Giganotosaurus
- Name meaning: Giant southern Lizard
- average length: 12-12.3 m ( 40-41 ft )
- maximum length: 13-13.2 m ( 43-44 ft )
- average weight: 6.1-7.2 tons
- maximum weight: 7.5-8.2 tons
- average height: 3.2-3.4 m ( 11-12 ft)
- maximum height: 3.9-5.1 m ( 13-15 ft )
- time period: 105-96 mya
- habitat: South America
- skull length: 1.31-1.67 m ( 4-5.5 ft )
- bite force: 6800 psi
- tooth length: 8-10 inches ( 20-28 cm )
Giganotosaurus is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs that lived in what is now Argentina during the early Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately some 99.6 to 97 million years ago. It included some of the largest known terrestrial carnivores, with known individuals equaling the size of the largest of Tyrannosaurus and Carcharadontosaurus it didn't, however surpass that of Spinosaurus.
The skull of Giganotosaurus is large; that of the holotype was in 1995 estimated at 1.53 m (5.0 ft) in length. Even though the original authors briefly claimed the length to be up to 1.8 m (5.9 ft)—leading to an estimate of 1.95 m (6.4 ft) skull length for the referred specimen—this claim was not repeated by subsequent workers and one of the original authors was in 2002 co-writer of an article giving a holotype skull length of 1.6 m (5.2 ft). Some have claimed that even the original estimate was too long and believe the skull to be almost exactly comparable to the one of Tyrannosaurus in length. The skull is slender and elongated in build, with rugose areas on the edges of the snout top and above the eye. The supratemporal openings were overhung by the edges of the skull roof where the jaw muscles of each side directly attached instead of meeting each other at a midline skull crest. The back of the skull as preserved is strongly inclined forwards, bringing the jaw joints far behind the attachment point of the neck.
It probably hunted in large packs much like its equally terrifying relative Mapusaurus. Its main prey were gigantic Titanosaurs such as Argentinosaurus or (A yet unnamed giant Titanosaur measuring over 127 feet) , its killing technique was probably similar to that of its african cousin carcharadontosaurus, (biting off a large chunk of flesh than leaving the animal to die from blood-loss). It's estimated to have had a speed of up to 37 mph, which would have made it even more terrifying.
The skull of Giganotosaurus is large; that of the holotype was in 1995 estimated at 1.53 m (5.0 ft) in length. Even though the original authors briefly claimed the length to be up to 1.8 m (5.9 ft)—leading to an estimate of 1.95 m (6.4 ft) skull length for the referred specimen—this claim was not repeated by subsequent workers and one of the original authors was in 2002 co-writer of an article giving a holotype skull length of 1.6 m (5.2 ft). Some have claimed that even the original estimate was too long and believe the skull to be almost exactly comparable to the one of Tyrannosaurus in length. The skull is slender and elongated in build, with rugose areas on the edges of the snout top and above the eye. The supratemporal openings were overhung by the edges of the skull roof where the jaw muscles of each side directly attached instead of meeting each other at a midline skull crest. The back of the skull as preserved is strongly inclined forwards, bringing the jaw joints far behind the attachment point of the neck.
It probably hunted in large packs much like its equally terrifying relative Mapusaurus. Its main prey were gigantic Titanosaurs such as Argentinosaurus or (A yet unnamed giant Titanosaur measuring over 127 feet) , its killing technique was probably similar to that of its african cousin carcharadontosaurus, (biting off a large chunk of flesh than leaving the animal to die from blood-loss). It's estimated to have had a speed of up to 37 mph, which would have made it even more terrifying.