This is an incomplete list that briefly describes vertebrates that were extant during the Maastrichtian, a stage of the Late Cretaceous Period which extended from 72.1 to 66 million years before present. This was the last time period in which non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs existed.
†Amphibians of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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105.3–65.043 Ma, Albian to Maastrichtian | Canada
USA |
A salamander-like albanerpetontid that thrived in North America and Europe from the Early Cretaceous to the late Pliocene. | ![]() ![]() |
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70 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A horned frog. The largest frog to ever live, known to have grown to over 40 cm (16 in) and 4 kg (8.8 lb). | |
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Maastrichtian to Danian | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA |
A large sirenid, about the size of a hellbender. The palate is specialized for crushing, suggesting it may have fed on hard-bodied prey. | |
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Hell Creek Formation, Montana USA | A proteid closely related to the modern mudpuppies. | ||
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Maastrichtian to Thanetian | Wyoming & Montana, USA | A scapherpetontid salamander, one of the largest-known salamanders. | |
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125–60.5 Ma, Aptian to Selandian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
|
A little-known frog. |
†Ankylosaurs of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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68.5–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid. The largest-known ankylosaur, estimated at 9 m (30 ft) and up to 6 tonnes (13,000 lb). | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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72.8–67 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A medium-sized ankylosaurine ankylosaurid with a wide, pointed tail club. | |
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74–70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Santa Marta Formation, James Ross Island, Antarctica | A medium-sized parankylosaur, reaching no more than 4 m (13 ft) in length, with characteristics of both polacanthids and nodosaurs. | |
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66 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | An ankylosaur, originally described as a stegosaur. | |
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68–66 Ma | Lance Formation, South Dakota, USA | An ankylosaur, originally described as a species of Edmontonia | |
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76.5–69 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada
Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA
|
A nodosaur estimated to be roughly 6.6 m (22 ft) long. | |
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69–66 Ma | Ojo Alamo Formation, New Mexico, USA | A nodosaur once thought to be a species of Edmontonia. | |
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73-69 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Allen Formation, Argentina | A small nodosaur, the first euankylosaur from South America | |
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99-71 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | Huiquanpu Formation, Shanxi, China | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid which a few scientists consider a possible synonym of Tianzhenosaurus. | |
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74–71 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Dorotea Formation, Chile | A small-sized Parankylosaur. | |
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85–66 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | A struthiosaurine nodosaur, one of the smallest-known and most basal nodosaurs from the Late Cretaceous. | |
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84.9–70.6 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Ömnögovi Province, Mongolia | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid, and one of the geologically youngest-known Asian ankylosaurs. It has an estimated body length of 8 to 8.5 meters (26 to 28 ft) and weighing as much as 4.5 tonnes (5.0 short tons). | |
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99–70.6 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | Huiquanpu Formation, Shanxi, China | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid. Suggested by some to be a junior synonym of Saichania. |
†Thescelosaurids of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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70 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A parksosaur that is one of the few basal neornithischians from the end of the Cretaceous. |
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68–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA
Scollard Formation, Alberta, Canada |
A parksosaur known from several partial skeletons. |
†Ornithopods and †Hypsilophodonts of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
|
72-70 Ma | Tremp Formation, Spain | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur |
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70-66 Ma | Udurchukan Formation, China, Russia | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur | |
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66 Ma | Spain | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur | |
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70–66 Ma | Moreno Formation, California, USA | A saurolophine hadrosaur originally thought to be a species of Saurolophus. | |
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70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A hadrosaur originally described as a lambeosaurine, now believed to instead be a saurolophine. | |
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66 Ma | Aren Formation, Spain | A medium-sized lambeosaurine hadrosaur | |
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67.5–66 Ma | Marnes d'Auzas Formation, Haute-Garonne, France | A recently found lambeosaurine hadrosaur. | |
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66 Ma | Yuliangze Formation, Heilongjiang, China | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur appearing similar in skull shape to Parasaurolophus. It was a very large lambeosaurine, with an estimated length of around 10 m (33 ft) long. | |
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73–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Laramie Formation, Colorado, USA
|
A well-known genus of saurolophine hadrosaur. E. annectens has been previously named Anatosaurus and Anatotitan. This was one of the largest hadrosaurids, measuring up to 12 m (39 ft) long and weighing around 4.0 metric tons (4.4 short tons). | |
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70 Ma | Iren Dabasu Formation, Inner Mongolia, China | A hadrosauroid originally assigned as a species of Mandschurosaurus. | |
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83–74 Ma | Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada
Two Medicine Formation, Montana, USA Kaiparowits Formation, Utah, USA | ||
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70 Ma | Xingzhuang Formation, Shandong, China | A large saurolophine hadrosaur, some of its estimated dimensions include a length of 18.7 m (61 ft) and a height of 11.3 m (37 ft) (in a tripodal posture) makes it one of the largest ornithopods known. | |
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75–67 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur that has a tall, hollow rounded crest similar to Corythosaurus. The animal is estimated to have been around 9.1 m (30 ft) long, and to have weighed up to 4.0 tonnes (4.4 tons). | |
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72.4-70.6 Ma | Hakobucho Formation, Mukawa, Hokkaido, Japan | An Edmontosaurini Saurolophine | |
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66 Ma | Udurchukan Formation, Amur Oblast, Russia | A saurolophine hadrosaur. | |
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67.5–66 Ma | Tremp Formation, Province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur | |
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74–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Kirtland Formation, New Mexico, USA | A saurolophine hadrosaur | |
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67–66 Ma | Udurchukan Formation, Amur Oblast, Russia | A saurolophine hadrosaur | |
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76–70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Allen Formation, La Pampa Province, Argentina | A hadrosaur named in honor the late collector Jose Cholino. It is one of the few hadrosaurs to live in Gondwana. | |
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66 Ma | Yuliangze Formation, Heilongjiang, China | A poorly-known hadrosaur. | |
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Nanxiong Formation, Guangdong, China | A hadrosaur based on juvenile remains. | ||
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70–66 Ma | Snow Hill Island Formation, James Ross Island, Antarctica | An elasmarian iguanodont that was a medium-sized animal. The descriptors were able to establish some distinctive features. Two of these are autapomorphies, i.e. derived features that are unique. In bottom view, the greater trochanter of the femur has an undulating profile with a thick edge output and a main thin edge. The fourth metatarsal bone has a triangular profile with a rearward projection that wraps around her and the third metatarsal. In addition, there is a unique combination of two features that by themselves are not unique features. In the femur, the lesser trochanter is inclined diagonally, right next to the greater trochanter. In the tibia, medial malleolus has a triangular outline view showing a front concave surface. | |
