioned to be found by locals. The bones have since been lost and their true identity remains indeterminable.

Criteria for inclusion

*The genus must appear on the List of dinosaur genera. *At least one named species of the creature must have been found in

. *This list is a complement to :Dinosaurs of North America.

List of North American dinosaurs

Valid genera

Invalid and potentially valid genera

* ''

Agathaumas sylvestris ''Agathaumas'' (; "great wonder") is a dubious genus of a large ceratopsid dinosaur that lived in Wyoming during the Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian stage, 66 million years ago). The name comes from grc, αγαν - 'much' and - 'wonder'. It ...

'': Most well known from a painting by Charles Knight. It may have been a synonym of ''

'', but without cranial remains, this cannot be confirmed. * '' Alcovasaurus longispinus'': Although originally named as a species of '' Stegosaurus'', it may actually be a species of the otherwise European ''

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''. * '' Antrodemus valens'': May represent the same animal as '' Allosaurus''; if so, the name ''Antrodemus'' would have priority. However, because it is based on undiagnostic remains of uncertain provenance, this cannot be confirmed. * '' Apatodon mirus'': Its holotype was originally believed to be the jawbone of a Mesozoic pig, but has been reinterpreted as a dinosaur vertebra. What type of dinosaur it belonged to is unknown, but there have been suggestions that it was from '' Allosaurus''. * "

Beelemodon This list of informally named dinosaurs is a listing of dinosaurs (excluding Aves; birds and their extinct relatives) that have never been given formally published scientific names. This list only includes names that were not properly published ...

": Known only from two teeth found in Wyoming. They share features of compsognathids, dromaeosaurids, and basal oviraptorosaurs. * "

Capitalsaurus This list of informally named dinosaurs is a listing of dinosaurs (excluding Aves; birds and their extinct relatives) that have never been given formally published scientific names. This list only includes names that were not properly published ...

": The official dinosaur of the District of Columbia. It is known from a single vertebra discovered at the intersection of First and F Streets S.E., which is now appropriately named "Capitalsaurus Court". * '' Cathetosaurus lewisi'': Usually seen as a species of ''

'', but an unpublished study argues that it might be a distinct genus. * '' Claorhynchus trihedrus'': An indeterminate cerapod that may be either a hadrosaurid or a ceratopsid, in which case it may be a synonym of ''

''. * " Coelosaurus" ''

antiquus Antiquus () was a Canadian power metal band from Vancouver, British Columbia. Their music combined different styles of metal into a unique fusion most closely likened to power metal, while being reasonably progressive. In their own words, "Far f ...

'': The generic name is said to be preoccupied, but its namesake remains obscure. * " Comanchesaurus kuesi": Only named in a dissertation. It has been described as a possible indeterminate saurischian. * ''

Deinodon horridus ''Deinodon'' (Greek for "terrible tooth") is a dubious tyrannosaurid dinosaur genus containing a single species, ''Deinodon horridus''. ''D. horridus'' is known only from a set of teeth found in the Late Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Monta ...

'': Only known from teeth. Several referred teeth have since been found to belong to already known species, and the holotype could itself belong to '' Gorgosaurus''. * ''

Dracorex hogwartsia ''Pachycephalosaurus'' (; meaning "thick-headed lizard", from Greek ''pachys-/'' "thick", ''kephale/'' "head" and ''sauros/'' "lizard") is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaurs. The type species, ''P. wyomingensis'', is the only known species, ...

'': Described as a small, flat-headed pachycephalosaur. However, it is likely that it is just a juvenile ''

''. * ''

Drinker nisti ''Nanosaurus'' ("small or dwarf lizard") is the name given to a genus of neornithischian dinosaur that lived about 155 to 148 million years ago, during the Late Jurassic-age. Its fossils are known from the Morrison Formation of the south-wester ...

'': May be a synonym of '' Nanosaurus''. * '' Epanterias amplexus'': Possibly a large specimen of '' Allosaurus'', but it may be a different taxon due to its younger age. * '' Latenivenatrix mcmasterae'': The largest known troodontid. It is sometimes suggested to be synonymous with ''

Stenonychosaurus ''Stenonychosaurus'' (meaning "narrow claw lizard") is a genus of troodontid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, as well as possibly the Two Medicine Formation. The type and only species, ''S. inequalis ...

