Scientists have discovered at least 900 unique genera of dinosaurs so far.
In this article, we’ll list some of these dinosaurs whose names begin with the letter D.
This list covers a variety of dinosaurs from different time periods and geographic locations.
It also includes large sauropods like Diplodocus and Dreadnoughtus and carnivores like Deinonychus and. Dilophosaurus.
15. Dacentrurus
| Name | Dacentrurus |
| Name Meaning | “Tail full of points” |
| Pronunciation | Dah-cen-trur-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Ornithischia, Thyreophora |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Height | 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) |
| Length | 8-9 meters (26.2-29.5 feet) |
| Weight | 5 metric tons (5.5 short tons) |
| Location | Europe |
Dacentrurus was a large stegosaurian dinosaur that lived in Europe from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous about 150 million years ago.
Discovered in 1875, this dinosaur was initially named Omosaurus in reference to its robust humerus.
This name was found to be taken by a crocodylian discovered earlier (Omosaurus perplexus), so the dinosaur’s name had to be changed.
The name Dacentrurus was assigned to this genus of armored dinosaur in 1902.
The new name means “tail full of points,” referring to the spiked tail of this dinosaur.
Dacentrurus was a heavily built dinosaur.
It was roughly 30 feet long, and its back was adorned with giant plates and spikes.
14. Datousaurus
| Name | Datousaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Chieftain lizard or Big head lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Dah-too-sore-us. |
| Era | Mesozoic — Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Length | 15 meters (49 feet) |
| Location | China (Asia) |
Datousaurus was a medium-sized sauropod dinosaur that lived in China during the Jurassic Period.
The dinosaur’s name has a dual meaning.
It means “chieftain lizard” but can also be interpreted to mean “big-head lizard.”
The dinosaur’s name is a reference to its big skull, which was unusually deep and large for a sauropod dinosaur.
Datousaurus was a herbivore with large “spoon-shaped” teeth used for processing plant materials.
Datousaurus was about 15 meters long.
While this is average-sized for a sauropod, Datousaurus had robust vertebrae, which gave it higher reach than other sauropods that lived in the same region during the Jurassic.
13. Daspletosaurus
| Name | Daspletosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Frightful Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Daas-pleet-u-sore-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 2.2-2.5 meters (7.2-8 feet) |
| Length | 8.5–9 meters (28–30 feet) |
| Weight | 2–3 metric tons (4,409-6,613 lbs) |
| Location | Alberta, Canada (North America) |
Daspletosaurus was a slightly older relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex.
It lived in North America about 77 million years ago, about 10 million years before the T. rex evolved.
Like its more iconic cousin, Daspletosaurus was the apex predator in its ecosystem.
Up to nine meters long, and with massive bone-crushing jaws, this tyrannosaurid dinosaur was a ferocious meat-eater.
The name Daspletosaurus translates as “frightful lizard,” which is fitting for the menacing appearance of this dinosaur.
Daspletosaurus had the largest teeth of any tyrannosaurid dinosaur, and there were dozens of them in the dinosaur’s jaws.
Given its massive size, experts think this dinosaur preyed on large herbivores such as Centrosaurus and Hypacrosaurus.
12. Deinocheirus
| Name | Deinocheirus |
| Name Meaning | “Terrible Hand” |
| Pronunciation | DINE-oh-KIRE-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Height | 5 meters (16 feet) |
| Length | 11.0 m (36.0 ft) |
| Weight | 6.5 tons (7.2 short tons) |
| Location | Mongolia |
Deinocheirus was a bizarre-looking dinosaur with huge, clawed hands that lived in Mongolia during the Cretaceous Period.
The huge claws of this dinosaur were discovered in 1970, and for up to five decades, they were the only part of the dinosaur known.
It was given the name “horrible hand” in reference to these massive arms.
Additional fossils were discovered in 2014 that made it possible to describe the dinosaur.
