Cretaceous
Ouranosaurus
Ouranosaurus nigeriensis
The catalogue presents Ouranosaurus as a herbivore member of Hadrosauriformes that lived during the Cretaceous, between 110.0–105.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 7.0–8.5 m in length and 2.0–4.0 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 Ouranosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Taquet (1972).
The PBDB places it in Neoiguanodontia, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Hadrosauriformes.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Hadrosauriformes
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Aptian to the Maastrichtian.
The PBDB catalogues 5 occurrences, with material from the Elrhaz Formation (4) and from the Aïn el Guettar Formation (1). Provenance: Niger and Tunisia.
The catalogue records the holotype as MNHN GDF300 and the type locality as “Elrhaz Formation, Niger”.
- MNHN GDF300
- Elrhaz Formation, Niger
The catalogue's reference measurements are 7.0–8.5 m in length and 2.0–4.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 7.0-8.5 m
- 2.0-4.0 tons
The record gathers 52 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
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
- 7.0–8.5 m
- Weight
- 2.0–4.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 110.0–105.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1976
- Described by
- Philippe Taquet
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Ornithischia
- Family
- Hadrosauriformes
- Genus
- Ouranosaurus
- Species
- O. nigeriensis
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 GDF300
- Type locality
- Elrhaz Formation, Niger