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Dinosaur genus

Carcharodontosaurus

(Stromer 1931)

Carcharodontosaurus is a dinosaur genus known from bones, found in rocks 143.1–93.9 million years old, in 6 countries, most often Algeria and Niger.

Also calledja カルカロドントサウルスzh 鯊齒龍
mediummedium: Only Wikidata gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Confidence labels
How sure are we?5 high13 medium9 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 12 October 2026
143.1–93.9 Ma
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
252 million years ago20114366

Solid: the ages of its dated fossils, 143.1–93.9 million years ago (Omnisaura's calculation). Pale: the published range, 143.1–72.2 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
(Stromer 1931)
highhigh: PBDB and Wikidata agree.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Described in
E. Stromer (1931). Ergebnisse der Forschungsreisen Prof. E. Stromers in den Wüsten Ägyptens. II. Wirbeltier-Reste der Baharîjestufe (unterstes Cenoman). 10. Ein Skelett-Rest von Carcharodontosaurus nov. gen. Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Abteilung, Neue Folge 9: 1–23.
highhigh: PBDB gives this publication for the name; its author and year match the naming authority ((Stromer 1931)), on which PBDB and Wikidata agree.
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
Berriasian to Campanian, 143.1–72.2 million years ago
highhigh: PBDB and NHM agree.
Omnisaura calculation143.1–93.9 million years ago, from its dated fossil records
mediummedium: Omnisaura's calculation from 35 confirmed PBDB records.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Fossils found in
Morocco
highhigh: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Algeria
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (12 records).
Brazil
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).
Niger
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (8 records).
Tunisia
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).
Egypt
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
mixedmixed: 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
13, including Continental Intercalaire, Ifezouane, Echkar and Elrhaz
mixedmixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.
Show all 13, each with its confidence
Aïn el Guettar
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).
Continental Intercalaire
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (8 records).
Echkar
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).
Elrhaz
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).
Ifezouane
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (7 records).
Alcântara
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Douira
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Douiret
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Gara Samani
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Kem Kem Beds
disputedlow: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Quseir
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Tagrezou Sandstone
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Undifferentiated Unit
lowlow: 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
Carcharodontosauridae
highhigh: PBDB and NHM agree.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Parent group
Carcharodontosauridae
mediummedium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Order
Saurischia
mediummedium: Only NHM gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources

Given by: Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Gap filled from NHM.

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: 8 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf." or "?").
  • Resting on one source: 3 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): parent group (PBDB); order (NHM); common names (Wikidata).

Size, diet and behaviour aren't covered yet. Omnisaura leaves them out rather than guess.

Where sources disagree

1 open

Formations

  • NonePBDB
  • Kem Kem BedsNHM

One source names a formation the other does not. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Did it meet…?

?

No. Carcharodontosaurus had gone at least 10.3 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.

Lived alongside

Genera found in the same rock formations, from rocks of the same age.

SpinosaurusOuranosaurusNigersaurusSuchomimusAegyptosaurusAfromimusBahariasaurusEocarchariaMegalosauropusSpinostropheus

Same family

Other genera in Carcharodontosauridae with a full profile.

AcrocanthosaurusConcavenatorEocarchariaGiganotosaurusTaurovenatorTyrannotitanVeterupristisaurus

Credits

Where this page comes from

  • Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
  • Natural History Museum Data PortalCC0 1.0 · catalogued specimens
  • 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

Pictures linked from this page are credited beside each one, with their own licences; the full list is in the JSON download.