While complete skeletons have yet to be found, Malaysia has yielded several significant dinosaur discoveries, primarily in the states of Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan. Most fossils date back to the Cretaceous period (approximately 66 to 145 million years ago).
Here are the types of dinosaurs confirmed to have lived in prehistoric Malaysia:
1. Spinosaurids (The "Fish-Eaters")
- Type: Theropod (Carnivore)
- Discovery: A 23mm fossilized tooth found in Bera, Pahang (2014).
- Details: This was the first-ever dinosaur fossil found in Malaysia. Spinosaurids are famous for their crocodile-like snouts and were likely semi-aquatic, feeding on fish and small land animals.
2. Ornithischians (Bird-Hipped Dinosaurs)
- Type: Herbivore
- Discovery: A 13mm fossilized tooth found in Pahang (2014).
- Details: This "bird-hipped" group includes a wide variety of plant-eaters. While the specific species isn't confirmed, the tooth structure (with a thick ridge called a cingulum) proves that herbivorous dinosaurs were part of the Malaysian ecosystem.
3. Iguanodontians
- Type: Large Herbivore
- Discovery: Fossilized teeth and footprints found in the Gagau Group, Terengganu.
- Details: Often referred to as "Iguanodons" in local media, these were bulky plant-eaters that could walk on either two or four legs. They are known for their thumb spikes and were widespread across Southeast Asia during the Early Cretaceous.
4. Sauropods (Long-Necked Giants)
- Type: Herbivore
- Discovery: Massive footprints (some 66–160 million years old) found in Bukit Panau, Kelantan (2020) and Hulu Terengganu.
- Details: These were the largest animals to walk on land. Based on the Kelantan footprints, researchers estimate the individuals were roughly 9 meters high and weighed between 30 to 40 tonnes.
5. Stegodon
- Found in a limestone cave in Gopeng,Perak in 2020.
- However, Stegodon is not a dinasour, it is the elephant had even been found in Malaysia.
- It lived during the Pleistocene epoch, millions of years after dinosaurs went extinct.
- Estimated to be between 30,000 and 80,000 years old
6. Other Theropods
- Type: Carnivore
- Discovery: Footprints found in Terengganu.
- Details: Beside the Spinosaurids, other three-toed footprints belonging to unidentified meat-eating theropods have been documented, indicating a variety of predators in the region.
SUMMARY OF LOCATIONS:
| State | Type of Evidence | Primary Dinosaur Groups |
| Pahang | Teeth | Spinosauridae, Ornithischia |
| Terengganu | Teeth, Bones, Footprints | Iguanodontian, Sauropod, Theropod |
| Kelantan | Footprints | Sauropod |
Note: Because the fossils found so far are mostly teeth and footprints (fragmentary remains), scientists usually refer to them by their family or group names (e.g., Spinosaurid) rather than specific species names (like Spinosaurus aegyptiacus), as more data is needed for a precise classification.
Tembeling Group and Gagau Group
| Feature | Tembeling Group | Gagau Group |
| Primary State | Pahang | Terengganu |
| Structural Style | Folded (deformed by Earth's crust) | Horizontal (flat, stable plateau) |
| Key Evidence | Mostly Teeth (Small fossils) | Mostly Footprints (Large impressions) |
| Accessibility | Found along riverbanks (e.g., Sg. Tekai) | High mountain plateaus (Gunung Gagau) |
GAGAU GROUP
- Located in the Gunung Gagau, intersection of Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang.
- Serves as a "time capsule" from the Early Cretaceous" period (100 to 145 million years ago).
- Its provide the first physical evidence of dinosaurs in Malaysia.
TEMBELING GROUP
- Cover the vast area in the central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia specifically aroung the Tembeling River and Tahan Range.
- Tembeling group is famous for having the first dinosaur teeth and a wealth of ancient aquatic fossils.
Compiled by:
Hj Zulheimy Maamor
Lembah Keramat, K.L
6/1/2026: 7.13 p.m
