Carnotaurus Size report
Carnotaurus is a large carnivorous dinosaur. Carnotaurus lived in Argentine Patagonia at the end of the Cretaceous period between 69 and 72 million years ago. The name means "carnivorous cow" in Latin (Taurus means "cow") because they have a pair of cow-like horns.
Carnotaurus sastrei, is the scientific name, was described and named by Argentine paleontologist Jose F. Bonaparte in 1985, who discovered many South American dinosaurs. Its fossil was found in the La Colonia Formation in the province of Chubut, Argentina.
Carnotaurus has many typical characteristics of large carnivorous dinosaurs. In addition, Carnotaurus has short forelimbs, similar to Tyrannosaurus and Tyrannosaurus in the northern hemisphere, but the continents they live on are geographically isolated. So it is the result of parallel evolution. This post introduces more facts about the size and Characteristics of Carnotaurus.
Size and Characteristics of Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus was a large carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Argentina in 1985. Its skull was completely unlike any dinosaur type found in the past. Compared with other theropod dinosaurs, Carnotaurus had a shorter and thicker head, much like a bull's head, with rows of raised scales on both sides of its back. However, its most prominent feature is a pair of wing-like horns that grow above the eyes.
Carnotaurus is a member of the family Abelisauridae, which was the dominant apex predator on the southern continents at the end of the Cretaceous period. Carnotaurus is a high-speed predator that is good at running. It is the fastest large dinosaur, with a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, also known as the cheetah of the Cretaceous period. At present, only one fossil of Carnotaurus has been found, but the completeness is as high as 72%; most of the tail, calves and feet are missing, and there are multiple rows of small intradermal bones.
Features
The most obvious feature of Carnotaurus's body is the pair of sharp horns on its head, but the pair of sharp horns are neither big enough nor hard enough. Hence, paleontologists speculate that the pair of sharp horns is a sign of Carnotaurus's adulthood. Not as a weapon. This pair of horns grows slowly with the growth of Carnotaurus, and when this pair of horns grow to a certain extent, it proves that Carnotaurus has become an adult.
Paleontologists have found fossilized skin impressions of Carnotaurus. Judging from these fossils, the Carnotaurus was covered with dense circular scales. In addition, some semi-conical scales are arranged on both sides of the back of the Carnotaurus.
Average Size
According to the only complete skeleton found, Biologists speculated that Carnotaurus was 8 meters long, weighed about 2.5-3 tons, and had a hip height of 3 meters.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | Carnivore |
| Time | Late Cretaceous period between 69 and 72 million years ago |
| Length | 8 m |
| Weight | 2.5-3 tons |
| Hip Height | 3 m |
| Running Speed | 60 km per hour |
Conclusion
Carnotaurus is an important member of the large predatory dinosaur group. This group includes the most powerful and famous dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Allosaurus. They have many similarities, such as a huge and powerful head and sharp teeth like a meat pluck. Carnotaurus was as long as two small cars, but its forelimbs were very short compared to its body length.
