Early Cretaceous Period Pronunciation
145-100 million years ago
The Early Cretaceous was a time of tremendous change. The continents were splitting further apart, flowering plants were beginning their global takeover, and an extraordinary diversity of dinosaurs was evolving. Some of the most spectacular feathered dinosaur fossils come from this period, found in China's Yixian Formation.
Dinosaurs of the Early Cretaceous
Acrocanthosaurus
ah-kro-KAN-tho-SORE-us
Agustinia
ah-gus-TIN-ee-ah
Amargasaurus
ah-MAR-gah-SORE-us
Angaturama
an-gah-too-RAH-mah
Atlascopcosaurus
AT-lass-KOP-ko-sore-us
Baryonyx
bah-ree-ON-icks
Becklespinax
BECK-el-spy-naks
Beipiaosaurus
bay-PYOW-sore-us
Concavenator
kon-kah-VEN-ah-tor
Euhelopus
yoo-HEL-oh-pus
Fukuiraptor
foo-koo-EE-rap-tor
Fukuisaurus
foo-koo-EE-sore-us
Gideonmantellia
JID-ee-on-man-TEL-ee-ah
Graciliraptor
gruh-SIL-ee-rap-tor
Harpymimus
HAR-pee-MY-mus
Huanghetitan
hwang-huh-TIE-tan
Huaxiagnathus
hwah-SHEE-ag-NAY-thus
Hylaeosaurus
high-LEE-oh-sore-us
Hypsilophodon
hip-sih-LOH-foh-don
Ichthyovenator
IK-thee-oh-ven-AY-tor
Iguanodon
ig-WHA-noh-don
Irritator
irr-it-AY-tor
Jinfengopteryx
jin-FENG-op-teh-riks
Jinzhousaurus
jeen-JOH-sore-us
Lanzhousaurus
LAN-joe-SOR-us
Leaellynasaura
LEE-el-in-a-SORE-a
Liaoningosaurus
lee-OW-ning-oh-SORE-us
Malawisaurus
mah-LAH-wee-SORE-us
Mantellisaurus
man-TELL-ih-SOR-us
Microraptor
MY-kroe-RAP-tor
Minmi
MIN-mee
Neovenator
NEE-oh-ve-NAY-tor
Ouranosaurus
oo-RAH-noh-sore-us
Patagotitan
PAT-ah-go-TIE-tan
Polacanthus
pol-a-KAN-thus
Probactrosaurus
proh-BAK-troh-SORE-us
Psittacosaurus
SIT-ak-oh-SORE-us
Raptorex
RAP-toh-rex
Sauropelta
sor-oh-PELT-ah
Scipionyx
ship-ee-OH-niks
Shaochilong
SHOW-chee-long
Sinornithoides
sy-nor-NITH-oy-deez
Sinornithosaurus
sine-or-NITH-oh-sore-us
Sinosauropteryx
SINE-oh-sore-OP-ter-iks
Sinovenator
SY-no-vee-NAY-tor
Suchomimus
SOO-koh-mim-us
Tenontosaurus
ten-ON-toe-sore-us
Tyrannotitan
tie-RAN-oh-TIE-tan
Utahraptor
YOO-tah-RAP-tor
Wuerhosaurus
wer-hoe-SOR-us
Yutyrannus
YOO-tie-RAN-us
Zhenyuanlong
zhen-YWAN-long
Fun Facts
- ✓The Yixian Formation in China has produced hundreds of feathered dinosaur fossils from the Early Cretaceous.
- ✓Spinosaurus, possibly the largest carnivorous dinosaur ever, lived during the Early Cretaceous.
- ✓Iguanodon, one of the first dinosaurs ever described by science, was an Early Cretaceous herbivore.
- ✓The Early Cretaceous saw the first diversification of flowering plants, called angiosperms.
- ✓Psittacosaurus, one of the most abundant dinosaur fossils ever found, lived in the Early Cretaceous.