09Mesozoic
Spinosaurus
Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
A sail-backed predator with dense bones and a paddle-like tail, adapted to life around water.
North African rivers and deltas
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Dinosaurs of Africa
Explore African dinosaurs from Massospondylus and Kentrosaurus to Spinosaurus, with records from southern Africa, Tanzania, Niger, Morocco and Madagascar.
Places, environments and evidence
Africa’s record includes early sauropodomorphs in the south, Jurassic stegosaurs in Tanzania and Cretaceous animals in northern river systems. Madagascar is grouped geographically with Africa here, while its island records remain distinguishable. Uneven rock exposure and research mean that the number of atlas profiles cannot measure the continent’s original dinosaur diversity.
222Mesozoic
Massospondylus
Massospondylus carinatus
A long neck, small head and grasping hands mark a stage between bipedal ancestors and giant quadrupedal sauropods.
River-valley woodland · Southern Africa
226Mesozoic
Majungasaurus
Majungasaurus crenatissimus
A short deep skull carried a rounded horn, while tooth marks on its own species provide rare scavenging evidence.
Seasonally dry plains · Madagascar
229Mesozoic
Kentrosaurus
Kentrosaurus aethiopicus
Plates covered the front body while long paired spikes armed the hips and tail, concentrating defense behind it.
Seasonal river plain · Tanzania
274Mesozoic
Ouranosaurus
Ouranosaurus nigeriensis
Tall neural spines supported a sail, ridge or fatty hump whose soft-tissue shape remains uncertain.
River deltas · Niger
330Mesozoic
Masiakasaurus
Masiakasaurus knopfleri
Forward-projecting front teeth may have hooked small slippery prey.
Seasonal floodplains · Madagascar
457Mesozoic
Heterodontosaurus
Heterodontosaurus tucki
Incisor, tusk-like and cheek teeth formed an unusual dinosaur dentition.
Seasonal scrub · South Africa
538Mesozoic
Lurdusaurus
Lurdusaurus arenatus
Short legs, a broad trunk and giant thumb spike made an unusually low heavy iguanodontian.
River wetland · Niger
564Mesozoic
Deltadromeus
Deltadromeus agilis
Long hind limbs and a lightly built skeleton indicate a large, fast-moving theropod.
River delta and open plain · Morocco
565Mesozoic
Jobaria
Jobaria tiguidensis
A relatively short neck, strong limbs and primitive vertebrae belonged to a large non-neosauropod herbivore.
River floodplain · Niger
Common questions
Does a small archive count mean Africa had few dinosaurs?
No. Fossil preservation, accessible rock and research history affect the available record. This directory counts the atlas’s selected profiles, not every African dinosaur.