History UsefulNotes / PrehistoricLifeLargeTheropods

* ''Alectrosaurus'', was perhaps the first-found large theropod in Asia, and is more probably a basal tyrannosauroid like ''Dryptosaurus''. Several undetermined tyrannosauroid remains found in Asia have been assigned to ''Alectrosaurus'', but are too undiagnostic. The alectrosaur's closest relative; ''Xiongguanlong'', was quite a bit older than it. ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alioramus Alioramus]]'', lit. "the other branch" (of the tyrannosaurs) was once thought the juvenile of ''Tarbosaurus'', but has revealed a truly small tyrannosaurid or another kind of tyrannosauroid, whose long narrow skull shows small hornlets along its muzzle. Among other Asian findings, the small "Shanshanosaurus" and "Maleevosaurus" are now regarded as juvenile ''Tarbosaurus'', while "Raptorex" (whose name is a {{Portmanteau}} of "raptor" and "rex"), was originally thought to be a highly advanced Early Cretaceous form, but now appears to be the juvenile of a true Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurid.

* In 2012, a new and important find about the tyrannosaur lineage came to light: ''Yutyrannus'' (lit. "feathered tyrant": Yu = "feathered dragon" in Chinese, tyrannus = "tyrant" in Latin) from the Early Cretaceous of China. From the same Liaoning site in which other much smaller feathered dinosaurs have been found, ''Yutyrannus'' was much bigger than them (30-foot long, only slightly smaller than ''Tarbosaurus'') - but it too bears a complete covering feathers. This suggests that even large true tyrannosauroids were feathered, not just their smaller ancestors. Despite its size ''Yutyrannus'' was very basal among tyrannosauroids, believed related with the 9-foot ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherSmallTheropods Guanlong]]'' and thus more distantly related with true tyrannosaurids than ''Dryptosaurus'' and ''Appalachiosaurus'' were. In 2015, the "feathered tyrant" made its first appearance in mainstream media by playing a major antagonist in the fourteenth ''Land Before Time'' film. It may be on its way to becoming a Stock Dinosaur in the near future.

* The theropods here are ''not'' tyrannosaurs and didn’t live in the DeepSouth, but the definition works well. Even though much more basal than tyrannosaurids, abelisaurids shared with the latter some specializations: robust skulls, long hindlimbs and shortened forelimbs. But most were only 7 m long, much smaller than the largest tyrannosaurids as well as many megalosauroids and allosauroids. Even though some incomplete specimens had already been found before 1985, like ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indosaurus Indosaurus]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indosuchus Indosuchus]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genyodectes Genyodectes]]''[[note]]this one was once thought one of them but has been recently re-classified as a more primitive ceratosaurian from the Early Cretaceous.[[/note]], and ''Majungasaurus'', abelisaurids were recognized as a group only in that year after the contemporary discover of its two prototypes: the unofficial one is the “horned” ''Carnotaurus sastrei''; the official one, ''Abelisaurus'', more precisely ''Abelisaurus comahuensis''. The latter also has long detained the record of the 1st dinosaur in the alphabet list, now occuped by the prosauropod ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeSauropodPredecessors Aardonyx]]'' ("Aachenosaurus" was thought a dinosaur but was actually a piece of pietrified wood; "Abdallahsaurus" is an informal name for ''Giraffatitan''; ''Abdarainurus'' is an Asian titanosaur described in 2020). Both from Late Cretaceous Argentina, these dinosaurs didn’t look so similar; ''Abelisaurus'' skull was long-snouted and totally horn-lacking, more similar to a miniaturized ''Giganotosaurus''. However, the shape of the orbits, the narrow lower jaw, and other “small” things indicate that it was a close relative of ''Carnotaurus''. Always remember that in systematics external appearance is usually a minor factor, even when coping with modern animals. Unfortunately, the only thing we know from ''Abelisaurus'' is just the skull. Just one year after were found in Argentina the even scantier remains of the third abelisaurid recognized as such, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenotarsosaurus Xenotarsosaurus]]'' ("strange-footed lizard").

'''Synonymies and possibile Synonymies'''

* "Dinotyrannus" ("terrible tyrant") and "Stygivenator" ("Hunter from the Death-River"), both described in 1995, are today regarded as proper ''T. rex'' specimens. "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aublysodon Aublysodon]]", described as early as the 1860s, is known mainly from unusually-blunt teeth found in North America and others were found later in Asia, and it may be just represent juveniles from known tyrannosaurids like what is possible for ''Nanotyrannus''.

* ''Eustreptospondylus oxoniensis'' ("Oxford's well-curved vertebra") was from Middle Jurassic Europe and was more related with ''Megalosaurus'' than to ''Allosaurus''. It was smaller-sized than ''Megalosaurus'' being 2 m shorter and more slender, but was once believed a ''Megalosaurus'' species. Its well-preserved skeleton is actually from a juvenile: some have suggested it to be the same as the more poorly known ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnosaurus Magnosaurus]]'', also a former ''Megalosaurus'' species, but it may be more primitive (curiously, both ''Magnosaurus'' and ''Megalosaurus'' mean "big lizard", but ''magno-'' is Latin, ''megalo-'' Greek). As two-thirds of the skeleton of ''Eustreptospondylus'' is known, compared to about half for ''Megalosaurus'' itself, this makes the eustreptospondyl the most well-preserved European large Jurassic theropod. People have long tried to determine its exact affinities: some early workers thought it was an intermediate form between megalosaurs and allosaurs, but since the rise of more thorough analyses, it has consistently come out as a true megalosaur. Although ''Eustreptospondylus'' made a major media appearance in ''Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs'', it has not made the same pop-cultural impact as other animals introduced in that series. This probably because in its own episode (the one dedicated to sea-reptiles) has only a rather minor role, as the token dinosaur - and the only true dinosaur here. Here, some individuals of ''Eustreptospondylus'' hang themselves in an insular world with usually little food available, and one of them is easily captured by surprise by the oversized sea-reptile ''Liopleurodon'' at the start of the episode.

