List of U.S. state dinosaurs

Last updated

This is a list of U.S. state dinosaurs in the United States, including the District of Columbia. Many states also have dinosaurs as state fossils, or designate named avian dinosaurs (List of U.S. state birds), but this list only includes those that have been officially designated as "state dinosaurs".

Contents

List of dinosaurs for states and other regions in the US

State or TerritoryDinosaurImageYear
Arizona Sonorasaurus thompsoni
Sonorasaurus thompsoni.jpg
2018 [1]
Arkansas Arkansaurus fridayi
Arkansaurus NT.jpg
2017 [2]
California Augustynolophus morrisi
Augustynolophus morrisi profile reconstruction.jpg
2017 [3]
Colorado Stegosaurus sp.
Stegosaurus ungulatus.png
1982 [4]
Connecticut Dilophosaurus sp.
Dilophosaurus wetherilli.PNG
2017-07-10 [5]
Delaware Dryptosaurus aquilunguis
Dryptosaurus by Durbed 2.jpg
2022 [6] [7]
District of Columbia "Capitalsaurus"
Capitalsaurus.jpg
1998 [8]
Idaho Oryctodromeus cubicularis
Oryctodromeus.jpg
2023 [9]
Massachusetts Podokesaurus holyokensis
Podokesaurus restoration.jpg
2021 [10] [11]
Maryland Astrodon johnstoni
Astrodon johnstoni.jpg
1998 [12]
Missouri Parrosaurus missouriensis
Hypsibema missouriensis Size Chart.svg
2004 [13] [14]
New Jersey Hadrosaurus foulkii
Hadrosaurus foulkii restoration.png
1991 [15]
Oklahoma Acrocanthosaurus atokensis
Acrocanthosaurus restoration.jpg
2006 [16]
Texas Sauroposeidon proteles (originally Paluxysaurus jonesi)
Sauroposeidon proteles.jpg
2009 (replaced Pleurocoelus which was state dinosaur 1997–2009) [17]
Utah Utahraptor ostrommaysorum
Utahraptor Restoration.png
2018 [18]
Washington "Suciasaurus rex"
Proximal femur of a large theropod dinosaur from Washington State.png
2023 [19]
Wyoming Triceratops horridus
Triceratops BW.jpg
1994 [20]

List of candidate dinosaurs

This is for dinosaurs that were or are candidates for state dinosaur but either were not designated or have yet to officially be.

StateDinosaurImageYearResult
Arizona Dilophosaurus wetherilli
Dilophosaurus in bird-like resting pose.jpg
1998 [21] [22] Vetoed when it was revealed fossils were illegally taken from Navajo Nation [23]
Massachusetts Anchisaurus polyzelus
Anchisaurus NT.jpg
2021 [24] Lost to Podokesaurus in a poll taken prior to bill [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

U.S. states, districts, and territories have representative symbols that are recognized by their state legislatures, territorial legislatures, or tradition. Some, such as flags, seals, and birds have been created or chosen by all U.S. polities, while others, such as state crustaceans, state mushrooms, and state toys have been chosen by only a few.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morrison Formation</span> Rock formation in the western United States

The Morrison Formation is a distinctive sequence of Upper Jurassic sedimentary rock found in the western United States which has been the most fertile source of dinosaur fossils in North America. It is composed of mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, and limestone and is light gray, greenish gray, or red. Most of the fossils occur in the green siltstone beds and lower sandstones, relics of the rivers and floodplains of the Jurassic period.

References

  1. "Sonorasaurus officially named Arizona's state dinosaur". KTAR.com. 2018-04-11. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  2. Chandler, Angela (22 February 2017). "Official State Dinosaur". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  3. Blume, Howard (23 September 2017). "California gets its own official state dinosaur". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "Stegosaurus". State Symbols USA. 2014-04-25. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  5. Altimari, Daniela. "Bill Naming State Dinosaur Signed by the Governor". courant.com. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  6. "House Bill 390 151st General Assembly (Present)". Delaware General Assembly. 2022-05-17.
  7. Megginson, Charles (2022-05-11). "Jurassic Times Call For Jurassic Measures: DE To Designate State Dino – Town Square Delaware LIVE" . Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  8. "Official Dinosaur Designation Act of 1998, Bill 12-538". Archived from the original on 2006-09-28.
  9. "Senate Bill 1127". Idaho Legislature. 2023-03-31.
  10. 1 2 Morrison, Heather (February 4, 2021). "Massachusetts State Dinosaur: Podokesaurus holyokensis wins fan vote, lawmaker files legislation to officially declare state dinosaur". Masslive.
  11. Lewis, Jack Patrick (February 4, 2021). "MA HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1392 FILED ON: 2/4/2021". The 192nd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  12. "Astrodon johnstoni, Maryland State Dinosaur". Archived from the original on 2006-01-04. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  13. "RSMo 10.095". Archived from the original on 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  14. "Missouri State Dinosaur - Missouri Secretary of State". www.sos.mo.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  15. "NJ Legislation on State Dinosaur".
  16. "§ 25-98.14. State dinosaur". eLaws.us. eLaws. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  17. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Texas State Symbols. July 1, 2010. Accessed November 25, 2010
  18. Utah Code Part 6, 63G-1-601 State symbols (PDF), retrieved 2021-08-09
  19. HB 1020 - 2023-24 , retrieved 2023-05-05
  20. "Wyoming Facts and Symbols - State of Wyoming".
  21. Moeser, C. (April 26, 1998). "Arizona dinosaur debate becomes real Godzilla". The Arizona Republic. Deseret News. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  22. Gebers, S. (February 19, 2018). "Arizona has no official state dinosaur, so an 11 year-old proposed one – the Sonorasaurus". The Republic. Retrieved February 20, 2018 via AZ Central.
  23. "Dilophosaurus Discovered". ucmp.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  24. Smith, Meghan (January 6, 2021). "Mass. Will Soon Have An Official State Dinosaur — And A Lesson In The Legislative Process". GBH.