Discover 12 Dinosaurs That Start With U

utahraptor
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Written by Deniz Martinez

Published: October 30, 2023

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While U may not be the most popular letter of the dinosaur alphabet, there are still a good dozen dinosaurs whose names start with the 21st letter. Read on to meet them all!

1. Uberabatitan

Pronunciation: oo-ber-ah-bah-ty-tan
Name means: “Uberaba Titan”

Uberabatitan
Uberabatitan

 was one of the last known titanosaurs to live before the KT mass extinction.

Uberabatitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Uberabatitan ribeiroi in 2008 from fossils found in the Marilla Formation in Uberara, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was a long-necked quadruped herbivore that could grow up to 26 m (85.3 ft) long.

2. Udanoceratops

Pronunciation: oo-dahn-oh-seh-rah-tops
Name means: “Udan horned face”

Udanoceratops
Udanoceratops

had a robust jaw and short-frilled hornless skull.

Udanoceratops is a genus of leptoceratopsid ceratopsian dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Udanoceratops tschizhovi in 1992 from fossils found in the Djadokhta Formation in Mongolia. It was a quadruped herbivore that could grow to nearly 4 m (13.1 ft) long and weigh up to 700 kg (1,543 lbs).

3. Ultrasaurus

Pronunciation: ul-trah-sor-us
Name means: “ultra lizard”

Ultrasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Aptian and Albian ages of the Late Cretaceous period. The type species Ultrasaurus tabriensis was named in 1983 from fossils found in the Gugyedong Formation in South Korea. Despite the name, its actual size has not yet been determined.

4. Ulughbegsaurus

Pronunciation: oo-lugh-beg-sor-us
Name means: “Ulugh Beg’s Lizard”

Ulughbegsaurus
Ulughbegsaurus

is named for Ulug Beg, a 15th-century Timurid sultan who was also an astronomer and mathematician.

Ulughbegsaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Turonian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis in 2021 from fossils found in the Bissekty Formation in Uzbekistan. It was a bipedal carnivore that could grow up to 7.5 – 8 m (24.6 – 26.2 ft) long and weigh over 1,000 kg (2,205 lbs).

5. Unaysaurus

Pronunciation: oo-nay-sor-us
Name means: “black water lizard”

Unaysaurus

The “unay” in

Unaysaurus

derives from the Indigenous Tupi word for “black water,” a reference to the Agua Negra region where the fossils were found.

Unaysaurus is a genus of unaysaurid sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Late Triassic period. Researchers named the type species Unaysaurus tolentinoi in 2004 from fossils found in the Caturrita Formation in Paleorrota Geopark, Brazil in 1998. It was a bipedal herbivore that could grow up to 4.5 m (14.8 ft) long and weigh up to 1000 kg (2205 lbs). It is one of the oldest dinosaurs known.

6. Unenlagia

Pronunciation: oo-nen-lahg-ee-ah
Name means: “half-bird”

Unenlagia
Unenlagia

‘s name is derived from Indigenous Mapuche words for “bird” (

uñùm

) and “half” (

llag

).

Unenlagia is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Turonian to Coniacian ages of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Unenlagia comahuensis in 2004 from fossils found in Sierra del Portezuelo, Comahue, Argentina. It was a feathered bipedal carnivore that may have grown up to between 2.0 – 3.5 m (6.6 – 11.5 ft) long.

7. Unescoceratops

Pronunciation: yoo-ness-koh-seh-rah-tops
Name means: “UNESCO’s ceratopsian”

Unescoceratops is a genus of leptoceratopsid ceratopsian dinosaur from Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Unescoceratops koppelhusae in 2012 from fossils found in the ‬Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada. It was a quadruped herbivore that grew up to between 1 -2 m (3.3 – 6.6 ft) long.

