Types of Dinosaurs (With the Famous Ones You Actually Search For)

Jake squints at the museum plaque. “Is it velocirapter or velociraptor?”
“Spell it right and I’ll buy you a dinosaur costume,” Sam says.
“Deal,” I tell him. “But only if you can say Parasaurolophus without apologizing to vowels.”

I got too distracted with my last post, I was supposed to talk about the types of dinosaurs but focused on on the genus (Dinosauria = Ornithischia + Saurischia) so it’s pretty sciency. Sam says nobody can even pronounce those words and they just want to see dinosaur pictures.

So here’s a reader-friendly field guide to the dinosaurs everyone asks about—T. rex, Velociraptor, Spinosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Brontosaurus/Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Iguanodon, Utahraptor, Allosaurus, Parasaurolophus—plus the usual ringers (Pteranodon/“pterodactyl” and Mosasaurus) that aren’t actually dinosaurs but ride along in your searches anyway. I’ve added quick “How to say it,” one unforgettable fact, and where it fits on the family tree. I’ll flag movie myths when they matter.

The Heavy Hitters (Theropods: the meat-eaters…and the bird line)

Tyrannosaurus rex (a.k.a. T. rex, tyrannosuruces rex, tyrannosaurus)

Say it: tie-RAN-oh-SAWR-us reks
Why we’re obsessed: The bite wasn’t just big; it was bone-crushing. Models point to ~8,000 lb bite forces and tooth pressures high enough to pulverize cortical bone—a feeding style called extreme osteophagy. Translation: it didn’t just crack ribs; it treated bones like breadsticks. ScienceDaily Nature
When/where: Late Cretaceous, western North America.

Velociraptor (velocirapter, raptor dinosaur)

Say it: veh-LOSS-ih-RAP-ter
Reality check: Smaller than in the movies—think turkey-to-medium-dog size—and feathered. We’ve got literal quill knobs on the forearm bone: attachment points for wing-like feathers. PubMed American Museum of Natural History
When/where: Late Cretaceous, Mongolia.

Spinosaurus

Say it: SPY-no-SAWR-us
Signature move: That sail-backed fish-eater had a paddle-like tail adapted for propulsion, supporting a semi-aquatic lifestyle (think: river monster). There’s still debate over how aquatic—some research champions a strong water adaptation; other work argues “semi-aquatic, not fully.” BPB eLife
When/where: Mid Cretaceous, North Africa.

Giganotosaurus

Say it: jig-uh-NO-tuh-SAWR-us (hard “giga”)
Claim to fame: One of the largest known land predators (sizes vary with fragmentary fossils; still a giant). Encyclopedia Britannica
When/where: Late Cretaceous, South America.

Allosaurus

Say it: AL-oh-SAWR-us
Note: The Jurassic’s apex headline—sleek, blade-toothed, museum-favorite (with fresh 2024 type-specimen news at the Smithsonian). Smithsonian Magazine
When/where: Late Jurassic, North America.

Utahraptor (utah raptor)

Say it: YOO-tah-rap-ter
Why it trends: A big raptor (dromaeosaur), way larger than Velociraptor. You can literally visit Utahraptor State Park near Moab, where the bone beds are legendary. Utah State Parks
When/where: Early Cretaceous, Utah (US).

Baryonyx

Say it: BAIR-ee-ON-iks
Fun true story: Stomach contents included fish scales (and Iguanodon bits), confirming it wasn’t only a fish specialist. Natural History Museum+1
When/where: Early Cretaceous, UK.

Dilophosaurus (dilophosauru8s)

Say it: dye-LOFF-oh-SAWR-us
Myth bust: No evidence for venom or a neck frill—that’s movie magic. National Geographic Natural History Museum
When/where: Early Jurassic, North America.

The Long-Neck Legends (Sauropods: giant plant-eaters)

Brachiosaurus (the good dinosuar favorite)

Say it: BRACK-ee-oh-SAWR-us
Look: Longer front legs than back legs = a naturally up-tilted body built to browse tall trees. Natural History Museum
When/where: Late Jurassic, North America.

Diplodocus

Say it: dih-PLOD-oh-kus (both DIP-lo and dih-PLOD-oh are used)
Why it’s famous: Among the longest dinosaurs, with a whip-like tail; the NHM’s “Dippy” made it a household name. Natural History Museum+1
When/where: Late Jurassic, North America.

Brontosaurus & Apatosaurus (brontosaurus, apatosaurus)

Say it: bron-toe-SAWR-us / uh-PAT-oh-SAWR-us
Taxonomy soap opera: Brontosaurus was folded into Apatosaurus in 1903, then revived as valid by a 2015 study (still discussed, but widely covered by major outlets and the PeerJ paper itself). PeerJ+1
When/where: Late Jurassic, North America.

Armor & Attitude (Thyreophorans + friends)

Stegosaurus

Say it: STEG-oh-SAWR-us
Plates vs. spikes: The back plates were likely for display/thermoregulation, and the tail thagomizer spikes were for defense—don’t stand behind it. American Museum of Natural History
When/where: Late Jurassic, North America.

Ankylosaurus

Say it: ang-KYE-loh-SAWR-us
Iconic move: A tail club capable (in big adults) of bone-breaking impacts per biomechanical modeling. PubMed Central
When/where: Late Cretaceous, North America.

