Giganotosaurus

Taxobox
name = "Giganotosaurus"
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous

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image_width = 300px
image_caption = Replica of "Giganotosaurus" at the Australian Museum in Sydney
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Theropoda
familia = Carcharodontosauridae
subfamilia = Giganotosaurinae
genus = "Giganotosaurus"
genus_authority = Coria & Salgado, 1995
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"G. carolinii" Coria & Salgado, 1995 (type)

"Giganotosaurus" (meaning 'giant southern lizard', derived from the Ancient Greek "gigas/γίγας" meaning 'giant', "notos/νότος" meaning 'south wind' and "-saurus/-σαύρος" meaning 'lizard') [cite book|author=Liddell & Scott|year=1980|title=Greek-English Lexicon, Abridged Edition |publisher=Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK|id=ISBN 0-19-910207-4] is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaur that lived 93 to 89 million years ago during the Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period. It is one of the largest known terrestrial carnivores, slightly larger than "Tyrannosaurus", but smaller than "Spinosaurus". Its fossils have been found in Argentina.

Discovery and species

"Giganotosaurus carolinii" was named for Ruben Carolini, an amateur fossil hunter who discovered the fossils in the deposits of the Rio Limay Formation of Patagonia, southern Argentina, in 1993. It was published by Rodolfo Coria and Leonardo Salgado in the journal "Nature" in 1995. [Coria RA & Salgado L (1995). A new giant carnivorous dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Patagonia. "Nature" 377: 225-226]

The holotype specimen's (MUCPv-Ch1) skeleton was about 70% complete and included the skull, pelvis, leg bones and most of the backbone. It is estimated around 12.2-12.5 m (40-41 ft) in length.Coria RA & Currie PJ. 2006: [http://www.mnhn.fr/museum/front/medias/publication/7653_g06n1a4.pdf A new carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina] . "Geodiversitas": Vol. 28, #1, pp. 71-118 ] Seebacher, F. 2001. A new method to calculate allometric length-mass relationships of dinosaurs. "Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology" 21(1): 51–60.] A second specimen (MUCPv-95), 8% larger, has also been recovered. This largest "Giganotosaurus" specimen is estimated to represent an individual 13.2 m (43.3 ft) long, that weighed 6.2 tons.Mortimer, M. (2004), [http://home.comcast.net/~eoraptor/Carnosauria.htm#Giganotosauruscarolinii "Carnosauria"] , "The Theropod Database", viewed August 14, 2008.] "Giganotosaurus" might have had the longest known skull for a theropod dinosaur, with the holotype's skull estimated at 1.80 m (6 ft) and the second specimen's estimated at 1.95 m (6.3 ft).Calvo, J.O., and Coria, R.A. (1998) [http://www.mnhn.ul.pt/geologia/gaia/7.pdf "New specimen of "Giganotosaurus carolinii" (CORIA & SALGADO, 1995), supports it as the as the largest theropod ever found."] "Gaia", 15: 117–122.] "Giganotosaurus" surpasses "Tyrannosaurus rex" in length by almost a meter (the upper length estimate for "T. rex" is 13 m).Brochu, C.R. 2003. Osteology of "Tyrannosaurus rex": insights from a nearly complete skeleton and high-resolution computed tomographic analysis of the skull. "Memoirs of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology". 7: 1-138.]

Paleobiology

"G. carolinii" was slightly larger than "T. rex" but had a much smaller brain that was the size and shape of a banana. Its teeth were built more for cutting and slicing rather than crushing bones. A well-developed olfactory region means that it probably had a good sense of smell. Its skull, although large, had a slender build.

Titanosaur fossils have been recovered near the remains of "Giganotosaurus", leading to speculation that these carnivores may have preyed on the giant herbivores. Fossils of related carcharodontosaurid fossils grouped closely together may indicate pack hunting, a behavior that could possibly extend to "Giganotosaurus" itself.

Classification

by Coria and Currie in 2006 as more carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs are found and described, allowing interrelationships to be calculated.

In popular culture

The original fossils of "Giganotosaurus" remain at the Carmen Funes Museum in Neuquen, Argentina, but replicas are common in other places, including the Australian Museum in Sydney.Despite having been discovered relatively recently, "Giganotosaurus" is already gaining a name for itself in popular culture. "Giganotosaurus" was featured in "Dino Crisis 2", but was extremely exaggerated in size; the game's giganotosaur was said to be about 7 metres tall and 20 meters long, when the actual creature was about 5.5 metres tall and 14 meters long. It was capable of throwing an adult "Tyrannosaurus". "Giganotosaurus" was also shown in "Turok" in "Death Valley". Slade incorrectly calls it a T-Rex, but is easily differentiated from "Tyrannosaurus". "Giganotosaurus" appears in the "Chased by Dinosaurs" special "Land of Giants". They are seen to hunt both independently and in packs, working together to bring down an "Argentinosaurus". "Giganotosaurus" is also featured in the IMAX movie "" where Dr. Rodolfo Coria shows the sites of major discoveries in Argentina. It also has a robotic animal kit, from the popular "Zoids" series, released after the species known as "Gojulas Giga". Giganotosaurs appear in the "Dinotopia" story The World Beneath as unexpected protagonists in the Rainy Basin.

References

External links

* [http://www.dinodata.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8988&Itemid=67 "Giganotosaurus"] at DinoData.
* " [http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/faq/s-size/predator/index.html What were the longest/heaviest predatory dinosaurs?] " Mike Taylor. "The Dinosaur FAQ". August 27, 2002.