Welcome to the Active Wild list of dinosaurs. This page contains a list of dinosaur names with pictures and information. Here you can learn about the many different kinds of dinosaur that existed in the Mesozoic Era.
Designed to be an ‘online dinosaur museum’, it’s a great place to start if you want to find out more about a particular dinosaur.
- You can find out more about dinosaurs here: Dinosaur Facts
- You can find out about the time periods of the Mesozoic Era (Triassic, Jurassic & Cretaceous) on this page: Dinosaur Periods
On the following pages, you can find out about specific periods of the Mesozoic Era:
Want to see more dinos? If you’re interested in seeing dinosaurs from specific periods, check out the following pages:
- Triassic Dinosaurs List with Pictures & Facts
- Jurassic Dinosaurs List with Pictures & Facts
- Cretaceous Dinosaurs List with Pictures & Facts
List of Dinosaurs: Dinosaur Names with Pictures
Below you’ll find a list of dinosaurs with pictures and information. You can follow links in the text to find out more about certain species.
This list includes all of the most famous dinosaurs together with many lesser-known species. How many dinosaurs on the list had you heard of? Have we missed any interesting dinos out? What’s your favorite dinosaur?
Let us know by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page!
Abelisaurus
* An animal is said to be ‘bipedal’ if it walks on two legs.
Everything that we know about Abelisaurus comes from a single, incomplete skull! From this fossil scientists have been able to deduce the dinosaur’s likely lifestyle, diet and size.
Being able to piece together a picture of how dinosaurs lived from the limited clues available to us is an important part of paleontology. (Paleontology, or palaeontology in British English, is the scientific study of prehistoric life. )
- Find out more about abelisaurus here: Abelisaurus Facts.
Albertosaurus
Albertosaurus was a close relation of Tyrannosaurus, and was in the same family, Tyrannosauridae. Looking very much like its more famous relative, Albertosaurus walked on two legs, and had small arms. It would have been a fast runner, and probably sat at the very top of the food chain.
Albertosaurus had crests above its eyes which may have been brightly coloured. Unlike Tyrannosaurus, whose eyes pointed forwards, its eyes were on the sides of its head.
- You can read more about albertosaurus here: Albertosaurus Facts
Allosaurus
Allosaurus was one of the largest predators of the Jurassic Period. It would have reached lengths of around 12 metres (40 ft.), and weighed between 2 and 5 metric tonnes (2.2 and 3.3 short tons).
Allosaurus preyed on dinosaurs such as Stegosaurus, and may even have hunted huge Jurassic Sauropods such as Diplodocus and Apatosaurus.
- You can find out more about allosaurus here: Allosaurus Facts
Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurus was a member of a group of dinosaurs called Ankylosauria. Their name means ‘fused together lizards’ on behalf of their joined-together armoured plates.
Ankylosaurians were members of a larger group of dinosaurs called Thyreophora, otherwise known as the ‘shield-bearers’, or ‘armored dinosaurs’. This group also included Stegosaurians such as stegosaurus.
Ankylosaurus was around 10 metres (33 ft.) in length and weighed around 5 metric tonnes (5.5 short tons). It had a bony club at the end of its powerful tail. This would have been an effective weapon against predators.
- Find out more about ankylosaurus here: Ankylosaurus Facts.
Apatosaurus
Apatosaurus was a huge sauropod dinosaur. It lived in the late Jurassic Period. It weighed between 20 and 30 metric tonnes (22 and 33 short tons), and was around 20 to 23 metres (65 and 75 ft.) in length.
Apatosaurus achieved its colossal size by eating plants rather than meat. It may have used its long tail as a whip to protect itself from predators.
Brontosaurus was discovered after Apatosaurus. At the time it was thought to be a different dinosaur, but it was later found to be an Apatosaurus. However, the name ‘Brontosaurus’ had become so widely-used that many people still think that they are different dinosaurs.
There’s a twist in the tail: recent studies have found that the Brontosaurus may not be an Apatosaurus after all!
