Ceratosauria

† Ceratosauria was a major clade of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs that flourished from the Late Jurassic through the end-Cretaceous, achieving greatest diversity and longevity in Gondwana. The group included the horned Ceratosaurus and the diverse abelisaurids — the dominant large predators of the southern continents in the Cretaceous. Ceratosaurs were characterized by fused ankle bones, reduced forelimbs in derived forms, and in many species cranial ornamentation such as horns, crests, or rough bosses.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Ceratosauria was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Ceratosauria lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.