Aptian dinosaurs

Deinonychus ( ; ) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur with one described species, Deinonychus antirrhopus. This species, which could grow up to long, lived during the Early and Late Cretaceous Period, about 115–93.9 million years ago (from the mid-Aptian to Cenomanian stages). Fossils have been recovered from the U.S. states of Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Oklahoma, in rocks of the Cloverly Formation and Antlers Formation, though teeth that may belong to Deinonychus have been found much farther east in Maryland.

Acrocanthosaurus ( ; ) is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs that existed in what is now North America during the Barremian and early Cenomanian stages of the Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous, from 125 to 99.6 million years ago. Like most dinosaur genera, Acrocanthosaurus contains only a single species, A. atokensis. It had a continent-wide range, with fossil remains known from the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming in the west and Maryland in the east. However, most of these remains are assigned to the species based on the assumption that Acrocanthosaurus is the only large

Microraptor (Greek, μικρός, mīkros: "small"; Latin, raptor: "one who seizes") is a genus of small, four-winged dromaeosaurid dinosaurs. Numerous well-preserved fossil specimens have been recovered from Liaoning, China. They date from the early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (Aptian stage), 125 to 120 million years ago. Three species have been named (M. zhaoianus, M. gui, and M. hanqingi), though further study has suggested that all of them represent variation in a single species, which is properly called M. zhaoianus. Cryptovolans, initially described as another four-winged dinosaur, is u

Sauroposeidon ( ; meaning "lizard earthquake god", after the Greek god Poseidon) is a genus of sauropod dinosaur known from several incomplete specimens including a bone bed and fossilized trackways that have been found in the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Texas.

Ouranosaurus is a genus of herbivorous basal hadrosauriform dinosaur that lived during the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous of modern-day Niger and Cameroon. Ouranosaurus measured about long and weighed . Two rather complete fossils were found in the Elrhaz Formation, Gadoufaoua deposits, Agadez, Niger, in 1965 and 1970, with a third indeterminate specimen known from the Koum Formation of Cameroon. The animal was named in 1976 by French paleontologist Philippe Taquet, the type species being Ouranosaurus nigeriensis. The generic name is a combination of ourane, a word with multiple meanings

Suchomimus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Niger during the Aptian to Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous period, 112 million years ago. The only known species is S. tenerensis, originally described in 1998 by paleontologist Paul Sereno and colleagues from several fossils discovered one year earlier in the Elrhaz Formation. Although these fossils come from multiple specimens, they represent one of the most anatomically well-documented spinosaurids. The animal's generic name, which means "crocodile mimic", alludes to its elongated skull and piscivorous adaptati

genus of reptiles (fossil)

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. Anatomically, Sauropelta is one of the most well-understood nodosaurids, with fossilized remains recovered in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Montana, and possibly Utah. It is also the earliest known genus of nodosaurine; most of its remains are found in a section of the Cloverly Formation dated to 108.5 million years ago.

Nigersaurus () is a genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur that lived during the middle Cretaceous period, about 115 to 105 million years ago. It was discovered in the Elrhaz Formation in an area called Gadoufaoua, in Niger. Fossils of this dinosaur were first described in 1976, but it was only named Nigersaurus taqueti in 1999 after further and more complete remains were found and described. The genus name means "Niger reptile", and the specific name honours the palaeontologist Philippe Taquet, who discovered the first remains.

Tenontosaurus ( ; ) is a genus of iguanodontian ornithopod dinosaur. It had an unusually long, broad tail, which like its back was stiffened with a network of bony tendons. The genus is known from the late Aptian to Albian ages of the Early Cretaceous period sediments of western North America, dating between 115 and 108 million years ago. It contains two species, Tenontosaurus tilletti (described by John Ostrom in 1970) and Tenontosaurus dossi (described by Winkler, Murry, and Jacobs in 1997). Many specimens of T. tilletti have been collected from several geological formations throughout

Agustinia () is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of South America. The genus contains a single species, A. ligabuei, known from a single specimen that was recovered from the Lohan Cura Formation of Neuquén Province in Argentina. It lived about 116–108 million years ago, in the Aptian–Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous Period.

Altirhinus (; "high nose") is a genus of hadrosauroid ornithopod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period of Mongolia.

Fukuiraptor ("thief of Fukui") is a genus of medium-sized megaraptoran theropod dinosaur of the Early Cretaceous epoch (either Barremian or Aptian) that lived in what is now Japan. Fukuiraptor is known from the Kitadani Formation and possibly also the Sebayashi Formation. Fukuiraptor may have been one of the basalmost members of Megaraptora, or a sister taxon to Australovenator.

