Late Jurassic Period Pronunciation
163-145 million years ago
The Late Jurassic is the golden age of the giants. This is when the most famous Jurassic dinosaurs lived: massive sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus, armored Stegosaurus, predatory Allosaurus, and the first known bird, Archaeopteryx. The Morrison Formation in North America and the Tendaguru Formation in Africa preserve incredible windows into this world.
Dinosaurs of the Late Jurassic
Allosaurus
AL-oh-saw-russ
Anchiornis
an-kee-OR-niss
Apatosaurus
ah-PAT-oh-sore-us
Archaeopteryx
ark-ee-OPT-er-ix
Brachiosaurus
BRAK-ee-oh-sore-us
Brontosaurus
BRON-toh-SAW-rus
Camarasaurus
KAM-ar-a-SORE-us
Camptosaurus
KAMP-toe-sore-us
Ceratosaurus
ser-AT-oh-sore-us
Chungkingosaurus
chung-KING-oh-sore-us
Coelurus
seel-YEW-rus
Compsognathus
komp-sog-NATH-us
Dicraeosaurus
die-KRAY-oh-SORE-us
Diplodocus
DIP-low-DOCK-us
Dryosaurus
DRY-oh-SORE-us
Elaphrosaurus
el-AF-ro-SORE-us
Europasaurus
yoo-ROH-pah-SORE-us
Fruitadens
FROO-tah-denz
Gargoyleosaurus
gar-GOY-lee-oh-SORE-us
Giraffatitan
ji-RAF-a-tie-tan
Guanlong
GWAHN-long
Haplocanthosaurus
hap-lo-KAN-tho-sore-us
Haplocheirus
hap-loh-KY-russ
Juravenator
jur-AH-ven-ay-tor
Kaatedocus
KAY-teh-DOH-kus
Kentrosaurus
ken-TROH-sore-us
Limusaurus
LY-moo-SOR-us
Lusotitan
LOO-so-TIE-tan
Mamenchisaurus
mah-MEN-chee-SORE-us
Marshosaurus
marsh-oh-SORE-us
Metriacanthosaurus
met-ree-ah-KAN-tho-sore-us
Ornitholestes
or-NITH-oh-LES-teez
Sinraptor
SY-nuh-RAP-tor
Stegosaurus
STEG-oh-SORE-us
Supersaurus
sue-per-SORE-us
Tianyulong
tee-EN-yoo-long
Torvosaurus
TOR-voh-SORE-us
Tuojiangosaurus
too-YANG-oh-sore-us
Turiasaurus
TOO-ree-ah-SORE-us
Xiaotingia
shyow-TING-ee-uh
Yi qi
YEE chee
Yinlong
YIN-long
Fun Facts
- ✓The Morrison Formation in the American West preserves one of the richest Late Jurassic ecosystems ever found.
- ✓Brachiosaurus may have weighed up to 60 tons, making it one of the heaviest land animals ever.
- ✓Archaeopteryx, discovered in Germany, is the earliest known bird and dates to the Late Jurassic.
- ✓Allosaurus was the apex predator of the Late Jurassic, comparable in role to T. rex in the Cretaceous.
- ✓Diplodocus had the longest tail of any known dinosaur, possibly used like a whip for defense.