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72.1–66 Ma, Maastrichtian | Guangxi, China | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur known from an incomplete skeleton including skull, arm, and hip remains. The first hadrosaur discovered in southern China. | |
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72–66 Ma | durchukan Formation, Amur Oblast, Russia | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur. | |
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66 Ma | Maastricht Formation, Limburg, Netherlands | An obscure genus of hadrosaur. In the past it was conflated with the much better known Telmatosaurus. | |
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67.5–66 Ma | Tremp Formation, Province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain | A lamebosaurine hadrosaur | |
|
67.5–66 Ma | Spain | A rhabdodontid known from a scapula. | |
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70–66 Ma | Romania
Spain
|
A rhabdodontid common in Cretaceous Europe. | |
|
72–66 Ma | Ukraine | A genus of styracosternan ankylopollexian that was unearthed in Ukraine. | |
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68–66 Ma | Yuliangze Formation, Heilongjiang, China | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur known only from a few remains. | |
|
70–66 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada |
A saurolophine hadrosaur distinguished by a spike-like cranial crest. | |
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Argentina | A saurolophine hadrosaur once considered to be a species of Kritosaurus. It is one of the few Gondwanan hadrosaurs. | ||
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80–66 Ma | Lago Colhué Huapí Formation, Patagonia, Argentina | A possible elasmarian ornithopod from Patagonia. The first non-hadrosaurid ornithopod of central Patagonia. | |
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70 Ma | Wangshi Group, Shandong, China | A saurolophine hadrosaur, the largest-known Hadrosaur, and one of the largest-known ornithischians, estimated to be over 14.72 m (48.3 ft) in length and weighing as much as 16 tonnes (18 short tons). | |
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70–66 Ma | Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | A relatively small hadrosaur, approximately 5 m (16 ft) long. | |
|
70 Ma | Liburnia Formation, Province of Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy | A relatively small species of hadrosauroid. It had a length of about 4 m (13 ft) and a weight of 350 kilograms (770 pounds). | |
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66 Ma | Lance Formation, South Dakota, USA | A dubious saurolophine hadrosaur notable for its taxonomic history | |
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80–66 Ma | Snow Hill Island Formation, James Ross Island, Antarctica | An elasmarian iguanodont. | |
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70 Ma | Jingangkou Formation, Shandong, China | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur | |
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69.2 Ma | Colville River, Alaska, USA | A saurolophine hadrosaur, originally thought to be the bones of juvenile Edmontosaurus regalis. | |
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72 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico | A lambeosaurine hadrosaur known from a mostly complete skull and partial skeleton of a juvenile individual | |
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Campanian to Maastrichtian | Allen Formation, La Pamapa Province, Argentina | A saurolophine hadrosaur that had long spines on its pelvis and tail base. One of the few Gondwanan hadrosaurs. | |
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69-66 Ma | Yuliangze Formation, Heilongjiang, China | A basal saurolophine hadrosaur | |
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70-66 Ma | Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | A small but stoutly built rhabdodontid. |
†Ceratopsians of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid, and the first Ceratopsian known to science. Often considered a nomen dubium, provisionally considered a synonym of Triceratops. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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72–71 Ma | St. Mary River Formation, Alberta, Canada
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada |
A chasmosaurine ceratopsid with a distinctive frill lined with large epioccipitals. | |
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70.6–70 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid | |
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70 Ma | Javelina Formation, Texas, USA | A rare chasmosaurine ceratopsid that may be the sister taxon of Coahuilaceratops | |
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72.5–71.4 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid thought to possess among the largest horns of any dinosaur currently known, rivaling those of larger chasmosaurines like Triceratops and Torosaurus. | |
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68–67.6 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | One of the largest chasmosaurines and ceratopsians, weighing in at 10 tonnes and measuring 8.5 to 9 meters long | |
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83–69 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A bagaceratopsid known from the skull of a young individual. | |
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84.9–70.6 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | It is debated whether this is a bagaceratopsid or a protoceratopsid. | |
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68.8–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Lance Formation, Alberta, Canada
|
A leptoceratopsid | |
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69.5 Ma | Wangshi Group, Shandong, China | A basal ceratopsian, originally thought to be a pachycephalosaur, with the longest generic name of any dinosaur. | |
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70 Ma | St. Mary River Formation, Montana, USA | A leptoceratopsid distinguished by the presence of claws instead of hooves and having teeth in its upper jaw instead of a toothless beak. | |
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67–66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid that may be a specimen of Triceratops. | |
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68 Ma | Ojo Alamo Formation, New Mexico, USA | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid, possibly synonymous with Triceratops or Eotriceratops. | |
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73.5–68.5 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | St. Mary Formation, Montana, USA
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada
|
A common centrosaurine ceratopsid with large, thick bosses on the skull. The largest Pachyrhinosaurus species were 8 m (26 ft) long. This species is also regarded as the last of the North American centrosaurines before the K/T event. | |
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75–71 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A bagaceratopsid, sometimes considered synonymous with Bagaceratops. | |
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66 Ma | Denver Formation, Colorado, USA | A dubious chasmosaurine ceratopsid. It has sometimes been listed as a synonym of Agathaumas or Triceratops. | |
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83.5–70.6 Ma | Djadochta Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A common protoceratopsid. | |
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68.5–67.5 Ma | St. Mary River Formation, Alberta, Canada | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid named for its plated frill, which its describers thought looked somewhat like a crown. | |
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72-70 Ma | Hall Lake Formation, New Mexico, USA | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid related to Bravoceratops and Coahuilaceratops. | |
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72–70 Ma | Xingezhuang Formation, Shandong, China | A centrosaurine ceratopsid, currently the only known Asian Ceratopsid. | |
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66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid, probably a juvenile specimen of Triceratops. | |
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68–66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
|
A chasmosaurine ceratopsid with one of the largest skulls of any known land animal. Some researchers consider it an ontogenic stage of Triceratops. | |
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68–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA |
Possibly the most iconic ceratopsian, Triceratops May have grown up to 6.5 to 12 tonnes and measured 7.5 to 9 meters long. | |
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70 Ma | Wangshi Group, Shandong, China | A leptoceratopsid slightly larger than most adult specimens of the similar Leptoceratops. It is known from a partial articulated skeleton including vertebrae, ribs, teeth, and parts of the skull and mandibles. |
†Pachycephalosaurs of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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80–69 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Prince Creek Formation, Alaska, USA | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
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66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA | Named as a tribute to both dragons and the Harry Potter book series. Some paleontologists consider it a synonym of Stygimoloch or Pachycephalosaurus. | |
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76 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | Formally described from an incomplete skull, mandibles, and fragmentary postcranial material. | |