To further add to the bizarre appearance of the Deinocheirus, it was found to have a beaked head similar to that of a duck and a hump similar to a camel’s.
Deinocheirus is the largest ornithomimosaur dinosaur ever discovered.
11. Deinonychus
| Name | Deinonychus |
| Name Meaning | “Terrible claw” |
| Pronunciation | Di-non-ih-kus |
| Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 0.87 meters (2.9 feet) |
| Length | 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) |
| Weight | 60-73 kilograms (132-161 pounds) |
| Location | Wyoming, Montana, Utah; North America |
Deinonychus is one of the most famous dromaeosaurid dinosaurs (commonly referred to as raptors).
It is also one of the largest members of this family of dinosaurs.
The name Deinonychus means “Terrible claw,” referring to the unusually large sickle-shaped talons on the second toes of this dinosaur’s hind feet.
Each sharp claw was over 120 millimeters (4.7 inches) long and strongly curved, which made them effective for grasping prey.
Deinonychus dinosaur was an agile predator that lived in Western North America during the Cretaceous Period, about 115 million years ago.
Deinonychus was a close relative of the Velociraptor but was bigger and had a stockier build compared to its more iconic cousin.
10. Deltadromeus
| Name | Deltadromeus |
| Name Meaning | “Delta runner” |
| Pronunciation | del-tuh-DROH-mee-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 2.4 meters (8 feet) |
| Length | 8–10 meters (26–33 feet) |
| Weight | 1–2 tons (2,200–4,400 lbs) |
| Location | Morocco (North Africa) |
Deltadromeus was a small theropod dinosaur that lived in North Africa during the Middle Cretaceous Period, about 95 million years ago.
It was a fairly agile predator, and its name, which translates as “delta runner,” refers to its agility and possible habitat in the riverine delta of North Africa.
Deltadromeus was likely a predator of other small to medium-sized dinosaurs in its ecosystem, such as the Ouranosaurus.
Deltadromeus is considered a close relative or even the same dinosaur as the Bahariasaurus.
Fossils of both dinosaurs were found in the same location, but limited fossil evidence for both dinosaurs makes it difficult to compare them and determine their relationship.
9. Demandasaurus
| Name | Demandasaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Demanda lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Dee-man-dah-sore-us. |
| Era | Mesozoic — Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Height | 3.5 meters (11.4 feet) |
| Length | 10–12 meters (32–39 feet) |
| Weight | 5.5 tons (12,000 pounds) |
| Location | Spain (Europe) |
Demandasaurus is named after Sierra de la Demanda, a mountain range located in the Iberian Peninsula in Spain, where fossils of this dinosaur were first discovered.
It was a sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Cretaceous Period.
Demandasaurus was a rebbachisaurid sauropod, one of the few representatives of the group found in Europe.
In fact, it is the only rebbachisaurid native to Spain.
Demandasaurus is considered a close relative of the North African Nigersaurus but had a rounded snout instead of the square, box-like snout of the Nigersaurus.
8. Diplodocus
| Name | Diplodocus |
| Name Meaning | “Double Beam” |
| Pronunciation | Dip-loh-DOH-kus |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Sauropoda |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Height | 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) |
| Length | 24–26 meters (79–85 feet) |
| Weight | 11–18 tons (22,000–36,000 lbs) |
| Location | North America |
Diplodocus is one of the most recognizable sauropod dinosaurs.
It was discovered in 1878 and was one of the largest dinosaurs known for many years after its discovery.
Diplodocus is still one of the longest dinosaurs known from a complete skeleton today, with an estimated length of about 24 to 26 meters (79–85 feet).
The tail of the Diplodocus was extremely long.
The underside of this long tail was supported by double-beamed chevron bones.
The dinosaur’s name, which translates as “double beam,” refers to this bone structure, which was considered unique at the time.
Experts think the dinosaur may have used its long muscular tail like a whip-lash to defend itself against predators.
