Footprint type
Megalosauripus
Megalosauripus is a footprint type: the name is for the fossil footprints themselves. The animal that made them is not known for certain. Its footprints are found in rocks 168.2–132.6 million years old in 10 countries, most often the United States and Uzbekistan.
Confidence labels are switched off. Facts with low confidence, or where sources disagree, still carry a small dot: tap it for the reason.
At a glance
Data as of 11 October 2026- Named by
- Lessertisseur 1955
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Described in
- M. G. Lockley, C. A. Meyer, V. F. Santos (2000). Megalosauripus and the problematic concept of megalosaur footprints. GAIA 15: 313–337.
low
low: PBDB gives this publication for the name, but its author or year differ from the naming authority (Lessertisseur 1955): it may be a later work, such as one that renamed or redefined the genus.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. The publication the Paleobiology Database gives as the authority for this genus name, usually the one that first named and described it.
- Dated to
- Hettangian to Tithonian, 201.4–143.1 million years ago
disputed
low: Sources disagree and an editor has not ruled yet.Omnisaura calculation168.2–132.6 million years ago, from its dated fossil recordsmedium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 20 confirmed PBDB records.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Found in
- ChinaMorocco
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Portugalmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Spainmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Switzerlandmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (10 records).United Kingdommedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (6 records).United Statesmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Uzbekistanmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (5 records).Germanymedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Turkmenistanlow
low: Only one PBDB record.low
low: Only one PBDB record.mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).
- Rock formations
- 19, including Kurek, Reuchenette, Isli and Summerville
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.Show all 19, each with its confidence
IsliKurekmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Reuchenettemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Summervillemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (6 records).Summerville/Bluff Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Valtos Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Bückebergmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Cabaçoslow
low: Only one PBDB record.Fengjiashanlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Huérteleslow
low: Only one PBDB record.Ich Timellaline/J’bel Bou Akrabènelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Kilmaluaglow
low: Only one PBDB record.Lezalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Mirambellow
low: Only one PBDB record.Serra de Airelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Tuchengzilow
low: Only one PBDB record.Villanueva de Huervalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Villar Navalsazlow
low: Only one PBDB record.White Limestonelow
low: Only one PBDB record.low
low: Only one PBDB record.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.
- Footprint family
- Eubrontidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Parent group
- Eubrontidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Species named in its records
- Megalosauripus transjuranicus, Megalosauripus uzbekistanicus
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (the species its fossil records are identified as).
- Older or other names
- Bueckeburgichnus (a junior synonym); Chodjapilesaurus (a junior synonym); Karkushosauropus (a junior synonym); Megalosauropus (a junior synonym); Turkmenosaurus (a junior synonym)
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (names it treats as this genus).
- Known from
- Footprints and traces
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (what the name was based on).
- Made by
- Not known for certain. Footprints rarely show which animal made them.
Gaps are answers
What isn't known yet
- The animal that made them: not known for certain, as for most footprint types.
- Type species: no source we use gives it yet.
- Order: no source we use gives it yet.
- Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
- What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
- Held back: 25 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf.", "?" or the name in quotation marks).
- Held back: 2 fossil records left out: identified as a related genus rather than this one.
- Resting on one source: 3 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): authority (PBDB); parent group (PBDB); family (PBDB).
Size and appearance aren't covered yet, and diet and way of life only as PBDB infers them for the wider group. Omnisaura leaves the rest out rather than guess.
Where sources disagree
1 openAge
- 201.4–143.1 MaPBDB
- 168.2–113.2 MaPBDB's own confirmed records
The ages of the records reach well beyond the published range. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.
Did it meet…?
No. Megalosauripus had gone at least 49 million years before Tyrannosaurus appears in the fossil record.
Going by the ages and rock formations of their dated fossils, as on the map. Compare their fossil sites on the map.
Connections
Genera linked to Megalosauripus by where and when their fossils were found, by classification and by who named them. Select a name to open its page.
Found in the same rocks 7
Genera and other fossil types from the same rock units, from rocks of overlapping age, the most shared fossil sites first.
Same family: Eubrontidae 4
Other genera in Eubrontidae with a full profile.
Found in United States 37
Other genera found in United States, from rocks of overlapping age, the most fossil sites there first.
Credits
Where this page comes from
- Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
- WikidataCC0 1.0 · names and identifiers
- OmnisauraOmnisaura editorial · confidence levels and gaps
- PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines (Kocsis and Scotese 2021)CC BY 4.0 · ancient coastlines on the small map
- Natural EarthPublic domain · today's coastlines