Open Paleo

Meraxes

Canale et al., 2022 muh-RAK-seez

Named for Meraxes, the female dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenys Targaryen in George R. R. Martin's novel series A Song of Ice and Fire.

100.5–89.8 million years ago Cenomanian–Turonian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

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.

Diagnosis

  1. Sacral neural spines co-ossified to unprecedented degree among carcharodontosaurids
  2. Only Late Cretaceous carcharodontosaurid preserving near-complete forelimbs (47% femur length)
  3. Well-developed hyposphen-hypantrum in anterior caudal vertebrae unique among carcharodontosaurids
  4. Unique protuberances and rugosity patterns on dermal cranial bones
  5. Tongue-like posterior projection of parietals over supraoccipital
  6. Trapezoidal astragalar ascending process with truncated tip
  7. Concavity over anterior margin of iliac blade

Species

Meraxes gigas Canale et al., 2022

Type species

From Ancient Greek 'gigas' meaning 'giant', in reference to the large size of the animal.

Holotype
MMCH-Pv 65 , Museo Municipal ‘Ernesto Bachman’, Villa El Chocón
Material
Nearly complete skull, pectoral and pelvic girdles, fore- and hindlimbs, cervical and dorsal vertebrae fragments, complete sacrum, proximal and middle caudal vertebrae.
Horizon
Huincul Formation, Cenomanian–Turonian, Late Cretaceous , 100.5–89.8 million years ago
Locality
Las Campanas Canyon, Neuquén, Argentina

References

  1. Canale, J. I.; Apesteguía, S.; Gallina, P. A.; Mitchell, J.; Smith, N. D.; Cullen, T. M.; Shinya, A.; Haluza, A.; Gianechini, F. A.; Makovicky, P. J. (2022). New giant carnivorous dinosaur reveals convergent evolutionary trends in theropod arm reduction. Current Biology 32(14): 3195-3202.e5. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.057 canale2022a
  2. Paul, G. S. (2024). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.

    Source of the mass estimate.

    paul2024a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate, and the appearance features.

    jones2026c