Kryptops (meaning "covered face") is an extinct genus of possibly chimeric abelisaurid theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of Niger. It is known from a partial maxilla (upper jaw bone) found at the Gadoufaoua locality in the western Ténéré Desert, in rocks of the Aptian–Albian-age Elrhaz Formation. The fossils were collected in 2000 by a University of Chicago expedition to Niger led by American paleontologist Paul Sereno. They were then described in 2008 by Sereno and Steve Brusatte. The genus contains a single species, Kryptops palaios. Sereno and Brusatte referred several postcrania

Zephyrosaurus (meaning "westward wind lizard") is a genus of orodromine ornithischian dinosaur based on a partial skull and postcranial fragments discovered in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) Cloverly Formation of Carbon County, Montana, USA. New remains are under description, and tracks from Maryland and Virginia, also in the US, have been attributed to animals similar to Zephyrosaurus.

Ichthyovenator is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Laos, sometime between 120 and 113 million years ago, during the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous period. It is known from fossils collected from the Grès supérieurs Formation of the Savannakhet Basin, the first of which were found in 2010, consisting of a partial skeleton without the skull or limbs. This specimen became the holotype of the new genus and species Ichthyovenator laosensis, and was described by palaeontologist Ronan Allain and colleagues in 2012. The generic name, meaning "fish hunter", refers to

Probactrosaurus (meaning "before Bactrosaurus") is an extinct genus of basal hadrosauroid iguanodontian dinosaur that lived in China during the Early Cretaceous period.

Amazonsaurus ( , 'Amazon lizard') is a genus of diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. It would have been a large-bodied quadrupedal herbivore with a long neck and whiplash tail. Although more derived diplodocoids were some of the longest animals ever to exist, Amazonsaurus was probably not more than 12 meters (40 ft) long. Gregory S. Paul estimated in 2010 its weight at 5000 kg.

Sinornithoides (meaning "Chinese bird form") is a genus of troodontid theropod dinosaurs that lived during the Early Cretaceous (Aptian or Albian stage, around 113 million years ago) of Inner Mongolia, China. It contains only a single species, S. youngi. Sinornithoides measured approximately long, and probably ate invertebrates and other small prey.

Archaeoceratops, meaning "ancient horned face", is a genus of basal neoceratopsian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian stage) of north central China. It appears to have been bipedal and quite small, reaching in length and in body mass. It had a comparatively large head but no horns, possessing only a small bony frill projecting from the back of its head.

Malawisaurus (meaning "Malawi lizard") is an extinct genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur. It is known from the Dinosaur Beds of northern Malawi, which probably date to the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous. The type species is M. dixeyi and the specific name honours Frederick Augustus Dixey.

Sinotyrannus (meaning "Chinese tyrant") is an extinct genus of large tyrannosauroid theropod dinosaurs known from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning, China. This genus contains a single species, Sinotyrannus kazuoensis, known from a single mature specimen including a partial skull, some vertebrae, and part of the pelvic girdle.

Lurdusaurus ("heavy lizard") is a genus of massive and unusually shaped iguanodont dinosaur from the Elrhaz Formation in Niger. It contains one species, L. arenatus. The formation dates to the Early Cretaceous, roughly 112 million years ago.

Zapalasaurus is an extinct genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous-aged La Amarga Formation of what is today Patagonia. The type and only species is Z. bonapartei.

Xiongguanlong (International Phonetic Alphabet|) is an extinct genus of tyrannosauroid theropod from the Early Cretaceous period of what is now China. The type and only species is X. baimoensis. The generic name comes from Jiayuguan City (formerly called "Xiong Guan" or "grand pass") and the Mandarin word "long" which means dragon. The specific epithet, "baimoensis" is a latinization of the Mandarin word for "white ghost" in reference to one of the geological features of the type locality (nicknamed the "White Ghost Castle").

Mantellisaurus is a genus of iguanodontian dinosaur that lived in the Barremian and early Aptian ages of the Early Cretaceous Period of Europe. Its remains are known from Belgium (Bernissart), England, Spain and Germany. The type and only species is M. atherfieldensis. Formerly known as Iguanodon atherfieldensis, the new genus Mantellisaurus was erected for the species by Gregory Paul in 2007. According to Paul, Mantellisaurus was more lightly built than Iguanodon and more closely related to Ouranosaurus, making Iguanodon in its traditional sense paraphyletic. It is known from many complete an

Brontomerus (from Greek bronte meaning "thunder", and merós meaning "thigh") is a genus of camarasauromorph sauropod which lived during the early Cretaceous (Aptian or Albian age, approximately 110 million years ago). It was named in 2011 and the type species is Brontomerus mcintoshi. It is probably a fairly basal camarasauromorph, though the taxon is difficult to resolve due to incompleteness of the material. It is most remarkable for its unusual hipbones, which would have supported the largest thigh muscles, proportionally, of any known sauropod. The specific name is in honor of physicist an

