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Ceratosauria (ceratosaur)

Reptilia - Theropoda

Taxonomy
Cerastosauria was named by Marsh (1884).

It was reranked as the unranked clade Ceratosauria by Gauthier and Padian (1985), Gauthier (1986), Gauthier et al. (1989), Rowe (1989), Rowe and Gauthier (1990), Benton (1990), Osmolska (1990), Novas (1992), Sereno et al. (1994), Holtz (1994), Pérez-Moreno et al. (1994), Sereno (1995), Holtz and Padian (1995), Holtz (1995), Currie (1997), Sereno (1997), Sereno (1998), Holtz (1998), Sampson et al. (1998), Sereno (1999), Holtz (2000), Rauhut (2003), Wilson et al. (2003), Tykoski and Rowe (2004), Rauhut (2004), Yates (2005), Ezcurra (2006), Mateus et al. (2006), Ezcurra and Cuny (2007), Ezcurra et al. (2010), Carrano et al. (2012), Gasparini et al. (2015), Gianechini et al. (2015), Longrich et al. (2017), Poropat et al. (2020), Zaher et al. (2020), Baiano et al. (2020), Delcourt and Iori (2020), Baiano et al. (2021), Méndez et al. (2022) and Giaretta et al. (2023); it was corrected as Ceratosauria by Marsh (1885), Marsh (1895), Marsh (1896), Paul (1988), Bonaparte (1991), Long and Murry (1995), Sereno and Brusatte (2008), Pol and Rauhut (2012), Hendrickx and Mateus (2014), Cerroni et al. (2020), Aranciaga Rolando et al. (2021), Iori et al. (2021), Gianechini et al. (2021), Baiano et al. (2022), Juarez et al. (2023), Pol et al. (2024), Pradelli et al. (2024) and Averianov et al. (2024).

It was assigned to Paleotheropoda by Paul (1988); to Theropoda by Benton (1990) and Zaher et al. (2020); to Neotheropoda by Sereno et al. (1994), Sereno (1995), Sereno (1997), Sereno (1998), Holtz (1998), Sampson et al. (1998), Sereno (1999), Holtz (2000), Rauhut (2003), Yates (2005), Mateus et al. (2006), Gianechini et al. (2015) and Baiano et al. (2021); to Theropoda by Gauthier and Padian (1985), Gauthier (1986), Gauthier et al. (1989), Rowe (1989), Rowe and Gauthier (1990), Osmolska (1990), Novas (1992), Holtz (1994), Pérez-Moreno et al. (1994), Holtz and Padian (1995), Holtz (1995), Currie (1997), Wilson et al. (2003), Tykoski and Rowe (2004), Rauhut (2004), Sereno and Brusatte (2008), Pol and Rauhut (2012), Gasparini et al. (2015), Longrich et al. (2017), Poropat et al. (2020), Cerroni et al. (2020), Baiano et al. (2020), Delcourt and Iori (2020), Aranciaga Rolando et al. (2021), Iori et al. (2021), Gianechini et al. (2021), Baiano et al. (2022), Méndez et al. (2022), Juarez et al. (2023), Giaretta et al. (2023) and Averianov et al. (2024); to Theropoda by Marsh (1884), Marsh (1885), Marsh (1895), Marsh (1896), Bonaparte (1991), Long and Murry (1995) and Pol et al. (2024); and to Averostra by Ezcurra (2006), Ezcurra and Cuny (2007), Ezcurra et al. (2010), Carrano et al. (2012), Hendrickx and Mateus (2014) and Pradelli et al. (2024).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1870Megalosaurus meriani Greppin p. 118
1882Megalosaurus meriani Sauvage p. 8
1883Megalosaurus bredai Seeley p. 246 fig. 1
1884Megalosaurus meriani Dames p. 188
1884Cerastosauria Marsh p. 69
1885Ceratosauria Marsh p. 765
1887Megalosaurus meriani Koken p. 9
1888Megalosaurus bredai Lydekker pp. 168-169 fig. 27
1890Megalosaurus bredai Zittel p. 724
1892Megalosaurus bredai Ubaghs p. 27