'', which its remains were originally assigned to. * " Magulodon muirkirkensis": Only known from a single tooth that may belong to either an ornithopod or a basal ceratopsian. * " Microcephale": Said to be an extremely small pachycephalosaur, with skull caps only long. * ''

Mojoceratops perifania ''Chasmosaurus'' ( ) is a genus of ceratopsid dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Period of North America. Its name means 'opening lizard', referring to the large openings ( fenestrae) in its frill (Greek ''chasma'' meaning 'opening' or 'hollow' ...

'': May be a species of specimen of ''

Chasmosaurus ''Chasmosaurus'' ( ) is a genus of ceratopsid dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Period of North America. Its name means 'opening lizard', referring to the large openings ( fenestrae) in its frill (Greek ''chasma'' meaning 'opening' or 'hollow' ...

''. * '' Nanotyrannus lancensis'': Described as a small adult tyrannosaur, although it is more likely to be a juvenile '' Tyrannosaurus rex''. * '' Nedoceratops hatcheri'': Due to its lack of a nasal horn, it has been named "''Diceratops''" (which is preoccupied by an insect) and ''Diceratus''. However, it may simply be an unusual specimen of ''

''. * ''

Ojoceratops fowleri ''Ojoceratops'' ( meaning "Ojo Alamo horned face") is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur which lived in what is now New Mexico, United States. ''Ojoceratops'' fossils have been recovered from strata of the Ojo Alamo Formation (Naashoibito Member), d ...

'': May be ancestral to ''

'' or a synonym of ''

Eotriceratops ''Eotriceratops'' (meaning "dawn three-horned face") is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaurs which lived in the area of North America during the late Cretaceous period. The only named species is ''Eotriceratops xerinsularis''. Discovery ...

''. * "

Orcomimus This list of informally named dinosaurs is a listing of dinosaurs (excluding Aves; birds and their extinct relatives) that have never been given formally published scientific names. This list only includes names that were not properly published ...

": Potentially referrable to any of the ornithomimosaur taxa known from the Hell Creek Formation. * '' Othnielia rex'': Only known from an undiagnostic femur, but it may have belonged to '' Nanosaurus'' anyway. * '' Othnielosaurus consors'': Most likely a synonym of '' Nanosaurus''. * '' Palaeopteryx thomsoni'': Known from a few very small bones which could belong to either a bird or a small bird-like dinosaur. * '' Protoavis texensis'': Described as a Triassic bird but is more likely a chimera consisting of elements from various unrelated tetrapods. * '' Rhinorex condrupus'': Phylogenetic analysis shows that it may fall within ''

'', and thus be a junior synonym of that genus. * '' Rubeosaurus ovatus'': Likely a species of ''

'', or even simply an unusual specimen of ''S. albertensis''. * '' Stygimoloch spinifer'': Had a short skull dome with long horns jutting out from behind it. It is usually thought to be a subadult ''

'', but has been noted to be stratigraphically younger. * ''

Tatankaceratops sacrisonorum ''Tatankaceratops'' (meaning "Bison horn face") is a controversial genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur. It is a small chasmosaurine ceratopsian which lived during the Late Cretaceous period (latest Maastrichtian stage) in what is now Sout ...

'': Noted to possess a strange mix of features of both juvenile and adult ''

''. It may be a dwarf specimen of that genus or an individual that stopped growing prematurely.

Timeline

This is a timeline of selected dinosaurs from the list above. Time is measured in Ma,

megaannum A year or annus is the orbital period of a planetary body, for example, the Earth, moving in its orbit around the Sun. Due to the Earth's axial tilt, the course of a year sees the passing of the seasons, marked by change in weather, the hour ...