Horns, Bills, and Beaks (Ornithischians: crowd favorites)

Triceratops

Say it: try-SEH-ruh-TOPS
Vibe: “Three-horned face” with a giant frill; the poster child of Late Cretaceous herbivores.

Parasaurolophus

Say it: PAR-uh-sore-OL-uh-fuss
Party trick: That sweeping head crest likely amplified low, resonant calls—a built-in brass section. Newer modeling keeps strengthening the acoustic case. Acoustical Society of America Phys.org
When/where: Late Cretaceous, North America.

Iguanodon

Say it: ih-GWAH-noh-don
Signature feature: The thumb spike—probably defense at close quarters (and a fossil that helped kick off dinosaur science in the 1820s–40s). Natural History Museum+1

Not-Dinosaurs You Still Search For (and that’s OK)

“Pterodactyl” / Pteranodon (pterodactyl, pteranodon)

They’re pterosaurs—flying reptiles, close cousins to dinosaurs, but not dinosaurs. Pteranodon’s wings could reach ~20 ft (6 m). American Museum of Natural History+1
Pro tip: “Pterodactyl” is a popular nickname; the real genus is Pterodactylus (smaller, Jurassic). Encyclopedia Britannica

Mosasaurus

A marine reptile closer to modern lizards/snakes than to dinosaurs—an ocean apex predator of the Late Cretaceous. Not a dinosaur. Encyclopedia Britannica

Archaeopteryx (since you asked about “raptor dinosaur” and bird origins)

A famous Late Jurassic fossil with both dinosaur and bird traits; a landmark in showing that birds are living dinosaurs. Evolution Berkeley Natural History Museum

Quick Reality Checks People Appreciate (and search engines reward)

Are birds dinosaurs? Yes. Birds are avian theropod dinosaurs; “non-avian dinosaurs” are the others. Evolution Berkeley
Is “Pterodactyl” a dinosaur? No—pterosaurs ≠ dinosaurs. American Museum of Natural History
Did Dilophosaurus spit venom or fan a frill? Movie myth. National Geographic
Was Spinosaurus aquatic? Evidence supports strong water adaptations (tail for propulsion), though some researchers argue semi-aquatic rather than fully aquatic. BPB eLife

“Dinosaur World,” “Dinosaur National Monument,” and other intent traps

Dinosaur World = a family of US theme parks (Florida, Kentucky, Texas). If people mean the attraction, link here. dinosaurworld.com
Dinosaur National Monument (Utah/Colorado) = real fossils in the Utah Quarry Exhibit Hall—over 1,500 bones visible in the wall. (If you want photos, they’re spectacular.) National Park Service+1
“The Good Dinosaur” = Pixar’s Apatosaurus heart-tugger—great for family posts. Pixar Animation Studios

Image ideas you can add later (alt-text included)

T. rex skull close-up (“Tooth serrations and robust jaw of T. rex”). Pair with the bone-crushing bite note. Nature
Velociraptor forearm fossil with quill knobs (“Attachment points for secondary feathers”). American Museum of Natural History
Spinosaurus tail reconstruction (“High fineness-ratio tail adapted for lateral propulsion”). BPB
Stegosaurus plate row + thagomizer (“Two alternating plate rows; defensive tail spikes”). nhmu.utah.edu
Pteranodon museum model in glide (“Large crest; ~6 m wingspan; not a dinosaur.”). American Museum of Natural History
Mosasaurus mural (“Late Cretaceous marine reptile; apex predator, not a dinosaur”). Encyclopedia Britannica

Misspellings & pop-terms people use (work these into subheads once or twice)

t rex / tyrannosuruces rex → Tyrannosaurus rex
velocirapter / raptor dinosaur → Velociraptor (a dromaeosaurid raptor) Encyclopedia Britannica
giganotosaurus (say “jig-uh-NO-…”) → Giganotosaurus Encyclopedia Britannica
brontosaurus / apatosaurus → both get a section; note the 2015 Brontosaurus revival. PeerJ
pterodactyl / pteranodon → pterosaur, not dinosaur. American Museum of Natural History
mosasaurus → marine reptile (not dinosaur). Encyclopedia Britannica
indominus rex / indoraptor → Jurassic World fictional hybrids (nice sidebar for movie section). Jurassic Park Wiki+1

Two quick FAQs you can box for snippets

What are the main types of dinosaurs?
Paleontologists traditionally split dinosaurs into Saurischia (theropods + sauropodomorphs) and Ornithischia (ornithopods, armored thyreophorans, and marginocephalians like Triceratops). It’s a useful, still standard map—even as studies refine the tree. (Use this section to link out to your longer “Dinosaur Groups” explainer.) UC Museum of Paleontology

Are pterodactyls and mosasaurs dinosaurs?
No. Pterosaurs (like Pteranodon) are flying reptiles; mosasaurs are marine reptiles closer to snakes and monitor lizards. They lived alongside dinosaurs but sit on different branches. American Museum of Natural History Encyclopedia Britannica

Bonus: Where pop-culture helps (and where it doesn’t)

Dinosaur Train (PBS) = kid-friendly way to name groups and eras; great internal link for parents. PBS KIDS
Jurassic Park/World myths to correct: venom-spitting Dilophosaurus, scaly Velociraptors (they were feathered), and the very entertaining but fictional Indominus rex/Indoraptor. National Geographic PubMed Jurassic Park Wiki