8. Unquillosaurus

Pronunciation: un-kwil-lo-sor-us
Name means: “Unquillo River lizard”

Unquillosaurus is a genus of maniraptoran theropod dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Unquillosaurus ceibalii in 1979 from fossils found in the Los Blanquitos Formation in Salta Province, Argentina. It was a feathered bipedal carnivore that may have grown to 2 – 3 meters (6.6 – 9.8 ft) long.

9. Urbacodon

Pronunciation: ur-bak-oh-don
Name means: “URBAC tooth”

Urbacodon is a genus of troodontid theropod dinosaur from the Cenomanian to Turonian ages of the Late Cretaceous Period. Researchers named the type species Urbacodon itemirensis in 2007 from fossils found in the Dzharakuduk Formation in Itemir, Uzbekistan. It was a small bipedal carnivore. The URBAC acronym honors the Uzbek, Russian, British, American, and Canadian scientists who contributed to its discovery.

10. Utahceratops

Pronunciation: yoo-tah-seh-rah-tops
Name means: “Utah horned face”

Utahceratops is an extinct genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, Utahceratops isolated on white background with clipping path

Ceratopsians like

Utahceratops

are best known for their impressive head gear!

Utahceratops is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur from the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Utahceratops gettyi in 2010 from fossils found in the Kaiparowits Formation in Utah. Utahceratops was a robust quadrupedal herbivore that could grow up to 4.5 – 5 m (14.8 – 16.4 ft) long and weigh up to 2000 kg (4409 lbs).

11. Utahraptor

Pronunciation: yoo-tah-rap-tor
Name means: “Utah plunderer”

utahraptor
Utahraptor

was named Utah’s official state dinosaur in 2018.

Utahraptor is a genus of large dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Barremian age of the Early Cretaceous period. Researchers named the type species Utahraptor ostrommaysi in 1993 from fossils found in the Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah. Utahraptor was a feathered bipedal carnivore that may have grown up to 7 m (23.0 ft) long.

12. Uteodon

Pronunciation: yoot-o-don
Name means: “Ute tooth”

Uteodon

Size comparison of a human and a smaller

Uteodon

.

Uteodon is a genus of iguanodontian dinosaur from the Tithonian age of the Late Jurassic period. Researchers named the type species Utedon aphanoecetes in 2011 from fossils found in the Morrison Formation in Uintah County, Utah. It was a quadrupedal herbivore that may have grown as long as 6 m (19.7 ft) long and weighed up to 400 kg (882 lbs), although most specimens found have been closer to 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) long.

Summary of Discover 12 Dinosaurs That Start With U

NameMeaningGeological PeriodWhere FoundYear Named
Uberabatitan“Uberaba Titan”Late CretaceousBrazil2008
Udanoceratops“Udan horned face”Late CretaceousMongolia1992
Ultrasaurus“ultra lizard”Late CretaceousSouth Korea1983
Ulughbegsaurus“Ulugh Beg’s Lizard”Late CretaceousUzbekistan2021
Unaysaurus“black water lizard”Late TriassicBrazil2004
Unenlagia“half-bird”Late CretaceousArgentina2004
Unescoceratops“UNESCO’s ceratopsian”Late CretaceousCanada2012
Unquillosaurus“Unquillo River lizard”Late CretaceousArgentina1979
Urbacodon“URBAC tooth”Late CretaceousUzbekistan2007
Utahceratops“Utah horned face”Late CretaceousUtah2010
Utahraptor“Utah plunderer”Early CretaceousUtah1993
Uteodon“Ute tooth”Late JurassicUtah2011
Sources: Dinopedia, Prehistoric Wildlife






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About the Author

Deniz Martinez is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on biogeography, ornithology, and mammalogy. Deniz has been researching, teaching, and writing about animals for over 10 years and holds both an MS degree from American Public University earned in 2016 and an MA degree from Lindenwood University earned in 2022. A resident of Pennsylvania, Deniz also runs Art History Animalia, a website and associated social media dedicated to investigating intersections of natural history with art & visual culture history via exploring animal iconography.

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