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74-517: Meraxes is a genus of large carcharodontosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Huincul Formation of Patagonia , Argentina . The genus contains a single species, Meraxes gigas . The holotype of Meraxes , MMCh-PV 65, was discovered in 2012. Known from a nearly complete skull , pectoral and pelvic elements, partial forelimbs , complete hindlimbs , fragmentary ribs and cervical and dorsal vertebrae,
148-721: A monophyletic clade. The results of his phylogenetic analyses are shown in the cladogram below: Neovenator Sauroniops Veterupristisaurus Lusovenator Eocarcharia (type skull roof) Concavenator Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis (holotype maxilla) Acrocanthosaurus Eocarcharia (referred maxilla) Meraxes Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis (referred cranial material) Lajasvenator Labocania Shaochilong Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (neotype) Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (described by Stromer in 1931) Tyrannotitan Mapusaurus Giganotosaurus Rodolfo Coria and Leonardo Salgado suggested that
222-505: A sacrum , and several complete caudal vertebrae, it represents the most complete carcharodontosaurid skeleton known from the Southern Hemisphere. The specimen was referred to as the "Campanas carcharodontosaurid" before its description as a new species in 2022. Meraxes gigas was described in 2022 by Canale et al. based on these remains. The generic name , " Meraxes ", honors a female dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenys Targaryen in
296-476: A 45-degree angle and towards the rear of the animal. This is followed by the hindbrain , which is roughly parallel to the forebrain and forms a roughly 40-degree angle with the midbrain. Overall, the brain of C. saharicus would have been similar to that of a related dinosaur, Allosaurus fragilis . Larsson found that the ratio of the cerebrum to the volume of the brain overall in Carcharodontosaurus
370-482: A carcharodontosaurid, but its remains are too fragmentary to be certain. Carcharodontosaurids have been proposed as more closely related to abelisaurids, as opposed to the allosaurids. This is due to these two clades sharing some cranial features. However, these similarities appear to derive from parallel evolution between these two groups. A larger number of cranial and postcranial characters support their relationship with allosaurids. Osteohistological analysis of
444-531: A centimeter thick. Serrations are numerous on the anterior and posterior margins, with over 18 to 20 serrations per centimeter of edge in C. saharicus and up to 32 per centimeter in C. iguidensis . Its teeth are straight, laterally flattened, and spindle-shaped in cross-section. However, dentition towards the back of the mouth became more recurved than those in the maxilla. The posterior margin of these crowns are recurved and convex at its termination. Bowed enamel wrinkles are present on both dorsoventral sides of
518-422: A gigantosaurine as well. In 1998 Paul Sereno defined Carcharodontosauridae as a clade , consisting of Carcharodontosaurus and all species closer to it than to either Allosaurus , Sinraptor , Monolophosaurus , or Cryolophosaurus . Therefore, this clade is by definition outside of the clade Allosauridae . The cladogram below follows the analyses by Canale et al. (2022) from their description of
592-637: A hotspot of fish , crocodyliforms , and pterosaur diversity. In 1924, two teeth of Carcharodontosaurus were unearthed from wall cuts in different foggaras near Timimoun , French Algeria . These sedimens came from the Cretaceous -aged Continental intercalaire Formation . The fossils were taken to the governor of Timimoun, Captain Burté, who gave them to French geologist Charles Depéret later that year. In 1925, Depéret and his colleague Justin Savornin described
666-565: A maximum weight of 8–10 metric tons (8.8–11.0 short tons) for the largest carcharodontosaurids, while the smallest carcharodontosaurids were estimated to have weighed at least 500 kilograms (1,100 lb). Along with the spinosaurids , carcharodontosaurids were the largest predators in the early and middle Cretaceous throughout Gondwana , with species also present in North America ( Acrocanthosaurus ), Europe ( Concavenator ) and Asia ( Shaochilong ). Carcharodontosaurids range throughout
740-493: A non- carcharodontosaurine , and therefore chose to limit C. iguidensis to the holotype pending future research. Another carcharodontosaurid from the Kem Kem Beds, Sauroniops pachytholus , was dubbed in 2012 based on a single frontal. This species has been proposed to be synonymous with C. saharicus , though this has seen resistance and the validity maintained in most literature. The South American genus Giganotosaurus
