Ouranosaurus nigeriensis

† Ouranosaurus nigeriensis is the type species of Ouranosaurus, from Early Cretaceous Niger's Elrhaz Formation. This ~7 m ornithopod had a broad duck-like muzzle and tall neural spines creating a distinctive dorsal sail or fat hump.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Ouranosaurus nigeriensis was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Ouranosaurus nigeriensis lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145.0 to 100.5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.