sauro-, saur-, -saurus, -saurid, -saur,
-sauria, -saurian +

A “scythe (reaping) lizard” from Late Cretaceous Nemegt Basin, southern Mongolia. Named by Russian paleontologist Yevgenii (or Evgeny) Alexandrovich Maleev (or Yevgenii Aleksandrovich Maleyev) in 1954.

An invalid name for Iguanodon, a plant-eating dinosaur with thumb spikes. It is said to have lived during the Early Cretaceous period.

Among the last of the dinosaurs, thescelosaurids (“wonderful lizards”) come from the topmost Mesozoic rock layer in North America.

A "wonderful (marvelous) lizard" from Late Cretaceous western North America (Alberta, Saskatchewan [Canada]; Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming [USA]). Named by U. S. paleontologist Charles Whitney Gilmore in 1913.

“Thotobolo lizard” from early Late Triassic Lesotho, southern Africa. Named by Paul Ellenberger in 1972.

“Heavenly Pool lizard” from early Middle Triassic China. A name that refers to Tian Chi, “Heavenly Pool”, a famous lake near where the fossils were found. It was previously named “Jurassosaurus”, in honor of the motion picture “Jurassic Park”. Named by Chinese paleontologist Zhiming Dong in 1993.

“Tianzhen lizard” from Late Cretaceous China. Named in 1998 to indicate an ankylosaurid found in Tianzhen County, in Sichuan Province, China, in the Late Cretaceous Huiquanpu Formation at Kangdailiang near Zhaojiagou Village. Named by Peng Guangzhao and Cheng in 1998.

“Tien Shan (Heavenly Mountains) lizard” from Early Cretaceous or Late Cretaceous Tien Shan mountain range in Xinjiang, northwest China. Named by Chinese paleontologist Yang Zhong-jian (also known as: Chung Chien Young) in 1937.

Giant lizards: Despite their name, some Titanosaurids were quite small.

Unhappily, most Titanosaurids are known from very incomplete remains and they are believed to have lived during the Late Cretaceous period.

The Titanosaurid was previously called the "Magyarosaurus" and it was named by British paleontologist Richard Lydekker in 1885.

A giant herbivorous creature which is believed to have existed from Late Cretaceous Europe, India, Indochina, and Argentina: The Titanosaurus was named by British paleontologist Richard Lydekker in 1877; however, it is considered to be a dubious genus of sauropod dinosaurs.

The Titanosaurus

An “ostrich (foot) lizard” from Late Cretaceous Mongolia. Named by Sergei Mikhailovich Kurzanov and Polish paleontologist Halszka Osmólska in 1991.

A “perforated (frill) lizard” from Late Cretaceous Montana to Texas, USA; and Canada.

The name is based on Greek toreo, “pierce, perforate”, a reference to the posterior crest, which is perforated by a pair of large openings, according to the nomenclator, Othniel Charles Marsh.

He explained that the name provides no basis for interpreting Torosaurus as “piercing lizard” because of its horns nor as “bulging lizard” from Latin torus, “a bulge”. The non-classical Spanish word toro, “bull” is not the correct derivation of the name. Named by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh (1831-1899) in 1891.

A “savage lizard” from Late Jurassic period and found in western North America; specifically, Colorado and Wyoming. Named by British paleontologist Peter M. Galton and U. S. paleontologist James A. Jensen in 1979.

“Tsintao lizard” from Late Cretaceous Shanong, China. The name comes from Chinese Qingdao, “green” plus dao, “island”. Named by Chinese paleontologist Yang Zhong-jian (also known as: Chung Chien Young) in 1958.

“Maori-tuarangi lizard” or “ancient lizard” from Late Cretaceous New Zealand. This fossil was named in reference to a large elasmosaur found in New Zealand (North Island, Manghousnga Stream), home of the Maori people. The Maori tuarangi, means “ancient”. Named by Joan Wiffen and Moisley in 1986.