[[caption-width-right:350:One of the [[{{Pun}} coolest dinosaurs found.]]]]

'''Even Palaeontologists have Fun:''' ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryolophosaurus Cryolophosaurus]]''

* Paleontologists are not necessarily those [[{{Nerd}} nerdy people]] one could believe. Some do fit more in the AdventurerArchaeologist and BadassBookworm tropes - think about the famed ''Australopithecus'' specimen nicknamed [[Music/TheBeatles Lucy]]; the cowboy-looking Bob Bakker; the “Bone Wars” fought by two archenemical guys…. and above all, [[Franchise/IndianaJones Roy Chapman Andrews]]. And yes, paleontologists ''do'' consume pop-cultural products just like all the other people. In the 1990s, even the most sceptical people were forced to change their idea about, in front of these two new-discovered theropods: ''Cryolophosaurus'' and ''Gojirasaurus''. Because the uniquely curly shape of its crest, the former [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous was initially named]] "[[Music/ElvisPresley Elvisaurus]]"; the latter has been named after “Gojira”, [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous which is the Japanese name of]] Franchise/{{Godzilla}}. And since RuleOfCool indisputably dominates every time dinosaurs are involved... some paleo-artists have been giving to our Godzillasaur unlikely features such as prominent/raised scutes along its back, [[DinosaursAreDragons just to make it look like its namesake!]] Talking more seriously, these two theropods are interesting because, along with ''Dilophosaurus'' and other less-known animals such as ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halticosaurus Halticosaurus]]'' (found in Germany and known since the start of the XX century from fragmentary remains), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liliensternus Liliensternus]]'' (also discovered in Germany, and originally believed an ''Halticosaurus'' species), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcosaurus Sarcosaurus]]'' (from England, whose name means "meat-eating lizard", the same meaning of the popular word "carnosaur", but carno- is Latin, sarco- is Greek), and still others like ''Dracovenator'' ("hunting dragon", found in South Africa), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltriovenator Saltriovenator]]'' (discovered in Italy and initially believed the first tetanuran), and ''Zupaysaurus'' (from Argentina, until recently the last member of the dinosaur's alphabetical list: since year 2017 has been the ankylosaur ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeAnkylosaurs Zuul]]''), they are among the earliest large-sized carnivores. ''Cryolophosaurus'' means “crested lizard from ice”; this is because it was the third dinosaur found in Antarctica, and the first one named, in 1993. But wait, it has not been found enclosed in ''ice'': even though it is cool to think, this is an impossible thing in RealLife. Not counting ice had formed on Antarctica only ''after'' the Cretaceous mass-extinction, bones cannot turn into stone [[FridgeLogic when surrounded by solid water]]… Antarctic dinosaurs have been found encased in ''rocks'' like everywhere in the world, in the rare ice-free portions of Antarctica at its extreme “north”. ''Cryolophosaurus'' was an Early Jurassic theropod 5-6 m long, which (along with the Chinese ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinosaurus Sinosaurus]]'', "lizard from China") could be a very primitive tetanuran -- some thought these two may be closer to ''Dilophosaurus'', but this is questionable.

'''The Ancestor of the Carnosaurs?:''' ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teratosaurus Teratosaurus]]''

* ''Teratosaurus'': (“monster lizard”) lived in Europe during the Triassic period. Discovered as early as the middle of the XIX century, it was 6 m long, and has long detained the record of “the first giant meat-eating dinosaur”. In old books, ''Teratosaurus'' was portrayed as a generic-looking “carnosaur” which hunted the neighboring prosauropod ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Plateosaurus]]''. Then, in the mid 1980s, it was discovered that ''Teratosaurus'' wasn't a dinosaur at all. It was actually a non-dinosaurian archosaur related to ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursNonDinosaurs Postosuchus]]'', a member of a group that had convergently evolved to [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Postosuchus_kirkpatricki.jpg resemble large theropods]]. Interestingly, the reverse happened to the megalosaur ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streptospondylus Streptospondylus]]'' (not to be confused with ''Eustreptospondylus''), which was once considered a crocodile.

[[caption-width-right:350:One of the [[StealthPun coolest]] dinosaurs found. [[note]][[DontExplainTheJoke Because it was found in Antartica]]]][[/note]]

* Most abelisaurids were Late Cretaceous and have been found in South America, but remains have been found in most southern continents (once one landmass, Gondwanaland). In the same period, tyrannosaurids roamed Laurasia (the northern landmass). However, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarascosaurus Tarascosaurus]]'' (portrayed in Series/DinosaurPlanet) and at least three other abelisaurs (''Betasuchus'', ''Genusaurus'', and ''Arcovenator'') managed to reach Europe, more precisely France and the Netherlands. Europe was at the time isolated to the remaining Laurasia: due to lacking of competition from the more evolved tyrannosaurids (which were absent in Europe), these four were able to survive and become the top predators of Late Cretaceous European islands, but not the famous Hateg island of Romania -- here the role was assumed by a giant pterosaur, ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursNonDinosaurs Hatzegopteryx]]''. While ''Genusaurus'' and ''Tarascosaurus'' are primitive abelisaurids, ''Arcovenator'' seems to be most closely related to forms from Madagascar and India. ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betasuchus Betasuchus]]'' (the "Beta crocodile") was originally thought to be another species of ''Megalosaurus'' and later an ornithomimosaur because of the slenderness of its only remain (a femur).