- You can find out more about apatosaurus here: Apatosaurus Facts
Archaeopteryx
If you can imagine a cross between a small dinosaur and a bird, then you’ll probably have a good idea of what Archaeopteryx looked like. It had the tooth-filled mouth and bony tail of a dinosaur, with the feathered wings of a bird. It may even have been able to fly, rather than simply glide.
Archaeopteryx lived in the late Jurassic Period. Animals like archaeopteryx (but possibly not archaeopteryx itself) were the ancestors of all today’s birds. Many scientists now consider birds to be dinosaurs!
- Read more about Archaeopteryx here: Archaeopteryx Facts
Baryonyx
In 1983, amateur fossil collector William J. Walker came across a strange fossil. He alerted the Natural History Museum in London, who realised that he had made an important find.
After further digging, palaeontologists uncovered around three-quarters of a new dinosaur. It was named Baryonyx walkeri, in honour of its discoverer.
- Find out more about Baryonyx here: Baryonyx Facts
Brachiosaurus
This huge sauropod grew up to 25 metres (82 ft.) in length and weighed between 30 and 50 metric tonnes (33 and 55 short tons). It was one of the largest land animals ever. Brachiosaurus’s name means ‘arm lizard’, because of the way its forelimbs joined its shoulders.
Unlike other sauropods, Brachiosaurus’s front legs were longer than its hind legs.
- You can find out more about Brachiosaurus here: Brachiosaurus Facts.
Brontosaurus
(See Apatosaurus)
Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus was a large, fast-moving predator that walked on two legs. It was around 9 metres (30 ft.) in length, and weighed around 1.35 metric tonnes (1.5 short tons).
This distinctive meat-eater had two horns on its head. Its name means ‘meat-eating bull’ on behalf of these bull-like horns.
- Find out more about Carnotaurus here: Carnotaurus Facts.
Coelophysis
Coelophysis was a small and lightly-built dinosaur. It would have been nimble and fast, and may have hunted in packs.
Compsognathus
Compsognathus lived during the late Jurassic period.
This bird-like bipedal predator was famous for many years for being one of the smallest dinosaurs. Since the end of the twentieth century, however, several smaller dinosaurs have been discovered.
Deinonychus
This early Cretaceous dinosaur grew to around 3 metres (10 ft.) in length and weighed around 80 kg (176 lb). Its name, which means ‘terrible claw’, refers to the deadly claw found on each of its feet.
While small compared to other dinosaurs, Deinonychus was built for speed, and would have been an effective predator. It had long forelimbs and powerful clawed ‘hands’.
Diplodocus
Diplodocus, like all other sauropods, was a giant, four-legged dinosaur with a long neck and tail. It may have used its long tail as a whip for protection against predators.
Diplodocus was around 25 metres (82 ft.) in length. It weighed between 10 and 26 metric tonnes (11 and 29 short tons). It lived in North America during the late Jurassic Period.
- Find out more about Diplodocus here: Diplodocus Facts.
Edmontosaurus
Edmontosaurus would have walked on its longer hind legs for most of the time. By studying its teeth, paleontologists can tell it was a grazer. While grazing it would probably have walked on all four legs.
Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus means ‘giant southern lizard’. This giant predator walked on two legs and was even bigger than Tyrannosaurus.
Giganotosaurus was around 16 metres (62 ft.) in length and weighed 8 metric tonnes (9 short tons). It was likely to have had good senses of both sight and smell.
Giganotosaurus was found in South America during the late Cretaceous Period.
- You can find out more about Giganotosaurus here: Giganotosaurus Facts.
Gorgosaurus
Gorgosaurus was a close relative of tyrannosaurus, being in the same family, Tyrannosauridae. Gorgosaurus lived in the late Cretaceous Period and was found in America and Canada.