814-400: A premaxillary body taller than long in lateral aspect, opisthocoelous cervical vertebrae with neural spines more than 1.9 times the height of the centrum, large, textured rugosities on the lacrimal and postorbital formed by roofing and forming broad orbital shelves, and a proximomedially inclined femoral head. With the discovery of Mapusaurus in 2006, Rodolfo Coria and Phil Currie erected
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#1733085978809888-508: A subfamily of Carcharodontosauridae, the Giganotosaurinae, to contain the most advanced South American species, which they found to be more closely related to each other than to the African and European forms. Coria and Currie did not formally refer Tyrannotitan to this subfamily, pending a more detailed description of that genus, but noted that based on characteristics of the femur, it may be
962-430: Is after Iguidi, where the fossils were unearthed. Several other remains such as a braincase, a lacrimal, a dentary, a cervical vertebra, and a collection of teeth were referred to C. iguidensis based on size and supposed similarities to other Carcharodontosaurus bones. Chiarenza and Cau (2016) identified the referred material of C. iguidensis as belonging to Sigilmassasaurus (later referred to Spinosaurus sp.) and
1036-458: Is elongated and bears an anterior face covered in a rugose surface. These bumps were likely extended by keratin sheaths, creating a horn-like structure as in Ceratosaurus . A similar rugosity is found on the lacrimal which would also be lengthened by keratin, forming a similar element. The most distinctive trait of Carcharodontosaurus ' skull is the sculpted exterior of the maxillae, which
1110-509: Is exacerbated by the straight edges, slightly recurved tips, and sinusoidal shapes observed in their dentition. Despite these traits, the teeth are still much more robust than those of smaller theropods and due to their overall size could take more pressure. Carcharodontosaurus also had a high tooth replacement rate meaning that damaged teeth could be replaced easily in contrast to extant bone-crushing mammals who spend much of their energy maintaining their teeth. Evidence of bone-crunching bites
1184-415: Is much larger. 14 teeth sockets are present in each maxilla. Parts of the braincase are known though much of their morphology is the same as Giganotosaurus ' . However, C. saharicus has a much more prominent nuchal crest , which overhangs the skull roof. The frontal bones are firmly fused, a characteristic evident in most theropods. The jugals are broad and triangle-shaped. The lower jaw articulation
1258-462: Is observed in Allosaurus , which would engage in ritual face-biting with other individuals and bite into the pelves of Stegosaurus as shown by bite marks. Bite forces of Carcharodontosaurus as well as other giant theropods including Acrocanthosaurus and Tyrannosaurus have been analyzed. Studies reported that carcharodontosaurids had much lower bite forces than Tyrannosaurus despite being in
1332-405: Is one of the largest theropod dinosaurs known, reaching 10–12.5 m (33–41 ft) in length and approximately 4–7 metric tons (4.4–7.7 short tons) in body mass. It had a large, lightly built skull with a triangular rostrum . Its jaws were lined with sharp, recurved, serrated teeth that bear striking resemblances to those of the great white shark (genus Carcharodon ), the inspiration for
1406-401: Is similar to that of other carcharodontosaurids like Mapusaurus and Giganotosaurus . Its skull was lighter than that of tyrannosaurids, with the antorbital fenestra composing over 30% of the total skull length as well as being surrounded by fossae in the maxillae (upper jaw bone), nasals (nose bone), jugals (cheekbone), and lacrimals (front orbit bone). Akin to other genera, its nasal
1480-424: Is unique to the genus. However, C. iguidensis has antorbital fossae limited to the proximity of the antorbital fenestra, a crest running along the medial face of the maxilla, and a process along its midline. These traits are missing in C. saharicus , differentiating the two species. The maxilla of IPHG 1922 X46 would have been 70 centimetres (28 in) long when complete, whereas the neotype's complete maxilla
1554-573: The Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous . Two teeth of the genus, now lost, were first described from Algeria by French paleontologists Charles Depéret and Justin Savornin as Megalosaurus saharicus . A partial skeleton was collected by crews of German paleontologist Ernst Stromer during a 1914 expedition to Egypt . Stromer did not report the Egyptian find until 1931, in which he dubbed
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#17330859788091628-490: The Cenomanian -aged Bahariya Formation , one of many Cretaceous-aged sites of North Africa . In Bahariya, Markgraf did extensive collecting of dinosaur skeletons for his employer, German paleontologist Ernst Stromer of the Paläontologisches Museum München (Bavarian State Collection of Paleontology). The skeleton of Carcharodontosaurus (IPHG 1922 X46) consisted of: a partial skull , including much of
