05Mesozoic
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus rex
A deep skull, bone-crushing bite and keen senses made it one of the last giant theropods.
EXTINCT ATLAS WIKIEXTINCT LIFE ARCHIVEBack to archivePeriod · 143.1–66 million years ago
Cretaceous Animals, Dinosaurs & Extinction
Browse Cretaceous dinosaurs, marine reptiles, birds, insects and flowering plants before the extinction 66 million years ago.
Life and the fossil record
Flowering plants diversified as continental separation produced regional faunas. Early and Late Cretaceous communities differed: Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops lived near the end, not throughout the period. The terminal extinction removed non-avian dinosaurs, while birds and other lineages survived into the Paleogene.
06Mesozoic
Triceratops
Triceratops horridus
Three horns and a broad frill formed a formidable display and defense system.
08Mesozoic
Velociraptor
Velociraptor mongoliensis
This turkey-sized feathered predator carried a raised sickle claw on each foot.
09Mesozoic
Spinosaurus
Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
A sail-backed predator with dense bones and a paddle-like tail, adapted to life around water.
10Mesozoic
Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurus magniventris
Body armor and a heavy tail club turned a plant-eater into a walking fortress.
11Mesozoic
Parasaurolophus
Parasaurolophus walkeri
Its long hollow crest may have carried low calls across forests and floodplains.
13Mesozoic
Quetzalcoatlus
Quetzalcoatlus northropi
One of the largest known flying animals stood as tall as a giraffe on the ground.
14Mesozoic
Mosasaurus
Mosasaurus hoffmannii
A giant marine lizard propelled by a deep tail fin patrolled Late Cretaceous seas.
43Mesozoic
Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus sastrei
Brow horns, a deep skull and extremely reduced arms marked this fast abelisaurid.
44Mesozoic
Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus carolinii
A giant narrow-skulled theropod shared its world with immense sauropods.
45Mesozoic
Deinonychus
Deinonychus antirrhopus
A stiff tail, grasping hands and enlarged foot claw made an agile feathered hunter.
46Mesozoic
Oviraptor
Oviraptor philoceratops
The supposed egg thief was found above a nest that probably contained its own young.
47Mesozoic
Therizinosaurus
Therizinosaurus cheloniformis
Meter-long hand claws belonged to a tall, feathered, pot-bellied herbivore.
48Mesozoic
Pachycephalosaurus
Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis
A thick dome of bone crowned the skull of this two-legged herbivore.
49Mesozoic
Iguanodon
Iguanodon bernissartensis
A conical thumb spike and batteries of chewing teeth equipped this adaptable herbivore.
50Mesozoic
Protoceratops
Protoceratops andrewsi
This sheep-sized horned dinosaur carried a deep beak and broad neck frill.
54Mesozoic
Microraptor
Microraptor gui
Long flight feathers on all four limbs formed a remarkable aerial surface.
56Mesozoic
Pteranodon
Pteranodon longiceps
Long wings and a toothless beak carried this pterosaur over an inland sea.
57Mesozoic
Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus platyurus
An extraordinarily long neck let this marine reptile approach prey with a small head.
86Mesozoic
Baryonyx
Baryonyx walkeri
A crocodile-like snout and huge thumb claw equipped this theropod to catch fish and other prey.
87Mesozoic
Psittacosaurus
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis
A deep parrot-like beak helped this early horned dinosaur process plants; this record distinguishes P. mongoliensis from other specimens of the genus.
88Mesozoic
Edmontosaurus
Edmontosaurus annectens
A broad duck bill and dense dental batteries processed huge amounts of vegetation.
90Mesozoic
Kronosaurus
Kronosaurus queenslandicus
A massive pliosaur skull powered attacks on large marine prey.
91Mesozoic
Hatzegopteryx
Hatzegopteryx thambema
A giant pterosaur with a robust neck stalked an island populated by dwarf dinosaurs.