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70–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Lance Formation, Montana, USA |
The largest-known pachycephalosaur. It has been estimated that Pachycephalosaurus was around 4.5 m (15 ft) long and weighed 450 kilograms (990 pounds). | |
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68-66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | ||
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80-75 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | ||
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73–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada |
This species had a widespread distribution and a characteristically dome-shaped skull. | |
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80–70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | This species is estimated to have been about 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) in length, with the tallest dome of any known pachycephalosaur. |
†Sauropods of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
72-66 Ma | Angostura Colorada Formation; Bajo Barreal Formation; Los Alamitos Formation; Allen Formation all in Argentina; Adamantina Formation; Marília Formation, both in Brazil | A 14-meter-long (46 ft) aeolosaurid titanosaur | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
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70–66 Ma | Ojo Alamo Formation, New Mexico, USA
North Horn Formation, Utah, USA
|
An opisthocoelicaudiine saltasaurid that was one of the largest dinosaur known from North America. | |
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70–66 Ma | Marnes Rouges Inferieures Formation, France | Like most sauropods, this nemegtosaurid would have had a long neck and tail, but it also carried armor in the form of osteoderms 25–28 cm (9.8–11.0 in) long. The four osteoderms found have three different morphologies, they are plate, bulb, and spine-shaped. This dinosaur would have stretched up to about 15 m (49 ft) from snout to tail. | |
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70 Ma | Lago Colhué Huapi Formation, Argentina | ||
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66 Ma | Udurchukan Formation, Russia | A somphospondylan known from a few remains that were probably actually of a hadrosaur. | |
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75-70 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Argentina | A saltasaurid known from a partial skeleton, including a braincase and caudal vertebrae. It may be a saltasaurine. | |
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95 or 70 Ma, Cenomanian or Maastrichtian | Argentina | A little-known titanosaur known from a single jawbone, the maxilla, holding seven teeth. | |
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75 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Cerro Fortaleza Formation, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina | A giant titanosaur that is one of the largest of all known terrestrial vertebrates, possessing the greatest mass of any land animal that can be calculated with reasonable certainty, using limb bone measurements. It is known to be 26 m (85 ft) long in total body length and a 2-story-tall (6 m (20 ft)) shoulder height. | |
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66.7–66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Ganzhou Basin, Jiangxi Province, southern China | Likely more closely related to the basal somphospondylan, Euhelopus, than to titanosaurs, it might have been one of the latest surviving not-titanosaur sauropods. | |
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70 Ma | Adamantina Formation and Cambabe Formation, Brazil | An aeolosaurid titanosaur that had elongated centra in the vertebrae from the middle part of its tail. It had vertebral lateral fossae that resembled shallow depressions, similar to Saltasaurus, Alamosaurus, Malawisaurus and Aeolosaurus. | |
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95-72 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | Huiquanpu Formation, Shanxi, China | A titanosaur that was mid-sized by sauropod standards, closely related to Tangvayosaurus. | |
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70 Ma | Grès à Reptiles Formation, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France | A titanosaurid with proportionally robust legs. The eggs are also unusually large; measuring at around 1 foot (0.30 m) in length. | |
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70 Ma | Lameta Formation, Maharashtra, India | An antarctosaurid that had a "bizarre" appearance with a short, vertically directed neck and long forelimbs, making it considerably different from other sauropods. | |
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68 Ma | Lameta Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India | A large titanosaur that would have measured around eighteen meters long and held its head six meters high. No accurate estimate of the weight has yet been made. The humerus of the type specimen is 134 centimeters long. | |
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71 Ma | Allen Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina | A saltasaurine saltasaurid that, due to the presence of armor, was first thought to be an ankylosaur. | |
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71–66 Ma | Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | A nemegtosaurid that is one of the smallest-known species of sauropod, measuring only six meters in length. | |
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70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A nemegtosaurid with a skull resembling that of a diplodocoid in being long and low, with pencil-shaped teeth. | |
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80 Ma | Anacleto Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina
Uruguay |
A saltasaurine saltasaurid that is a relatively small sauropod, with a femur only 0.75 m (2 ft 6 in) long. It is one of the most completely known of Patagonian sauropods. | |
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70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An opisthocoelicaudiine saltasaurid that was a relatively small sauropod, measuring over 11 m (36 ft) from the head to the tip of the tail. It is one of the best-known sauropods from the Late Cretaceous. | |
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70-66 Ma | Hunedoara County, Romania | A titanosaur known from a partial skeleton. | |
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85–70 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A little-known nemegtosaurid. Its fossils consist solely of a partial skull. Long, low and horse-like with frontally located peg-like teeth, it is similar enough to the skulls of Diplodocus and its kin to have prompted informed speculation that the missing body was formed like those of diplodocids. It is possible that Nemegtosaurus, also known from only skull material, is a very close relative of Quaesitosaurus, if not indeed a variation of the same animal. | |
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70–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A nemegtosaurid that was fairly modest in size, for a titanosaur, being less than half the length of Argentinosaurus and Paralititan. | |
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75-70 | Allen Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina | ||
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85-70 Ma | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina
Uruguay |
A well-known saltasaurine saltasaurid. Relatively small among typically-sized sauropods, though still massive by the standards of modern terrestrial creatures, Saltasaurus is characterized by a diplodocid-like head (with blunt teeth, only in the front of the mouth). It was the first genus of sauropod known to possess armour of bony plates embedded in its skin. The small bony plates (osteoderms) have since been found on other titanosaurs. When the plates of a saltasaur were originally found, independently of skeletal remains, they were assumed to be from an ankylosaur, whose plates they resemble. A crest of scutes has also been discovered running down the back of diplodocid sauropods. | |
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70 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | A dubious titanosaurid estimated to have grown up to 9–12 m (30–39 ft) long and about 13 tons in weight. Titanosaurus has traditionally been treated as a "wastebin taxon" for poorly preserved sauropod remains that demonstrate a distinctive vertebrae anatomy. The original Titanosaurus remains consist only of limb bones and a few vertebrae that have these characteristics. However, discoveries of more and better-preserved titanosaur species have shown that these once distinctive features are in fact widespread across many genera. Therefore, Titanosaurus itself is considered a nomen dubium by most paleontologists, since the original Titanosaurus specimens cannot be distinguished from those of related genera. | |
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67 Ma | Marilia Formation, Brazil | A little-known titanosaur known from specific bones including neck, back, and tail vertebrae, pelvic bones and limb bones. | |
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70–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A rare titanosaur coexisting with the more common Rapetosaurus. It is distinguished from other titanosaurs by characteristics of its braincase, including the basal tubera, basipterygoid processes, parasphenoid, and cranial nerve foramina. Differences in the braincases of Vahiny and Rapetosaurus indicate that they are not closely related to one another. Vahiny is most similar to Jainosaurus, and bears similarities to Muyelensaurus and Pitekunsaurus. |
†Non-avian theropods of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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71–68 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | An albertosaurine tyrannosaurid |