Diplodocus lived during the Jurassic Period and was one of the most dominant herbivores during this period.
7. Dilophosaurus
| Name | Dilophosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Double-Crested Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | dye-LOFF-uh-SAWR-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Early Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 2–3 meters (6.5–10 feet) |
| Length | 6–7 meters (20–23 feet) long |
| Weight | 400–500 kilograms (880–1,100 lbs) |
| Location | North America |
Dilophosaurus was an agile carnivorous dinosaur that lived in North America during the Early Jurassic, about 186 million years ago.
This makes it one of the oldest predatory dinosaurs ever discovered.
Dilophosaurus was about seven meters (23 feet) long.
This is medium-sized for a sauropod dinosaur, but Dilophosaurus was the largest terrestrial animal in North America during the Jurassic and arguably one of the largest dinosaurs from this period.
It had a pair of bony crests on its head, which may have been used for display purposes.
The genus name, which means “two-crested lizard,” is a reference to this prominent cranial crest.
Dilophosaurus was a fierce predator.
It had a kink in its upper jaw, similar to modern crocodiles.
This feature suggests that the dinosaur’s jaws were adapted to gripping and holding on to prey.
6. Dinheirosaurus
| Name | Dinheirosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Porto Dineheiro lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Din-hy-roe-sore-us. |
| Era | Mesozoic — Late Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Height | 5 meters (6.5 feet) |
| Length | 20–25 meters (66–82 feet) |
| Weight | 9.7 tons (21,000 pounds) |
| Location | Portugal (Europe) |
Dinheirosaurus was discovered by the famous Argentine paleontologist José Bonaparte in 1999.
Fragmentary fossils of this dinosaur were found in parts of present-day Portugal, in a region that hosted several other dinosaurs.
Dinheirosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous Period and was one of the bigger herbivorous dinosaurs in its ecosystem.
It was a medium-sized diplodocid sauropod characterized by an elongated neck and tail.
An average length of about 20 to 25 meters (66 to 82 feet) has been proposed for this dinosaur.
It was a herbivorous dinosaur that probably grazed on low-lying grass instead of high up in the trees like other sauropods.
Dinheirosaurus is one of the few sauropod dinosaurs with evidence of stomach stones or gastroliths.
5. Dreadnoughtus
| Name | Dreadnoughtus |
| Name Meaning | “Lord of the Fearsome” |
| Pronunciation | DRED-naw-tus. |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Height | 9 metres (30 feet) |
| Length | 26 meters (about 85 feet) |
| Weight | 48–49 metric tons (53–54 short tons) |
| Location | Argentina- |
The Dreadnoughtus is one of the largest dinosaurs ever discovered.
This also makes it one of the largest terrestrial vertebrates that ever walked the planet.
This titanosaurian dinosaur was up to 26 meters (85 feet) long and weighed up to 60 tons.
The Dreadnoughtus’ weight is equivalent to the weight of about 13 elephants!
Dreadnoughtus lived in South America during the Cretaceous Period.
The dinosaur’s name translates as “fears nothing” in reference to its immense size.
As one of the largest herbivorous dinosaurs in its ecosystem, the Dreadnoughtus’ tremendous size would have deterred any potential predator from attacking it.
The fairly complete fossils of this dinosaur were discovered in the Patagonia region of Argentina by famous American paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara.
4. Dryosaurus
| Name | Dryosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Tree lizard” |
| Pronunciation | dry-oh-SORE-us |
| Era | Mesozoic — Late Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Ornithopoda |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Height | 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) |
| Length | 3 meters (9.8 feet) |
| Weight | 100 kilograms (220 pounds) |
| Location | United States (North America) |
Dryosaurus was an iguanodont dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago.
The dinosaur’s name means “tree lizard” or “oak lizard,” and it references the fact that this dinosaur lived in a forested habitat when it was alive.
This is contrary to the common erroneous assumption that the dinosaur was named for its “oak leaf-shaped teeth.”
