Open Paleo

Carcharodontosaurinae

Brusatte & Sereno, 2008 Type genus Carcharodontosaurus

Its genera lived 113.2–89.8 million years ago Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous stages

Carcharodontosaurinae is a subfamily of carcharodontosaurid theropods that contains Carcharodontosaurus together with a closely knit group of South American giants, Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, Meraxes, Taurovenator, and Tyrannotitan, often grouped together as the tribe Giganotosaurini. It includes some of the largest members of the family, with some species rivaling Tyrannosaurus and Spinosaurus in size and ranking among the biggest land carnivores known. Carcharodontosaurus lived in North Africa while the Giganotosaurini radiated across South America, so together these animals spanned much of Gondwana during the Cretaceous.

Diagnosis

  1. Very large body size, among the largest of all theropods
  2. Deep, robust skull with extensive rugose cranial ornamentation
  3. Fused interdental plates
  4. Reduced, gracile forelimbs relative to body size

Genera placed directly in Carcharodontosaurinae

  • Carcharodontosaurus Stromer, 1931 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Moroccounder dispute
  • Giganotosaurus Coria & Salgado, 1995 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Argentina
  • Mapusaurus Coria & Currie, 2006 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)Argentina
  • Meraxes Canale et al., 2022 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)Argentina
  • Taurovenator Disputed Motta et al., 2016 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)Argentina
  • Tyrannotitan Novas et al., 2005 Albian (113.2–100.5 Ma)Argentina

References

  1. Brusatte, S. L.; Sereno, P. C. (2008). Phylogeny of Allosauroidea (Dinosauria: Theropoda): comparative analysis and resolution. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 6(2): 155-182. brusatte2008b