'''How Did They Evolved?'''

'''Their Relatives'''

* But other relatives found in more recent years are much more known: for example, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aucasaurus Aucasaurus]]''. Discovered in the 2000s also in Late Cretaceous Argentina, ''Aucasaurus'' was one of the smallest members of the family (only 5 m long). Despite not showing neither horns nor a shortened skull, it was one of the closest relatives of ''Carnotaurus'', and, like the latter, had a strange look: forelimbs even more reduced than ''Carnotaurus'' itself, tiny stubs without any digits. The year 2002 saw the discovery of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilokelesia Ilokelesia]]'' ("meat reptile"), another South American abelisaurid (although it was originally considered a more primitive ceratosaur). In paleontology, it is all to common for creatures to be based on poor remains, which do little to set them apart from related forms. When more complete specimens are uncovered, or when the known bones are restudied, strange features may come to light. Such was the case with abelisaurid bones uncovered in a dynamite explosion in 2004. Initial study of these bones suggested their owner was similar to other abelisaurs, if different enough to warrant a genus of its own: ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekrixinatosaurus Ekrixinatosaurus]]'' ("explosion-born reptile"). A 2011 reexamination suggests that it was far larger than previously estimated, at 11 meters in length. This makes it larger than most tyrannosaurs, and by far the largest of the abelisaurs. Most abelisaurids were Late Cretaceous and have been found in South America, but remains have been found in most southern continents (once one landmass, Gondwanaland). In the same period, tyrannosaurids roamed Laurasia (the northern landmass). However, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarascosaurus Tarascosaurus]]'' (portrayed in Series/DinosaurPlanet) and at least three other abelisaurs (''Betasuchus'', ''Genusaurus'', and ''Arcovenator'') managed to reach Europe, which was at the time isolated to the remaining Laurasia: due to lacking of competition from the more evolved tyrannosaurids (which were absent in Europe), these four were able to survive and become the top predators of Late Cretaceous European islands. While ''Genusaurus'' and ''Tarascosaurus'' are primitive abelisaurids, ''Arcovenator'' seems to be most closely related to forms from Madagascar and India. ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betasuchus Betasuchus]]'' (the "Beta crocodile") was originally thought to be another species of ''Megalosaurus'' and later an ornithomimosaur because of the slenderness of its only remain (a femur).

* Many abelisaurids showed some kind of ornamentation on their skull, though none had the "bovine" horn of a ''Carnotaurus''. ''Majungasaurus'' is an excellent example of this. Interestingly, the majungasaur seems to be closely related to Indian abelisaurs like ''Rajasaurus'' & ''Indosaurus'', suggesting that these areas were connected at one point. ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasaurus Rajasaurus]]'' ("Raja lizard") is today the most well-known indian abelisaur, and is notable for its unusually robust built compared with the prototypical ''Carnotaurus''. Also related with ''Majungasaurus'' was ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugops Rugops]]'' ("wrinkled face"); known only from a skull, it nonetheless lived alongside ''Spinosaurus'' in Cretaceous Northern Africa. Ever since they were recognized as a group, the abelisaurids have posed many problems for paleontologists. Arguably the biggest of these was their relationship to other theropods. As noted before, they show some similarities to tyrannosauroids -- indeed, the abelisaur ''Indosuchus'' (deceptively meaning "indian croc", not to be confused with ''Indosaurus'' above) was once considered a tyrannosaur, and the mysterious large theropod ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labocania Labocania]]'' (one of the few dinosaurs described in Mexico) is similar to both groups as well as the allosaurs. It was also briefly proposed that abelisaurs were late megalosaurids. However, since at least TheNineties or so, they have been found to be ceratosaurs close to the typically much smaller [[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherSmallTheropods noasaurids]]. With one mystery solved, however, another arose: when & where did the earliest abelisaurids live, and what did they look like? This question went unanswered for nearly twenty years. In 2012, the paleontological community apparently received the long-awaited answer in the form of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eoabelisaurus Eoabelisaurus]]'' ("dawn ''Abelisaurus''"). Hailing from the Middle Jurassic of Argentina, its arms were longer than those of the more advanced abelisaurids, but still shorter than those of the tyrannosaurids. However, [[ScienceMarchesOn science may have marched on]] for this fellow, as a 2013 analysis suggests that it is not a true abelisaurid, but a primitive relative of abelisaurids & noasaurids.