- Find out more about Gorgosaurus here: Gorgosaurus Facts
Iguanodon
Iguanodon was the second dinosaur ever to be named. The first Iguanodon fossil was a tooth. It was discovered in England by the wife of medical doctor and geologist Dr Gideon Mantell. Mantell named the specimen Iguanodon, because the tooth resembled that of an iguana.
Iguanodon was a large, plant-eating dinosaur, able to walk on two and four legs. It lived in the early Cretaceous Period.
Iguanodon had spiked thumbs. These may have been used either as a means of defence against predators or for fighting with other Iguanodons.
- Find out more here: Iguanodon Facts
Leaellynasaura
Leaellynasaura lived in the early Cretaceous Period. It may have been fully-feathered.
Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus was discovered in England. It was the first dinosaur to be named. Surgeon and geologist James Parkinson identified some fossilised remains as being those of a reptile. He named it ‘Megalosaurus’, which means ‘great lizard’. This was in 1824: almost twenty years before Sir Richard Owen invented the word ‘dinosaur’!
Megalosaurus was around 9 metres (30 ft.) in length and weighed around 1 metric tonne (1.1 short tons). It stood on two legs, and was a predator. It lived in the middle Jurassic Period.
- You can find out more about Megalosaurus here: Megalosaurus Facts
Minmi
Minmi was a heavily armoured small dinosaur of the Ankylosauria family. Its body, including its undersides, was covered with bony plates. It had longer legs than most of its relatives, suggesting that, despite being heavily armoured, it could move quickly.
Minmi fossils have been discovered in Australia. It lived in the early Cretaceous Period.
Ornithomimus
Ornithomimus means ‘bird mimic’. It is so-named due to its bird-like feet. Fossils suggesting Ornithomimus had feathers have been found.
Parasaurolophus
Parasaurolophus was a Late Cretaceous herbivore. It was around 10 metres (33 ft.) in length and weighed around 3.5 metric tonnes (4 short tons).
Parasaurolophus had a distinctive crest at the back of its head. Tubes inside of this crest were connected to its nostrils.Scientists speculate that this arrangement may have been used to produce sound.
Parasaurolophus had a tall but narrow tail. Males may have had brightly-colored tails in order to attract females.
- You can find out more about Parasaurolophus here: Parasaurolophus Facts.
Protoceratops
In Mongolia, a fossilised protoceratops was found entwined with a fossilised velociraptor. The velociraptor may have been attacking the protoceratops before a land slip buried both animals.
Spinosaurus
Spinosaurus was a meat-eating dinosaur of the late Cretaceous Period. Growing up to 15 metres (49 ft.) in length and 23 metric tonnes (25.35 short tons) in weight, it was larger than the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Spinosaurus was quite possibly the largest predator ever to have walked the earth.
Spinosaurus means ‘thorn lizard’ or ‘spine lizard’. The name comes from Spinosaurus’s most distinctive feature: a large ‘sail’ on its back, which consisted of spines covered by a layer of skin.
Scientists think that this bony sail helped spinosaurus to warm up faster than other dinosaurs, allowing it to hunt when others could not.
- You can find out more about Spinosaurus here: Spinosaurus Facts.
Stegoceras
Stegoceras was a bipedal herbivore that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous Period. It was around 2 metres (6.5 ft.) in length and stood around .75m (2.5 ft.) tall.
Stegoceras was a Pachycephalosaurian; a ‘dome-headed dinosaur’ with a very thick skull. It was probably a herd animal.
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus was a large plant-eating dinosaur in the Stegosauridae family. It roamed America during the late Jurassic period.
Stegosaurus grew to around 9 metres (30 ft.) in length, and weighed around 2 metric tonnes (2.2 short tons). This large dinosaur was no rocket scientist; its brain was around the size of a walnut!
Stegosaurus had a row of large bony plates running along the top of its back. There are various explanations as to what the plates were for. Some scientists think that they offered protection from predators, others believe that they helped the animal stay at the correct temperature.
Stegosaurus was able to defend itself with a cluster of spikes on its tail.
