Jurassic Creatures
A-Z
Apatosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Deceptive Lizard
Genus: Apatosaurus
Species: Apatosaurus ajax
Length: 75 feet
Weight: 25 tons
The Apatosaurus is one of the most famous dinosaurs. You may know this dinosaur by a different name, Brontosaurus, but these dinosaurs are the same. Paleontologist Othniel Marsh discovered two fossils of sauropods, but classified them as different dinosaurs, one was Apatosaurus, and the other was Brontosaurus. A later examination proved that these fossils were of the same species. Most scientists support this, however many people still use the name Brontosaurus because it is more familiar.
Barosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Heavy Lizard
Genus: Barosaurus
Species: Barosaurus lentus
Length: 82-89 feet
Weight: 22-25 tons
The Barosaurus was a sauropod that lived in the late Jurassic period. It was an extremely large dinosaur, that was one of the biggest Jurassic dinosaurs. It’s name means “heavy lizard” because it was very heavy for its size.
Ceratosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Horned Lizard
Genus: Ceratosaurus
Species: Ceratosaurus nasicornis
Length: 20 feet
Weight: 554 kilograms (1200 pounds)
Ceratosaurus was one of the top predators during the Jurassic period. It mainly ate Stegosaurus, and other Jurassic herbivores. The Ceratosaurus was named “horned lizard” because of the row of sharp horns on its head.
Diplodocus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Double Beam
Genus: Diplodocus
Species: Diplodocus longus
Length: 80-90 feet
Weight: 11 tons
Diplodocus was a herbivorous Sauropod from the Late Jurassic time period. It’s name means “Double Beam” because of its double-beamed bones in the underside of Diplodocus’ tail. It was one of the longest dinosaurs.
Emausaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: University of Greifswald lizard
Genus: Emausaurus
Species: Emausaurus ernsti
Length: 8-10 feet
Weight: 90 kilograms (200 pounds)
Emausaurus was one of the first Thyrephoran dinosaurs. It looked a lot like a prosauropod, except for the fact that it had tough body armor. Emausaurus had armor that looked similar a Stegosaurus’ back plates, so this dinosaur may had evolved into Stegosaurus.
Fulengia
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Anagram of Lufeng
Genus: Fulengia
Species: Fulengia youngi
Length: 20 feet
Weight: Unknown
The Fulgenia is another small Jurassic Sauropod. Not much is known about this dinosaur, because there is hardly any fossil evidence.
Allosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Strange Lizard
Genus: Allosaurus
Species: Allosaurus fragilis
Length: 38 feet
Weight: 2 tons
The Allosaurus is one of the best known Carnosaurs. It was closely related to the Giganotosaurus. Allosaurus was the top predator in its environment, so it would mainly feed on herbivores like Stegosaurus. The Allosaurus was classified as Antrodemus for over half of the 20th century, but as more fossils were discovered, it was renamed Allosaurus. Allosaurus means “Strange Lizard,” and it was named when it was first discovered because it had a vertebrae that was different from any other dinosaur found at the time of its discovery.
Brachiosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Arm Lizard
Genus: Brachiosaurus
Species: Brachiosaurus altithorax
Length: 69 feet
Weight: 40 tons
The Brachiosaurus is one of the most popular dinosaurs. When most people think of a large dinosaur they think of Brachiosaurus, but Brachiosaurus was not nearly as large as Argentinosaurus. It’s name means “Arm Lizard” because its forelimbs were very large in proportion to its overall size. Its specific name means “Deep Chest” because Brachiosaurus had a deep chest. It had one of the longest necks, and it was considered a high browser because it could reach up high in the trees for leaves.
Cryolophosaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Cold Crest Lizard
Genus: Cryolophosaurus
Species: Cryolophosaurus ellioti
Length: 21 feet
Weight: 454 kilograms (1000 pounds)
Cryolophosaurus lived in the Jurassic Antarctic, but in the Jurassic period, there was no ice in Antarctica. Cryolophosaurus was named “Cold Crest Lizard” because it was found in Antarctica, so people thought it lived in the cold. One Key feature that theis dinosaur had was its amazing crest. Even though Cryolophosaurus had a crest on its head, it could not hoot, or make noises like the crests on Hadrosaurs like Lambeosaurus. It was likely used to show off to other cryolophosaurus.
Dilophosaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Two-crested lizard
Genus: Dilophosaurus
Species: Dilophosaurus wetherilli
Length: 23 feet
Weight: 400 kilograms (880 pounds)
Dilophosaurus is a well-known Theropod from the early Jurassic. However, the way it is in the movies is not the way it really is. The Dilophosaurus did not spit poisonous venom, and it was much bigger than in Jurassic Park. It was one of the first large predatory Theropods, after the end-Triassic mass extinction.
Europasaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Lizard from Europe
Genus: Europasaurus
Species: Europasaurus holgeri
Length: 20 feet
Weight: 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds)
Europasaurus was a very small Jurassic Sauropod. An adult could grow to 20 feet, which was not very big compared to other Jurassic Sauropods like Barosaurus. Scientists believe that this was due to insular dwarfism. Insular dwarfism happens when a population is in a smaller environment, and there is not as much food for them to eat. Since they cannot travel to find more food, they will get smaller over time.
Gasosaurus
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Gasoline Lizard
Genus: Gasosaurus
Species: Gasosaurus constructus
Length: 13 feet
Weight: 150 kilograms (330 pounds)
Gasosaurus is a tetanuran Theropod from the middle of the Jurassic period. It is thought to be one of the first coelurosaurian dinosaurs. It was found in China by a gasoline company, and that is why it was named “gasoline lizard.”
Gargoylesaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: Gargoyle Lizard
Genus: Gasosaurus
Species: Gargoyleosaurus Parkpinorum
Length: 11-13 feet
Weight: 500-1000 kilograms (1102-2200 pounds)
Gargoyleosaurus was a very early Ankylosaur. It lived during the late Jurassic, along with other herbivores like Stegosaurus. It’s main form of defence was it’s tough body armor, and it’s tail.
Heterodontosaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivores
Type: Heterodontosauridae
Name Meaning: Different Toothed Lizard
Genus: Heterodontosaurus
Species: Heterodontosaurus tucki
Length: 5-6 feet
Weight: 2-10 kilograms (4.4-22 pounds)
The Heterodontosaurus was a small Jurassic dinosaur with a unique classification. It is a type of Ornithischian, but it it is not a Theropod, Sauropod, Thyreophora, Marginocephalia, or an Ornithopod. It has its own group called Heterodontosauridae which is a lower classification, that fits into the larger group of Ornithischian. Paleontologists have debated the classification for years, until finally deciding to leave it its own classification. It is named “Different Toothed Lizard” because of its unique tooth arrangement.
Huayangosaurus
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: Sichuan Lizard
Genus: Huayangosaurus
Species: Huayangosaurus taibaii
Length: 15 feet
Weight: 998-2994 kilograms (2200-6600 pounds)
Huayangosaurus is a early Stegosaur from the middle of the Jurassic period. It came to exist about 20 million years before the famous Stegosaurus. It was a quadruped like most Thyreophoran dinosaurs. It was closely related to Stegosaurus, however the arrangement of plates and spikes looks similar to Kentrosaurus.
Isaberrysaura
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate both plants and meat, omnivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: Isabel Valdivia Berry lizard
Genus: Isaberrysaura
Species: Isaberrysaura mollensis
Length: 16-20 feet
Weight: 1000 kilograms (2205 pounds)
The Isaberrysaura is an early Thyreophoran dinosaur. It had armor on its back, and it was classified as a very basal Stegosaur. Its name honors the scientist that discovered the first fossil of Isaberrysaura. It was medium sized for its time period, and ecosystem. Its teeth imply that this dinosaur was an omnivore.
Janenschia
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Janensch
Genus: Janenschia
Species: Janensch robusta
Length: 80 feet
Weight: 33 tons
Janenschia was a large Jurassic Sauropod. It was closely related to Barosaurus,and their size and shape is very similar. The dinosaur was named after the person that discovered it, Werner Janensch.
Kentrosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, Herbivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: Sharp Point Lizard
Genus: Kentrosaurus
Species: Kentrosaurus aethiopicus
Length: 18 feet
Weight: 1 ton
Kentrosaurus was a stegosaur from the late jurassic. It is a close relative of stegosaurus, but it had a slightly different plate arrangement. It had two rows of plates from its head to the middle of its body, but it had two rows of sharp spikes from the middle of it to the end of the tail.