* The theropods here are ''not'' tyrannosaurs and didn’t live in the DeepSouth, but the definition works well. Even though much more basal than tyrannosaurids, abelisaurids shared with the latter some specializations: robust skulls, long hindlimbs and shortened forelimbs. But most were only 7 m long, much smaller than the largest tyrannosaurids as well as many megalosauroids and allosauroids. Even though some incomplete specimens had already been found before 1985, like ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indosaurus Indosaurus]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indosuchus Indosuchus]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genyodectes Genyodectes]]''[[note]]this one was once thought one of them but has been recently re-classified as a more primitive ceratosaurian from the Early Cretaceous.[[/note]], and ''Majungasaurus'', abelisaurids were recognized as a group only in that year after the contemporary discover of its two prototypes: the unofficial one is the “horned” ''Carnotaurus sastrei''; the official one, ''Abelisaurus'', more precisely ''Abelisaurus comahuensis''. The latter also has detained the record of the 1st dinosaur in the alphabet list, now occuped by the prosauropod ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeSauropodPredecessors Aardonyx]]'' ("Aachenosaurus" was thought a dinosaur but was actually a piece of pietrified wood; "Abdallahsaurus" is an informal name for a yet-undescribed sauropod). Both from Late Cretaceous Argentina, these dinosaurs didn’t look so similar; ''Abelisaurus'' skull was long-snouted and totally horn-lacking, more similar to a miniaturized ''Giganotosaurus''. However, the shape of the orbits, the narrow lower jaw, and other “small” things indicate that it was a close relative of ''Carnotaurus''. Always remember that in systematics external appearance is usually a minor factor, even when coping with modern animals. Unfortunately, the only thing we know from ''Abelisaurus'' is just the skull. Just one year after were found in Argentina the even scantier remains of the third abelisaurid recognized as such, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenotarsosaurus Xenotarsosaurus]]'' ("strange-footed lizard").

* As you can easily tell now after reading this page, many large theropods [[TheUnpronounceable aren’t exactly the simplest things to pronounce]]. But there’s also a curious exception which comes just from China. This one makes a sort of comic relief among many huge theropod names, having one of the simplest, most obvious names one could imagine: ''Gasosaurus'' just comes from a gasoline company that funded the excavation of its skeleton. A smallish theropod, 4 m / 15 ft at the most, ''Gasosaurus constructus'' lived in Middle Jurassic, and its appearance was a sort of middle-way between a gracile “carnosaur” and a stocky “coelurosaur” (in the older sense of these words). Its classification remains uncertain, and suggestions regarding its phylogenetic position within Theropoda range from a metriacanthosaurid to the most ancient coelurosaur known to an early ancestor of both groups. The most recent large study of tetanuran theropods considers it "best regarded as having an uncertain position within Tetanurae and probably outside 'sCoelurosauria".

In Europe, a frequent choice is the megalosaur ''Eustreptospondylus'', see Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs for an example. Among Asian carnivores, the tyrannosaur ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Tarbosaurus]]'' is the classic guy for Cretaceous settings, while the allosaur ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Yangchuanosaurus]]'' and the hard-to-classify ''Gasosaurus'' are for the Jurassic ones. Among the African theropods, the allosauroid ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Carcharodontosaurus]]'', the spinosaurid ''Suchomimus'' and the Malagasy ceratosaur ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Majungasaurus]]'' have become common since the 1990s. Among South-American kinds, the allosauroid ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Mapusaurus]]'' and the allosauroid or tyrannosauroid ''Megaraptor'' have become popular since the 2000s. No expecially relevant large theropod has been found yet in Australia (except fragmentary remains like those of the "Australian Allosaurus" of ''Walking With Dinosaurs''), while Antarctica has given to us the curly-crested ''Cryolophosaurus'', the animal of the image.

'''Asian Cousins:''' ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alectrosaurus Alectrosaurus]]'' & ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alioramus Alioramus]]''

* ''Alioramus'', lit. "the other branch" (of the tyrannosaurs) was once thought the juvenile of ''Tarbosaurus'', but has revealed a truly small tyrannosaurid or another kind of tyrannosauroid, whose long narrow skull shows small hornlets along its muzzle. Another, ''Alectrosaurus'', was perhaps the first-found large theropod in Asia, and is more probably a basal tyrannosauroid like ''Dryptosaurus''. Several undetermined tyrannosauroid remains found in Asia have been assigned to ''Alectrosaurus'', but are too undiagnostic. The alectrosaur's closest relative; ''Xiongguanlong'', was quite a bit older than it. Among other Asian findings, the small "Shanshanosaurus" and "Maleevosaurus" are now regarded as juvenile ''Tarbosaurus'', while "Raptorex" (whose name is a {{Portmanteau}} of "raptor" and "rex"), was originally thought to be a highly advanced Early Cretaceous form, but now appears to be the juvenile of a true Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurid.

* Found in Texas in 1997, ''Gojirasaurus'' was an ever more primitive theropod from Triassic: 15 ft long, was several times heavier than most carnivorous dinosaur from Triassic such as ''Coelophysis'' and ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherSmallTheropods Procompsognathus]]''. Thus, it has received the same treatment of the “younger” ''Dilophosaurus'', hailed as “the first big-sized meat-eating dino of North America" -- even though the celebration of ''Gojirasaurus'' is more correct than the dilophosaur's one for obvious chronological reasons. Despite the interest surrounding ''Gojirasaurus'', its look is quite incospicuous, similar to a robust ''Coelophysis'' and lacking any known cranial crest --- not exactly a Main/{{Kaiju}}. Then, other similar theropods were already known before the description of the gojirasaur; for example, the aforementioned ''Halticosaurus'' from Late Triassic Europe has been known since 1908, and was just as big. ''Liliensternus'' from the same habitat was also of similar size. The latter has been known since 1934, but classified as ''Halticosaurus liliensterni'' before 1984. As the second word of a scientific name usually doesn't change when the first one does, the resulting full scientific name of this dinosaur has become ''Liliensternus liliensterni''.

