Giganotosaurus
-
What is Giganotosaurus?
Giganotosaurus, or "giant southern lizard," is a genus of large theropod dinosaurs belonging to the family Carcharodontosauridae that lived roughly 100 to 97 million years ago during the Cenomanian Stage of the Late Cretaceous Period. Giganotosaurus is made up of only one species, G. carolinii. The first Giganotosaurus fossils were discovered in 1987 near Lake Ezequiel in Patagonia, Argentina.
Estimates of Giganotosaurus size range up to 43 feet in length and 17,600 pounds in weight, with some estimates going as high as 30,800 pounds. It was a large carnivore that researchers believe preyed on large herbivore sauropods, using its daggerlike teeth to create deep wounds to bleed its prey to death. It may have also been an opportunistic scavenger, and some evidence suggests they may have hunted in packs.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
When and where did Giganotosaurus live?
Giganotosaurus, a large theropod dinosaur, lived during the Cenomanian Stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 100 million to 97 million years ago. Its fossils have been discovered solely in the Patagonia region of Argentina. This dinosaur was one of the largest terrestrial carnivores in Earth's history, reaching lengths of 12–13 meters and potentially weighing up to 14,000 kg.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What did Giganotosaurus look like?
Giganotosaurus, meaning "giant southern lizard," was a massive carnivorous dinosaur. It was a member of the Carcharodontosauridae family, which also includes Mapusaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. Giganotosaurus was roughly 12 to 13 meters (about 40 to 43 feet) long and 7 meters (about 23 feet) tall, weighing around 7,000 to 8,000 kg (approximately 15,400 to 17,600 pounds); some may have weighed up to 14,000 kg (about 30,800 pounds).
It had a large head, a blunted chin, dozens of serrated, dagger-like teeth up to 20 cm (about 8 inches) long and a long tail. Each hand had three fingers, and each foot had three toes, all equipped with sharp claws. These features allowed it to prey on large herbivore sauropods. Researchers estimate that it could run up to 50.4 km (31.3 miles) per hour.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How big was Giganotosaurus compared to other dinosaurs?
Giganotosaurus, meaning "giant southern lizard," was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs. It was a member of the Carcharodontosauridae family, which also includes Mapusaurus and Carcharodontosaurus.
Estimates suggest Giganotosaurus reached 12–13 meters (40–43 feet) in length and 7 meters (23 feet) in height, weighing 7,000–8,000 kg (15,400–17,600 pounds), though some may have weighed up to 14,000 kg (30,800 pounds). Giganotosaurus is often compared to Tyrannosaurus rex due to their similar size and predatory habits; however, Giganotosaurus lived earlier than T. rex and on a different continent. While their lengths were comparable, some studies suggest that the largest Giganotosaurus specimens were more massive than T. rex. Another species, Spinosaurus, was longer, at 4–18 meters (13–59 feet), and lived in North Africa around the same time as Giganotosaurus.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What did Giganotosaurus eat and how did it hunt?
Giganotosaurus was a large carnivorous dinosaur that likely preyed on large herbivore sauropods. It used its dagger-like teeth to create deep wounds in its prey, possibly allowing the prey to bleed to death. Giganotosaurus may have also been an opportunistic scavenger. Some researchers speculate that Giganotosaurus may have lived and hunted in packs.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did scientists discover and study Giganotosaurus fossils?
In 1993, Argentinian amateur paleontologist Rub\u00e9n D. Carolini found the first Giganotosaurus fossils in Patagonia’s Candeleros Formation. Paleontologists from the National University of Comahue were then notified, and they carefully recovered the fragmented fossil remains from the area.