- Find out more about Stegosaurus here: Stegosaurus Facts.
Suchomimus
Like Spinosaurus, Suchomimus had a spiny sail on its back and a long, crocodile-like face. It lived in Africa during the early Cretaceous Period.
Triceratops
Triceratops’ name means ‘three-horned face’. This fearsome-looking herbivore was found in western America during the late Cretaceous Period. It may have lived in herds.
Triceratops was a large, heavily built dinosaur. It would have been able to put up quite a fight if attacked by meat-eaters such as Tyrannosaurus or Albertosaurus.
- You can find out more about Triceratops here: Triceratops Facts.
Troodon
Troodon was a small, bird-like dinosaur of the Late Cretaceous Period. It grew to around 2 metres (6.5 ft.) in length, and would have stood waist-high to a man.
Despite its small size, troodon was well armed. It had sharp teeth, clawed fingers, and an enlarged, sickle-shaped claw on each of its feet. This intelligent dinosaur was fast, agile, and equipped with good eyesight.
- Find out more about Troodon here: Troodon Facts
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus is perhaps the most famous type of dinosaur in the world, and no list of dinosaurs would be complete without it! One species in particular, Tyrannosaurus Rex, is particularly well-known as being the archetypal ‘killer dinosaur’.
Tyrannosaurus is one of the largest land-based meat-eaters of all time. Not only was it strong; it was also intelligent, fast, and equipped with excellent senses of both sight and smell.
One feature of tyrannosaurus is its huge skull. The skull would have been able to support large jaw muscles, giving tyrannosaurus a powerful bite.
Tyrannosaurus grew to around 12 metres (40 ft.) in length, and weighed up to 8 metric tonnes (9 short tons). It lived right to the end of the Cretaceous Period, becoming extinct along with all of the other non-bird dinosaurs in the Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event.
- You can find out more about Tyrannosaurus Rex here: Tyrannosaurus Rex Facts.
Velociraptor
Velociraptor was a small, bird-like, predatory dinosaur of the late Cretaceous Period. Its name–which means ‘swift plunderer’–accurately describes this speedy, fierce carnivore.
Velociraptor was armed with sharp teeth and sharp claws. Its most fearsome weapons were the large, curved inner claws on either foot. These were probably used not only for slashing and ripping, but also to grab and restrain the velociraptor’s unfortunate prey.
In many films, velociraptor is portrayed as being taller than a man. In real-life, however, it would have been waist-high at most. It may also have been fully feathered.
- You can find out more about Velociraptor here: Velociraptor Facts.
List of Dinosaurs – Dinosaur Names with Pictures: Conclusion
We hope that you enjoyed this list of dinosaurs. We’ll be adding new dinosaurs regularly so be sure to check back soon!
What’s your favorite dinosaur on the list? Have we missed any out? Were there any on the list that you hadn’t heard of? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page!
See More Dinosaurs!
You can see more awesome dinosaurs on the following pages:
- Triassic Dinosaurs List with Pictures & Facts
- Jurassic Dinosaurs List with Pictures & Facts
- Cretaceous Dinosaurs List with Pictures & Facts
Want In-Depth Dino Info?
You’ll find in-depth info on your favorite dinosaur by clicking on its name in the list below:
- Abelisaurus Facts
- Albertosaurus Facts
- Allosaurus Facts
- Apatosaurus Facts
- Archaeopteryx Facts
- Baryonyx Facts
- Brachiosaurus Facts
- Carnotaurus Facts
- Diplodocus Facts
- Giganotosaurus Facts
- Gorgosaurus Facts
- Iguanodon Facts
- Megalosaurus Facts
- Parasaurolophus Facts
- Pterodactylus Facts
- Spinosaurus Facts
- Triceratops Facts
- Troodon Facts
- Tyrannosaurus Rex Facts
- Velociraptor Facts
More Dino Information at Active Wild
- You can find more dinosaur information here: Dinosaur Facts
- Learn more about the different periods of the Mesozoic Era: Dinosaur Periods
- Discover the different types of dinosaurs: Types of Dinosaur
Do dinos walk on their front feet?
