23 Dinosaurs That Start With Z

While it used to be difficult to find more than a few dinosaurs whose names started with the letter Z, there are now at least 23 of them! A big reason for this proliferation is a number of discoveries made in China in recent decades, and the subsequent use of Chinese names for them. Read on to learn all their names, including how to pronounce them and what they mean.

1. Zalmoxes

Pronunciation: zal-mox-ees
Name means: ‬named after the Dacian deity Zalmoxis

Zalmoxes is a genus of habdodontid ornithopod dinosaur from the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zalmoxes robustus in 2003 from fossils found in the Sânpetru Formation in Transylvania, Romania. It was a bipedal herbivore with an estimated length of 2.5 m (8.2 ft).

2. Zanabazar

Pronunciation: zah-nah-bah-zar
Name means: named after Öndör Gegeen Zanabazar

Zanabazar is a genus of troodontid dinosaur from the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zanabazar junior in 2009 from fossils found in the Nemegt Formation in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia. It was a bipedal carnivore with an estimated length of 3 m (9.8 ft).

3. Zapalasaurus

Pronunciation: zap-al-ah-sor-us
Name means: “‬Zapala lizard”

Zapalasaurus is a genus of diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur from the Barremian/Early Aptian ages of the Early Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zapalasaurus bonapartei in 2006 from fossils found in the La Amarga Formation of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina. It was a long-necked quadrupedal herbivore of undetermined length.

4. Zapsalis

Pronunciation: za-sah-lis‭ (silent ‘‬p‭’‭)
Name means: “thorough scissors”

Zapsalis is a genus of dromaeosaurine theropod dinosaur from the Campanian to Maastrichtian ages of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zapsalis ‬abradens in 1876 from fossil teeth found in the ‬Dinosaur Park Formation in Canada. It was a bipedal carnivore of undetermined length.

5. Zaraapelta

Pronunciation: zah-raah-pel-tah
Name means: “hedgehog shield”

Zaraapelta is a genus of ankylosaurid thyreophoran dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zaraapelta nomadis in 2014 from a skull found in the Barun Goyot Formation in Mongolia. The genus name was formed by combining the Mongolian word for hedgehog, zaraa, and the Greek word peltè, a small shield, in reference to the overall prickly appearance of typical ankylosaur armor. It was a quadrupedal herbivore of undetermined length.

6. Zby

Pronunciation: zb-ee
Name means: named after Georges Zbyszewski

Zby is a genus of turiasaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Kimmeridgian age of the Late Jurassic period. Researchers named the type species Zby atlanticus in 2014 from fossils found in the Lourinhã Formation in Portugal. It was a large quadruped herbivore with an estimated length of 16 – 18 m (52.5 – 59.1 ft).

7. Zephyrosaurus

Pronunciation: zef-e-ir-sor-us
Name means: “west wind lizard‭”

Zephyrosaurus is a genus of orodromine ornithischian dinosaur from the Albian age of the Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zephyrosaurus schaffi in 1980 from fossils found in the ‬Cloverly Formation in Montana, USA. It was a bipedal herbivore with an estimated length of 1.8 m (5.9 ft).

8. Zhanghenglong

Pronunciation: jahng-heng-long
Name means: “Zhang Heng’s dragon‭”

Zhanghenglong is a genus of hadrosauroid iguanodont dinosaur from the Santonian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhanghenglong yangchengensis in 2014 from fossils found in the Majiacun Formation in Henan Province, China. It was a quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 5.5 – 6 m (18.0 – 19.7 ft).

9. Zhejiangosaurus

Pronunciation: juhr-jiahng-o-sor-us
Name means: “‬Zhejiang lizard‭”

Zhejiangosaurus is a genus of nodosaurid ankylosaurian dinosaur from the Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhejiangosaurus lishuiensis in 2007 from fossils found in Lishui, Zhejiang Province, China. It was a quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 4.5 m (14.8 ft).

10. Zhenyuanlong

Pronunciation: jen-yoo-en-long
Name means: “Zhenyuan’s dragon‭”

Zhenyuanlong is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Aptian age of the Early Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhenyuanlong suni in 2015 from a nearly complete preserved skeleton found in the Yixian Formation of ‬Liaoning Province‭, China. It was a feathered bipedal carnivore with an estimated length of 2 m (6.6 ft).

11. Zhongjianosaurus

Pronunciation: jawng-jiahn-o-sor-us
Name means: “Zhongjian’s lizard”

Zhongjianosaurus is a genus of microraptoran dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Barremian to Aptian ages of the Early Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhongjianosaurus yangi in 2017 from fossils found in the Yixian Formation in China. It was a small feathered and winged theropod estimated to have been only about 25 cm (9.8 in) tall and just 310 g (10.0 oz) in weight, making it the smallest microraptor currently known.