, along the x-axis. ImageSize = width:800px height:auto barincrement:15px PlotArea = left:10px bottom:50px top:10px right:10px Period = from:-251.902 till:-25 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:25 start:-25 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:5 start:-251.902 TimeAxis = orientation:hor AlignBars = justify Colors = #legends id:CAR value:claret id:HER value:teal id:OMN value:blue id:black value:black id:white value:white id:cretaceous value:rgb(0.3,0.75,0.1) id:jurassic value:rgb(0.3,0.75,0.4) id:triassic value:rgb(0.3,0.75,0.7) id:mesozoic value:rgb(0.3,0.6,0.4) BarData= bar:eratop bar:space bar:periodtop bar:space bar:NAM1 bar:NAM2 bar:NAM3 bar:NAM4 bar:NAM5 bar:NAM6 bar:NAM7 bar:NAM8 bar:NAM9 bar:NAM10 bar:NAM11 bar:NAM12 bar:NAM13 bar:NAM14 bar:NAM15 bar:NAM16 bar:NAM17 bar:NAM18 bar:NAM19 bar:NAM20 bar:NAM21 bar:NAM22 bar:NAM23 bar:NAM24 bar:NAM25 bar:NAM26 bar:NAM27 bar:NAM28 bar:NAM29 bar:NAM30 bar:NAM31 bar:NAM32 bar:NAM33 bar:NAM34 bar:NAM35 bar:NAM36 bar:NAM37 bar:NAM38 bar:NAM39 bar:NAM40 bar:NAM41 bar:NAM42 bar:NAM43 bar:NAM44 bar:NAM45 bar:NAM46 bar:NAM47 bar:NAM48 bar:NAM49 bar:NAM50 bar:NAM51 bar:NAM52 bar:NAM53 bar:NAM54 bar:NAM55 bar:NAM56 bar:NAM57 bar:NAM58 bar:NAM59 bar:NAM60 bar:NAM61 bar:NAM62 bar:space bar:period bar:space bar:era PlotData= align:center textcolor:black fontsize:M mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(7,-4) bar:periodtop from: -145 till: -66 color:cretaceous text:

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...

from: -201.3 till: -145 color:jurassic text:

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The J ...

from: -251.902 till: -201.3 color:triassic text:

bar:eratop from: -251.902 till: -66 color:mesozoic text:

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceo ...

PlotData= align:left fontsize:M mark:(line, white) width:5 anchor:till align:left color:CAR bar:NAM1 from:-216 till:-196 text: Coelophysis color:CAR bar:NAM2 from:-199 till:-188 text: Megapnosaurus color:HER bar:NAM3 from:-197 till:-195 text: Scutellosaurus color:HER bar:NAM4 from:-160 till:-150 text: Camptosaurus color:HER bar:NAM5 from:-156.3 till:-146.8 text:

color:HER bar:NAM6 from:-155 till:-145 text:

color:HER bar:NAM7 from:-155 till:-145 text: Dryosaurus color:CAR bar:NAM8 from:-155 till:-145 text: Allosaurus color:HER bar:NAM9 from:-155 till:-150 text: Stegosaurus color:HER bar:NAM10 from:-155 till:-152 text: Haplocanthosaurus color:HER bar:NAM13 from:-153 till:-147 text:

color:CAR bar:NAM11 from:-153 till:-148 text: Ceratosaurus color:CAR bar:NAM12 from:-153 till:-148 text: Torvosaurus color:HER bar:NAM14 from:-153 till:-150 text:

color:HER bar:NAM15 from:-153 till:-150 text:

color:CAR bar:NAM16 from:-152 till:-148 text: Saurophaganax color:HER bar:NAM17 from:-150 till:-145 text:

color:CAR bar:NAM18 from:-150 till:-145 text:

color:OMN bar:NAM19 from:-130 till:-125 text:

color:CAR bar:NAM20 from:-130 till:-125 text:

Yurgovuchia ''Yurgovuchia'' (meaning "coyote") is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Early Cretaceous period in what is now the Cedar Mountain Formation. It contains a single species, ''Yurgovuchia doellingi''. ...

