Family
Valid Extinct

Metriacanthosauridae

Carrano et al. 2012

Metriacanthosauridae is an extinct family of allosauroid theropod dinosaurs that lived in Europe and Asia from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. The family is split into two subgroups: Metriacanthosaurinae, which includes dinosaurs closely related to Metriacanthosaurus, and another group composed of the close relatives of Yangchuanosaurus. Metriacanthosaurids are considered carnosaurs, belonging to the Allosauroidea superfamily. The group includes species of large range in body size. Of their physical traits, most notable are their neural spines. The records of the group are mostly confined to Asia, though Metriacanthosaurus is known from Europe. Metriacanthosauridae is used as a senior synonym of Sinraptoridae.

Temporal range
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
Paleogene
Neogene
252 201 145 66 0 Ma
PBDB occurrences
23
Group
Dinosaures
Carnivore Ground dwelling, solitary Terrestrial
Metriacanthosauridae
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100_6837 © Ian Armstrong from Travelling the world at moment, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
PBDB ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Classification
Dinosauria Unranked clade
›
Theropoda Unranked clade
›
Neotheropoda Unranked clade
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Averostra Unranked clade
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Tetanurae Unranked clade
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Allosauroidea Superfamily
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Metriacanthosauridae Family
Fossil sites 23 geolocated sites
Distribution
Top countries
🇨🇳 China
10
🇫🇷 France
4
🇹🇭 Thailand
3
🇪🇬 Egypt
3
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
1
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
1
🇵🇹 Portugal
1
Geological formations
Shaximiao
4
Baharîje
3
Shishugou
2
Phu Kradung
2
Dongdaqiao
1
Zhanghe
1
Chuanjie
1
Balabansai
1
Oxford Clay
1
Papo Seco
1
Temporal distribution
Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)
3
Albian (113.2–100.5 Ma)
4
Aptian (121.4–113.2 Ma)
1
Barremian (125.77–121.4 Ma)
2
Tithonian (149.2–143.1 Ma)
2
Oxfordian (161.5–154.8 Ma)
3
Callovian (165.3–161.5 Ma)
5
Bathonian (168.2–165.3 Ma)
1
Bajocian (170.9–168.2 Ma)
1
Aalenian (174.7–170.9 Ma)
1
Synonyms (1)
Sinraptoridae subjective synonym of Metriacanthosauridae
Bibliography
Original description
M. T. Carrano, R. B. J. Benson, and S. D. Sampson. 2012. The phylogeny of Tetanurae (Dinosauria: Theropoda). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 10(2):211-300 DOI ↗
Bibliography (19)
Y. Zou, L. Chen, and T. Wang, G. Wang, W. Zhang, X. Zhang, Z. Wang, X. Wu, H. You. 2025. A new metriacanthosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Yunnan Province, China. PeerJ 13(4443):e19218 DOI ↗
O. W. M. Rauhut, A. A. Bakirov, and O. Wings, A. E. Fernandes, T. R. Hübner. 2024. A new theropod dinosaur from the Callovian Balabansai Formation of Kyrgyzstan. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 201(zlae090):1-51 DOI ↗
Y. Yu, H. Yi, and S. Wang, R. Pei, C. Zhang, X. Xu. 2023. A Jurassic Tibetan theropod tooth reveals dental convergency and its implication for identifying fragmentary fossils. The Innovation Geoscience 1(3) DOI ↗
E. Buffetaut, S. Suteethorn, and V. Suteethorn, U. Deesri, H. Tong. 2014. Preliminary note on a small ornithopod dinosaur from the Phu Kradung Formation (terminal Jurassic–basal Cretaceous) of Phu Noi, north-eastern Thailand. Journal of Science and Technology Mahasarakham University 33:344-347
X.-C. Wu, P. J. Currie, and Z. Dong, S. Pan, T. Wang. 2009. A new theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Lufeng, Yunnan, China. Acta Geologica Sinica 83(1):9-24 DOI ↗
X. Xu and J. M. Clark. 2008. The presence of a gigantic theropod in the Jurassic Shishugou Formation, Junggar Basin, western China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 46(2):157-160
E. Buffetaut, V. Suteethorn, and H. Tong. 1996. The earliest known tyrannosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand. Nature 381:689-691 DOI ↗
X. He, S. Yang, and K. Cai, K. Li, Z. Liu. 1996. [A new species of sauropod, Mamenchisaurus anyuensis sp. nov.]. Papers on Geosciences Contributed to the 30th International Geological Congress
P. J. Currie and X.-J. Zhao. 1994. A new carnosaur (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Jurassic of Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 30(10-11):2037-2081 DOI ↗
Y. Gao. 1993. [A new species of Szechuanosaurus from the Middle Jurassic of Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan]. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 31(4):308-314
Y. Gao. 1992. Yangchuanosaurus hepingensis – a new species of carnosaur from Zigong, Sichuan. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 30(4):313-324
Z. Dong, S. Zhou, and H. Zhang. 1983. [Dinosaurs from the Jurassic of Sichuan]. Palaeontologica Sinica, New Series C, Whole Number 162(23):1-136
Z. Dong, Y. Zhang, and X. Li, S. Zhou. 1978. [A new carnosaur from Yongchuan County, Sichuan Province]. Ke Xue Tong Bao [Science Newsletter] 23(5):302-304
J. Rey. 1972. Recherches géologiques sur le Crétacé inférieur de l'Estremadura (Portugal). Serviços Geologicos de Portugal 21:1-477
E. Stromer. 1934. Ergebnisse der Forschungsreisen Prof. E. Stromers in den Wüsten Ägyptens. II. Wirbeltierreste der Baharîje-Stufe (unterstes Cenoman). 13. Dinosauria [Results of the expeditions of Professor E. Stromer in the Egyptian deserts. II. Vertebrate animal remains from the Baharîje bed (lowest Cenomanian). 13. Dinosauria]. Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Abteilung, Neue Folge 22:1-79
F. v. Huene. 1926. The carnivorous Saurischia in the Jura and Cretaceous formations, principally in Europe. Revista del Museo de La Plata 29:35-167
F. v. Huene. 1923. Carnivorous Saurischia in Europe since the Triassic. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America 34:449-458
A. Gaudry. 1890. Les Enchainements du Monde Animal dans les Temps Geologiques. Fossiles Secondaires
H.-E. Sauvage. 1882. Recherches sur les reptiles trouvés dans le Gault de l'est du bassin de Paris [Research on the reptiles found in the Gault of the eastern Paris Basin]. Mémoires de la Société Géologique de France, série 3 2(4):1-42