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70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A tyrannosauroid | |
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70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An ornithomimid with more powerful forelimbs than other orinithomimids. | |
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70 Ma | Iren Dabasu Formation, Inner Mongolia, China | An ornithomimid, originally thought to have lived from the Cenomanian to the Turonian. | |
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66 Ma | Maastricht Formation, Limburg, Netherlands | One of the few abelisaurs to be found in the Northern Hemisphere. | |
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72–66 Ma | La Colonia Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina | A highly derived carnotaurine abelisaurid | |
70-66 Ma | Navesink Formation, New Jersey | In 1979, Baird and Horner discovered that the name "Coelosaurus" was preoccupied by another dubious taxon (based on a single vertebra), named Coelosaurus by an anonymous author now known to be Richard Owen in 1854. | ||
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66 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | A small, little-known theropod. | |
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69 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | A poorly-known theropod | |
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68-66 Ma | Ouled Abdoun Basin in Morocco, Africa | A species of predatory abelisaurid theropod. | |
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71–69 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A very large and distinctive ornithomimosaur | |
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70-66 Ma | Navesink Formation, New Jersey, USA | A dubious tyrannosauroid, possibly a synonym of Dryptosaurus. | |
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66 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | A dubious abelisaurid. | |
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67 Ma | New Jersey, USA | A primitive tyrannosaur and among the first theropod dinosaurs known to science. | |
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70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An ornithomimid that was one of the largest ornithomimosaurs. | |
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69 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | A majungasaurine abelisaurid. | |
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70–66 Ma | Lameta Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India | A carnotaurine abelisaurid, very similar to Indosaurus. | |
Hawke's Bay Region, North Island, New Zealand | A little-known theropod with no official scientific name as of yet. | |||
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70 Ma | Lameta Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India | A poorly-known theropod that may have been a ceratosaur. | |
|
70 Ma | Lameta Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India | Originally thought to be a coelurid coelurosaur, now considered a noasaurid abelisaur. | |
|
70 Ma | Lameta Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India | A possibly dubious carnotaurine abelisaurid, originally considered a possible chimera. | |
|
66 Ma | Chorrillo Formation, Santa Cruz, Argentina | The largest megaraptorid. | |
|
70–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A majungasaurine abelisaurid. | |
|
70 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A noasaurid ceratosaur. | |
|
69.1 Ma | Prince Creek Formation, Alaska, USA | A small tyrannosaurid | |
|
70 Ma | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina | A noasaurid originally thought to be a dromaeosaur. | |
|
70–66 Ma | India | A dubious theropod that was probably a small variety of abelisaur. | |
|
75.5–66, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Denver Formation, Colorado, USA
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada
|
A well-known ornithomimid. | |
|
66 Ma | Lameta Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India | A poorly-known theropod, possibly an abelisaur. | |
|
70 Ma | Mato Grosso, Brazil | A carnotaurine abelisaurid known so far from fragmentary remains. | |
|
72–66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Guangdong, China | A tyrannosaurid nicknamed "Pinocchio rex" for its long snout in comparison to other known tyrannosaurs. A close relative of Alioramus. | |
|
99.7–66 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | Qiupa Formation, Henan, China | An Ornithomimid | |
|
Campanian to Maastrichtian | Allen Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina | A carnotaurine abelisaurid. | |
|
72.1–66 Ma | Lameta Formation, Gujarat, India | A large-sized majungasaurine abelisaurid similar to the closely related Rajasaurus. | |
|
69 Ma | Lameta Formation, Gujarat, India | A majungasaurine abelisaurid | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A dubious tyrannosaurid known from only juvenile remains, possibly synonymous with Tarbosaurus. | |
|
76.5–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Aguja Formation, Texas, USA | A little-known coelurosaur known from a few jaws and teeth. | |
|
75–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
|
An ornithomimid | |
|
70-66 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid, sometimes considered an Asian species of Tyrannosaurus. | |
|
68–66 Ma | *Hell Creek Formation, Montana & South Dakota, USA
|
Probably the most iconic dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus is a tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid. The largest-known Tyrannosaruoid and among the last large non-avian dinosaurs. It is also one of the largest theropod dinosaurs to have ever lived, and one of the largest carnivores to have ever roamed North America | |
|
69 Ma | Pab Formation, Pakistan | An abelisaurid known from partial remains. | |
|
70 Ma | Vitaki Formation, Pakistan | A rare noasaurid. |
†Maniraptora (non-avian)
[edit]†Non-avian theropods of the Maastrichtian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
|
66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | The youngest-known velociraptorine dromaeosaur. |
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|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A dromaeosaur unique in having relatively small sickle claws on its hind feet. | |
|
70 Ma | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An oviraptorid. Originally called Ingenia, a name already preoccupied by a nematode. | |
|
68.5 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A parvicursorine and the earliest-known North American alvarezsaurid. | |
|
66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana & South Dakota, USA | A caenagnathine caenagnathid, originally thought to be a species of Chirostenotes. Anzu measured about 3 to 3.5 meters (9.8 to 11.5 ft) long, up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall at the hips and 200 to 300 kg (440 to 660 lb) in weight. | |
|
68.5 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A dromaeosaur | |
|
70 Ma | Allen Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina | An unenlagiine and the largest dromaeosaur from the Southern Hemisphere. | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A caenagnathoid oviraptorosaur | |
|
66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Jiangxi, China | An oviraptorine oviraptorid | |
|
70 Ma | Argentina | A patagonykine alvarezsaurid | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A troodontid | |
|
70 Ma | Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | An alvarezsaurid, formerly believed to be a giant owl | |
|
84–70 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A parvicursorine alvarezsaurid. | |
|
70-66 Ma | Red Beds of Hermiin Tsav, Nemegt Formation, Mongolia | A heyuannin oviraptorid. | |
|
66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, China | ||
|
66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA | A very large dromaeosaur; possibly a chimaeric genus. | |
|
80-69.7 Ma | Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada
Prince Creek Formation, Alaska, USA | ||
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An elmisaurine caenagnathid, once thought to be a Mongolian species of Chirostenotes. | |
|
70 Ma | Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | A largely viewed as dubious maniraptoran, possibly a troodontid, originally believed to be a pelecaniform bird. | |
|
72 Ma | Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A caenagnathine caenagnathid originally thought to be the same species as Chirostenotes. | |
|
85 Ma | Iren Dabasu Formation, Inner Mongolia, China | A therizinosauroid that, for a therizinosaur, had a rather short neck. | |
|
92-70 Ma | Portugal | A troodontid with teeth similar to those of Paronychodon. | |
|
72-66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Jiangxi, China | An oviraptorine oviraptorid distinguished by a combination of primitive and derived features. | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An oviraptorid. | |
|
67 Ma | Sânpetru Formation, Hunedaora County, Romania | An alvarezsaurid originally presumed to be a giant prehistoric owl. | |
|
70-66 Ma | Dalangshan Formation, Guangdong, China | An oviraptorine that was the first oviraptorid found in China. | |
|
70 Ma | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A halszkaraptorine dromaeosaur. | |
|
71 Ma | Snow Hill Island Formation, James Ross Island, Antarctica | A paravian, one of the first non-avian theropods described from Cretaceous Antarctica. | |
|
72–66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Jiangxi, China | An oviraptorid similar to Heyuannia | |
|
99.7–66 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | Qiupa Formation, Henan, China | A moderately sized dromaeosaur, and the first Asian dromaeosaurid described from outside the Gobi Desert or northeastern China. | |
