PBDB

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Included Taxa
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Megalosauroidea

Reptilia

Taxonomy

Megalosauroidea was named by Nopcsa (1928).

It was reranked as the superfamily Megalosauroidae by Hay (1930); it was reranked as the superfamily Megalosauroidea by Walker (1964), Kuhn (1966), Charig (1967), Osmólska and Roniewicz (1970), Haubold (1971), Haubold (1974), Holtz (1995), Carrano et al. (2012) and Hendrickx and Mateus (2014).

It was assigned to Saurischia by Nopcsa (1928); to Theropoda by Hay (1930) and Kuhn (1966); to Carnosauria by Charig (1967); to Carnosauria by Walker (1964), Osmólska and Roniewicz (1970), Haubold (1971) and Haubold (1974); to Orionides by Carrano et al. (2012); and to Tetanurae by Holtz (1995) and Hendrickx and Mateus (2014).

Subtaxa

Megalosauria, Megalosauridae (syn. Erectopodidae, Bahariasauridae, Torvosauridae), Piatnitzkysauridae, Sciurumimus, Spinosauridae (syn. Irritatoridae)

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1928	Megalosauroidea Nopcsa p. 183
1930	Megalosauroidae Hay p. 169
1964	Megalosauroidea Walker p. 128
1966	Megalosauroidea Kuhn p. 96
1967	Megalosauroidea Charig p. 714
1970	Megalosauroidea Osmólska and Roniewicz p. 7
1971	Megalosauroidea Haubold p. 77
1974	Megalosauroidea Haubold p. 46
1995	Megalosauroidea Holtz, Jr. p. 35A
2012	Megalosauroidea Carrano et al. p. 251
2014	Megalosauroidea Hendrickx and Mateus p. 12

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
—	Sauropsida
class	Reptilia
subclass	Eureptilia	()

Rank	Name	Author
—	Romeriida
—	Diapsida	()
—	Archosauromorpha	(Huene 1946)
—	Crocopoda
—	Archosauriformes	Gauthier 1986
—	Eucrocopoda
—	Archosauria	()
informal	Avemetatarsalia
—	Ornithodira
—	Dinosauromorpha
—	Dinosauriformes
—	Dinosauria	()
—	Saurischia	()
—	Theropoda	()
—	Neotheropoda
—	Averostra	Paul 2002
—	Tetanurae
—	Orionides
superfamily	Megalosauroidea	()
superfamily	Megalosauroidea	()

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.

Superfm. †Megalosauroidea Nopcsa 1928

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Unr. †Megalosauria Bonaparte 1850

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G. †Streptospondylus Meyer 1832

†Streptospondylus altdorfensis Meyer 1832

Invalid names: Laelaps gallicus Cope 1867 [synonym]

Fm. †Megalosauridae Fitzinger 1843

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Subfm. †Afrovenatorinae Carrano et al. 2012

G. †Leshansaurus Li et al. 2009

†Leshansaurus qianweiensis Li et al. 2009

Subfm. †Eustreptospondylinae Paul 1988

G. †Afrovenator Sereno et al. 1994

†Afrovenator abakensis Sereno et al. 1994

G. †Dubreuillosaurus Allain 2005

†Dubreuillosaurus valesdunensis Allain 2002

G. †Eustreptospondylus Walker 1964

†Eustreptospondylus oxoniensis Walker 1964

G. †Magnosaurus Huene 1932

†Magnosaurus nethercombensis Huene 1923

Subg. †Megalosaurus (Poekilopleuron) Eudes-Deslongchamps 1837

†Poecilopleuron minor Owen 1878

†Poekilopleuron bucklandii Eudes-Deslongchamps 1837

Invalid names: Megalosaurus poikilopleuron Huene 1923 [objective synonym]

G. †Piveteausaurus Taquet and Welles 1977

†Piveteausaurus divesensis Walker 1964

Subfm. †Megalosaurinae Nopcsa 1928

G. †Duriavenator Benson 2008 [Dorset hunter]

†Duriavenator hesperis Waldman 1974

G. †Megalosaurus Parkinson 1822

Subg. †Megalosaurus (Deinodon) Leidy 1857

†Megalosaurus bucklandii Mantell 1827

†Megalosaurus dapukaensis Zhao 1985

†Megalosaurus tibetensis Zhao 1985

Invalid names: Megalosaurus conybearei Ritgen 1826 [nomen nudum], Megalosaurus dunkeri Dames 1884 [nomen dubium]

G. †Torvosaurus Galton and Jensen 1979

†Torvosaurus gurneyi Hendrickx and Mateus 2014

†Torvosaurus tanneri Galton and Jensen 1979

Invalid names: Edmarka rex Bakker et al. 1992 [synonym]

Invalid names: Edmarka Bakker et al. 1992 [synonym], Megalosaurus ingens Janensch 1920 [nomen dubium]

G. †Wiehenvenator Rauhut et al. 2016

†Wiehenvenator albati Rauhut et al. 2016

Invalid names: Bahariasauridae Huene 1948 [synonym], Erectopodidae Huene 1932 [synonym], Megalosauridae Nopcsa 1901 [empty], Torvosauridae Jensen 1985 [synonym]

Fm. †Piatnitzkysauridae Carrano et al. 2012

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G. †Condorraptor Rauhut 2005

†Condorraptor currumili Rauhut 2005

G. †Marshosaurus Madsen, Jr. 1976

†Marshosaurus bicentesimus Madsen, Jr. 1976

G. †Piatnitzkysaurus Bonaparte 1979

†Piatnitzkysaurus floresi Bonaparte 1979

G. †Xuanhanosaurus Dong 1984

†Xuanhanosaurus qilixiaensis Dong 1984

G. †Sciurumimus Rauhut et al. 2012

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†Sciurumimus albersdoerferi Rauhut et al. 2012

