FossilRange

Torosaurus

Named by Marsh 1891 · Ceratopsidae · Horned dinosaurs

Lived 72.1–66 million years ago, in the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous.Below: the genera most often found in the same fossil collections, on the same time scale.

TriassicJurassicCretaceousTorosaurus12 recordsTorosaurus: 72.1–66 Ma72.1–66 MaTyrannosaurusin 2 shared collectionsTyrannosaurus: 72.1–66 MaAnkylosaurusin 1 shared collectionAnkylosaurus: 72.1–66 MaTriceratopsin 1 shared collectionTriceratops: 72.1–66 MaPachycephalosaurusin 1 shared collectionPachycephalosaurus: 72.1–66 MaEdmontosaurusin 1 shared collectionEdmontosaurus: 72.1–66 MaOrnithomimusin 1 shared collectionOrnithomimus: 83.6–66 MaSantonianCampanianMaastrichtian83.672.166million years ago66 Ma: end of the Cretaceous
TriassicJurassicCretaceousTorosaurus12 recordsTorosaurus: 72.1–66 MaTyrannosaurusin 2 shared collectionsTyrannosaurus: 72.1–66 MaAnkylosaurusin 1 shared collectionAnkylosaurus: 72.1–66 MaTriceratopsin 1 shared collectionTriceratops: 72.1–66 MaPachycephalosaurusin 1 shared collectionPachycephalosaurus: 72.1–66 MaEdmontosaurusin 1 shared collectionEdmontosaurus: 72.1–66 MaOrnithomimusin 1 shared collectionOrnithomimus: 83.6–66 MaCampanian83.672.166million years ago66 Ma: end of the Cretaceous

Top: the whole age of dinosaurs, 251.9–66 million years ago; the outlined part is enlarged below. Each bar spans the ICS stages its well-dated fossil records fall in.

Torosaurus lived 72.1–66 million years ago, during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous. The Paleobiology Database lists 12 fossil records for it from 2 countries (United States and Canada) — the 95th most of the 99 genera on this site.

Its records are spread over at least 8 formations; the largest share, 25%, is from the Hell Creek Formation.

Tyrannosaurus appears in 17% of the collections that hold Torosaurus; Ankylosaurus in 8%.

Its stage range spans about 6.1 million years (the 83rd longest of 99); it is the 11th best-recorded of the 11 horned dinosaurs here.

Lived
72.1–66 Ma
Stage
Maastrichtian
Period
Cretaceous
Family
Ceratopsidae
Fossil records
12 · #95 of 99
Collections
12
Countries
2

How it compares with the other 98

Each thin line is one genus on this site — darker where several share a value. The marked line is Torosaurus.

Fossil records

12

95th most of 99 genera

Countries with records

2

Shared with 39 other genera

Length of stage range

6.1 My

83rd longest of 99 genera

Where its fossils were found

12 fossil records with coordinates, at present-day positions.

States and provinces

  1. Wyoming217%
  2. South Dakota217%
  3. Texas217%
  4. North Dakota18%
  5. Utah18%
  6. Alberta18%
  7. Colorado18%
  8. Saskatchewan18%

Countries

  1. United States1083%
  2. Canada217%

The rocks it comes from, and the company it kept

Share of its 12 fossil records by rock formation; then the genera most often dug up in the same collections.

  • Hell Creek 3 · 25%
  • Lance 2 · 17%
  • Javelina 2 · 17%
  • North Horn 1 · 8%
  • Scollard 1 · 8%
  • Laramie 1 · 8%
  • Other or unnamed formations 2 · 17%
Tyrannosaurus2 of 12 collections
Ankylosaurus1 of 12 collections
Triceratops1 of 12 collections
Pachycephalosaurus1 of 12 collections
Edmontosaurus1 of 12 collections
Ornithomimus1 of 12 collections
Troodon1 of 12 collections
Saurornitholestes1 of 12 collections

2 accepted species

  • Torosaurus latusMarsh 1891 · 7 records
  • Torosaurus utahensisGilmore 1946 · 3 records

Records by stage

Well-dated records, by the stage of their mid-point age

1
11
CampanianMaastrichtian

Other horned dinosaurs of its time

Same group, overlapping stage range, never found in the same collections. The amber band marks when Torosaurus lived.

GenusTriassicJurassicCretaceousLivedCountries

Also from the same formations

Hell Creek Formation

Thescelosaurus · Chirostenotes · Dromaeosaurus · Edmontonia · Gorgosaurus · Stegoceras · Citipes

Lance Formation

Thescelosaurus · Dryptosaurus · Dromaeosaurus · Stenonychosaurus · Albertosaurus · Edmontonia · Panoplosaurus · Struthiomimus

Javelina Formation

Alamosaurus · Kritosaurus · Gryposaurus

Data: Paleobiology Database, taxon 38861 (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-10-27. Ages follow the ICS chart — see how ranges are worked out.