1895Ceratosauria Marsh
1896Ceratosauria Marsh p. 240
1900Megalosaurus bredai Van Den Broeck p. 83
1901Megalosaurus meriani Nopcsa p. 200
1901Megalosaurus bredai Nopcsa p. 201
1909Megalosaurus bredai Dollo p. 104
1914Pterospondylus Huene p. 13
1914Pterospondylus trielbae Huene p. 13
1914Pterospondylus Jaekel pp. 195-195
1914Pterospondylus trielbae Jaekel pp. 195-196 fig. 22
1914Pterospondylus Jaekel p. 196 fig. 22
1914Pterospondylus trielbae Jaekel p. 196 fig. 22
1915Megalosaurus bredai Nopcsa p. 16
1920Pterospondylus Huene p. 162
1921Pterospondylus Huene p. 315
1921Pterospondylus trielbae Huene p. 315 fig. 1
1922Megalosaurus meriani Huene p. 80
1923Megalosaurus bredai Nopcsa p. 108
1926Labrosaurus meriani Huene p. 81
1926Ornithomimidorum bredai Huene p. 88
1928Megalosaurus bredai Depéret and Savornin pp. 262-263
1928Pterospondylus Nopcsa p. 183
1930Orthogoniosaurus Das-Gupta p. 367 fig. 1
1930Orthogoniosaurus matleyi Das-Gupta p. 367 fig. 1
1930Orthogoniosaurus Das-Gupta p. 369
1932Dolichosuchus Huene
1932Betasuchus Huene pp. 70-71
1932Betasuchus bredai Huene pp. 70-71
1938Pterospondylus trielbae Schmidt p. 68
1939Dolichosuchus Kuhn p. 33
1939Pterospondylus Kuhn p. 34
1939Pterospondylus trielbae Kuhn p. 34
1939Labrosaurus meriani Kuhn p. 43
1939Betasuchus Kuhn p. 56
1939Betasuchus bredai Kuhn p. 56
1939Orthogoniosaurus Kuhn p. 76
1939Orthogoniosaurus matleyi Kuhn p. 76
1956Dolichosuchus Romer p. 611
1956Betasuchus Romer p. 613
1956Orthogoniosaurus Romer p. 616
1960Megalosaurus bredai Jeletzky p. 35
1964Dolichosuchus Tatarinov p. 530
1964Betasuchus Tatarinov p. 535
1964Orthogoniosaurus Tatarinov p. 537
1965Dolichosuchus Simmons p. 57
1966Betasuchus Romer p. 369
1966Dolichosuchus Romer p. 369
1966Orthogoniosaurus Romer p. 369
1970Dolichosuchus Steel p. 10
1970Betasuchus Steel p. 19
1970Betasuchus bredai Steel p. 19
1970Orthogoniosaurus Steel p. 36
1970Orthogoniosaurus matleyi Steel p. 36
1971Megalosaurus bredai Dinca et al. p. 90
1971Dolichosuchus Kuhn p. 15
1978Dolichosuchus Anderson and Cruickshank p. 31
1985Ceratosauria Gauthier and Padian pp. 189-190 fig. 2
1986Dolichosuchus Battail p. 47
1986Ceratosauria Gauthier p. 55 fig. 9
1988Betasuchus Carroll
1988Ceratosauria Paul p. 255
1989Ceratosauria Gauthier et al. p. 347
1989Ceratosauria Rowe
1990Ceratosauria Benton p. 19
1990Labrosaurus meriani Meyer p. 395
1990Ceratosauria Osmolska p. 149
1990Ceratosauria Rowe and Gauthier p. 152
1991Ceratosauria Bonaparte p. 22
1992Betasuchus bredai Le Loeuff et al. p. 337
1992Ceratosauria Novas p. 140
1994Ceratosauria Holtz
1994Ceratosauria Pérez-Moreno et al. p. 184 fig. 1
1994Ceratosauria Sereno et al. p. 268 fig. 3
1995Ceratosauria Holtz, Jr. p. 35A
1995Ceratosauria Holtz, Jr. and Padian p. 35A
1995Ceratosauria Long and Murry p. 186
1995Ceratosauria Sereno p. 52A
1997Ceratosauria Currie p. 732
1997Ceratosauria Sereno p. 444
1998Ceratosauria Holtz, Jr. p. 39
1998Betasuchus Le Loeuff p. 53
1998Betasuchus bredai Le Loeuff p. 53
1998Ceratosauria Sampson et al. p. 1050 fig. 3
1998Ceratosauria Sereno p. 64
1999Ceratosauria Sereno p. 2138 fig. 2
2000Ceratosauria Holtz, Jr. p. 14
2000Ceratosaurus meriani Olshevsky p. 106
2003Ceratosauria Rauhut p. 135
2003Ceratosauria Wilson et al.