|
75–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Aguja Formation, Texas, USA |
A elmisaurine caenagnathid that was once thought to be a species of Chirostenotes. | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A parvicursorine alvarezsaurid | |
|
72–66 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Jiangxi, China | A caenagnathoid oviraptorosaur | |
|
67 Ma | Nanxiong Formation, Jiangxi, China | A therizinosaurid | |
|
85 Ma | Iren Dabasu Formation, Inner Mongolia, China | A therizinosauroid | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An oviraptorine oviraptorid | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An oviraptorid characterized by a pygostyle-like mass of five fused vertebrae at the tail end, which probably supported a feather fan like Caudipteryx. | |
|
69-66 Ma | Ojo Alamo Formation, New Mexico, USA | A caenagnathid known from an incomplete pair of fused pubic bones. | |
|
75-66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, North Dakota, USA
Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA |
A disputed coelurosaur, mainly believed to be a troodontid. | |
|
66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A troodontid that has been historically considered synonymous with Troodon, now a valid genus. | |
|
70.6 Ma | France | A dromaeosaur known only from a few bones: the distinctive foot claws, as well as fossilized teeth, arm and vertebrae. | |
|
70 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A small unenlagiine dromaeosaur with possible gliding abilities | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | An oviraptorid originally classified as a species of Oviraptor | |
|
77–69 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Canada
USA |
A saurornitholestine dromaeosaur that was more long-legged and lightly built than other dromaeosaurs. | |
|
70 Ma | Guangdong, China | An oviraptorid | |
|
67.6-66 Ma | Talarn Formation, Spain | A jinfengopterygine troodontid, the first known from Europe. | |
|
75-66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A therizinosaurid, one of the last and largest therizinosaurs. | |
|
69 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A relatively large troodontid. | |
|
77.5–71 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Judith River Formation, Montana US | A troodontid, from the late Cretaceous known from a few teeth. | |
|
70 Ma | Grès à Reptiles Formation, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France | A dromaeosaur | |
|
75–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Djadochta Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A velociraptorine dromaeosaur, one of the most familiar genera. | |
|
99.7–66 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | Qiupa Formation, Henan, China | One of the smallest-known oviraptorids. | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A troodontid, originally classified as a species of Saurornithoides. |
Birds of the Maastrichtian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
|
70 Ma | Los Alamitos Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina | A basal euornithine, possibly a patagopterygiform. |
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|
66–55 Ma, Maastrichtian to Danian | Hornerstown Formation, New Jersey, USA | An anseriform, possibly resembling the magpie goose. | |
|
70 Ma | Kazakhstan | A hesperornithine that lived on the shores of the shallow Turgai Sea. | |
|
70.6–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | A genus of avisaurid enantiornithine that is known from the humid low-lying swamps, lakes and river basins of the western shore of the Western Interior Seaway. | |
|
70 Ma | Sebes Formation, Alba County Romania | An avialian from Romania | |
|
80.5-66 Ma | Frenchman Formation, Alberta & Saskatchewan, Canada
Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA
|
A freshwater, possibly flighted hesperornithine dating back to the Campanian. | |
|
67 Ma | Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada | A genus of hesperornithine that, unlike its relatives which are mainly known from subtropical or tropical waters, seemed to have ranged in temperate or even subarctic areas. | |
|
66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A charadriiform that might be mistaken for an anseriform. | |
|
66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA |
A fairly small charadriiform, with a maximum size about equal to that of a small gull. | |
|
70 Ma | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina | A euenantiornithine. | |
|
70 Ma | Argentina | Among the largest enantiornithines discovered to date, having an ecological niche resembling that of a mid-sized accipitrid. | |
|
73.5-71.5 Ma | Marnes Rouges Inferieures Formation, France | A large flightless euornithine bird that occupied an ecological niche somewhat similar to that of modern ratites or certain non-avian dinosaurs. Its eggs were previously attributed to titanosaurs. | |
|
68-62 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A charadriiform that lived on the shores of the northwestern Atlantic and the Western Interior Seaway. | |
|
70–66 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A euenantiornithine known from three partial bones. | |
|
83.5–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | |||
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A basal hesperornithine that, unlike its relatives, apparently lived in estuaries and rivers from the mountains thrown up by the Cimmerian Orogeny through the arid lands of continental East Asia towards the Turgai Sea and the former Shigatze Ocean. | |
|
66–63 Ma, Maastrichtian to Danian | Hornerstown Formation, New Jersey, USA | A neognath that may have been semiaquatic. | |
|
70.6–66 Ma | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina | A genus of euenantiornithine with uncertain evolutionary affinities, it had legs resembling and a body approximately the size of a modern curlew. | |
|
75–70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina
Gres a Reptiles Formation, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France |
A euenantiornithine known mostly from a collection of humeruses per species. | |
|
70–67 Ma | Quiriquina Formation, Quiriquina Island, Chile | A rare hesperornithine closely related to Baptornis (yet some believe it to be a gaviiform). Though apparently somewhat migratory, it is only known from temperate to warm subtropical climates, and it seems that towards the end of the Cretaceous their range shifted towards the South Pole. | |
|
76.5-66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A poorly-known bird that is sometimes believed to be an early charadriiform or galliform. It is now primarily known to be an ambiortiform. | |
|
66 Ma | Lopez de Bertodano Formation, Seymour Island, Antarctica | A gaviiform that was semiaquatic is suggested to be flightless or near-flightless, feeding on fish and large invertebrates. It was very similar to its loon relatives, as well as to grebes, hesperornithines, and penguins. | |
|
66 Ma | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A hesperornithine with unclear relationships. | |
|
70 Ma | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina | An avisaurid known from only a few remains. | |
|
71–68 Ma | Navesink Formation, New Jersey, USA | A charadriiform with grebe-like forelimbs | |
|
70 Ma | Nemegt Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A presbyornithid known from pieces of a crushed right forelimb. | |
|
66 Ma | Hornerstown Formation, New Jersey, USA | A little-known bird of unclear affiliations. | |
|
68–66 Ma | Lopez de Bertodano Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica | An anseriform known from very few bones. | |
|
70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A euornithine sometimes confused with Rahonavis, a confusion that has led to the common misconception that Vorona had a dromaeosaur-like sickle claw on each foot. | |
|
70.6–66 Ma | Lecho Formation, Salta Province, Argentina | A small, little-known euenantiornithine that may have been adapted for swimming. |
Cartilaginous fish of the Maastrichtian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
|
A myliobatiform ray whose genus survived into the Lutetian. | ![]() | ||
Turonian to Ypresian | ||||
100–0 Ma, Cenomanian to present | ||||
70–0 Ma, Maastrichtian to present | ||||
|
||||
|
80–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | New Zealand |
Crocodylomorphs of the Maastrichtian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
|
Early Campanian - Late Maastrichtian 83.5–66 Ma | France,
Spain, Italy, and Slovenia |
Initially placed within Alligatoridae but has since been reclassified as a more basal globidontan, the oldest and most primitive known to date. |
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|
72.1–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A notosuchian. | |
|
84.9–66.043 Ma | Conques Formation, Province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain
Romania |
An average-sized eusuchian, growing to around 3 m (9.8 ft) long. The main feature that distinguishes this species from other related crocodylomorphs is the orientation of a groove at the back of the skull called the cranioquadrate passage; unlike the cranioquadrate passages of other crocodylomorphs, which are only visible at the back of the skull, the cranioquadrate passage of this variety is visible when the skull is viewed from the side. | |
|
125–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A uruguaysuchid that can be distinguished by their laterally bulged edges of the snout, with the bulge being the most prominent around the area of an enlarged maxillary tooth. | |
|
