Concavenator
con-CAVE-en-ay-tor
- deluxe
Notable for the large crest on its back, Concavenator is a carnivorous theropod that dates back around 130 million years to the Early Cretaceous period. This genus can grow up to 6m in length and over 800lbs in weight, with a long tail for maintaining balance and a pronounced triangular crest above its hips. Experts believe the crest may be used to regulate temperature or act as a display for attracting a mate.
Discovery
This genus was first discovered in La Huérguina Formation, Spain by paleontologists José Luis Sanz, Francisco Ortega and Fernando Escaso, and was formally named Concavenator in 2010 – the name translates to ‘Cuenca hunter with a hump’ referring to the location of its discovery and its most striking feature.
Palaeoecology
Concavenator lived in the wet, woodland areas of Spain and western Europe, and fed on smaller therapods and mammals, using its serrated teeth to tear through the flesh of its prey. It shared its habitat with a wide range of dinosaurs including Euronychodon, Richardoestesia and Pelecanimimus.
Information
- Era
- Early Cretaceous
- Family
- Carcharodontosauridae
- Genus
- Concavenator
- Height
- 2M
- Length
- 6M
- Weight
- 400Kg
- Diet
- Carnivore, Live Prey
- Egg batch size
- 1 - 2