1702-542: The George R. R. Martin novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire . The specific name, " gigas ", means "giant" in Greek , in reference to its large size. Meraxes is one of the largest theropods, weighing approximately 4.26 metric tons (4.70 short tons). Henderson (2023) listed a body length estimate of 9–10 metres (30–33 ft), referencing Canale et al. (2022), but also estimated a body length of 10.2–11.6 metres (33–38 ft) using
1776-538: The Greek καρχαροδοντόσαυρος, carcharodontósauros : "shark-toothed lizards") is a group of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs . In 1931, Ernst Stromer named Carcharodontosauridae as a family , which, in modern paleontology , indicates a clade within Carnosauria . Carcharodontosaurids include some of the largest land predators ever known: Giganotosaurus , Mapusaurus , Carcharodontosaurus , and Tyrannotitan all rivaled Tyrannosaurus in size. Estimates give
1850-460: The Huincul Formation . A substantial number of taxa are known to have inhabited this paleoenvironment. Theropods from the formation include the paravian Overoraptor , the elaphrosaurine Huinculsaurus , the abelisaurs Skorpiovenator , Tralkasaurus , and Ilokelesia , the megaraptoran Aoniraptor , and the fellow giant carcharodontosaurids Mapusaurus and Taurovenator . Meraxes
1924-611: The Meraxes holotype specimen suggests the individual could have been between 39 and 53 years old when it died, having reached skeletal maturity approximately 4 years prior to its death (between 35 and 49 years old), making it the longest-lived non-avian theropod currently known. Meraxes was determined to have grown to large size by extending its growth period ( hypermorphosis ), rather than increasing its relative growth rate ( acceleration ) through development as in Tyrannosaurus , to which it
1998-779: The University of Chicago . This skull (UCRC PV12) was found in the Cenomanian-aged rocks of the Lower Douira Formation, Kem Kem Beds in Errachidia , southeastern Morocco . The specimen was taken to the University of Chicago and described in 1996 by Sereno and colleagues. In a later paper, UCRC PV12 was designated as the neotype of C. saharicus due to the loss of other specimens and the similar age and geographic location to previously noted material. The taxonomy of Carcharodontosaurus
2072-458: The braincase , teeth, three cervical and a caudal vertebra , incomplete pelvis , a manual ungual , femora , and the left fibula . An isolated ilium was also considered to be from C. saharicus , but it is likely from a ceratosaur . Due to political tensions between the German Empire and then British-owned Egypt , the Carcharodontosaurus skeleton took years to get to Germany. It
2146-501: The chevrons . The sides of its centrum were pleurocoelus as well. Two blade-like chevrons were preserved in this individual as well. The pelvis was incomplete, containing both pubes and the left ischium , though complete pelves are known in related genera. The ischium pointed backwards whereas the pubes pointed forwards, a diagnostic trait of saurischians . The pubes were likely nearly 1 metre (3.3 ft) when fully preserved, with shafts that were thin but were transversely expanded at
2220-734: The cladogram below: Concavenator [REDACTED] Lajasvenator Lusovenator Tyrannotitan Cau (2024) also recovered similar relationships for Meraxes , but not in a clade with Tyrannotitan , Giganotosaurus , and Mapusaurus , as suggested by Canale et al. (2022). Sauroniops Veterupristisaurus Lusovenator Concavenator [REDACTED] Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis (holotype maxilla) Eocarcharia (referred maxilla) Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis (referred cranial material) Lajasvenator Labocania Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (described by Stromer in 1931) Tyrannotitan The fossil remains of Meraxes were recovered from
2294-538: The convergent evolution of gigantism in theropods could have been linked to common conditions in their environments or ecosystems . Sereno and colleagues found that the presence of carcharodontosaurids in Africa ( Carcharodontosaurus ), North America ( Acrocanthosaurus ), and South America ( Giganotosaurus ), showed the group had a transcontinental distribution by the Early Cretaceous period . Dispersal routes between
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2368-435: The m. caudofemoralis longus muscle of the tail. Its fibula was only 88 centimetres (35 in) long, around 1/3rd the length of the femora. The anterior end was triangular in lateral view with bulging condyles whereas the posterior end is rounded. Carcharodontosaurus is the type genus of the family Carcharodontosauridae and subfamily Carcharodontosaurinae . This subfamily contains Carcharodontosaurus itself as well as
