CARNOTAURUS
Carnotaurus sastrei
Meaning: "Meat-Eating Bull"
📊 STATS
Size comparison:
As long as a large truck!
📖 ABOUT CARNOTAURUS
Meet Carnotaurus, the "Meat-Eating Bull" with horns above its eyes! This speedy South American dino was a fearsome predator of the Late Cretaceous period.
Carnotaurus, meaning "meat-eating bull," was a truly unique dinosaur! Imagine a predator about 8 meters long, roaming what is now Argentina around 70 million years ago. What made Carnotaurus so special? Well, it had two awesome horns sticking out above its eyes, making it look like a prehistoric bull! These horns were probably used for display, maybe to attract a mate or intimidate rivals.
This dino was a theropod, meaning it walked on two legs and was related to other famous meat-eaters like Tyrannosaurus Rex. But unlike T-Rex, Carnotaurus had tiny, almost useless arms. Scientists believe it was a fast runner, reaching speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour, which helped it chase down prey. Its powerful jaws and sharp teeth were perfect for chomping on smaller dinosaurs and other animals. Carnotaurus belonged to a group of dinosaurs called Abelisaurids, known for their strong builds and unique skull features. The discovery of Carnotaurus in 1984 gave paleontologists a fantastic glimpse into the diverse world of dinosaurs that once roamed South America!
🔬 CLASSIFICATION
- Group
- Theropoda
- Family
- Abelisauridae
- Period
- Late Cretaceous (100-66 Ma)
- Era
- 72.0 - 69.0 million years ago
🗺️ DISCOVERY
- Year
- 1984
- Discovered by
- José Bonaparte
- Location
- Patagonia, Argentina
- Fossils found in
- Argentina
🎨 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION
Artistic reconstruction of Carnotaurus based on fossil evidence
🗺️ WHERE FOSSILS WERE FOUND
Argentina
🤓 FUN FACTS
- ✨ Carnotaurus had the smallest arms of any large meat-eating dinosaur!
- ✨ Its name, 'Carnotaurus', comes from the Latin words 'carno' (meat) and 'taurus' (bull).
- ✨ Scientists think Carnotaurus had very strong neck muscles to help it deliver powerful bites.
- ✨ The first Carnotaurus fossil was found with skin impressions, giving us clues about its scaly hide!
- ✨ Carnotaurus lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous period, alongside other unique dinosaurs.
💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Get this: Carnotaurus had forward-facing eyes, which gave it excellent depth perception, helping it to accurately judge distances when hunting!
