Carcharodontosaurus

Article | Updated 10 years ago

Carcharodontosaurus illustration

Carcharodontosaurus
Image Peter Schouten

Packs of these large carnivores may have hunted huge sauropods.

Although cooperative hunting is difficult to prove in extinct animals, it is possible that Carcharodontosaurus hunted in packs. Their knife-like teeth with serrated edges could slice through the tough hide of very large dinosaurs. A bite from a Carcharodontosaurus would cause extensive bleeding and leave toxic bacteria in the wound. A pack may have been able to attack and by delivering slashing, toxic wounds, weaken and eventually bring down even the largest sauropods.

NORTHERN AFRICA
(100 million years ago)

Map of Northern Africa 100 million years ago

Widespread carnivores

This dinosaur and its close relatives belong to a group known as carcharodontosaurs. Most fossils of these dinosaurs have been found in 100–90 million-year-old rocks in Patagonia, Argentina, and Morocco. However fossils of Acrocanthosaurus, have been found in 115–110 million-year-old rocks from North America. This one had enlarged spines on its back vertebrae, but not nearly to the same length as in Spinosaurus.

 

 

Predators

This dinosaur lived at the same time and in the same place as Spinosaurus. It was almost as large as Spinosaurus and could have taken over their kills. Adult Carcharodontosaurus may have been a major predator of young and old Spinosaurus.

Carcharodontosaurus encroaching on a Spinosaurus’ kill

Carcharodontosaurus encroaching on a Spinosaurus’ kill
IMAGE: SERGEY KRASOVSKIY

 

Carcharodontosaurus stands 4.3m tall

Carcharodontosaurus saharicus

NAMED BY STROMER, 1931.

Diet Animals
Height 4.3m
Length 11.0m
Width 2.0m