Cretaceous
Rugops
Rugops primus
The catalogue presents Rugops as a carnivore member of Abelisauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 97.0–93.5 Ma. Its estimated range is 5.5–7.0 m in length and 410–750 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Echkar Formation, Niger. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Rugops, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Sereno et al. (2004).
The PBDB places it in Abelisauridae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Abelisauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Abelisauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Cenomanian.
The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the Echkar Formation (1). Provenance: Niger.
The catalogue records the holotype as MNN IGU1 and the type locality as “Echkar Formation, Niger”.
- MNN IGU1
- Echkar Formation, Niger
The catalogue's reference measurements are 5.5–7.0 m in length and 410–750 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 5.5-7.0 m
- 410-750 kg
The record gathers 14 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
- 5.5–7.0 m
- Weight
- 410–750 kg
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 97.0–93.5 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 2004
- Described by
- Paul Sereno
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Abelisauridae
- Genus
- Rugops
- Species
- R. primus
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
- MNN IGU1
- Type locality
- Echkar Formation, Niger