- · Grid units represent actual meters (m); human and animals are drawn to the exact same scale with original silhouette aspect ratios preserved.
- · When a size range is recorded (e.g. 1–1.6m), the lower bound is used for scale comparison.
- · Megalosaurus silhouette: PhyloPic — Tasman Dixon · CC BY 4.0
- · Human silhouette: PhyloPic — NASA · Public Domain Mark 1.0
Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus bucklandii (Megalosaurus · Megalosaurus)
Known only from fossils. The IUCN Red List assesses only species extant since 1500 CE, so fossil taxa are not assigned a category.
💡 Everyday Comparisons for Size, Mass & Speed
- 💡 Its estimated body length of about 6 m (representative value for the genus) is roughly 1.3 times the length of a passenger car (about 4.5 m) (Comparison).
- 💡 The Natural History Museum, London introduces this dinosaur as the very first dinosaur to be given a scientific name.
Reference standards: coach bus ~12 m, mid-size car ~4.9 m, compact car ~1 t, basketball hoop 3.05 m, credit card 8.56 cm.
📖 1. Overview
Megalosaurus bucklandii (genus Megalosaurus) was a large carnivorous theropod that lived in the United Kingdom during the Middle Jurassic; it was one of the first dinosaurs ever discovered and the very first dinosaur to be scientifically named. Its name means 'great lizard.'
🦴 2. Anatomy & Morphology
It is listed as a large theropod with a body length of about 6 m. This source does not provide information on its weight, teeth, or gait.
🔍 3. Fossil Record & Paleoecology
It was a carnivorous dinosaur. Its fossils have been found around Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom.
🇰🇷 4. Connection to Korea
No direct record connecting this species to Korea has been found.
📚 Sources & References
- • Fossil taxon — the IUCN Red List assesses only species living or extinct since 1500
- • paleobiodb.org — basicTaxonInfo
- • wikidata.org — Q22104237
- • commons.wikimedia.org — File:Megalosaurus display.JPG
- • nhm.ac.uk — megalosaurus.html
- • Silhouette: PhyloPic — Tasman Dixon · CC BY 4.0
Recorded dimensions are widely cited representative estimates from public literature and may vary by study or specimen.