2442-431: The pleurocoels (shallow depressions on the sides of centra), which would contain pneumatic air sacs to lighten the vertebrae. The centra of these vertebrae are adorned by keels along their ventral sides. An anterior caudal vertebra was also known, which was platycoelous (flat anterior and posterior ends) and short. This caudal was incomplete, missing much of the neural spine, but had diapophyses that would conjugate with
2516-415: The spinosaurid Spinosaurus , the possible ceratosaur Deltadromeus , the large, dubious theropod Bahariasaurus , and an unnamed large abelisaurid . Studies of the bite force and tooth anatomy of carcharodontosaurids have found them to possess strong, but relatively weak bites compared to other theropod families. North Africa at the time was blanketed in mangrove forests and wetlands , creating
2590-512: The American theropods Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus , leading him to consider the family part of Theropoda. Paul Sereno's description of Carcharodontosaurus fossils in 1996 led to the realization of a transcontinental clade of carcharodontosaurids. As more carcharodontosaurids were discovered, their interrelationships became even clearer. The group was defined as all allosauroids closer to Carcharodontosaurus than Allosaurus or Sinraptor by
2664-895: The Cretaceous from the Barremian (127-121 million years ago) to the Turonian (94-90 million years ago). Past the Turonian, they were replaced by the smaller abelisaurids in Gondwana and by tyrannosaurids in North America and Asia. While some teeth and a maxilla discovered in Maastrichtian deposits of Brazil . this identification has been subsequently rejected and the material assigned to abelisaurids after better examination, and there are no reliable records of carcharodontosaurs in South America beyond
2738-547: The Kem Kem Beds, such as dentary fragments, a cervical vertebra, and many teeth. Sereno et al. also referred a multitude of cervical vertebrae described as the spinosaurids Sigilmassasaurus and " Spinosaurus B" to C. saharicus reasoning that stout cervicals would be needed to carry the skulls of carcharodontosaurids. Later research proved otherwise, with the vertebrae being placed in Spinosaurus aegyptiacus by Ibrahim et al. (2020). French paleontologist René Lavocat
2812-442: The animal as well as a subadult sauropod Limaysaurus , which although not found alongside Carcharodontosaurus , is similar to the rebbachisaurids of the Kem Kem Beds. The models included the size of the lungs and other pneumatic structures of the two, fostering an accurate weight simulation of the scenario. Henderson & Nicholls' study found that an adult C. saharicus could hold a maximum of 424 kg (935 lb), half
2886-433: The anterior ends where they connected, creating a V-shape in anterior view. Both femora in addition to the left fibula were recovered, the former element being one of the largest recorded from a theropod at 1.26 metres (4.1 ft) in length. Its femora lacked strong curvature and are mostly straight except for the anterior and posterior ends. The greater trochanter is small but has a notable protrusion, which would attach to
2960-405: The crowns. These wrinkles curve towards the marginal serrations, composing a band-shape along the ends. In 2001, Hans C. E. Larsson published a description of the inner ear and endocranium of Carcharodontosaurus saharicus . Starting from the portion of the brain closest to the tip of the animal's snout is the forebrain, which is followed by the midbrain. The midbrain is angled downwards at
3034-574: The discovery of more teeth and several caudal vertebrae from sites in Algeria belonging to Carcharodontosaurus , though some of these fossils might belong to other genera. Later authors have mentioned finds of teeth and isolated fossils from other provinces of Algeria. However, fossils of C. saharicus were first found in marls near Ain Gedid , Egypt in early April 1914 by Austro-Hungarian paleontologist Richard Markgraf . Marls from this region derive from
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3108-432: The earliest diverging member of Carcharodontosaurinae. The cladogram results of their phylogenetic analyses are displayed in the cladogram below: Concavenator [REDACTED] Lajasvenator Lusovenator Carcharodontosaurus spp. [REDACTED] Tyrannotitan [REDACTED] In his 2024 review of theropod relationships, Cau did not recover all of the tested Carcharodontosaurus specimens in
3182-471: The end of the Turonian. In December 2011, Oliver W. M. Rauhut described a new genus and species of carcharodontosaurid from the Late Jurassic (late Kimmeridgian to earliest Tithonian faunal stage , about 154-150 million years ago ) of Tendaguru Formation , southeastern Tanzania . This genus, Veterupristisaurus represents the oldest known carcharodontosaurid. The family Carcharodontosauridae
