Open Paleo

Rajasaurus

Wilson et al., 2003 RAH-juh-sore-us /ˌrɑːdʒəˈsɔːrəs/

From Sanskrit/Hindi 'raja' (king) + Greek 'sauros' (lizard), meaning 'king lizard'.

72.2–66.0 million years ago Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Rajasaurus is a genus of carnivorous abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of India, containing one species: Rajasaurus narmadensis. The bones were excavated from the Lameta Formation in the Gujarat state of Western India, probably inhabiting what is now the Narmada River Valley. It was formally described by paleontologist Jeffrey A. Wilson and colleagues in 2003 based on a partial skeleton comprising the braincase, spine, hip bone, legs, and tail-a first for an Indian theropod. The dinosaur likely measured 6.6 meters (22 ft), and had a single horn on the forehead which was probably used for display and head-butting. Like other abelisaurids, Rajasaurus was probably an ambush predator.

Diagnosis

  1. Median nasofrontal prominence, with frontals forming only posterior rim
  2. Supratemporal fenestrae anteroposteriorly elongate, with length approximately 150% transverse breadth of frontal
  3. Robust ilium with transverse ridge separating brevis fossa from acetabulum

Species

Rajasaurus narmadensis Wilson et al., 2003

Type species

Named for the Narmada River in central India, near whose valley the fossils were discovered.

Holotype
GSI 21141/1, GSI 21141/2, GSI 21141/3, GSI 21141/4, GSI 21141/5, GSI 21141/6, GSI 21141/7, GSI 21141/8, GSI 21141/9, GSI 21141/10, GSI 21141/11, GSI 21141/12, GSI 21141/13, GSI 21141/14, GSI 21141/15, GSI 21141/16, GSI 21141/17, GSI 21141/18, GSI 21141/19, GSI 21141/20, GSI 21141/21, GSI 21141/22, GSI 21141/23, GSI 21141/24, GSI 21141/25, GSI 21141/26, GSI 21141/27, GSI 21141/28, GSI 21141/29, GSI 21141/30, GSI 21141/31, GSI 21141/32, GSI 21141/33 , Geological Survey of India
Material
Partial skull and postcranial skeleton
Horizon
Lameta Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 72.2–66.0 million years ago
Locality
Temple Hill, near Rahioli, Gujarat, India

References

  1. Wilson, J. A.; Sereno, P. C.; Srivastava, S.; Bhatt, D. K.; Khosla, A.; Sahni, A. (2003). A new abelisaurid (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Lameta Formation (Cretaceous, Maastrichtian) of India. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan 31(1): 1-42. wilson2003a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate, and the appearance features.

    jones2026c