Dinosaur genus

Deinocheirus

Kielan-Jaworowska 1969

Deinocheirus is a dinosaur genus known from bones, found in rocks 72.2–66 million years old, in Mongolia.

Confidence labels

VisibleOn tapHidden

How sure are we?1 high7 medium1 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

72.2–66 Ma

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114366

Solid: the ages of its dated fossils, 72.2–66 million years ago (Omnisaura's calculation). Pale: the published range, 100.5–66 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: Kielan-Jaworowska 1969
disputed
low: Sources disagree and an editor has not ruled yet.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Described in: Z. Kielan-Jaworowska (1969). Fossils from the Gobi desert. Science Journal 5(1): 32–38.
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; its author and year match the naming authority (Kielan-Jaworowska 1969).
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: Cenomanian to Maastrichtian, 100.5–66 million years ago
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Omnisaura calculation72.2–66 million years ago, from its dated fossil records
medium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 4 confirmed PBDB records.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Fossils found in: Mongolia
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).
Rock formations: Nemegt
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.
Family: Deinocheiridae
high
high: PBDB and NHM agree.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Parent group: Deinocheiridae
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.
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.
Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
Held back: 1 fossil record 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); age (headline) (PBDB).

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

Where sources disagree

1 open

Authority

Kielan-Jaworowska 1969PBDB (shown above)
Halszka Osmólska, 1970Wikidata

The sources give different values. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Did it meet…?

Did Deinocheirus meet ?

Same time, different places. Their fossils overlap in age, 72.2 to 66 million years ago, but no rock formation holds both.

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.

Tarbosaurus Saurolophus Gallimimus Avimimus Coralloidoolithus Macroolithus Elongatoolithus Mononykus Oksoko Prenocephale Barsboldia Elmisaurus Homalocephale Ovaloolithus Therizinosaurus Adasaurusand 13 more

Where its fossils were found

4 fossil sites, with present-day and ancient positions

Open the map at this time

Cite this page

Omnisaura (2026). Deinocheirus. Future Sailors. https://www.omnisaura.com/genera/deinocheirus. Data as of 12 October 2026.

What's changed

No changes since the change log started (11 Oct 2026).

Every change to Omnisaura

Use this data

Download this genus as JSON With every source and licence attached. Spotted a problem? Tell us

Pictures

9 openly licensed pictures of Deinocheirus on Wikimedia Commons and museum sites, each with its own author and licence.

Deinocheirus Restoration.png
PaleoNeolitic, CC BY 4.0
Deinocheirus mirificus.jpg
Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0
NHM-UK_P_DF118_03_24_0413
The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, CC BY 4.0
NHMUK PV R 10052 Deinocheirus arms on exhibit in the dinosaur gallery
The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, CC BY 4.0

The rest are listed in the JSON download.

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.