67.6–66 Ma | Tremp Formation, Province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain | A crocodyloid known a partial skull and four teeth. One feature linking it to early crocodilians is the contact of the frontal bones with the margin of the supratemporal fenestrae, two holes in the top of the skull. The frontal bone is also unusual in that its front end is extremely long. A sharp projection of the frontal divides the nasal bones, making up most of the midline length of the snout. Usually, the nasal bones would occupy the midline and the frontal would be restricted near the eye sockets. Near the frontal, the lacrimal bones are unusually wide in comparison to their length. | |
|
~72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A notosuchian. | |
|
~72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A trematochampsid. | |
|
~72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A baurusuchid notosuchian. | |
|
Late Cretaceous–Eocene | Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming | A medium-sized crocodilian genus that lived into the Eocene. Borealosuchus sternbergii is the most basal out of the six species in the genus and the one known from the Cretaceous. | |
|
83.5–63.3 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | A globidontan distinguished by an enlarged fourth maxillary tooth in the upper jaw. Its genus dates back to the Campanian and lived until the Danian. | |
|
~72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A genus of possible notosuchid notosuchian. | |
|
~72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A baurusuchid. | |
|
72.1–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A sphagesaurid. | |
|
72.1–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A sphagesaurid characterized by a unique combination of characters, including three autapomorphies such as a rostrum with horn-like tubercles on the maxilla and on the premaxilla. Caryonosuchus also has autapomorphic rough ornamentation with grooves and bony ridges on its rostrum. | |
|
Maastrichtian to Danian | Mali
Morocco |
A dyrosaurid with the shortest snout relative to the dorsal skull length among all dyrosaurids. | |
|
Late Cretaceous to early Paleocene | Ripley Formation, Mississippi | This genus is usually regarded as a gavialoid, one of the earliest and most basal known, though a recent study indicates that it was more likely to be a non-crocodilian eusuchian. It survived into the Paleocene. | |
|
70.6–66 Ma | Marilia Formation, Minas Gerais, Brazil | A trematochampsid known from a 370 mm skull, suggesting a total body length of about 3 m (9.8 ft). | |
|
70-66 Ma | Marilia Formation, Minas Gerais, Brazil | A notosuchian. | |
|
70–65 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A mahajangasuchid that was a fairly large predator, measuring up to 3 m (9.8 ft) with a weight up to 360 kg (790 lb). | |
|
84.9–66 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A notosuchian that may have had a pig-like diet and was almost certainly warm blooded. | |
|
74–70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A trematochampsid known from only a few remains. | |
|
~72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Brazil | A peirosaurid. | |
|
84.9–66 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A notosuchian. | |
|
70.6 to 66.043 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | A gavialoid a long snout with a tubular shape, wider than high. It is the oldest-known true crocodilian from Africa. | |
|
66 Ma | Pab Formation, Balochistan, Pakistan | A baurusuchid notosuchian. | |
|
68–66 Ma | Marilia Formation, Minas Gerais, Brazil | A peirosaurid with a ziphodont dentition that is somewhat heterodont, with conical premaxillary teeth and serrated maxillary and posterior mandibular teeth. The rostrum is laterally compressed with a grove between the maxilla and premaxilla to accommodate for an enlarged mandibular tooth. A maxillary wedge-like anterior process is also present. The external nares face slightly forward and anteriorly protrude. The dorsal osteoderms are thin and sculptured with low longitudinal keels while the abdominal ones are smaller and lack keels. | |
|
84.9–66 Ma | Presidente Prudente Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A peirosaurid. | |
|
Campanian to Maastrichtian | Vale do Rio do Peixe Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A baurusuchid. | |
|
66.043 to 61.7 Ma | Nigeria
Mali |
A dyrosaurid with an extremely elongated snout that makes up around 75% of the length of the entire skull. | |
|
72–68 Ma | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A member of itasuchidae, previously known as "Goniopholis" paulistanus. Known from teeth, splenials and dentaries. | |
|
130.0 to 66.043 Ma | Romania, Spain | A genus of neosuchian crocodyliform in the family Paralligatoridae. | |
|
70–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A ziphosuchian notosuchian which had teeth shapes like cloves, which coupled with its short and deep snout suggest it was not a carnivore like most other crocodylomorphs. In fact, these features have led many to consider it a herbivore. | |
|
84–70 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A sphagesaurid. | |
|
72.1–68 Ma, Santonian to Maastricthian | Adamantina Formation, Sao Paulo, Brazil | A baurusuchid | |
|
73.6–50.3 Ma, Campanian to Ypresian | Crimea
Maastrichter Tuffkreide Formation, Limburg, Netherlands
|
A fairly large gavialoid that comes in a number of species, but most are dubious. A recent study suggests that it might have been a non-crocodylian eusuchian | |
|
85–66 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Marilia Formation, Minas Gerais, Brazil | A peirosaurid that was about 2.5 m long and appears to have a high skull like that of the sebecosuchians, but differs from them in having teeth with circular cross-section. Thus, rather than slicing flesh and blood vessels, it is likely to have inflicted powerful crushing bites. It lived in an arid climate, indicating that it was likely a terrestrial predator. |
Bony fish of the Maastrichtian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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|
82–65 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Allen Formation, Argentina
Alberta & Saskatchewan, Canada
|
||
|
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | |||
Hell Creek Formation | A species of Gar | |||
Hell Creek Formation | A type of large fish of the order Amiiformes | |||
Hell Creek Formation | A type of paddlefish | |||
|
94.3–66 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | A voracious, predatory ichthyodectid, resembling a gargantuan, fanged tarpon. |
Mammals of the Maastrichtian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
|
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
New Mexico, USA
|
An opossum-like metathere that fed on fruits, invertebrates and possibly smaller vertebrates. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
|
70–66 Ma | La Colonia Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina | An allothere that is either a multituberculate or a gondwanathere. | |
|
Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | A small and very rare kogaionid. | ||
|
70–66 Ma | Intertrappean Beds, Telangana, India | A sudamericid known from a total of eight isolated teeth. | |
|
Mongolia | A cimolomyid known from incomplete remains. | ||
|
83–70 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Barun Goyot Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A djadochtatheriid that was originally regarded as a species of Djadochtatherium. One of its most characteristic features is a very deep anterior zygomatic ridge, and a small medial zygomatic ridge, the latter forming about a quarter of a circle and adhering the anterior one from behind. | |
|
Maastrichtian to Danian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Denver Formation, Colorado, USA |
An unspecified multituberculate known from small teeth of an eighth to a tenth of an inch in length. | |
|
75–56 Ma, Campanian to Thanetian | USA | A basal cimolestan that was once considered to be a marsupial, then a primitive placental mammal, but now is considered to be a member of the order Cimolesta (which was named after the genus), outside of placental mammals proper. | |
|
Campanian to Maastrichtian | USA
Saskatchewan, Canada |
A widespread cimolomyid that probably weighed about the same as a modern rat. | |
|
Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA | A eucosmodontid strictly known from tooth remains. | ||
|
Intertrappean Beds, Andhra Pradesh, India | Previously referred to as a palaeoryctid, but recent evidence has shown that it is probably the most basal euarchontan, probably more specifically an adapisoriculid. | ||
|
73–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Lance Formation, Wyoming, UA
|
A stagodont metathere that was one of the largest Mesozoic mammals. | |
|
84–70 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Djadochta Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A djadochtatheriid that was a relatively large multituberculate. It was originally diagnosed as an Asian species of Catopsalis. | |
|
Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Frenchman Formation, Saskatchewan, Canada
|
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|
70 Ma | Los Alamitos Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina | A ferugliotheriid with long upper and lower incisors that are rodent-like. | |
|
84.9–65 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Los Alamitos Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina | A sudamericid that, even though it lived earlier than Sudamerica, is considered more anatomically advanced. Thus, an ancestral lineage outlived their later, more specialized descendants. | |
|
70–65 Ma | Canada
USA |
||
|
Intertrappean Beds, Andhra Pradesh, India | The youngest eutriconodont known, as well as one of the largest Mesozoic mammals. | ||
|
Intertrappean Beds, Andhra Pradesh, India | Originally intrepreted as one of the earliest-known "condylarths", now possibly a zhelestid.[1] | ||
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66–63 Ma, Maastrichtian to Danian | Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico, USA | A ptilodontid that was briefly mistaken for Clemensodon. | |
