Dinosaur genus

Megalosaurus

Parkinson 1822

Megalosaurus is a dinosaur genus known from bones, found in rocks 201.4–113.2 million years old, in 8 countries, most often the United Kingdom and France.

Also calledja メガロサウルスzh 斑龙

medium

medium: Only Wikidata gives this; nothing contradicts it.

Confidence labels

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How sure are we?11 high10 medium24 lowHow we rate confidence

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 5 October 2026

201.4–113.2 Ma

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114366

Solid: the ages of its dated fossils, 201.4–113.2 million years ago (Omnisaura's calculation). Pale: the published range, 205.7–66 million years ago, which also counts records Omnisaura leaves out.

The last non-bird dinosaurs died out 66 million years ago. That's as far from us as the end of this bar.

Named by: Parkinson 1822
disputed
low: Sources disagree and an editor has not ruled yet.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Described in: J. Parkinson (1822). Outlines of Oryctology. An Introduction to the Study of Fossil Organic Remains; Especially of Those Found in the British Strata: Intended to Aid the Student in His Inquiries Respecting the Nature of Fossils: viii–350.
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; its author and year match the naming authority (Parkinson 1822).
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.
Lived: Rhaetian to Maastrichtian, 205.7–66 million years ago
high
high: PBDB and NHM agree.
Omnisaura calculation201.4–113.2 million years ago, from its dated fossil records
medium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 45 confirmed PBDB records.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Fossils found in: France
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
United Kingdom
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
China
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).
Spain
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (7 records).
Belgium
disputed
low: NHM records it here but PBDB has no record in this country; awaiting an editor.
Canada
disputed
low: NHM records it here but PBDB has no record in this country; awaiting an editor.
Germany
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Poland
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).
Rock formations: 27, including Forest Marble Formation, Cotswold Slate, Chipping Norton Limestone Formation and Wadhurst Clay Formation
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.
Show all 27, each with its confidence
Ashdown Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Chipping Norton Limestone Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Forest Marble Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Kimmeridge Clay Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Taynton Limestone Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Wadhurst Clay Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Wessex Formation
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Cotswold Slate
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).
Marnes de Dives
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).
Bückeberg
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Chalfield Oolite Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Coral Rag
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Coralline Oolite Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Durlston
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Hastings Beds
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Inferior Oolite Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Oxford Clay Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Portland Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Salperton Limestone Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Sharp's Hill
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Stanford
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Stonesfield Slate
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Tilgate Sand
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Upper Rags
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Weald Clay Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Woburn Sand
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.
Family: Megalosauridae
high
high: PBDB and NHM agree.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Parent group: Megalosaurinae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Order: Saurischia
medium
medium: Only NHM gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Gap filled from NHM.
Species named in its records: Megalosaurus bucklandi, Megalosaurus bucklandii, Megalosaurus dapukaensis, Megalosaurus dunkeri, Megalosaurus tibetensis
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (the species its fossil records are identified as).
Diet: carnivore (inferred for its group)
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this, and it infers it for the whole of Theropoda, the group this genus belongs to, not from this genus's own fossils.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB, inferred from a group the genus belongs to.
Way of life: ground dwelling, solitary (inferred for its group)
low
low: PBDB infers this way of life for the whole of Theropoda; behaviour is rarely known for one genus.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB, inferred from a group the genus belongs to.
Known from: Bones
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (what the name was based on).

Sources: Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0), Natural History Museum Data Portal (CC0 1.0), Wikidata (CC0 1.0)Confidence levels and gaps are Omnisaura's own assessment.

Gaps are answers

What isn't known yet

Type species: no source we use gives it yet.
What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
Held back: 12 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf.", "?" or the name in quotation marks).
Held back: 1 fossil record left out: identified as a related genus rather than this one.
Held back: 4 fossil records left out: identified only to a broader group, not to this genus.
Resting on one source: 4 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): parent group (PBDB); order (NHM); common names (Wikidata); diet (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.