Cretaceous
Cristatusaurus
Cristatusaurus lapparenti
The catalogue presents Cristatusaurus as a carnivore member of Spinosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 119.0–113.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 14.0 m in length and 5.0–7.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Elrhaz Formation, Niger. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Cristatusaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Taquet and Russell (1998).
The PBDB places it in Baryonychinae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Spinosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Spinosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Aptian.
The catalogue records the holotype as MNHN GDF 343 and the type locality as “Elrhaz Formation, Niger”.
- MNHN GDF 343
- Elrhaz Formation, Niger
The catalogue's reference measurements are 14.0 m in length and 5.0–7.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 14.0 m
- 5.0-7.0 tons
The record gathers 8 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 14.0 m
- Weight
- 5.0–7.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 119.0–113.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1998
- Described by
- Taquet & Russell
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Spinosauridae
- Genus
- Cristatusaurus
- Species
- C. lapparenti
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- MNHN GDF 343
- Type locality
- Elrhaz Formation, Niger