Daspletosaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Daspletosaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 75 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 75 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Theropods |
|---|---|
| Lived | 83.6–66 million years ago (Campanian to Maastrichtian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Tyrannosauridae |
| Named by | Russell 1970 |
| Fossil records | 21 occurrences at 18 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Canada |
| Rock formations | Two Medicine, Oldman, Dinosaur Park, Ojo Alamo, Mesaverde, Kirtland |
About Daspletosaurus
Daspletosaurus ( das-PLEET-ə-SOR-əs; meaning "frightful lizard") is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur that lived in Laramidia between about 79 and 74.4 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period. The genus Daspletosaurus contains three named species. Fossils of the earlier type species, D. torosus, have been found in Alberta, while fossils of a later species, D. horneri, have been found in Montana and Alberta. D. wilsoni has been suggested as an intermediate species between D. torosus and D. horneri that evolved through anagenesis, though further research may be required to definitively support the theory.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Daspletosaurus (revision 1380312434), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q18511071.