Genyodectes ("jaw bite", from the Greek words genys ("jaw") and dektes ("bite")) is a genus of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) of South America. The holotype material (MLP 26–39, Museo de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina) was collected from the Cerro Barcino Formation, Cañadón Grande, Departamento Paso de Indios in the Chubut Province of Argentina and consists of an incomplete snout, including the premaxillae, portions of both maxillas, the right and left dentary, many teeth, a fragment of the left splenial, and parts of the supradentaries. These elements are ge

Serendipaceratops (meaning "serendipitous horned face") is a genus of herbivorous ornithischian dinosaur, possibly an ankylosaur, from the early Cretaceous Period of Australia. The type species, S. arthurcclarkei, was named in 2003.

Fukuisaurus (meaning "Fukui (Fortunate) lizard") is a genus of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous in what is now Japan. The type species is F. tetoriensis, which was named and described in 2003.

Qiaowanlong (meaning "Qiaowan dragon") is an extinct genus of sauropod dinosaur. Fossils belonging to the genus were found in the Yujinzi Basin of what is today Gansu Province, China. The remains come from a geological formation called the Xiagou Formation in the Xinminpu Group, dating to the late Aptian Stage of the Early Cretaceous.

Suzhousaurus (meaning "Suzhou lizard") is an extinct genus of large therizinosaurid dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of China. The genus is known from two specimens discovered in the Xiagou and Zhonggou Formations, both part of the Xinminbao Group. These findings were made during fieldwork in 1999 and 2004.

Ruyangosaurus (Ruyang County lizard) is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur recovered from the Early Cretaceous Haoling Formation of China. The type species is R. giganteus, described in 2009 by Lü Junchang et al.

Beishanlong is a genus of giant ornithomimosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China. It is the second-largest ornithomimosaur discovered, only surpassed by the related Deinocheirus.

thumb|left|Restoration thumb|left|Skull of the type specimen thumb|left|The view of the fossils when discovered thumb|250px|Location of where the fossils were found Tapuiasaurus (meaning "Tapuia lizard") is a genus of titanosaur which lived during the Lower Cretaceous period (Aptian age) in what is now Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Fukuititan (meaning "giant from Fukui prefecture") is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous (either Barremian or Aptian age) in the Kitadani Formation in what is now Japan. The genus contains a single species, Fukuititan nipponensis. The discovery of Fukuititan shed light on Japanese titanosauriforms, which are generally very poorly-known.

Siamraptor is an extinct genus of carcharodontosaurian dinosaur, containing the single species S. suwati, known from the Khok Kruat Formation of Thailand. It is the first definitive named carcharodontosaurian species known from Southeast Asia.

Caudipteridae is an extinct family of oviraptorosaurian dinosaurs known from the Early Cretaceous of China. Found in the Yixian and Jiufotang Formations, the group existed between 125 and 120 million years ago. Distinguishing characteristics of this group have been indicated as including a unique dagger-shaped pygostyle (the bone at the tip of the tail in birds, used to anchor a "fan" of feathers). In 2015, the group was defined as "the most inclusive clade containing Caudipteryx zoui but not Oviraptor philoceratops and Caenagnathus collinsi".

Similicaudipteryx, meaning "similar to Caudipteryx" (which itself means "tail feather"), is a genus of theropod dinosaur of the family Caudipteridae.

Berthasaura (meaning "Bertha's lizard") is an extinct genus of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Goio-Erê Formation of Paraná, Brazil. The genus contains a single species, Berthasaura leopoldinae, known from a nearly complete skeleton.

Bannykus is an extinct genus of alvarezsauroid from the Early Cretaceous Bayin-Gobi Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. It includes one species, Bannykus wulatensis.

Zhongyuansaurus (meaning "Zhongyuan lizard") is an extinct genus of ankylosaurid dinosaurs known from the Early Cretaceous Haoling Formation of what is now Henan Province, China. The genus contains two species, Z. luoyangensis, named in 2007, and Z. junchangi, named in 2025, both known from a single partial skeleton. Zhongyuansaurus is similar to Gobisaurus, prompting some researchers to regard the genera as synonymous.

Kakuru is a dubious genus of theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Australia.

Daurlong (meaning "Daur dragon") is an extinct genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Longjiang Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, D. wangi, known from a nearly complete skeleton. Daurlong represents the first described occurrence of a preserved intestinal region in a theropod closely related to birds.

thumb|Different angle of the mounted skeleton Ratchasimasaurus (meaning "Nakhon Ratchasima lizard") is a genus of iguanodontian ornithopod dinosaur from Early Cretaceous (Aptian stage) Khok Kruat Formation of Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeastern Thailand. The type and only species is R. suranareae, named after Thao Suranari, a 19th-century war heroine. It was considered by one study to be a nomen dubium, diagnosed with characters widespread in Styracosterna.