3256-745: The large carcharodontosaurine Meraxes .. Concavenator [REDACTED] Lajasvenator Lusovenator Tyrannotitan In his 2024 review of theropod relationships, Cau recovered the following results for the Carcharodontosauridae. Sauroniops Veterupristisaurus Lusovenator Concavenator [REDACTED] Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis (holotype maxilla) Eocarcharia (referred maxilla) Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis (referred cranial material) Lajasvenator Labocania Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (described by Stromer in 1931) Tyrannotitan Bahariasaurus has also been proposed as
3330-619: The latter was estimated to be 12–12.5 metres (39–41 ft) in length and approximately 5–7 metric tons (5.5–7.7 short tons) in body mass. This makes Carcharodontosaurus saharicus one of the largest known theropod dinosaurs and terrestrial carnivores known, being the 2nd biggest carcharodontosaurid and 3rd largest theropod overall according to most estimates. C. iguidensis was much smaller, only reaching 10 metres (33 ft) in length and 4 metric tons (4.4 short tons) in body mass. The largest and most complete skull of C. saharicus would measure 1.6 metres (5.2 ft) when complete, around
3404-429: The name. Though giant, its cranium was made lighter by greatly expanded fossae and fenestra , but also making it more fragile than tyrannosaurids' . The forelimbs were tiny whereas the hindlimbs were robust and muscular. Like most other theropods, it had an elongated tail for balance. Many gigantic theropods are known from North Africa during this period, including both species of Carcharodontosaurus as well as
3478-571: The northern and southern continents appear to have been severed by ocean barriers in the Late Cretaceous, which led to more distinct, provincial faunas, by preventing exchange. Previously, it was thought that the Cretaceous world was biogeographically separated, with the northern continents being dominated by tyrannosaurids, South America by abelisaurids , and Africa by carcharodontosaurids. The subfamily Carcharodontosaurinae, in which Carcharodontosaurus belongs, appears to have been restricted to
3552-694: The novel genus Carcharodontosaurus , making the type species C. saharicus . Unfortunately, this skeleton was destroyed during the Second World War . In 1995 a nearly complete skull of C. saharicus, the first well-preserved specimen to be found in almost a century, was discovered in the Kem Kem Beds of Morocco ; it was designated the neotype in 1996. Fossils unearthed from the Echkar Formation of northern Niger were described and named as another species, C. iguidensis , in 2007. Carcharodontosaurus
3626-427: The other carcharodontosaurines Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, Meraxes , and Tyrannotitan ; however, these genera make up an independent tribe: Giganotosaurini. Carcharodontosauridae was a clade created by Stromer for Carcharodontosaurus and Bahariasaurus , though the name remained unused until the recognition of other members of the group in the late 20th century. He noted the likeness of Carcharodontosaurus bones to
3700-422: The paleontologist Thomas R. Holtz and colleagues in 2004. Carcharodontosaurus is more poorly known than most other carcharodontosaurids, with Meraxes and Giganotosaurus represented by nearly complete skeletons. Members of the family have been recognized from the Late Jurassic to Middle Cretaceous of every continent except Oceania and Antarctica. Canale et al. (2022) recovered Carcharodontosaurus as
3774-596: The pelvic area. Its skull is 1.27 m (4.2 ft) long, similar to that of Acrocanthosaurus , which has a skull length of 1.23–1.29 m (4.0–4.2 ft). The shapes and proportions of various bones, including the skull, scapula, metacarpals, ischial shaft, and foot, indicate that Meraxes and Acrocanthosaurus had similar proportions and body size. Meraxes possessed reduced forelimbs, an instance of convergent evolution that occurred independently in four different lineages: Carcharodontosauridae , Abelisauridae , Tyrannosauridae , and Alvarezsauridae . Additionally,
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#17330859788093848-470: The pointed silhouette. In life, the floccular lobe of the brain would have projected into the area surrounded by the semicircular canals, just like in other non-avian theropods, birds, and pterosaurs. Few postcranial elements are confidently known from Carcharodontosaurus, though many isolated bones from the Sahara have been referred to the genus without detailed study. Like other carcharodontosaurids, it
