Dinosaurs A to Z
Megalosauridae

Magnosaurus

"large lizard"

Generic theropod body-plan outline
You 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall
Magnosaurus 4 m (13.1 ft) long
as long as 3 people standing fingertip to fingertip
generic theropod body plan, scaled to length — not a silhouette of Magnosaurus
Length
4 m (13.1 ft)
Period
Middle Jurassic (170–168 Mya)
Place
United Kingdom
Food
Carnivore
Clade
Megalosauridae

Magnosaurus (meaning ‘large lizard’) was a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of England. It is based on fragmentary remains and has often been confused with or included in Megalosaurus.

What we know

  • Named by Huene, 1932.
  • Body length estimated at about 4 m.
  • Fossils found in United Kingdom.

What we guess

The reconstruction notes for Magnosaurus — soft tissue, color, behavior — haven't been written up yet. Only the recorded basics above are filled in so far.