2004Dolichosuchus Carrano and Sampson p. 551
2004Pterospondylus Carrano and Sampson p. 551
2004Ceratosauria Rauhut p. 895
2004Ceratosauria Tykoski and Rowe p. 48
2005Ceratosauria Yates p. 118 fig. 9
2006Ceratosauria Ezcurra p. 657 fig. 3
2006Ceratosauria Mateus et al. p. 123
2007Ceratosauria Ezcurra and Cuny p. 78 fig. 6
2008Ceratosauria Sereno and Brusatte p. 17
2009Betasuchus bredai Buffetaut
2010Ceratosauria Ezcurra et al. p. 14 fig. 8
2012Ceratosauria Carrano et al. p. 248 fig. 7
2012Ceratosauria Pol and Rauhut p. 1
2014Ceratosauria Hendrickx and Mateus
2015Ceratosauria Gasparini et al.
2015Ceratosauria Gianechini et al. p. 2
2015Betasuchus bredai Torices et al. p. 615
2017Ceratosauria Longrich et al.
2020Ceratosauria Baiano et al.
2020Ceratosauria Cerroni et al. p. 7
2020Ceratosauria Delcourt and Iori
2020Ceratosauria Poropat et al. p. 284
2020Ceratosauria Zaher et al.
2021Ceratosauria Aranciaga Rolando et al. p. 3
2021Ceratosauria Baiano et al.
2021Ceratosauria Gianechini et al. p. 4
2021Ceratosauria Iori et al. p. 4
2022Ceratosauria Baiano et al. p. 4
2022Betasuchus bredai Isasmendi et al. p. 23
2022Ceratosauria Méndez et al. p. 2
2023Ceratosauria Giaretta et al.
2023Ceratosauria Juarez et al. p. 6
2024Ceratosauria Averianov et al. p. 1
2024Ceratosauria Pol et al. p. 6
2024Ceratosauria Pradelli et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
RankNameAuthor
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
Romeriida
Diapsida()
Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
Crocopoda
ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
Eucrocopoda
Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauria()
orderTheropoda
suborderCeratosauria()
suborderCeratosauria()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Subor. †Ceratosauria Marsh 1884 [ceratosaur]
show all | hide all
Fm. †Abelisauridae Bonaparte and Novas 1985
+
Unr. †Brachyrostra Canale et al. 2008
+
G. †Aucasaurus Coria et al. 2002
+
Aucasaurus garridoi Coria et al. 2002
G. †Dahalokely Farke and Sertich 2013
+
Dahalokely tokana Farke and Sertich 2013
G. †Ekrixinatosaurus Calvo et al. 2004
+
Ekrixinatosaurus novasi Calvo et al. 2004
Unr. †Furileusauria Filippi et al. 2016
+
Subfm. †Abelisaurinae Paul 1988
+
G. †Abelisaurus Bonaparte 1984
G. †Niebla Aranciaga Rolando et al. 2021
G. †Caletodraco Buffetaut et al. 2024
+
Caletodraco cottardi Buffetaut et al. 2024
G. †Carnotaurus Bonaparte 1985
+
Carnotaurus sastrei Bonaparte 1985
G. †Elemgasem Baiano et al. 2022
+
Elemgasem nubilus Baiano et al. 2022
G. †Koleken Pol et al. 2024
+
Koleken inakayali Pol et al. 2024
G. †Llukalkan Gianechini et al. 2021
+
Llukalkan aliocranianus Gianechini et al. 2021
G. †Pycnonemosaurus Kellner and Campos 2002
+
Pycnonemosaurus nevesi Kellner and Campos 2002
G. †Quilmesaurus Coria 2001
+
Quilmesaurus curriei Coria 2001
G. †Viavenator Filippi et al. 2016
+
Viavenator exxoni Filippi et al. 2016
G. †Guemesia Agnolín et al. 2021
+
Guemesia ochoai Agnolín et al. 2021
G. †Ilokelesia Coria and Salgado 2000
+
Ilokelesia aguadagrandensis Coria and Salgado 2000
G. †Rahiolisaurus Novas et al. 2010
+
Rahiolisaurus gujaratensis Novas et al. 2010
G. †Skorpiovenator Canale et al. 2008 [scorpion hunter]
+
Skorpiovenator bustingorryi Canale et al. 2008
G. †Thanos Delcourt and Iori 2020
+
Thanos simonattoi Delcourt and Iori 2020
Invalid names: Carnotaurini Coria et al. 2002 [empty]
Subfm. †Carnotaurinae Sereno 1998
+
Tr. †Majungasaurini Tortosa et al. 2014
+
G. †Arcovenator Tortosa et al. 2014
+
Arcovenator escotae Tortosa et al. 2014
