Giganotosaurus

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At around 14 tonnes in weight and 15m in length, Giganotosaurus is one of the largest theropods ever to have lived – its name translates to ‘giant southern lizard’, in reference to its large frame and its South American habitat. It has a similar appearance to the infamous Tyrannosaurus rex, with rows of long, serrated teeth and a powerful jaw for tearing into its prey.

Discovery

Giganotosaurus was discovered by amateur fossil collector Rubén D. Carolini in 1993 when he was searching for bones in Neuquén, Argentina. Carolini’s first find was a leg bone belonging to an unknown large theropod, which led to further exploration of the area – the following year, numerous related artefacts were excavated that confirmed that this was a new genus.

Palaeoecology

Giganotosaurus was the apex predator of the Late Cretaceous period approximately 90-110m years ago and lived in southern Argentina alongside many other genera of dinosaurs. It fed on large herbivores of the period including Argentinosaurus, mainly attacking juveniles due to their smaller size.