* Found in Texas in 1997, ''Gojirasaurus'' was an ever more primitive theropod from Triassic: 15 ft long, was several times heavier than most carnivorous dinosaur from Triassic such as ''Coelophysis'' and ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeOtherSmallTheropods Procompsognathus]]''. Thus, it has received the same treatment of the “younger” ''Dilophosaurus'', hailed as “the first big-sized meat-eating dino of North America" -- even though the celebration of ''Gojirasaurus'' is more correct than the dilophosaur's one for obvious chronological reasons. Despite the interest surrounding ''Gojirasaurus'', its look is quite incospicuous, similar to a robust ''Coelophysis'' and lacking any known cranial crest. Then, other similar theropods were already known before the description of the gojirasaur; for example, the aforementioned ''Halticosaurus'' from Late Triassic Europe has been known since 1908, and was just as big. ''Liliensternus'' from the same habitat was also of similar size. The latter has been known since 1934, but classified as ''Halticosaurus liliensterni'' before 1984. As the second word of a scientific name usually doesn't change when the first one does, the resulting full scientific name of this dinosaur has become ''Liliensternus liliensterni''.

* Paleontologists are not necessarily those [[{{Nerd}} nerdy people]] one could believe. Some do fit more in the AdventurerArchaeologist and BadassBookworm tropes - think about the famed ''Australopithecus'' specimen nicknamed [[Music/TheBeatles Lucy]]; the cowboy-looking Bob Bakker; the “Bone Wars” fought by two archenemical guys…. and above all, [[Franchise/IndianaJones Roy Chapman Andrews]]. And yes, paleontologists ''do'' consume pop-cultural products just like all the other people. In the 1990s, even the most sceptical people were forced to change their idea about, in front of these two new-discovered theropods: ''Cryolophosaurus'' and ''Gojirasaurus''. Because the uniquely curly shape of its crest, the former [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous was initially named]] "[[Music/ElvisPresley Elvisaurus]]"; the latter has been named after “Gojira”, [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous which is the Japanese name of]] Franchise/{{Godzilla}}. And since RuleOfCool indisputably dominates every time dinosaurs are involved... some paleo-artists have been giving to our Godzillasaur unlikely features such as prominent/raised scutes along its back, [[DinosaursAreDragons just to make it look like its namesake!]] Talking more seriously, these two theropods are interesting because, along with ''Dilophosaurus'' and other less-known animals such as ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halticosaurus Halticosaurus]]'' (found in Germany and known since the start of the XX century from fragmentary remains), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liliensternus Liliensternus]]'' (also discovered in Germany, and originally believed an ''Halticosaurus'' species), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcosaurus Sarcosaurus]]'' (from England, whose name means "meat-eating lizard", the same meaning of the popular word "carnosaur", but carno- is Latin, sarco- is Greek), and still others like ''Dracovenator'' ("hunting dragon", found in South Africa), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/Saltriovenator Saltriovenator]]'' (discovered in Italy and initially believed the first tetanuran), and ''Zupaysaurus'' (from Argentina, until recently the last member of the dinosaur's alphabetical list: since year 2017 has been the ankylosaur ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeAnkylosaurs Zuul]]''), they are among the earliest large-sized carnivores. ''Cryolophosaurus'' means “crested lizard from ice”; this is because it was the third dinosaur found in Antarctica, and the first one named, in 1993. But wait, it has not been found enclosed in ''ice'': even though it is cool to think, this is an impossible thing in RealLife. Not counting ice had formed on Antarctica only ''after'' the Cretaceous mass-extinction, bones cannot turn into stone [[FridgeLogic when surrounded by solid water]]… Antarctic dinosaurs have been found encased in ''rocks'' like everywhere in the world, in the rare ice-free portions of Antarctica at its extreme “north”. ''Cryolophosaurus'' was an Early Jurassic theropod 5-6 m long, which (along with the Chinese ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinosaurus Sinosaurus]]'', "lizard from China") could be a very primitive tetanuran -- some thought these two may be closer to ''Dilophosaurus'', but this is questionable.

* Found in Texas in 1997, ''Gojirasaurus'' was an ever more primitive theropod from Triassic: 15 ft long, was several times heavier than most carnivorous dinosaur from Triassic such as ''Coelophysis'' and ''Procompsognathus''. Thus, it has received the same treatment of the “younger” ''Dilophosaurus'', hailed as “the first big-sized meat-eating dino of North America" -- even though the celebration of ''Gojirasaurus'' is more correct than the dilophosaur's one for obvious chronological reasons. Despite the interest surrounding ''Gojirasaurus'', its look is quite incospicuous, similar to a robust ''Coelophysis'' and lacking any known cranial crest. Then, other similar theropods were already known before the description of the gojirasaur; for example, the aforementioned ''Halticosaurus'' from Late Triassic Europe has been known since 1908, and was just as big. ''Liliensternus'' from the same habitat was also of similar size. The latter has been known since 1934, but classified as ''Halticosaurus liliensterni'' before 1984. As the second word of a scientific name usually doesn't change when the first one does, the resulting full scientific name of this dinosaur has become ''Liliensternus liliensterni''.

