How It Works-Book Of Dinosaurs

Majungasaurus (“Mah-JUNG-a-SORE-uss”) has a

bit of a bad-lizard reputation; telltale tooth marks

on Majungasaurus bones, found on its native

island of Madagascar, line up perfectly w ith

Majungasaurus’s own dental patterns. That’s

right – the evidence suggests this one-tonne

theropod feasted on its own kin, at least

occasionally – surely the hallmark of a ruthless

killer? What isn’t known, though, is whether

these were the spoils of active hunts or just

effi cient tidying up of already-dead relatives.

Majungasaurus

Height: 2m (6.6ft)

Length: 6m (19.7ft)

Its name is a mouthful in more ways than one;

Carcharodontosaurus (“Kar-K AR-o-don-toe-

SORE-uss”) means “shark-toothed lizard” and

refers to the beast’s jaw-full of 20-centimetre

(eight-inch)-long serrated teeth. These could

slice through fl esh like switchblades through

butter and leave enormous gaping wounds that

would quickly incapacitate prey.

Although it was larger than T-rex and had an

enormous skull the size of a person,

Carcharodontosaurus – along with its close

cousins Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus – was

a more primitive dinosaur with a smaller brain.

Instead, it had powerful legs and fossilised

tracks suggest it was capable of outrunning

T-rex – at about 32 kilometres (20 miles) per hour.

Whether or not it actually did – given that its

disproportionately small arms would be

incapable of bracing its seven-tonne weight in a

fall – is another matter.

Carcharodontosaurus

Height: 4m (13.1ft)

Length: 13m (42.7ft)

DINOSAURS

Deadliest dinosaurs

Killer stats

Among the largest and heaviest carnivorous dinosaurs

known, this hulking mouthful of razors terrorised North

Africa during its reign in the mid-Cretaceous Era, 100-93

million years ago.

Carcharodontosaurus

Size: 8/10

Arsenal & Adaptations: 7/10

Intellect: 3/10

Killer Rating: 8/10