3922-570: The posterior part of the cranium near the quadrate in Carcharodontosaurus, Spinosaurus, and Acrocanthosaurus . The skulls of these theropods had higher relative stress quantities in opposition to that of smaller genera. This indicates that the crania of giant taxa (ex. Carcharodontosaurus ) were unstable due to having large pneumatic structures to save weight instead of creating a firm build. However, Spinosaurus and Suchomimus experienced even greater values of stress meaning that they could only consume light, small prey instead of larger items, which
3996-415: The related family Allosauridae (Currie & Carpenter, 2000; Coria & Currie, 2002). Carcharodontosaurids are characterized by the following morphological characters : Dorsoventral depth of anterior maxillary interdental plates more than twice anteroposterior width, squared, sub-rectangular anterior portion of the dentary, teeth with wrinkled enamel surfaces, presence of four premaxillary alveoli and
4070-409: The same size as the largest Tyrannosaurus skulls. No skulls of the genus preserve premaxillae , complete posterior skull regions, or mandibles . Skulls of carcharodontosaurids tend to be more slender and lightly built than those of later tyrannosaurids, which have robust builds and adaptations for crushing. The neotype cranium tapers towards the front in side view creating a triangular outline. This
4144-463: The same size class. The anterior bite force of C. saharicus was estimated in a 2022 paper to be 11,312 newtons while the posterior bite force was 25,449 newtons. This is much lower than that of Tyrannosaurus, implying that it did not eat bones. Finite element accounts of the skulls of theropods have also been taken, which further supported the idea that Carcharodontosaurus ate softer food than tyrannosaurids. Great amounts of stress were recovered in
4218-398: The second toes possess an enlarged claw, almost twice as long as the claw on the fourth toe. Osteohistological analysis of the holotype suggests the individual could have been between 39 and 53 years old when it died, having reached skeletal maturity approximately 4 years prior to its death (between 35 and 49 years old), making it the longest-lived non-avian theropod currently known. Meraxes
4292-626: The southern continent of Gondwana (formed by South America and Africa), where they were probably the apex predators . The South American tribe Giganotosaurini may have been separated from their African relatives through vicariance , when Gondwana broke up during the Aptian – Albian ages of the Early Cretaceous. A biomechanical analysis of Carcharodontosaurus ' lifting capabilities was conducted by paleontologist Donald Henderson and paleoartist Robert Nicholls in 2015. The authors used 3D models of
4366-474: The teeth as syntypes (name-bearing specimens) of a new species of theropod dinosaur, Megalosaurus saharicus . These were the first fossils of theropods to be described from the region. The name saharicus refers to the Sahara Desert where the teeth had been found. The genus Megalosaurus was a wastebasket taxon , with many new species referred to it without justification, including M. saharicus . It
4440-534: The teeth of the great white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias ). World War II would break out in 1939, leading IPHG 1922 X46 and other material from Bahariya to be destroyed during a British bombing raid on Munich during the night of April 24/25, 1944. An endocast was made and survived the war, being the only remaining relic of the specimen. Few discoveries of Carcharodontosaurus material were made until 1995, when American paleontologist Paul Sereno found an incomplete skull during an expedition embarked on by
4514-411: The tooth count of Carcharodontosaurus vary, but a recent estimate of 30 dentary, 8 premaxillary, and 24 maxillary teeth for a total of 62 teeth was made. Carcharodontosaurid teeth are some of the largest of any dinosaur group, with a maxillary tooth from IPHG 1922 X46 being 6.8 centimetres (2.7 in) tall and 3.5 centimetres (1.4 in) wide. However, they are extremely thin, with most being under
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#17330859788094588-409: The weight of an adult Limaysaurus . However, two C. saharicus adults could together lift as much as 850 kilograms (1,870 lb). The dentition of allosauroids is distinct, with carcharodontosaurid teeth bearing distinctly thin and blade-like teeth. However, these teeth are thin and likely could not sustain impact against hard surfaces like bone without potentially bending and snapping. This danger
4662-472: Was compared. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Carcharodontosaurus iguidensis Carcharodontosaurus ( / ˌ k ɑːr k ər oʊ ˌ d ɒ n t oʊ ˈ s ɔːr ə s / ; lit. ' jagged toothed lizard ' ) is a genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived in North Africa from about 100 to 94 million years ago during