Much of what we know comes from the excavation of Carolini’s specimen, which was about 70 percent complete. It included parts of the skull, pelvis, leg bones, hips, and most of the spine. A 1995 study estimated the specimen measured 12.5 meters (41 feet) in length. Fossils from a 1987 excavation, later classified as Giganotosaurus, consisted of a tooth and a lower jaw portion.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Giganotosaurus, (Giganotosaurus carolinii), genus of a large theropod dinosaur in the family Carcharodontosauridae that lived during the Cenomanian Stage of the Late Cretaceous Period from about 100 million to 97 million years ago. Genus Giganotosaurus is made up of only one species, G. carolinii. Fossil remains of Giganotosaurus were first discovered in 1987 near Lake Ezequiel in Argentina’s Patagonia region. All subsequent fossils have been found in Patagonia as well. The name Giganotosaurus is Latin for “giant southern lizard.” Estimates of the dinosaur’s length and weight suggest that Giganotosaurus was among the largest terrestrial carnivores in Earth’s history.
Form and function
Giganotosaurus was a member of a family of large carnivorous dinosaurs that also included Mapusaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. Giganotosaurus is thought to have reached a length of 12−13 meters (about 40−43 feet), a height of 7 meters (about 23 feet), and a weight of 7,000–8,000 kg (about 15,400–17,600 pounds). However, model estimates shown in some studies note that some individuals may have weighed as much as 14,000 kg (about 30,800 pounds).
Giganotosaurus possessed a large head with a blunted chin, dozens of serrated teeth that grew to 20 cm (about 8 inches) long, and a long tail. It had three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot, all bearing sharp claws used for defense and rending prey. Researchers note that these features allowed it to prey on the large herbivore sauropod dinosaurs that existed at the same time. Like many predatory dinosaurs, Giganotosaurus may have also been an opportunistic scavenger. In addition, researchers suggest that, when attacking prey, Giganotosaurus used its daggerlike teeth to create deep wounds and then let its prey bleed to death. There is also some speculation that these theropods may have lived in groups and hunted in packs.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Giganotosaurus is often compared to Tyrannosaurus rex because of their similar size and predatory habit, but there are significant differences between the two species. Giganotosaurus lived tens of millions of years earlier than T. rex, on a different continent. (T. rex lived near the end of the Cretaceous Period in North America.) Although the lengths of both species were comparable, some studies note that mass estimates of the largest Giganotosaurus specimens are larger than those of T. rex. (Spinosaurus, another species often compared to Giganotosaurus, lived in North Africa at about the same time as Giganotosaurus, but it was longer, measuring some 4–18 meters [about 13–59 feet].) In addition, some researchers speculate that Giganotosaurus was a faster runner than T. rex. Indeed, modeling studies estimate that the dinosaur’s top speed was 50.4 km (31.3 miles) per hour, compared with only 40 km (25 miles) per hour for T. rex.
Fossil discoveries
Among the first Giganotosaurus fossils to be discovered was a tibia found in Patagonia’s Candeleros Formation in 1993 by Argentinian amateur fossil hunter and paleontologist Rubén D. Carolini, for whom the species was named in 1995. Paleontologists from the National University of Comahue were informed of the discovery, and the rest of the fragmented fossil remains were meticulously recovered over a broad area. Much of what is known about Giganotosaurus is derived from the excavation of this specimen and of one other. A 1995 study estimated that Carolini’s specimen—which was approximately 70 percent complete and included parts of a skull, a pelvis, leg bones, hips, and the majority of the spine—measured 12.5 meters (41 feet) in length. Fossils from a 1987 excavation that were later classified as belonging to a Giganotosaurus specimen were made up of a tooth and a portion of a lower jaw.
Giganotosaurus in popular culture
Giganotosaurus has been featured in a variety of media, including motion pictures, television, and games. It was depicted in the movie Jurassic World Dominion (2022), the animated film The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island (1997), and the IMAX documentary Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia (2007). On television, it was featured in the episode “Land of Giants” of the documentary Chased by Dinosaurs (2002−03), which showed several Giganotosaurus individuals attacking an Argentinosaurus as a pack, and in the drama Primeval (2007–11). In electronic games, Giganotosaurus appears in Jurassic World: The Game (2015), Gigantosaurus: The Game (2020), ARK: Survival Evolved (2015), and Turok (1997–2019). In addition, Giganotosaurus appears as part of a building set and as an action figure by the LEGO Group and Mattel, Inc., respectively.