TheropodaCarcharodontosauridaeMUCPv-Ch1

Giganotosaurus carolinii

Giganotosaurus carolinii skeletal reconstruction, left lateral view, reconstructed length ~11.8 m.
Scale bar = 1 meter
Taxon
Giganotosaurus carolinii Coria & Salgado, 1995
Specimen
MUCPv-Ch1
Reconstructed length
~11.8 m (39 feet)
View
Left lateral
Drawing
© Scott Hartman
Drawn
2011, revised 2019
Clade
  1. Theropoda
  2. Tetanurae
  3. Allosauroidea
  4. Carcharodontosauridae

Available for editorial, museum & print licensing — inquiries & rates →

Giganotosaurus is probably the best known of the giant carcharodontosaurid theropods that have been discovered in the southern hemisphere in the last few decades. Giganotosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous in Argentina (and presumably surrounding areas), where it may have hunted the sauropods that dominated its environment. The type specimen reached nearly 12 m (38 feet), although there are fragmentary remains of somewhat larger individuals. At least in length Giganotosaurus rivaled or perhaps exceeded Tyrannosaurus, although its torso does not appear as wide as that of advanced tyrannosaurs, so it may have fallen a bit short on weight. That said, 8 tonnes is a huge animal - you certainly wouldn’t want it to step on your toes!

The evidence

What the specimen actually preserves

Known skeletal material of Giganotosaurus carolinii: preserved elements shown in white against a black body silhouette.
Known material of MUCPv-Ch1: elements preserved in the specimen are shown in white; unpreserved regions are left as black silhouette. Drawn 2011, revised 2019
Giganotosaurus carolinii — Graphic double-integration (GDI) body-mass estimate for the type, from Hartman’s dissertation.
Graphic double-integration (GDI) body-mass estimate for the type, from Hartman’s dissertation. Drawn 2019