G. †Genusaurus Accarie et al. 1995
+
Genusaurus sisteronis Accarie et al. 1995
G. †Indosaurus Huene 1933
+
Indosaurus matleyi Huene 1933
G. †Majungasaurus Lavocat 1955
+
Majungasaurus crenatissimus Depéret 1896
+
Invalid names: Majungatholus atopus Sues and Taquet 1979 [synonym]
Invalid names: Majungatholus Sues and Taquet 1979 [synonym]
G. †Rajasaurus Wilson et al. 2003
+
Rajasaurus narmadensis Wilson et al. 2003
G. †Indosuchus Huene 1933
+
Indosuchus raptorius Huene 1933
G. †Kryptops Sereno and Brusatte 2008
+
Kryptops palaios Sereno and Brusatte 2008
G. Kurupi Iori et al. 2021
+
Kurupi itaata Iori et al. 2021
G. †Lametasaurus Matley 1924
+
Lametasaurus indicus Matley 1924
G. †Rugops Sereno et al. 2004
+
Rugops primus Sereno et al. 2004
G. †Spectrovenator Zaher et al. 2020
+
Spectrovenator ragei Zaher et al. 2020
G. †Tarascosaurus Le Loeuff and Buffetaut 1991
+
Tarascosaurus salluvicus Le Loeuff and Buffetaut 1991
G. †Tralkasaurus Cerroni et al. 2020
+
Tralkasaurus cuyi Cerroni et al. 2020
G. †Xenotarsosaurus Martínez et al. 1986
+
Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei Martínez et al. 1986
Invalid names: Coeluroides Huene 1933 [nomen dubium], Compsosuchus Huene 1933 [nomen dubium], Compsosuchus solus Huene 1933 [nomen dubium], Dryptosauroides Huene 1933 [nomen dubium], Megalosaurus chubutensis del Corro 1974 [nomen dubium]
Superfm. †Abelisauroidea Bonaparte 1991
+
G. †Eoabelisaurus Pol and Rauhut 2012
+
Eoabelisaurus mefi Pol and Rauhut 2012
Fm. †Vitakrisauridae Malkani 2010
+
G. †Samanadrinda Malkani 2007
+
Samanadrinda surghari Malkani 2007
Subfm. †Vitakrisaurinae Malkani 2010
+
G. †Vitakridrinda Malkani 2004
+
Vitakridrinda sulaimani Malkani 2004
G. †Vitakrisaurus Malkani 2010
+
Vitakrisaurus saraiki Malkani 2010
Invalid names: Rajasaurinae Malkani 2010 [empty]
Invalid names: Abelisauria Novas 1992 [synonym], Ornithomimoides Huene 1933 [nomen dubium], Ornithomimoides barasimlensis Huene 1933 [nomen dubium], Ornithomimoides mobilis Huene 1933 [nomen dubium]
G. †Berberosaurus Allain et al. 2007
+
Berberosaurus liassicus Allain et al. 2007
Fm. †Ceratosauridae Marsh 1884
+
G. †Fosterovenator Dalman 2014
+
Fosterovenator churei Dalman 2014
Invalid names: Ceratosaurus roechlingi Janensch 1925 [nomen dubium], Labrosauridae Marsh 1882 [synonym]
Superfm. †Ceratosauroidea Novas?
+
Unr. †Etrigansauria Delcourt 2018
+
G. †Chenanisaurus Longrich et al. 2017
+
Chenanisaurus barbaricus Longrich et al. 2017
G. †Ceratosaurus Marsh 1884
+
+
Invalid names: Ceratosaurus dentisulcatus Madsen Jr. and Welles 2000 [synonym], Ceratosaurus magnicornis Madsen Jr. and Welles 2000 [synonym]
Invalid names: Ceratosaurus stechowi Janensch 1920 [nomen dubium]
G. †Genyodectes Woodward 1901
+
Genyodectes serus Woodward 1901
Fm. †Noasauridae Bonaparte and Powell 1980
+
G. †Austrocheirus Ezcurra et al. 2010
+
Austrocheirus isasii Ezcurra et al. 2010
G. †Berthasaura de Souza et al. 2021
+
Berthasaura leopoldinae de Souza et al. 2021
G. †Deltadromeus Sereno et al. 1996
+
Deltadromeus agilis Sereno et al. 1996
Subfm. †Elaphrosaurinae Rauhut and Carrano 2016
+
G. †Elaphrosaurus Janensch 1920
+
Elaphrosaurus bambergi Janensch 1920
G. †Limusaurus Xu et al. 2009
+
Limusaurus inextricabilis Xu et al. 2009
G. †Himalayadrinda Malkani 2015
+
Himalayadrinda potwari Malkani 2015
G. †Huinculsaurus Baiano et al. 2020
+
Huinculsaurus montesi Baiano et al. 2020
G. †Kiyacursor Averianov et al. 2024
+
Kiyacursor longipes Averianov et al. 2024
G. †Laevisuchus Huene 1933
+
Laevisuchus indicus Huene 1933