Arkansaurus (meaning "Arkansas lizard") is an extinct genus of ornithomimosaurian theropod dinosaur that lived during the Aptian and Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous in what is now North America. The type and only species is Arkansaurus fridayi.

Ligabuesaurus is a genus of somphospondylan sauropod from the Early Cretaceous Lohan Cura Formation of what is now Argentina. The type species, Ligabuesaurus leanzai, was described in 2006, based on a partial skeleton with a skull. The generic name, Ligabuesaurus, honors Giancarlo Ligabue, while the specific name, leanzai, honors the geologist Dr. Héctor A. Leanza, who discovered the skeleton in the Lohan Cura Formation.

Daxiatitan is a genus of sauropod dinosaur known from the Lower Cretaceous of Gansu, China. Its type and only species is Daxiatitan binglingi. It is known from a single partial skeleton consisting of most of the neck and back vertebrae, two tail vertebrae, a shoulder blade, and a thigh bone. At the time of its discovery in 2008, Daxiatitan was regarded as potentially the largest known dinosaur from China.

Priconodon (meaning "saw cone tooth") is an extinct genus of ankylosaurian dinosaur (perhaps nodosaurid), mainly known from its large teeth. Its remains have been found in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian age) Arundel Formation of Muirkirk, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA, and possibly the Potomac Group, also located in Maryland. As an ankylosaur, Priconodon would have been a large armored quadrupedal herbivore, though no size estimation has been done due to the scarcity of described remains.

Moabosaurus (meaning "Moab reptile") is a genus of turiasaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah, United States.

Fukuivenator ("hunter of Fukui Prefecture") is an extinct genus of maniraptoran theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Kitadani Formation of Japan.

Elrhazosaurus (meaning "Elrhaz lizard") is a genus of basal iguanodontian dinosaur, known from isolated bones found in Early Cretaceous rocks of Niger. These bones were initially thought to belong to a species of the related dryosaurid Valdosaurus, but have since been reclassified.

Xuwulong is a genus of hadrosauroid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period of what is now Yujingzi Basin in the Jiuquan area, Gansu Province of northwestern China. It is known from the holotype, GSGM F00001, an articulated specimen including a complete cranium, almost complete axial skeleton, and complete left pelvic girdle recovered from the Xinminbao Group. Xuwulong was named by You Hailu, Li Daqing, and Liu Weichang in 2011, and the type species is Xuwulong yueluni; the binomial name as a whole refers to Professor Wang Yue-lun; "Xu-wu" is his courtesy name.

Aratasaurus is an extinct genus of basal coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Romualdo Formation of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, A. museunacionali, known from a partial right leg. Aratasaurus represents the only tetrapod fossil known from the lower levels of the Romualdo Formation.

Craterosaurus (meaning krater reptile or bowl reptile) is a dubious genus of stegosaurian dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous (possibly Aptian stage) of the Woburn Sands Formation of England. Estimated to measure around in length and weighing approximately , Craterosaurus may actually be a junior synonym of Regnosaurus, but only one fossil, a partial vertebra, was recovered.

Mongolosaurus is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur which lived during the Early Cretaceous of China.

Shamosaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous basal ankylosaurid ankylosaur from Early Cretaceous (Aptian to Albian stage) deposits of Höövör, Mongolia.

Pukyongosaurus (meaning "Pukyong lizard", after the Pukyong National University) is a genus of titanosauriform dinosaur that lived in South Korea during the Early Cretaceous Period (Aptian - Albian). It may have been closely related to Euhelopus, and is known from a series of vertebrae in the neck and back. The characteristics that were originally used to distinguish this genus have been criticized as being either widespread or too poorly preserved to evaluate, rendering the genus an indeterminate nomen dubium among titanosauriforms. A 2022 study noted that Pukyongosaurus is probably a somphos

Liubangosaurus (meaning "Liubang lizard", after Liubang village, the holotype locality) is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous in what is now China. Liubangosaurus is known from the holotype NHMG 8152, five complete and articulated middle-caudal dorsal vertebrae that were collected from the Xinlong Formation in Fusui County, Guangxi Province. The type species is L. hei, which honors He Wenjian, who discovered the site where Liubangosaurus was discovered. ==Discovery and naming== Sauropod remains were first discovered at the Liubang Quarry in 2001, near the villa

Sauroplites (meaning "saurian hoplite") is a genus of herbivorous ankylosaurian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China.