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How are dinosaurs classified?

Into what orders, suborders and families have the various dinosaurs been classified?

It is natural to try to group animals into similar types. Some animals are certainly genetically related to each other. The current animal (zoological) classification system used today is based on theories of evolutionary relationships between creatures. Evolutionists wrongly assume that ALL animals are genetically related to each other.

Since Evolutionism is itself a theory, the detailed dinosaur classification system shown below is also theoretical—based on certain assumptions and guesswork—and thus will change. Dinosaur classification and the assumed number of dinosaur species may vary widely depending on the paleontologist.

The number of species is always approximate and will change. (Click here to see why)

The dinosaurs are divided into 2 orders: Saurischia and Ornithischia.

Dinosauria Classification

Saurischia

Herrerasauria

Herrerasauridae

? Eoraptor lunensis

Sauropodomorpha

? Saturnalia tupiniquim

? Thecodontosauridae

Prosauropoda

? Thecodontosauridae

? Anchisauria

? Anchisauridae

? Melanorosauridae

Plateosauria

Massospondylidae

Yunnanosauridae

Plateosauridae

Sauropoda

? Anchisauridae

? Melanorosauridae

Blikanasauridae

Vulcanodontidae

Eusauropoda

? Euhelopodidae

Mamenchisauridae

Cetiosauridae

Neosauropoda

Diplodocoidea

Rebbachisauridae

Flagellicaudata

Dicraeosauridae

Diplodocidae

Macronaria

? Jobaria tiguidensis

Camarasauromorpha

Camarasauridae

Titanosauriformes

Brachiosauridae (Brachiosaurus)

Titanosauria (Titanosaurus)

Andesauridae

Lithostrotia

Isisaurus colberti

Paralititan stromeri

Nemegtosauridae

Saltasauridae

Theropoda

? Eoraptor lunensis

? Herrerasauridae

Ceratosauria

? Coelophysoidea

Coelophysidae (Coelurus bauri, Coelophysis bauri, Camposaurus arizonensis, Lepidus praecisio, Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis, Procompsognathus triassicus, Pterospondylus trielbae, Segisaurus halli)

? Dilophosaurus wetherilli

? Neoceratosauria

Ceratosauridae (Ceratosaurus)

Abelisauroidea

Abelisauria

Noasauridae (Noasaurus)

Abelisauridae

Carnotaurinae (Carnotaurus)

Abelisaurinae (Abelisaurus)

Tetanurae

? Spinosauroidea

Megalosauridae

Megalosaurinae (Megalosaurus)

Eustreptospondylinae (Eustreptospondylus)

Spinosauridae

Baryonychinae (Baryonyx walkeri)

Spinosaurinae (Spinosaurus)

Avetheropoda

Carnosauria

Monolophosaurus jiangi

Allosauroidea

Allosauridae (Allosaurus)

Sinraptoridae (Metriacanthosaurus parker)

Carcharodontosauridae (Carcharodontosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, Meraxes gigas, Tyrannotitan chubutensis, Acrocanthosaurus atokensis, Concavenator corcovatus, Eocarcharia dinops, Kelmayisaurus petrolicus, Lajasvenator ascheriae, Shaochilong maortuensis, Taurovenator violantei, Veterupristisaurus milneri)

? Spinosauroidea (Spinosaurus)

Coelurosauria

Compsognathidae (Compsognathus)

Proceratosaurus bradleyi

Ornitholestes hermanni

Tyrannoraptora

Coelurus fragilis

Tyrannosauroidea

Dryptosauridae (Dryptosaurus)

Tyrannosauridae

Tyrannosaurinae (Tyrannosaurus rex)

Albertosaurinae (Albertosaurus)

Maniraptoriformes

Ornithomimosauria

Harpymimidae (Harpymimus okladnikovi)

Garudimimidae (Garudimimus brevipes)

Ornithomimidae (Deinocheirus mirificus)

Maniraptora

Oviraptorosauria

Caenagnathoidea

Caenagnathidae (Caenagnathus collinsi)

Oviraptoridae

Oviraptorinae (Oviraptor philoceratops)

Therizinosauroidea

Alxasauridae (Alxasaurus elesitaiensis)

Therizinosauridae (Therizinosaurus cheloniformis)

Ornithischia

? Lesothosaurus diagnosticus

? Heterodontosauridae

Genasauria

Thyreophora

Scelidosauridae (Scelidosaurus harrisonii)

Eurypoda

Stegosauria

Huayangosauridae (Chungkingosaurus, Huayangosaurus)

Stegosauridae

Dacentrurus armatus

Stegosaurinae (Stegosaurus)

Ankylosauria

Ankylosauridae (Ankylosaurus)

Gastonia burgei

Shamosaurus scutatus

Nodosauridae (Nodosaurus, Acanthopholis horrida, Anoplosaurus curtonotus, Dongyangopelta yangyanensis, Gastonia burgei, Gargoyleosaurus parkpinorum, Glyptodontopelta mimus, Horshamosaurus rudgwickensis, Invictarx zephyri, Propanoplosaurus marylandicus, Rhadinosaurus alcimus, Sauroplites scutiger, Polacanthidae)

Cerapoda

Ornithopoda

? Lesothosaurus diagnosticus

? Heterodontosauridae

Euornithopoda

Hypsilophodon foxii

Thescelosaurus neglectus

Iguanodontia

Tenontosaurus tilletti

Rhabdodontidae (Rhabdodon, Matheronodon provincialis, Mochlodon, Pareisactus evrostos, Transylvanosaurus platycephalus, Zalmoxes robustus)

Dryomorpha

Dryosauridae (Dryosaurus)

Ankylopollexia

Camptosauridae (Camptosaurus)

Styracosterna

Lurdusaurus arenatus

Iguanodontoidea (=Hadrosauriformes)

Iguanodontidae

Hadrosauridae

Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus

Euhadrosauria

Lambeosaurinae

Saurolophinae (=Hadrosaurinae) (Saurolophus osborni, Barsboldia sicinskii, Bonapartesaurus, Huallasaurus, Kelumapusaura machi, Secernosaurus koerneri, Brachylophosaurus canadensis, Acristavus gagslarsoni, Maiasaura peeblesorum, Ornatops incantatus, Probrachylophosaurus bergei, Edmontosaurus, Kerberosaurus, Kamuysaurus, Kundurosaurus, Laiyangosaurus, Shantungosaurus, Kritosaurus navajovius, Saurolophus osborni, etc.)

Marginocephalia

Pachycephalosauria

Goyocephala

Homalocephaloidea

Homalocephalidae

Pachycephalosauridae (Pachycephalosaurus)

Ceratopsia

Psittacosauridae

Neoceratopsia

Coronosauria

Protoceratopsidae (Protoceratops)

Bagaceratopidae