Open Paleo

Cristatusaurus

Taquet & Russell, 1998 kris-TAY-tuh-SAWR-us Disputed

From Latin 'cristatus' meaning 'crested' and Greek 'sauros' meaning 'lizard', referring to the crested skull of this spinosaurid dinosaur.

121.4–113.2 million years ago Aptian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Cristatusaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period of what is now Niger, 112 million years ago. It was a member of the Spinosauridae, a group of large bipedal carnivores with well-built forelimbs and elongated, crocodile-like skulls. The type species Cristatusaurus lapparenti was named in 1998 by scientists Philippe Taquet and Dale Russell, on the basis of jaw bones and some vertebrae. Two claw fossils were also later assigned to Cristatusaurus. The animal's generic name, which means "crested reptile", alludes to a sagittal crest on top of its snout; while the specific name is in honor of the French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent. Cristatusaurus is known from the Albian to Aptian Elrhaz Formation, where it would have coexisted with sauropod and iguanodontian dinosaurs, other theropods, and various crocodylomorphs.

Under dispute

Cristatusaurus lapparenti is known from fragmentary premaxillae and jaw pieces from the same formation as Suchomimus tenerensis. Carrano and colleagues (2012) treat it as an indeterminate baryonychine that almost certainly represents the same animal as Suchomimus. Sales and Schultz (2017) note differences with possible taxonomic significance but leave its validity open. Lacerda and colleagues (2022), comparing the premaxillae morphometrically and including both genera in a phylogenetic analysis, find it a valid species distinct from Suchomimus and Baryonyx, and recover it as the earliest-diverging spinosaurid, outside Baryonychinae.

Diagnosis

  1. Premaxilla short and strongly hooked in lateral profile, increasing in height posteriorly with dorsal surface narrowing into a crest posteriorly.
  2. Anteriormost premaxillary alveolus relatively large; lateral alveoli uniformly closely spaced.
  3. Maxillary and dentary teeth laterally compressed in cross-section; maxillary teeth vertically oriented posteriorly.
  4. Dentary only slightly constricted vertically in mid-section with alveoli closely spaced.
  5. Maxillary and dentary teeth with finely serrated carinae (unlike Spinosaurus maroccanus).

Species

Cristatusaurus lapparenti Taquet & Russell, 1998 Disputed

Type species

Named for French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent, honoring contributions to dinosaur-related discoveries in the Sahara.

Holotype
MNHN GDF 366 , Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
Material
Both premaxillae, portion of right maxilla and dentary.
Horizon
GAD 5 Bed, Elrhaz Formation, Aptian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–113.2 million years ago
Locality
Gadoufaoua, niveau des Innocents, Agadez, Niger

References

  1. Taquet, P.; Russell, D. A. (1998). New data on spinosaurid dinosaurs from the early cretaceous of the Sahara. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science 327(5): 347-353. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/s1251-8050(98)80054-2 taquet1998a
  2. Carrano, M. T.; Benson, R. B. J.; Sampson, S. D. (2012). The phylogeny of Tetanurae (Dinosauria: Theropoda). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 10(2): 211-300. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.630927

    Considered Cristatusaurus an indeterminate baryonychine that almost certainly represents the same animal as Suchomimus.

    carrano2012a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Reviews the competing assessments of the genus's validity.

    jones2026c
  4. Lacerda, M. B. S.; Grillo, O. N.; Romano, P. S. R. (2022). Rostral morphology of Spinosauridae (Theropoda, Megalosauroidea): premaxilla shape variation and a new phylogenetic inference. Historical Biology 34(11): 2089-2109. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/08912963.2021.2000974

    Found Cristatusaurus a valid species distinct from Baryonyx and Suchomimus, on premaxillary morphometrics, and recovered it as the earliest-diverging spinosaurid, outside Baryonychinae.

    lacerda2022a
  5. Sales, M. A. F.; Schultz, C. L. (2017). Spinosaur taxonomy and evolution of craniodental features: Evidence from Brazil. PLOS ONE 12(11): e0187070. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0187070

    Noted premaxillary and maxillary differences from Suchomimus with possible taxonomic significance, leaving the validity of Cristatusaurus open.

    sales2017a