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Sanpetru Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | An insectivorous kogaionid, based on a well-preserved skull. | ||
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70.6 Ma | Djadochta Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A djadochtatheriid with a skull length of perhaps 3 centimeters. | |
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71–65 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A sudamericid with high-crowned, curved teeth and probably ate hard plant material. | |
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Saskatchewan, Canada
Wyoming, USA |
One of the largest deltatheroidan carnivores.[2] | ||
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Dorotea Formation | Large mesungulatid meridiolestidan | ||
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Dorotea Formation | Unspecified therian mammal, the largest Mesozoic mammal of all time | ||
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Dorotea Formation | Platypus-like monotreme, earliest to occur in South America. | ||
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Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | An unspecified multituberculate closely related to Cimexomys. | ||
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66–63 Ma, Maastrichtian to Danian | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Tullock Formation, Montana, USA |
A non-placental eutherian.[3] | |
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70–66 Ma | Los Alamitos Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina
La Colonia Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina |
At first mistaken for either a dryolestid or a docodont, now known to be a meridiolestid dryolestoid. | |
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Intertrappean Beds, Andhra Pradesh, India | |||
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Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | |||
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Allen Formation, Rio Negro Province, Argentina | A ferugliotheriid known from one tooth, a first lower molar. | ||
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65 Ma | Madagascar | A caviomorph-like sudamericid with supersensory capabilities. | |
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84–70.6 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Djadochta Formation, Omnogovi Province, Mongolia | A hopping, insectivorous eutherian. |
†Plesiosaurs of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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83–70.6 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Alberta, Canada | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
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70–66 Ma | California, USA | An elasmosaur named after University of California Berkeley field assistant and specimen preparator Eustace Furlong. | |
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70–66 Ma | Quiriquina Formation, Quiriquina Island, Chile
Antarctica |
An aristonectine elasmosaur that has been classified variously since the 1941 description of it. It is now known to be an elasmosaurid. | |
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Mocuio Formation, Angola | |||
93.5–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Bearpaw Formation, Saskatchewan, Canada | A short-necked plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous. The only known specimens were found in Herschel, Saskatchewan at the Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre. | ||
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70.6–66 Ma | California, USA | An elasmosaur named in honor of Fresno County and Arthur Drescher. | |
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California, USA | An elasmosaur named for its discoverer, Annie Montague Alexander by Samuel Paul Welles. | ||
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70–69 Ma | Katiki Formation, Otago, South Island, New Zealand | A leptocleidid known from a single, nearly complete specimen. | |
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Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada | A little-known plesiosaur, probably either an elasmosaur or a late-surviving plesiosaurid. Offspring most likely spent their early lives in brackish rivers and estuaries. | ||
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80–69 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Conway Formation, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand | An elasmosaur that was the largest plesiosaur and, perhaps, the largest marine reptile in New Zealand waters at the time. | |
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93–70 Ma, Turonian to Maastrichtian | Manitoba, Canada | ||
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72-68 MA | Tahora Formation, New Zealand | ||
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Ouled Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco |
†Pterosaurs of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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70 Ma, Maastrichtian | Allen Formation, Argentina | Known to be the first unambiguous azhdarchid from South America. The wingspan has been estimated as at least 5 m (16 ft). | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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66 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | A tiny Nyctosaurid from Africa. | |
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70.6–66 Ma | Zarqa Governorate, Jordan | An azhdarchid known only from fragmentary remains, this pterosaur had a very complicated past. The neck vertebrae that the species is known from was highly elongated, more so then the vertebrae of Quetzalcoatlus; indicating that this creature was indeed quite large. | |
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66 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | A relatively large animal for a Nyctosaurid native to Africa. | |
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69 Ma | Sebes Formation, Alba County, Romania | A medium-sized azhdarchid (having an estimated wingspan of 3 meters) with some distinctive traits, all present in the cervical vertebrae. | |
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66 Ma | Densus-Ciula Formation, Hunedoara County, Romania | An azhdarchid known from incomplete remains. The skull fragments, left humerus, and other fossilized remains indicate it was among the largest pterosaurs, very similar (almost identical) to Quetzalcoatlus. The authors estimated the size of Hatzegopteryx by comparing the humerus fragment, 236 mm (9.3 in) long, with that of Quetzalcoatlus, of which one specimen has a 544 mm (1 ft 9.4 in) long humerus. Observing that the Hatzegopteryx fragment presented less than half of the original bone, they established that it could possibly have been "slightly longer" than that of Quetzalcoatlus. They noted that the wing span of the latter had in 1981 been estimated at 11 to 12 meters (36 to 39 ft), while earlier estimates had strongly exceeded this at 15 to 20 meters (49 to 66 ft). From this they concluded that an estimate of a 12 m (39 ft) wingspan for Hatzegopteryx was conservative if its humerus was indeed somewhat longer than that of Quetzalcoatlus. In 2003 they moderated the estimates to a close to 12 m (39 ft) wing span and an over 2.5 meters (8 feet 2 inches) skull length. In 2010 Mark Witton e.a. stated that any appearance that the Hatzegopteryx humerus was bigger than TMM 41450–3 had been caused by a distortion of the bone after deposition and that the species thus likely had no larger wingspan than Quetzalcoatlus, today generally estimated at 10 to 11 meters (33 to 36 ft). | |
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75.56–74.44 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | Kirtland Formation, New Mexico, USA | A pterosaur of uncertain affinities with an estimated wingspan of 3.5 m (11 ft). Its autapomorphies largely exist in the unique form of the process on the first wing phalanx for the extensor tendon. | |
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66 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | The first azhdarchid found in North Africa, as well as being unusual among azhdarchids for having elongate vertebrae at the base of the neck (also with neural spines), interpreted as modified dorsal vertebrae; the neck is also one of the most complete known for azhdarchids. The cervical vertebrae are thought to be a series from the fifth (the longest with a length of thirty centimeters) to the ninth. The individual to which the neck belonged would have had a wingspan of about 5 m (16 ft). | |
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68–66 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Javelina Formation, Texas, USA |
An azhdarchid named after the Mesoamerican Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Alongside Q. northropi, a second species exists without an official specific name yet, currently called Quetzalcoatlus sp.. One of the largest-known flying animals of all time, it had a stork-like lifestyle. When it was first discovered, scientists estimated that the largest Quetzalcoatlus fossils came from an individual with a wingspan as large as 15.9 m (52 ft), choosing the middle of three extrapolations from the proportions of other pterosaurs that gave an estimate of 11, 15.5 and 21 meters, respectively (36 feet, 50.85 feet, 68.9 feet). In 1981, further study lowered these estimates to 11–12 m (36–39 ft). More recent estimates based on greater knowledge of azhdarchid proportions place its wingspan at 10–11 meters (33–36 ft). It is known to have a scavenging lifestyle similar to a marabou stork, rather than a fishing lifestyle. | |
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66 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | A Nyctosaurid native to Africa. | |
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66 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | A late surviving Pteranodontid native to Africa. | |