4736-432: Was determined to have grown to large size by extending its growth period ( hypermorphosis ), rather than increasing its relative growth rate ( acceleration ) through development as in Tyrannosaurus , to which it was compared. Canale et al. (2022) recovered Meraxes as the earliest diverging member of the tribe Giganotosaurini within the Carcharodontosauridae. The results of their phylogenetic analyses are displayed in
4810-435: Was discussed by Chiarenza and Cau (2016), who suggested that the neotype of C. saharicus was similar but distinct from the holotype in the morphology of the maxillary interdental plates. However, paleontologist Mickey Mortimer put forward that the suggested difference between the C. saharicus neotype and holotype was actually due to damage to the neotype. Several other fossils of C. saharicus have been unearthed from
4884-519: Was found in an older rock layer than either Mapusaurus and Taurovenator , so it is unlikely they coexisted. The herbivores of the area are represented by the rebbachisaurid sauropods Cathartesaura and Limaysaurus , the titanosaurs Argentinosaurus , Choconsaurus , and Chucarosaurus , and indeterminate iguanodonts . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Carcharodontosaurid Carcharodontosauridae ( carcharodontosaurids ; from
4958-578: Was later considered to be a species of Dryptosaurus in 1927, though this is unjustified. By accident, another species of Megalosaurus, M. africanus , was named by German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene based on the teeth. It is therefore considered a junior synonym of M. saharicus . Both syntypic teeth of M. saharicus have since been lost, possibly being kept in a collection in Algeria, Paris , or Lyon , and lack distinguishing characteristics from other carcharodontosaurids . In 1960, French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent reported
5032-451: Was not until 1922 that they were transported overseas to Munich where they were described by Stromer in 1931. Stromer recognized that IPHG 1922 X46’s teeth matched the characteristic dentition of those described by Depéret and Savornin, which led to Stromer conserving the species name saharicus. However, he found it necessary to erect a new genus for this species, Carcharodontosaurus , for their similarities, in sharpness and serrations, to
5106-443: Was originally named by Ernst Stromer in 1931 to include the single newly discovered species Carcharodontosaurus saharicus . A close relative of C. saharicus , Giganotosaurus , was added to the family when it was described in 1995. Additionally, many paleontologists have included Acrocanthosaurus in this family (Sereno et al. 1996, Harris 1998, Holtz 2000, Rauhut 2003, Eddy & Clarke, 2011, Rauhut 2011), though others place it in
5180-437: Was placed farther back behind the occipital condyle (where the neck is attached to the skull) compared to other theropods. Two dentary (lower jaw bone) fragments which were referred to C. saharicus by Ibrahim et al. (2020) have deep and expanded alveoli (tooth sockets), traits found in other large theropods. If like Tyrannotitan and Giganotosaurus , the dentary would have 16 alveoli (tooth sockets). Estimations of
5254-641: Was robust with small forelimbs , an elongated tail , and short neck. The most complete specimen was IPHG 1922 X46, but it was destroyed. This specimen preserved 3 cervical vertebrae , which were weathered severely. One is an axis and the other two are articulating anterior cervicals which are longer and wider than the axis. The cervical vertebrae of Carcharodontosaurus are stout and opisthocoelus (concave posterior ends). Cervical vertebrae in this genus, as in Giganotosaurus , are topped by low neural spines joined with sturdy transverse processes which hung over
5328-407: Was synonymized with Carcharodontosaurus by Figueiredo (1998) and Paul (2010), however no authors have since followed this assessment. Stromer hypothesized that C. saharicus was around the same size as the tyrannosaurid Gorgosaurus , which would place it at around 8–9 metres (26–30 ft) long, based on his specimen IPHG 1922 X46. This individual was around 15% smaller than the neotype,
5402-484: Was the first to note the possible presence of Carcharodontosaurus in Morocco as early as 1954. In 2007, a novel species of Carcharodontosaurus, C. iguidensis, was dubbed by paleontologists Steve Brusatte and Paul Sereno. Fossils of C. iguidensis had been uncovered during an expedition to the Echkar Formation of Iguidi, Niger , a partial maxilla (MNN IGU2) being designated the holotype. The species name iguidensis
5476-473: Was typical for a non-avian reptile. Carcharodontosaurus also had a large optic nerve . The three semicircular canals of the inner ear of Carcharodontosaurus saharicus —when viewed from the side—had a subtriangular outline. This subtriangular inner-ear configuration is present in Allosaurus , lizards , and turtles , but not in birds . The semi-"circular" canals themselves were very linear, which explains
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