Leedsichthys
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate only zooplankton, carnivore
Type: Pachycormid
Name Meaning: Leeds Fish
Genus: Leedsichthys
Species: Leedsichthys problematicus
Length: 70-80 feet
Weight: 50 tons
The Leedsichthys was a very large ray-finned fish that lived in the Jurassic time period. It was named after Alfred Leeds, who had discovered several specimens of this giant fish. It was originally said to be over 90 feet long, but it was later downsized after a new discovery. Even with its downsize, Leedsichthys is still considered to be the biggest fish known.
Mamenchisaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Manmenchi Lizard
Genus: Mamenchisaurus
Species: Mamenchisaurus constructus
Length: 115 feet
Weight: 60 tons
Mamenchisaurus was a Sauropod form the late Jurassic period. It was one of the largest dinosaurs of its time because of its incredibly long neck. Its neck accounted for nearly half of the creature’s entire length.
Patagosaurus
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Patagonia Lizard
Genus: Patagosaurus
Species: Patagosaurus fariasi
Length: 54 feet long
Weight: 8 tons
Patagosaurus is a middle sized Sauropod from the Jurassic. It was named after the Patagonian deposits where it was first discovered.
Qijianglong
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Qijiang Dragon
Genus: Qijianglong
Species: Qijianglong guokr
Length: 50 feet
Weight: 4535-9071 kilograms (10,000-20,000 pounds)
The Qijianglong is a sauropod from the Jurassic Period. It was named the dragon lizard because when it was first discovered in China, it looked like a dragon. It was average sized, and it ate plants from tall trees like most Mamenchisauridae.
Stegosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: Roofed Lizard
Genus: Stegosaurus
Species: Stegosaurus stenops
Length: 30 feet
Weight: 3 tons
The Stegosaurus is a very popular herbivore from the Jurassic. It had spikes on its tail for defence, and plates for an uncertain reason. It was named the “Roofed Lizard” because of its plates, even though scientists are still not sure exactly what the Stegosaurus used its amazing plates for.
Torvosaurus
Time Period: Mid-Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Savage Lizard
Genus: Torvosaurus
Species: Torvosaurus tanneri
Length: 33-40 feet
Weight: 4.5 tons
The Torvosaurus is a very large Theropod from the Jurassic. It was the largest Theropod in the Jurassic period, and it was the top predator in its area. One specimen was so large, that it was called the Brontoraptor, until it was placed under the classification of Torvosaurus.
Uteodon
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Ornithopod
Name Meaning: Ute Tooth
Genus: Uteodon
Species: Uteodon aphanoecetes
Length: 7-10 feet
Weight: 400 kilograms (880 pounds)
The Uteodon was a small herbivore from the Jurassic. It was a very early form of Ornithopod, and it was smaller than most dinosaurs of that time.
Wellnhoferia
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: In honor of Dr. Wellnhofer
Genus: Wellnhoferia
Species: Wellnhoferia grandis
Length: 1.5 feet
Weight: 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds)
The Wellnhoferia was a bird like Theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic. It was very similar to the more well known dinosaur named Archaeopteryx. It ate small lizards and insects, and it could glide down from trees. It most likely lived in trees for protection from predators.
Yangchuanosaurus
Time Period: Mid-Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Yangchuan Lizard
Genus: Yangchuanosaurus
Species: Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis
Length: 35 feet
Weight: 2994 Kilograms (6600 pounds)
The Yangchuanosaurus was the apex predator of its time. The Tyrannosaurus was only 4 or 5 feet longer than the Yangchuanosaurus. It ate dinosaurs like Tuojiangosaurus, Mamenchisaurus, and many other Jurassic herbivores.
Jingshanosaurus
Time period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Prosauropod
Name Meaning: Golden Hill Lizard
Genus: Jingshanosaurus
Species: Jingshanosaurus xinwaensis
Length: 17 feet
Weight: 3 tons
Jingshanosaurus is one of the last Prosauropods to exist. It lived at the beginning of the Jurassic Period. It’s name means “Golden Hill Lizard” because that is the province were the first Jingshanosaurus was found.
Lophostropheus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Crest Vertebrae
Genus: Lophostropheus
Species: Lophostropheus airelensis
Length: 10 feet
Weight: 100 kilograms (220 pounds)
The Lophostropheus is a medium sized Jurassic carnivore. It’s name means “Crest Vertebrae” because of its abnormally shaped backbone.
