Early Cretaceous

Elrhaz Formation North Africa

The ecology of Cretaceous North Africa is reminiscent of the North American Jurassic. There is relatively low diversity with sauropods the most common plant eaters with a few large ornithiscians. There are 4 large and 2 medium size theropods. The physical differences among the North African theropods may represent partitioning as the different predator species found today in the African savanna. Fins and high neural arches are found in a variety of of different species here. These is variously reconstructed as fins or humps. This could a sign of seasonal extremes that required the storage of fat.

updated 110412

Early Cretaceous has fragmentary theropod and sauropod material and a few well characterized genera (Afrovenator, Suchomimus, Ouranosaurus and Nigersaurus).

Battat Ouranosaurus Schleich Ouranosaurus

Ouranosaurus was a high spined relative of Iguanodon. Where Iguanodon could have been the ancestor of the later flat headed duckbills Ouranosaurus was suggested as a progenitor for the crested lambeosaurs.

The UHA Dino Tales Suchomimus from Kaiyodo , the mini Battat Ouranosaurus and Play Vision Ouranosaurus.The iguanodont Ouranosaurus nigeriensis and the spinosaurid Suchomimus tenerensis are present . There are also smaller plant eaters and carnivores. It also the home of for a large number of crocodilians including the giant Sarcosuchus. Suchomimus the "crocodile mimic",  a relative of the European Baryonyx and African Spinosaurus, was 36-foot long with a skull that resembled a crocodile.   It looks like a fish eater.   Ouranosaurus "valiant lizard" was about 24 feet long the long back bones similar to that of the American bison.  This suggests that Ouranosaurus has a sail or hump on its back.

Wild Safari Suchiomimus Suchomimus is characterized by a long, narrow and low snout that has redefined the shape of the spinosaurid skull in general. The dorsal vertebrae have elongated neural spines consistent with a sail, but it is very much lower than that of Spinosaurus itself and at its highest point over the hips. Suchomimus appears to be closely related to Baryonyx. It had a very long, low snout and narrow jaws studded with some 100 teeth, not very sharp and curving slightly backward. The tip of the snout was enlarged and carried a "rosette" of longer teeth. The animal is reminiscent of crocodilians that eat mainly fish.