*†Pterosauria indet
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70 to 66 Ma | Inter-trappean beds, India | The only late cretaceous Pterosaur native to India. |
Squamates of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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Netherlands | A mosasaurine mosasaur measuring approximately 3.5 m (11 ft) in length, making it one of the smallest-known mosasaurs. |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
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Hell Creek Formation, USA | An advanced snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement. | ||
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Morocco | |||
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84.9–70.6 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | USA | A mosasaurine mosasaur with teeth vastly different from other mosasaurs, as they were globular, as suggested in its generic name. While many other mosasaurs were capable of crushing the shells of ammonites, none were as specialized in dealing with armored prey like Globidens. Globidens, unlike most other mosasaurs, had semispherical teeth with rounded nubbin-like points, which were much better suited for crushing tough armored prey like smaller reptiles and mollusks. | |
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Sokoto State, Niger
Nigeria |
A mosasaur with an almost crocodilian-like head and was one of the few kinds to live in freshwater. It lived in rivers and hunted both aquatic and terrestrial animals in the area. | ||
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70.6–66 Ma | Sweden | A tylosaurine mosasaur that had more vertebrae in the neck and tail than its Tylosaurus cousin. It is one of the largest mosasaurs, though its size has been revised more than once. | |
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USA | With a length of 3–4 m (9.8–13.1 ft), this species of halisaurine mosasaur is small compared to most other mosasaurs. | ||
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70–65 Ma | Egypt | ||
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66 MA | Lopez de Bertodano Formation, Seymour Island, Antarctica | With a total length estimated over 10m (33 ft) this species is among the largest members of the Tylosaurines, And the only really large antarctic tylosaurine | |
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70–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | ||
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99.7–66 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | France
Netherlands
|
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Campanian to Maastrichtian | Madagascar
India |
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70–66 Ma | Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar | A madtsoiid snake that was probably fossorial, borrowing with its head. | |
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North Island, New Zealand | A mosasaurine mosasaur that was one of the largest of the mosasaurs. | ||
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70–66 Ma | Netherlands
USA |
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Romania | |||
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66–65 Ma | Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA
Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA |
A polyglyphanodontian lizard known from two lower jaw fragments, each less than a centimeter in length. It had a V-shaped connection between the two halves of the lower jaw, a slot-and-ridge type connection between the dentary bone of the lower jaw and another missing bone called the splenial bone, and teeth that are implanted within the jaw bone. Its jaw is thin and straight, unlike the curved jaws of most other polyglyphanodontians. Obamadon is estimated to have been about 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length and may have preyed on insects. It was named after United States president Barack Obama. | |
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California, USA | |||
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California, USA | A mosasaurine mosasaur that was probably a faster swimmer than most other mosasaurs. | ||
Utah, USA | ||||
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84.9–66 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | USA
Alberta, Canada
|
A mosasaurine mosasaur that had protective bony rings surrounding its eye sockets, indicating it lived in deep water. Its teeth are similar to those of some Triassic placodonts, so it may have lived a similar lifestyle, feeding on shellfish, large fish and sea turtles. | |
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68 Ma | Lameta Formation, India | A madtsoiid snake that is known to eat the eggs and hatchlings of dinosaurs. | |
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Campanian to Maastrichtian | Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA
Alberta, Canada |
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85.8–66.043 Ma, Santonian to Maastrichtian | Santa Marta Formation, James Ross Island, Antarctica
Conway Formation, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand
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A widespread tylosaurine mosasaur. T. owni was the first species discovered and the two other species (T. antarcticus and T. mikasaensis) were at first assigned to two different genera: Lakumasaurus and Yezosaurus. |
Testudines of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
USA | ||||
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Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | |||
75–66 Ma, Campanian to Maastrichtian | USA | |||
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66–56.8 Ma, Maastrichtian to Selandian | Hell Creek Formation, Wyoming, USA | ||
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Hell Creek Formation, Montana, USA | A dermatemydid that was a moderately-sized turtle up to 30 cm (12 in) long, with a carapace covered with raised, flattened tubercles, which are not seen in any other turtle. Similar to an alligator snapping turtle, with its sharply hooked beak; this relative of the Central American river turtle must have been a semiaquatic carnivore. | ||
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70–65 Ma | New Jersey & Maryland, USA | ||
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Hell Creek Formation, North Dakota, USA | A baenid that was similar to Palatobaena, but it differs in its lack of a posterior expansion of the triturating (or chewing) surface, a somewhat rectangular skull, and a wide angle between the maxillae. Gamerabaena also has a lingual ridge on the inner side of the jaw that is not seen in Palatobaena. It is named after Gamera, the kaiju created by the Daiei Motion Picture Company. | ||
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Jordan | A cheloniid sea turtle that was one of the largest sea turtles ever. | ||
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Hell Creek Formation, North Dakota, USA
Lance Formation, Wyoming, USA |
A softshell turtle that is known from five skulls, a mandible and an incomplete postcranial skeleton. One find consists of a nearly complete carapace and an isolated hyoplastral fragment. | ||
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70.6–65 Ma | Kallamedu Formation, India | ||
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67 Ma | Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco | A dermochelyid with a feeding apparatus unique among tetrapods and shares unique convergences with both syngnathids (unique long tubular bony snout ending in a rounded and forward directed mouth) and beaked whales (large size and elongated edentulous jaws). | |
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70.6–65 MA | Fort Union Formation, Wyoming, USA
Hell Creek Formation, North Dakota, USA |
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Campanian to Maastrichtian | La Colonia Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina | A little-known basal turtle. | |
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Hell Creek Formation, USA | |||
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Kansas, USA | A protostegid sea turtle that was at first mistakenly believed to be a hadrosaur by Edward Drinker Cope. | ||
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94–65, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | India |
Choristoderes of the Maastrichtian | ||||
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Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
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84.9–36 Ma, Santonian to Eocene | Alberta & Saskatchewan, Canada
Hell Creek Formation, Montana & Wyoming, USA |
A gharial-like champsosaurid that hunted in rivers and swamps, catching fish with its long, tooth-lined jaws. The genus survived until the Ypresian. | ![]() |
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167.7–70.6 Ma, Bathonian to Maastrichtian | USA
Canada |
A cteniogenid originally believed to be either a lizard or a frog. It lived from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous. | |
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99.7–66 Ma, Cenomanian to Maastrichtian | China |
References
[edit]- ^ James David Archibald · Alexander Olegovich Averianov, Phylogenetic analysis, taxonomic revision, and dental ontogeny of the Cretaceous Zhelestidae (Mammalia: Eutheria), Article · Feb 2012 · Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
- ^ Rougier, G. W.; Davis, B. M.; Novacek, M. J. (2015). "A deltatheroidan mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation, eastern Mongolia". Cretaceous Research. 52: 167–177. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.09.009.
- ^ Halliday, Thomas J. D.; Upchurch, Paul; Goswami, Anjali (2017). "Resolving the relationships of Paleocene placental mammals" (PDF). Biological Reviews. 92 (1): 521–550. doi:10.1111/brv.12242. PMC 6849585. PMID 28075073.