It was a relatively small dinosaur that lived in an environment dominated by large sauropod dinosaurs.
Dryosaurus survived on soft, low vegetation that grew around the ancient floodplains where it lived.
It was a relatively agile herbivore, and its speed would have helped it get away from the carnivorous dinosaurs that were abundant in its habitat.
3. Dryptosaurus
| Name | Dryptosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Tearing lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Drip-toe-sore-us. |
| Era | Mesozoic — Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropod |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 3 meters (10 feet) |
| Length | 7.5 meters (25 feet) |
| Weight | 1.3 tons (3,700 pounds) |
| Location | United States (North America) |
Dryptosaurus was one of the first North American dinosaurs to be named and described.
It was named by famous American Paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope in 1866.
The original name assigned to this dinosaur was Laelaps, in reference to a famous dog in Greek mythology.
Unfortunately, the name was already assigned to a genus of parasitic mites and was therefore invalid.
Othniel Charles March, Cope’s famous rival, renamed the dinosaur in 1877.
The new name Dryptosaurus means “tearing lizard,” and it refers to the sharp, tearing claws of this dinosaur, similar to that of the eagle.
Dryptosaurus was one of the most recognizable dinosaurs of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The dinosaur was made famous by the watercolor painting produced by Charles R. Knight in 1897 titled Leaping Laelaps.
2. Duriavenator
| Name | Duriavenator |
| Name Meaning | “Dorset lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Duh-ree-ah-ven-ay-tor |
| Era | Mesozoic — Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropod |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 2 meters (6 feet) |
| Length | 5–7 meters (16–23 feet) |
| Weight | 1.1 tons (2,200 pounds) |
| Location | England (Europe) |
Duriavenator was a theropod dinosaur that lived in present-day England during the Jurassic Period, about 168 million years ago.
It is considered one of the oldest theropod dinosaurs known from the fossil record.
The first fossils of this dinosaur were discovered in 1882 and were thought to be the bones of the Megalosaurus.
This dinosaur was identified as a distinct genus in 2008 and was given the name Duriavenator, which means “Dorset hunter.”
The name references the city of Dorset in Southwest England, where the first fossil was discovered.
Duriavenator was medium-sized, with an average length of about five to seven meters (16–23 feet).
It is still considered a close relative of the Megalosaurus, and both dinosaurs are comparable in size.
1. Dubreuillosaurus
| Name | Dubreuillosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Dubreuil’s lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Doo-brai-ul-o-sore-us. |
| Era | Mesozoic — Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropod |
| Diet | Carnivorous (Piscivore) |
| Height | Up to 9 meters (30 feet) |
| Length | 5–9 meters (16–30 feet) |
| Weight | 250 kilograms (550 pounds) |
| Location | France (Europe) |
Dubreuillosaurus is another megalosaurid dinosaur that lived in Europe during the Jurassic Period.
Fossils of this theropod dinosaur were discovered in France in 1994 and were initially described as a species of the Poekilopleuron genus.
The dinosaur was later renamed Dubreuillosaurus in 2005 and classified in its own genus.
The new name, which means “Dubreuil,” was assigned in honor of the Dubreuil family.
Dubreuillosaurus lived in the coastal region and mangrove swamps of France.
It was probably a piscivore, which means it fed mainly on fish it caught from the tidal pools that were abundant in its habitat.
The proportionately long skull of this dinosaur supports the theory that it was most likely a fish-eating dinosaur.
It may have also been a scavenger, feeding on the bodies of dead marine reptiles washed ashore.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacentrurus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datousaurus
- https://australian.museum/learn/dinosaurs/fact-sheets/daspletosaurus-torosus/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodocus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryosaurus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duriavenator
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubreuillosaurus https://eartharchives.org/articles/deinocheirus-the-giant-hunchbacked-dinosaur-with-terrifying-hands/index.html
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