Megalosaurus
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Great Lizard
Genus: Megalosaurus
Species: Megalosaurus bucklandii
Length: 30 feet
Weight: 700 kilograms (1500 pounds)
Megalosaurus was a large jurassic Theropod. It was large for its lime, and it was originally thought to be a giant beast. Early reconstructions pictured it as a quarped, and it looked more monstrous than it really was.
Nqwebasaurus
Time Period: Early Cretaceous
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Theropods
Name Meaning: Nqweba lizard
Genus: Nqwebasaurus
Species: Mqwebasaurus thwazi
Length: 3 feet
Weight: 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds)
Nqwebasaurus was a very early form of Ornithopods. Ornithopods lived only in the Cretaceous period, so this was one of the first Ornithopods. Its teeth and gastroliths indicate that it was a herbivore, and it was small because it was such an early specimen. Its name refers to the place where it was discovered.
Plesiosaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, Carnivore
Type: Sauropterygia
Name Meaning: Close-to Lizard
Genus: Plesiosaurus
Species: Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus
Length: 11 feet
Weight: 499 kilograms (1,100 pounds)
The Plesiosaurus was one of the first plesiosaurs to be discovered, and that is why the entire order of Plesiosauria was named after it. It was moderately sized for its time, and it had four strong flippers that helped it swim. Plesiosaurus had a long neck for catching prey, and its teeth were for eating clams and snails.
Rhoetosaurus
Time Period: Mid Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Rhoetos Lizard
Genus: Rhoetosaurus
Species: Rhoetosaurus brownei
Length: 39-49 feet
Weight: 9071 kilograms (20,000 pounds)
The Rhoetosaurus is a Sauropod from the Jurassic time period. It was discovered a long time ago, in 1924. It was found by Arthur Browne, and that is why its specific name is brownei. It is one of the largest dinosaurs found in australia, that lived in the Jurassic.
Sarcosaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only meat, carnivore
Type: Theropod
Name Meaning: Flesh Lizard
Genus: Sarcosaurus
Species: Sarcosaurus woodi
Length: 11 feet
Weight: 140 kilograms (308 pounds)
The Sarcosaurus was a small Theropod from the early Jurassic period. The Sarcosaurus was similar to Megalosaurus, but the Sarcosaurus was much smaller. They were also millions of years apart, so this dinosaur may have evolved into Megalosaurus.
Tuojiangosaurus
Time Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Thyreophora
Name Meaning: Tuo River Lizard
Genus: Tuojiangosaurus
Species: Tuojiangosaurus multispinus
Length: 23 feet
Weight: 2812 kilograms (6200 pounds)
The Tuojiangosaurus was very similar to Kentrosaurus. It had spines on the front of the dinosaur, and spikes on the back. It was named the “Tuo River Lizard” because it was discovered in Tuo river, China. It was from the late Jurassic period, and likely had predators like Yangchuanosaurus.
Vulcanodon
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate both meat and plants, Omnivore
Type: Prosauropod
Name Meaning: Volcano Tooth
Genus: Vulcanodon
Species: Vulcanodon karibaensis
Length: 36 feet
Weight: 3493 kilograms (7700 pounds)
The Vulcanodon was one of the last Prosauropod dinosaurs. It lived in the early Jurassic, and it was large for that time. It was an omnivore, and it was named “Volcano Tooth,” because of the place where it lived, and teeth that were thought to belong to it.
Xixiposaurus
Time Period: Early Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Prosauropod
Name Meaning: Xixpo Lizard
Genus: Xixposaurus
Species: Xixposaurus suni
Length: 14 feet
Weight: 200 kilograms (441 pounds)
Not much is known about the Xixposaurus. It was named after the place it was discovered in China. It was a Prosauropod from the Early Jurassic, and it was a herbivore.
Zigongosaurus
Time Period: Mid-Late Jurassic
Diet: Ate only plants, herbivore
Type: Sauropod
Name Meaning: Zigong Lizard
Genus: Zigongosaurus
Species: Zigongosaurus fuxiensis
Length: 50 feet
Weight: 20 tons
The Zigongosaurus was a Sauropod that lived in the Jurassic. It was named after the place were it was first discovered. It had an long neck to reach the tops of tree branches.