Good question,
Some dinosaurs (e.g. Albertosaurus and T. rex) were “bipedal”, meaning that they walked on their two (hind) legs. Some dinosaurs (e.g. Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus) were “quadrupedal”, meaning they walked on all four legs, and others (e.g. Edmontosaurus and Iguanodon are thought to have alternated between walking on two and four legs, depending on whether they were walking, running, browsing, grazing, etc.
The Active Wild Team
the spinosaurus on the picture should have a more fish-like tail.
Learning the total list.
Why giganotasaurus is not the king of dinosaurs ?
Gigga is smaller and weaker then the trex. Dunno why Ark has it as the strongest dinosaur.
How are the ichthyosaurs classified? I guess they diverged before the archosaurs evolved, and then the dinosaurs branched off from them. I live in Nevada, and we have a state park devoted to their fossils.
Great question!
The early evolution of the ichthyosaurs is quite cloudy but yes, what you say does seem to be the case.
The early ancestors of ichthyosaurs probably branched off from other diapsid reptiles in the early Triassic, before the emergence of the archosaurs.
The dinosaurs then evolved from the archosaur branch (not from the Ichthyosaur branch, which became extinct in the Cretaceous).
We assume you mean the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park? It sounds a fascinating area and we would love to visit it one day!
Regards,
The Active Wild Team
Lirainosaurus , ichthyosaurs, brontosaurs, silvisaurus some dinosaurs you forgot
Fact:
Stegosaurus pump blood into their plates and it goes different colours and also it is used to scare other predators away.
Fact:
Ankylosaurus’ tail can break a T. rex’s bones in 1 swipe
Fact
The stego pumped blood into the plates on there back and it comes in so many different colours and it is used to scare the apponents away
Fact.
The bone on the tail of a ankilosaurus can break a trex’s bone in 1 shot
What about cryolophosaurus I heard about this on dinosaur king plz can give me a description of what it looks like and facts about it thx
crest on back of head and about the same size of a carnotaurus lived in jurassic period.
why you don’t add dinosaur like Therizinosaurus,velociraptor and maiasaura
i forgot to add utahraptor
others that should be here
stigmyloch
pachycephalausaurus
argentinosaurus
mosasaurus
dimetrodon
pteranodon
pterodactyl
camarasaurus
kentosaurus
amarasaurus
dilophosaurus
INDOMINUS REX
INDORAPTOR
elasmosaurus
styracosaurus
Fun fact, pterodactyls aren’t actually dinosaurs.
Triceratops is not in the list
Pachycephalosaurus should be on the list.
The gigantosaurus is bigger than the spino by far it was like x2 bigger than it
You should add stuff like Therizinosaurus and Deinocheirus and Erlikasaurus. You could also add Ostafrikasaurus and Irriator and more.
I’d love to see Microraptor, Eustreptospondylus, Majungasaurus, Carcharodontosaurus and Argentinosaurus.
Never heard of
Chunkingosaurous
Hyayangosayrous
Struthiomimus
Camarasauros
Metriacantyosaurus
Crichtonsaurus
I am a bit of a Dino nerd I know quite a bit about dinos but not them names thx
Hi . Could you please add these prehistoric reptiles? (Acanthostegha,Panderichthys,Gorgonichys)
Great suggestions (we’ve never even heard of #3!). They’re not dinosaurs, so we may add them to a prehistoric animals page in the future.
Thanks again 🙂
Sorry to be that guy but…. In your article of Carnotaurus you say it is the only horned theropod, this is inaccurate. Ceratosaurus was a horned as well. On that note I love that you describe Carnotaurus as being agile and an exceptional hunter. I have read other articles that say the meat eating bull was a slow scavenger. Looking at the skeleton you can definitely tell this creature could run fast and be agile.
