A large Cretaceous theropod from Patagonia, Argentina, and the evolution of carcharodontosaurids (original) (raw)

Abstract

The Cretaceous Carcharodontosauridae is the latest clade of carnosaurs, including the largest predatory dinosaurs yet recorded. Albeit spectacular for their size, the skeletal anatomy of these theropods remains poorly-known, and their diversity was until recently restricted to two Cenomanian species: the highly derived Giganotosaurus carolinii, from southern South America, and the incompletely known Carcharodontosaurus saharicus, from northern Africa. Here we describe an older and basal member of the group, Tyrannotitan chubutensis gen. et sp. nov., from Aptian strata of Patagonia, Argentina. The new taxon gives new insights into the systematics and evolution of carcharodontosaurids and offers a better understanding of the evolution of Southern theropod faunas. We suggest that carcharodontosaurids radiated in Gondwana sharing with spinosaurids the role of top-predators until their extinction in Cenomanian–Turonian times. During this interval, the diplodocoid sauropods and giant titanosaurians went extinct (probably as part of a global-scale crisis), and the smaller abelisaurid theropods took dominance, reigning until the end of the Cretaceous. Electronic Supplementary Material is available.

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Acknowledgements

We thank L. Guerrero, P. Puerta, R. Vacca and their team for the discovery, excavation and preparation of the specimens; L. Salgado, P. Currie, and P. Posadas for suggestions on early drafts; and R. Coria and R. Carolini for access to specimen of Giganotosaurus carolinii. Finnancial support received from Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Técnica, CONICET, National Geographic Society, and The Jurassic Foundation (to FEN) is gratefully acknowledged. Fieldwork was sponsored by Museo Paleontológico “Egidio Feruglio.”

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Authors and Affiliations

1. CONICET, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Av. Angel Gallardo 470, 1405, Buenos Aires, Argentina
   Fernando E. Novas
2. CONICET, Museo Paleontológico “Egidio Feruglio”, Av. Fontana 140, 9100, Trelew, Argentina
   Silvina de Valais
3. School of Geosciences, Monash University, Melbourne (Clayton), Victoria, 3000, Australia
   Pat Vickers-Rich
4. Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666E, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
   Tom Rich

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1. Fernando E. Novas
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2. Silvina de Valais
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3. Pat Vickers-Rich
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4. Tom Rich
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Correspondence toFernando E. Novas.

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Novas, F.E., de Valais, S., Vickers-Rich, P. et al. A large Cretaceous theropod from Patagonia, Argentina, and the evolution of carcharodontosaurids.Naturwissenschaften 92, 226–230 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-005-0623-3

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• Received: 11 March 2004
• Accepted: 23 February 2005
• Published: 16 April 2005
• Issue Date: May 2005
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-005-0623-3

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