+
Invalid names: Jubbulpuria tenuis Huene 1933 [synonym]
Invalid names: Jubbulpuria Huene 1933 [synonym]
G. †Ligabueino Bonaparte 1996
+
Ligabueino andesi Bonaparte 1996
Subfm. †Noasaurinae Paul 1988
+
G. †Masiakasaurus Sampson et al. 2001
+
Masiakasaurus knopfleri Sampson et al. 2001
G. †Noasaurus Bonaparte and Powell 1980
+
Noasaurus leali Bonaparte and Powell 1980
G. †Velocisaurus Bonaparte 1991
+
Velocisaurus unicus Bonaparte 1991
G. †Vespersaurus Langer et al. 2019
+
Vespersaurus paranaensis Langer et al. 2019
Invalid names: Velocisauridae Bonaparte 1991 [synonym]
G. †Saltriovenator Dal Sasso et al. 2018
+
Saltriovenator zanellai Dal Sasso et al. 2018
G. †Spinostropheus Sereno et al. 2004
+
Spinostropheus gautieri Lapparent 1960
Invalid names: Betasuchus Huene 1932 [nomen dubium], Dolichosuchus Huene 1932 [nomen dubium], Megalosaurus meriani Greppin 1870 [nomen dubium], Neoceratosauria Novas 1991 [empty], Orthogoniosaurus Das-Gupta 1930 [nomen dubium], Pterospondylus Jaekel 1914 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Entire body: yeso
Adult length: 10 to < 100o
Adult width: 1.0 to < 10o
Adult height: 1.0 to < 10o
Maximum body mass: 3000 kgg
Minimum body mass: 3 kgg
Architecture: compact or denseo
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partso
Grouping: solitaryo
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: carnivoreo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2004-12-14 12:50:08
Modified: 2004-12-14 14:50:08
Source: g = genus, o = order
References: Marsh 1875, Peczkis 1995

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Carnian to the top of the Late/Upper Maastrichtian or 237.00000 to 66.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 228.0 Ma

Collections (276 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Carnian237.0 - 228.0Italy (Pisa) Ceratosauria indet. (96712)
Norian228.0 - 208.5USA (New Mexico) Ceratosauria indet. (57071)
Norian228.0 - 208.5USA (Arizona) Ceratosauria indet. (92850)
Rhaetian208.5 - 201.3Germany (Sachsen-Anhalt) Pterospondylus trielbae (22684)
Early/Lower Sinemurian196.5 - 189.6Italy (Lombardy) Theropoda indet. (13310)
Pliensbachian - Toarcian190.8 - 174.1Morocco (Ouarzazate) Theropoda indet. (56130)
Middle Jurassic174.7 - 161.5Pakistan (Punjab) Samanadrinda surghari (80011) Theropoda indet. (80012)
Aalenian - Early/Lower Bajocian174.1 - 168.4Argentina (Chubut) Eoabelisaurus mefi (130985)
Bathonian168.3 - 166.1Madagascar (Mahajanga) Ceratosauria indet. (88178) Neoceratosauria indet. (55318 55319 55393 55747)
Early/Lower Bathonian167.7 - 164.7United Kingdom (England) Ceratosauria indet. (31054)
Oxfordian163.5 - 157.3China (Xinjiang) Limusaurus inextricabilis (58489 90081 107804)
Oxfordian - Kimmeridgian163.5 - 152.1Argentina (Chubut) Abelisauridae indet. (221058 221059)
Late/Upper Jurassic161.5 - 145.0Niger (Agadès) Ceratosauria indet. (224317)
Late/Upper Jurassic161.5 - 145.0Niger (Agadez) Abelisauridae indet. (59643)
Late/Upper Oxfordian - Kimmeridgian161.2 - 152.1China (Xinjiang) Ceratosauria indet. (47056)
Late/Upper Oxfordian - Early/Lower Kimmeridgian161.2 - 150.8USA (Wyoming) Ceratosaurus sp. (126540)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1USA (Wyoming) Elaphrosaurus sp. (58510)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1USA (Utah) Ceratosaurus nasicornis (64053)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1USA (Colorado) Ceratosaurus sp. (154924)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1Portugal (Leiria) Ceratosaurus sp. (24563)