Hi Chad,
No need to apologize, we appreciate your comment. You’re quite correct; Ceratosaurus did indeed have horns (the genus name even means ‘horned lizard’). We’ve amended the Carnotaurus page accordingly.
Regards,
The Active Wild Team
I wonder is there a specific site that has a lot of dinosaurs i have been to zoom it is awesome but i need more I would love to see new ones. i have 7 books but a lot of the dinosaurs are multiple . I heard there were new dinosaurs i am not sure but i think China .i am kind of addicted but i wish some of them would of survived .
Hi Sheila,
Check out these pages: Triassic Dinosaurs, Jurassic Dinosaurs and Cretaceous Dinosaurs for more dinos!
Why their name end with sauras what does it mean
Hi,
Good question. ‘Saurus’ comes from ancient Greek and means ‘lizard’ or ‘reptile’.
Love your animals and facts sheets. Our staff provide 14 supported playgroups across Canterbury Bankstown NSW and teach children and parents about animals and many more topics. Would love your newsletter. Love science and exposing children to a significant area.
Regards,
Marg. Family Worker/Team leader
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated!
All the best to you, your staff and pupils 🙂
Regards,
The Active Wild Team
P.S. If there’s anything that we can do to improve the site / worksheets then we’re all ears. Let us know via our contact page.
I would love to see these dinosaurs included:
– chungkingosaurus
– huayangosaurus
– gallimimus
– struthiomimus
– camarasaurus
– majungasaurus
– ceratosaurus
– metriacanthosaurus
– crichtonsaurus
and more!
Wow, what a great list! We’re impressed!
You’ll find a few of them on our Jurassic and Cretaceous dino pages, but we’ll try to include all of them eventually.
Thank you for your excellent suggestions.
Thank you! I hadn’t seen the other pages, I’ll check them out!
hey so you know how their are like 700 species of dinos, i know somewhere out their, there is like 5,000 more to find. we aren’t looking in the right places. i have been studying dinos since i first learned about them which was ten years ago when i was five. you should add all of them well most of them. some i dont know others i have known for a while.
Sincerely,
Dom, 15 year old from PA
Hi Dom,
Thank you for your comment. It’s good to hear from a young paleontologist. Perhaps one day we’ll add all of them!
Where are all the other dinos?
Hi,
See our reply to Kirsten’s comment above! 🙂
What is the name of the bird pictured with the Triceratops? There is no information given on this.
Hi,
Thank you for your comment, well spotted!
It’s actually a pterosaur – a flying reptile – rather than a bird.
The actual species isn’t given. However, judging by the crest we think it may be a member of the family Pteranodontidae, which, like Triceratops, were around in North America in the Late Cretaceous period.
We hope this helps!
Regards,
The Active Wild team.
you should add all dinos
Hi, thank you for your comment.
We’d love to add all the dinosaurs, but the Mesozoic Era lasted around 180 million years – that’s a lot of dinosaurs!
We’re always adding new dinosaurs to this list, and to other pages on Active Wild.
Check out these pages to see even more dinos:
Triassic Dinosaurs
Jurassic Dinosaurs
Cretaceous Dinosaurs
thanks for the help im 10 yr old filipino girl tthat i like the movie jurrasic world now im taking notes about dinasaurs i learned a lot your AWESOME
… thank you for your comment, it’s good to hear from a fellow dinosaur fan! 🙂
Compsognathus was one of the smallest dinosaurs. I think it should be on the list.
Good call, we’re on it!
Acanthostega is an amphibian, not a reptile. And by the endings of the other two, I don’t know who hat they are, they seem like fish, again not a reptile.
good idea and a micro raptor
How do you find the dinosaurs bone,s?
Dinosaur bones are found in numerous ways. Sometimes the fossilized remains are found by mistake – for example when foundations for new buildings are being excavated.
Other times, paleontologists organize “digs” in known fossil-holding areas.
There are several “dinosaur hotspots” around the world with the right geological characteristics for the preservation of dinosaur remains.
The Active Wild Team