* Paleontologists are not necessarily those [[{{Nerd}} nerdy people]] one could believe. Some do fit more in the AdventurerArchaeologist and BadassBookworm tropes - think about the famed ''Australopithecus'' specimen nicknamed [[Music/TheBeatles Lucy]]; the cowboy-looking Bob Bakker; the “Bone Wars” fought by two archenemical guys…. and above all, [[Franchise/IndianaJones Roy Chapman Andrews]]. And yes, paleontologists ''do'' consume pop-cultural products just like all the other people. In the 1990s, even the most sceptical people were forced to change their idea about, in front of these two new-discovered theropods: ''Cryolophosaurus'' and ''Gojirasaurus''. Because the uniquely curly shape of its crest, the former [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous was initially named]] "[[Music/ElvisPresley Elvisaurus]]"; the latter has been named after “Gojira”, [[NamedAfterSomebodyFamous which is the Japanese name of]] Franchise/{{Godzilla}}. And since RuleOfCool indisputably dominates every time dinosaurs are involved... some paleo-artists have been giving to our Godzillasaur unlikely features such as prominent/raised scutes along its back, [[DinosaursAreDragons just to make it look like its namesake!]] Talking more seriously, these two theropods are interesting because, along with ''Dilophosaurus'' and other less-known animals such as ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halticosaurus Halticosaurus]]'' (found in Germany and known since the start of the XX century from fragmentary remains), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liliensternus Liliensternus]]'' (also discovered in Germany, and originally believed an ''Halticosaurus'' species), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcosaurus Sarcosaurus]]'' (from England, whose name means "meat-eating lizard")[[note]]The same meaning of the popular word "carnosaur", but carno- is Latin, sarco- is Greek.[[/note]], and still others like ''Dracovenator'' ("hunting dragon", found in South Africa), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/Saltriovenator Saltriovenator]]'' (discovered in Italy and initially believed the first tetanuran), and ''Zupaysaurus'' (from Argentina, until recently the last member of the dinosaur's alphabetical list: since year 2017 has been the ankylosaur ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuul Zuul]]''), they are among the earliest large-sized carnivores. ''Cryolophosaurus'' means “crested lizard from ice”; this is because it was the third dinosaur found in Antarctica, and the first one named, in 1993. But wait, it has not been found enclosed in ''ice'': even though it is cool to think, this is an impossible thing in RealLife. Not counting ice had formed on Antarctica only ''after'' the Cretaceous mass-extinction, bones cannot turn into stone [[FridgeLogic when surrounded by solid water]]… Antarctic dinosaurs have been found encased in ''rocks'' like everywhere in the world, in the rare ice-free portions of Antarctica at its extreme “north”. ''Cryolophosaurus'' was an Early Jurassic theropod 5-6 m long, which (along with the Chinese ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinosaurus Sinosaurus]]'', "lizard from China") could be a very primitive tetanuran -- some thought these two may be closer to ''Dilophosaurus'', but this is questionable.

* The theropods here are ''not'' tyrannosaurs and didn’t live in the DeepSouth, but the definition works well. Even though much more basal than tyrannosaurids, abelisaurids shared with the latter some specializations: robust skulls, long hindlimbs and shortened forelimbs. But most were only 7 m long, much smaller than the largest tyrannosaurids as well as many megalosauroids and allosauroids. Even though some incomplete specimens had already been found before 1985, like ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indosaurus Indosaurus]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indosuchus Indosuchus]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genyodectes Genyodectes]]''[[note]]this one was once thought one of them but has been recently re-classified as a more primitive ceratosaurian from the Early Cretaceous.[[/note]], and ''Majungasaurus'', abelisaurids were recognized as a group only in that year after the contemporary discover of its two prototypes: the unofficial one is the “horned” ''Carnotaurus sastrei''; the official one, ''Abelisaurus'', more precisely ''Abelisaurus comahuensis''.[[note]]The latter also has detained the record of the 1st dinosaur in the alphabet list, now occuped by the prosauropod ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aardonyx Aardonyx]]''. "Aachenosaurus" was thought a dinosaur but was actually a piece of pietrified wood; "Abdallahsaurus" is an informal name for a yet-undescribed sauropod.[[/note]] Both from Late Cretaceous Argentina, these dinosaurs didn’t look so similar; ''Abelisaurus'' skull was long-snouted and totally horn-lacking, more similar to a miniaturized ''Giganotosaurus''. However, the shape of the orbits, the narrow lower jaw, and other “small” things indicate that it was a close relative of ''Carnotaurus''. Always remember that in systematics external appearance is usually a minor factor, even when coping with modern animals. Unfortunately, the only thing we know from ''Abelisaurus'' is just the skull. Just one year after were found in Argentina the even scantier remains of the third abelisaurid recognized as such, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenotarsosaurus Xenotarsosaurus]]'' ("strange-footed lizard").

'''Sail-Backed Guys'''

* ''Spinosaurus'' was not the only theropod with a ridge on its back made by elongated neural spines: there were others as well. ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Acrocanthosaurus]]'' is the most well-known among “these others”. Other two less-known “sailbacks” of smaller size and with a even less-evident crest were ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altispinax Altispinax]]'' and ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metriacanthosaurus Metriacanthosaurus]]'', both European. Once placed in the “Megalosaurus wastebasket”, both are now considered allosauroids of some sort. ''Altispinax'' was renamed “Becklespinax” in the late eighties, because its first remain was an isolated tooth found in the XIX century. It's worth noting that ''Altispinax''[='=]s crested backbone was used in the middle XIX century as a model for the famous "Megalosaurus" sculpture in the Crystal Palace Park in London; this explains why the megalosaur model shows a humped back. Just as surprisingly, in spite of being a very obscure dinosaur, ''Metriacanthosaurus''' long name appears on one of the embryo-containing vials in the first ''Film/JurassicPark'' film. However, the name probably was referred to another better-known large theropod, the Chinese ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Yangchuanosaurus]]'' (which was by Gregory Paul synonimized with ''Metriacanthosaurus'' in 1988).