color:CAR bar:NAM21 from:-128.5 till:-126 text:

color:CAR bar:NAM22 from:-116 till:-110 text: Acrocanthosaurus color:CAR bar:NAM23 from:-115 till:-108 text: Deinonychus color:HER bar:NAM24 from:-115 till:-108 text: Tenontosaurus color:HER bar:NAM25 from:-112 till:-108 text: Sauroposeidon color:HER bar:NAM26 from:-93 till:-91 text:

color:HER bar:NAM27 from:-87 till:-82 text: Niobrarasaurus color:HER bar:NAM28 from:-83 till:-74 text:

color:HER bar:NAM29 from:-79 till:-77 text: Brachylophosaurus color:HER bar:NAM30 from:-77.5 till:-74 text: Stegoceras color:OMN bar:NAM31 from:-77.5 till:-75.5 text: Troodon color:CAR bar:NAM32 from:-77.1 till:-74.1 text: Gorgosaurus color:HER bar:NAM33 from:-77 till:-73 text: Centrosaurus color:HER bar:NAM34 from:-77 till:-73 text:

color:HER bar:NAM35 from:-77 till:-74 text:

color:HER bar:NAM36 from:-77 till:-74 text: Monoclonius color:HER bar:NAM37 from:-77 till:-66 text: Edmontonia color:HER bar:NAM38 from:-76.5 till:-66.5 text:

color:HER bar:NAM39 from:-76.5 till:-73 text:

color:HER bar:NAM40 from:-76.5 till:-74 text:

color:HER bar:NAM41 from:-75.79 till:-73 text: Pentaceratops color:OMN bar:NAM42 from:-75 till:-66 text: Struthiomimus color:HER bar:NAM43 from:-75 till:-67 text:

color:HER bar:NAM44 from:-75 till:-73 text: Brachyceratops color:HER bar:NAM45 from:-74.5 till:-72 text:

Ziapelta ''Ziapelta'' is an extinct genus of ankylosaurid. Its fossils have been found in the Hunter Wash and De-na-zin members of the Kirtland Formation of Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) New Mexico. It was named in 2014, in a research paper led by ankyl ...

color:HER bar:NAM46 from:-74 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM47 from:-73 till:-69 text:

Edmontosaurus regalis ''Edmontosaurus regalis'' is a species of comb-crested hadrosaurid (duck-billed) dinosaur. Fossils of ''E. regalis'' have been found in rocks of western North America that date from the late Campanian stage of the Cretaceous Period 73 million yea ...

color:HER bar:NAM48 from:-73 till:-71 text:

Velafrons ''Velafrons'' (meaning "sailed forehead") is a genus of lambeosaurine hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico. It is known from a mostly complete skull and partial skeleton of a juvenile individual, with a bony crest on the for ...

color:HER bar:NAM49 from:-73 till:-70 text:

Anchiceratops ''Anchiceratops'' ( ) is an extinct genus of chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur that lived approximately 72 to 71 million years ago during the latter part of the Cretaceous Period in what is now Alberta, Canada. ''Anchiceratops'' was a medium-size ...

color:CAR bar:NAM50 from:-71 till:-68 text: Albertosaurus color:HER bar:NAM51 from:-71 till:-69 text: Montanoceratops color:HER bar:NAM52 from:-70 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM53 from:-70 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM54 from:-70 till:-68.5 text:

color:HER bar:NAM55 from:-69 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM56 from:-83.5 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM57 from:-83.5 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM58 from:-83.5 till:-66 text:

color:CAR bar:NAM59 from:-83.5 till:-66 text:

color:HER bar:NAM60 from:-83.5 till:-66 text: Thescelosaurus color:HER bar:NAM61 from:-83.5 till:-66 text:

Edmontosaurus annectens ''Edmontosaurus annectens'' (meaning "connected lizard from Edmonton") is a species of flat-headed and duck-billed (hadrosaurid) dinosaur from the very end of the Cretaceous Period (geology), Period, in what is now North America. Remains of ''E. ...

color:HER bar:NAM62 from:-83.5 till:-66 text: Leptoceratops PlotData= align:center textcolor:black fontsize:M mark:(line,black) width:25 bar:period from: -145 till: -66 color:cretaceous text:

from: -201.3 till: -145 color:jurassic text:

from: -251.902 till: -201.3 color:triassic text:

bar:era from: -251.902 till: -66 color:mesozoic text:

References

{{Dinosaurs by Continent *

†Dinosaurs . Articles which contain graphical timelines Articles containing video clips

History

Criteria for inclusion

List of North American dinosaurs

Valid genera

Invalid and potentially valid genera

Timeline

See also

References