Fm. †Spinosauridae Stromer 1915

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Subfm. †Baryonychinae Charig and Milner 1986

G. †Baryonyx Charig and Milner 1986

†Baryonyx walkeri Charig and Milner 1986

Unr. †Ceratosuchopsini Barker et al. 2021

G. †Ceratosuchops Barker et al. 2021

†Ceratosuchops inferodios Barker et al. 2021

G. †Riparovenator Barker et al. 2021

†Riparovenator milnerae Barker et al. 2021

G. †Suchomimus Sereno et al. 1998

†Suchomimus tenerensis Sereno et al. 1998

G. †Protathlitis Santos-Cubedo et al. 2023

†Protathlitis cinctorrensis Santos-Cubedo et al. 2023

G. †Vallibonavenatrix Malafaia et al. 2019

†Vallibonavenatrix cani Malafaia et al. 2019

Invalid names: Cristatusaurus Taquet and Russell 1998 [nomen dubium], Suchosaurus Owen 1842 [nomen dubium]

G. †Iberospinus Mateus and Estraviz-López 2022

†Iberospinus natarioi Mateus and Estraviz-López 2022

Subfm. †Spinosaurinae Sereno et al. 1998

G. †Angaturama Kellner and Campos 1996

†Angaturama limai Kellner and Campos 1996

G. †Camarillasaurus Sánchez-Hernández and Benton 2014

†Camarillasaurus cirugedae Sánchez-Hernández and Benton 2014

G. †Ichthyovenator Allain et al. 2012

†Ichthyovenator laosensis Allain et al. 2012

G. †Irritator Martill et al. 1996

†Irritator challengeri Martill et al. 1996

G. †Sigilmassasaurus Russell 1996

G. †Spinosaurus Stromer 1915

†Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Stromer 1915

Invalid names: Oxalaia quilombensis Kellner et al. 2011 [synonym], Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis Russell 1996 [synonym], Spinosaurus marrocanus Russell 1996 [synonym]

Invalid names: Oxalaia Kellner et al. 2011 [synonym]

Invalid names: Spinosaurini Arden et al. 2019 [empty]

Invalid names: Irritatoridae Martill et al. 1996 [synonym], Siamosaurus Buffetaut and Ingavat 1986 [nomen dubium], Sinopliosaurus fusuiensis Hou et al. 1975 [nomen dubium]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
B. F. Nopcsa 1928	bipedal; bones not pneumatic; eeth with trenchant and serrated edges; manus undergoing reduction; pes with well-developed hallux which functions as a grasping organ.

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:

100 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: base of the Rhaetian to the top of the Middle Campanian or 208.50000 to 70.60000 Ma

Collections (262 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Oldest occurrences
Rhaetian	208.5 - 201.3	France (Franche-Comte)	Megalosaurus sp. (90877)
Early/Lower Jurassic	201.3 - 174.1	China (Xizang)	Megalosaurus tibetensis (165590)
Middle Toarcian	182.0 - 175.6	Argentina (Chubut)	Piatnitzkysaurus floresi (28534)
Late/Upper Toarcian - Early/Lower Bajocian	180.1 - 168.4	Argentina (Chubut)	Condorraptor currumili (46550 75891)
Middle Jurassic	174.1 - 163.5	China (Xizang Zizhiqu)	Megalosaurus dapukaensis (53673)
Early/Lower Bajocian	171.6 - 168.4	United Kingdom (England)	Megalosaurus nethercombensis (52530)
Late/Upper Bajocian	171.6 - 167.7	United Kingdom (England)	Megalosaurus bucklandi (52319)
Late/Upper Bajocian - Bathonian	171.6 - 166.1	United Kingdom (England)	Loxodonta africana (59715)
Bajocian	170.3 - 168.3	United Kingdom (England)	Megalosaurus bucklandi (52539) Megalosaurus sp. (52541 52572 52573)
Bajocian	170.3 - 168.3	China (Sichuan)	Xuanhanosaurus qilixiaensis (28232)
Youngest occurrences
Time interval	Ma	Country or state	PBDB collection number
Early/Lower Cenomanian	99.6 - 93.5	Egypt (Matruh)	Spinosaurus aegyptiacus (25127 49330) Spinosaurus sp. B (51748)
Early/Lower Cenomanian	99.6 - 93.5	Niger (Agadez)	Spinosauridae indet., Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis (58577)
Early/Lower Cenomanian	99.6 - 93.5	Morocco (Drâa-Tafilalet)	Spinosauridae indet. (90078 141307 163919 163920 163921 163922 163923) Spinosaurus aegyptiacus (58519 60002) Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis (25325 123828) Spinosaurus sp. (96223 115155 144705 155212 163916 163917 163918)
Middle Turonian - Late/Upper Turonian	93.5 - 89.3	Argentina (Río Negro)	Spinosauridae indet. (61237)
Early/Lower Coniacian	89.3 - 85.8	Belgium (Hainaut)	Megalosaurus sp. (188778)
Santonian	86.3 - 83.6	Antarctica	Tetanurae indet. (47823)
Middle Santonian	85.8 - 83.5	China (Henan)	Baryonychinae indet. (97943)
Middle Campanian	83.5 - 70.6	Egypt (Al Wadi al Jadid)	Spinosaurus sp. (54083 97761)
Maastrichtian	72.1 - 66.0	Madagascar (Mahajanga)	Megalosauridae indet. (199756)
Maastrichtian	72.1 - 66.0	India (Andhra Pradesh)	Megalosaurus sp. (58100)