* Most megalosaurids belonged to one of two branches: the larger, more robust megalosaurines and the smaller, slenderer afrovenatorines (traditionally "eustreptospondylines", but ''Eustreptospondylus'' itself may not belong to the group). The first branch includes ''Megalosaurus'' itself, ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursSaurischianDinosaurs Torvosaurus]]'' and former ''Megalosaurus'' species ''Duriavenator'' ("Dorset hunter"). The second branch is much more diverse & widespread, containing five or six taxa. ''Afrovenator'' ("African hunter"), which lent its name to the group, has had an interesting ScienceMarchesOn story. When it was named in 1994, it was thought to come from the Early Cretaceous; however, work carried out in 2009 suggests it is far older, instead hailing from the Middle Jurassic. It has also been considered a megalosaur outside megalosaurids + spinosaurids (that is, a non-megalosaurian megalosauroid), a dinosaur closer to allosauroids and birds than to megalosaurs and even an allosauroid itself, but now seems to be a megalosaurid. The afrovenatorines also include the only Asian megalosaurid, ''Leshansaurus'' (originally considered a metriacanthosaurid allosauroid). These two, known from fairly good skeletons, are far more complete known than most other afrovenatorines. For example, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piveteausaurus Piveteausaurus]]'' ("Piveteau's reptile") is known only from a ''Ceratosaurus''-like braincase, which has caused much confusion (some thought the entire animal was smaller than a man, while others thought it was actually ''Eustreptospondylus''). The original skeleton of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poekilopleuron Poekilopleuron]]'' ("varying ribs") was lost in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and the remaining specimens are also very fragmentary (in fact, it may even be an allosauroid); former ''Poekilopleuron'' species ''Dubreuillosaurus'' ("reptile of the Dubreuillo family") is known from a pretty decent skull. Interesting that ''Poekilopleuron'' was one of the very first dinosaurs described (before Owen coined the world "Dinosaur"), and that was also used as an early synonym of ''Allosaurus'', just like what happened to ''"Antrodemus"''.

* Roughly '''fifty''' theropod dinosaurs have once been labeled ''Megalosaurus'' at one point. Most have yet to be renamed, due to them being based on isolated teeth & vertebrae that tell us little. Many of the renamed ones have revealed to be totally unrelated animals (''Carcharodontosaurus'', ''Dilophosaurus'', ''Erectopus'', ''Majungasaurus'', ''Nuthetes'' etc.), but some were really cousins of the proper ''Megalosaurus'': the most important is ''Eustreptospondylus''. Among other "modern" megalosauroids, there is one which has received a deceptive name: ''Piatnitzkysaurus floresi'' was not discovered in Russia as it seems, but in Argentina. A smallish animal (4-5 m long), it is one of the few dinosaurs known from Jurassic South America (most dinosaurs from this continent are either Triassic or Cretaceous). It shared the habitat with the much larger primitive [[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeSauropods sauropod]] ''Patagosaurus''; these two animal were found together in the 1970s and desribed by Jose Bonaparte, the Argentinian paleontologist who named most South American dinos between the 1970s and the 1990s; among the others, ''Saltasaurus'', ''Carnotaurus'', ''Amargasaurus'', ''Riojasaurus'', and the "mouse-lizard" ''Mussaurus''. ''Piatnitzkysaurus'' has recently become the prototype of its own group, the piatnitzkysaurids, just placed outside the proper megalosaurians (megalosaurids + spinosaurids); interestingly, the group seems to be limited to the Americas.

* Even newer than that is 2012's ''Ichthyovenator'', a double-sailed ''Baryonyx'' relative from Laos. Despite its name (literally "fish hunter"), neither the skull nor any other material that would indicate its diet are known. The few tail vertebrae found of ''Ichthyovenator'' indicate that at about half of its tail had long neural spines as well, indicating that it was partially flattened and paddle-like (whereas for ''Spinosaurus'' it was discovered in 2020 that the entire length of the tail had this adaptation), implying that while more primitive than ''Spinosaurus'' it was also highly adapted for swimming. Recently, it was hypothized that even ''Spinosaurus'' had a double-sail like ''Ichthyovenator''. ''Siamosaurus'' and ''Ichthyovenator'' are among the rare Asian dinosaurs found in the South-East of this continent (precisely in Indochina): another is ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamotyrannus Siamotyrannus]]'' -- so-called because it was initially believed a kind of tyrannosaur, this Thai theropod is now classified as an allosauroid. In 2010, a comparative analysis of oxygen isotope ratios was conducted using teeth and bone samples taken from ''Spinosaurus'', ''Baryonyx'', ''Irritator'', and ''Siamosaurus'', as well as crocodilians, turtles, and contemporary terrestrial theropods like ''Carcharodontosaurus''. The study found that spinosaurids' ratios were closer to those of crocodilians and turtles, indicating they were semiaquatic to varying degrees, with ''Siamosaurus'' possessing the greatest ratio difference from terrestrial theropods ([[{{Irony}} remember, some thought it was a fish!]]) and ''Spinosaurus'' possessing the least difference. The study posited that this semiaquatic behaviour enabled the spinosaurids to avoid directly competing with other theropods for land-based prey and large crocodilians for aquatic prey.