12. Zhongyuansaurus

Pronunciation: jawng-yoo-en-sor-us
Name means: “Zhongyuan lizard”

Zhongyuansaurus is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Aptian–Albian ages of the Early Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhongyuansaurus luoyangensis in 2007 from fossils found in the Haoling Formation in ‬Luoyang, Henan, China in an area known as the Zhongyuan (Central Plain) region. It was a quadrupedal herbivore of undetermined length.

13. Zhuchengceratops

Pronunciation: joo-chuhng-seh-rah-tops
Name means: “‬Zhucheng horned face‭”

Zhuchengceratops is a genus of leptoceratopsid ceratopsian dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhuchengceratops inexpectus in 2010 from fossils found in the Wangshi Group in Zhucheng County, Shandong, China. It was a quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 2.5 m (8.2 ft).

14. Zhuchengtitan

Pronunciation: joo-chuhng-tie-tan
Name means: “‬Zhucheng Titan‭”

Zhuchengtitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhuchengtitan‭ ‬zangjiazhuangensis‭ in 2017 from fossils found in the ‬Xingezhuang Formation in Shandong Province‭, China. It was a large quadrupedal herbivore of uncertain size.

15. Zhuchengtyrannus

Pronunciation: joo-chuhng-tih-ran-us
Name means: “Zhucheng tyrant”

Zhuchengtyrannus is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zhuchengtyrannus magnus in 2011 from fossils found in the Wangshi Group in Zhucheng, Shandong, China. It was a bipedal carnivore with an estimated length of 10 m (33.0 ft).

16. Ziapelta

Pronunciation: tsee-ah-pel-tah
Name means: “Zia shield‭”

Ziapelta is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Ziapelta sanjuanensis in 2014 from fossils found in the Kirtland Formation‭ in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico, USA. It was a quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 4.6 – 6.1 m (15.0 – 20.0 ft).

17. Zigongosaurus

Pronunciation: dz-gawng
Name means: “Zigong Lizard”

Zigongosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Middle to Late Jurassic period. Researchers named the type species Zigongosaurus fuxiensis in 1976 from fossils found in the Shaximiao Formation in Zigong, Sichuan, China. It was a long-necked quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 15 m (49.2 ft).

18. Zizhongosaurus

Pronunciation: dz-jawng-o-sor-us
Name means: “‬Zizhong lizard‭”

Zizhongosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Toarcian age of the Early Jurassic period. Researchers named the type species Zizhongosaurus chuanchengensis in 1983 from fossils found in Zizhong County, Sichuan, China. The species epithet refers to the town of Chuancheng. It was a large quadrupedal herbivore of undetermined size.

19. Zuniceratops

Pronunciation: Zoo-nee-seh-rah-tops
Name means: “Zuni horned face”

Zuniceratops is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur from the Turonian age of the Late Cretaceous Period. Researchers named the type species Zuniceratops christopheri in 1998 from fossils found in the Moreno Hill Formation in New Mexico, USA. It was a quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 3.5 meters (11.2 ft).

20. Zuolong

Pronunciation: “zoo-o-long”
Name means: “Zuo’s dragon”

Zuolong is a genus of tetanuran theropod dinosaur from the Oxfordian age of the Late Jurassic period. Researchers named the type species Zuolong salleei in 2010 from fossils found in the ‬Shishugou Formation in Xinjiang, China. It was a bipedal carnivore with an estimated length of 3.1 m (10.2 ft).

21. Zuoyunlong

Pronunciation: zoo-o-yoon-long
Name means: “Zuoyun dragon”

Zuoyunlong is a genus of hadrosauroid dinosaur from the Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zuoyunlong huangi in 2015 from fossils found in the ‬Zhumapu Formation in Zuoyun County, Shanxi, China. It was a bipedal herbivore with an estimated length of 8 m (26.2 ft).

22. Zupaysaurus

Pronunciation: zoo-pay-sor-us
Name means: “devil lizard‭”

Zupaysaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Norian age of the Late Triassic period. Researchers named the type species Zupaysaurus‭ ‬rougieri‭ in 2003 from fossils found in the Los Colorados Formation in Argentina. It was a bipedal carnivore with an estimated length of 4 m (13.1 ft).

23. Zuul

Pronunciation: zool
Name means: ‬named after the character from the Ghostbusters‭ film franchise

Zuul is a genus of ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Zuul‭ ‬crurivastator in 2017 from fossils found in the ‬Judith River Formation in Montana, USA. It was a quadrupedal herbivore with an estimated length of 6 m (19.7 ft).

Summary of 23 Dinosaurs That Start With Z