* No other group of large predatory theropods was as specialized as spinosaurids. Their croc-like heads, their [[HookHand hook-like thumbclaws]], and their flat crests on their backs make them immediately recognizable; even though some other theropods had sail-backs or hook-thumbs, no one had the crocodilian-like jaws. As a group, they lasted a long time, starting in the Late Jurassic with African ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostafrikasaurus Ostafrikasaurus]]'' (known only from a tooth that might actually come from another type of theropod) and ending with an unnamed form from the mid-Late Cretaceous of China. However, spinosaurids as a group are recognized only since the late 1980s/early 1990s; before, the only-two known members, ''Spinosaurus'' and ''Baryonyx'', were believed so different that each was put in its own family: Spinosaurids and Baryonychids. In year 1998, a third spinosauroid was discovered in Early Cretaceous North Africa: ''Suchomimus'', lit. “the imitator of the crocodile”. 11 m long, bigger than ''Baryonyx'' but smaller than the unbeatable ''Spinosaurus'', has long been the only dinosaur ending in -mimus that is definitely not a bird-like coelurosaur. It was very similar to ''Baryonyx'': indeed, it and/or its fragmentary neighbor ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristatusaurus Cristatusaurus]]'' ("crested reptile") may actually be species of that dinosaur. ''Suchomimus'' was probably a fishing specialist as well, but was distinct by spotting a noticeable spinal ridge analogue to ''Spinosaurus'', though far shorter. Since its discovery this dinosaur has gained much consideration: as an example, both ''Suchomimus'' and ''Baryonyx'' are cited in ''Film/JurassicParkIII'', when Billy Brennan asks Alan Grant about the dinosaur who just attacked them, which was a ''Spinosaurus''. There is also a debate among dino-fans about the true identity of Rudy (the villain of ''WesternAnimation/IceAge 3''), and some think is a ''Suchomimus''; actually he's a ''Baryonyx'', but he’s so modified that correct identification is hard without asking the WordOfGod.

* No other group of large theropods was as specialized as spinosaurids. Their croc-like heads, their [[HookHand hook-like thumbclaws]], and their flat crests on their backs make them immediately recognizable; even though some other theropods had sail-backs or hook-thumbs, no one had the crocodilian-like jaws. As a group, they lasted a long time, starting in the Late Jurassic with African ''Ostafrikasaurus'' (known only from a tooth that might actually come from another type of theropod) and ending with an unnamed form from the mid-Late Cretaceous of China. However, spinosaurids as a group are recognized only since the late 1980s/early 1990s; before, the only-two known members, ''Spinosaurus'' and ''Baryonyx'', were believed so different that each was put in its own family: Spinosaurids and Baryonychids. In year 1998, a third spinosauroid was discovered in Early Cretaceous North Africa: ''Suchomimus'', lit. “the imitator of the crocodile”. 11 m long, bigger than ''Baryonyx'' but smaller than the unbeatable ''Spinosaurus'', has long been the only dinosaur ending in -mimus that is definitely not a bird-like coelurosaur. It was very similar to ''Baryonyx'': indeed, it and/or its fragmentary neighbor ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristatusaurus Cristatusaurus]]'' ("crested reptile") may actually be species of that dinosaur. ''Suchomimus'' was probably a fishing specialist as well, but was distinct by spotting a noticeable spinal ridge analogue to ''Spinosaurus'', though far shorter. Since its discovery this dinosaur has gained much consideration: as an example, both ''Suchomimus'' and ''Baryonyx'' are cited in ''Film/JurassicParkIII'', when Billy Brennan asks Alan Grant about the dinosaur who just attacked them, which was a ''Spinosaurus''. There is also a debate among dino-fans about the true identity of Rudy (the villain of ''WesternAnimation/IceAge 3''), and some think is a ''Suchomimus''; actually he's a ''Baryonyx'', but he’s so modified that correct identification is hard without asking the WordOfGod.

* Another reasonably complete theropod from China is not an allosauroid (though it was once considered one) but a very primitive tetanuran: ''Monolophosaurus jiangi'' (“Jiang's one-crested lizard”), so-called because of its single cranial crest vaguely similar to each branch of the double-crest of the unrelated ''Dilophosaurus'' ("two-crested lizard"), but shorter and more robust. Named in 1993 and informally known as "Jiangjunmiaosaurus" before then, it is probably a late-surviving form that managed to make its way among the more evolved allosauroids, a bit like what ''Ceratosaurus'' did in North America. ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuandongocoelurus Chuandongocoelurus]]'', known only from vertebrae and once considered a coelurosaur or ceratosaur, may be closest to ''Monolophosaurus''; if the known specimen is an adult, it is the smallest tetanuran outside of coelurosaurs. ''Monolophosaurus'' appears in the 2021 TV animated series ''WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous''.

* As you can easily tell now after reading this page, many large theropods [[TheUnpronounceable aren’t exactly the simplest things to pronounce]]. But there’s also a curious exception which comes just from China. This one makes a sort of comic relief among many huge theropod names, having one of the simplest, most obvious names one could imagine: ''Gasosaurus'' just comes from a gasoline company that funded the excavation of its skeleton. A smallish theropod, 4 m / 15 ft at the most, ''Gasosaurus constructus'' lived in Middle Jurassic, and its appearance was a sort of middle-way between a gracile “carnosaur” and a stocky “coelurosaur” (in the older sense of these words). Its classification remains uncertain, and suggestions regarding its phylogenetic position within Theropoda range from a metriacanthosaurid to the most ancient coelurosaur known to an early ancestor of both groups. The most recent large study of tetanuran theropods considers it "best regarded as having an uncertain position within Tetanurae and probably outside Coelurosauria".

* Another reasonably complete theropod from China is not an allosauroid (though it was once considered one) but a very primitive tetanuran: ''Monolophosaurus'' (“one-crested lizard”), so-called because of its single cranial crest vaguely similar to each branch of the double-crest of the unrelated ''Dilophosaurus'' ("two-crested lizard"), but shorter and more robust. Named in 1994 and informally known as "Jiangjunmiaosaurus" before then, it is probably a late-surviving form that managed to make its way among the more evolved allosauroids, a bit like what ''Ceratosaurus'' did in North America. ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuandongocoelurus Chuandongocoelurus]]'', known only from vertebrae and once considered a coelurosaur or ceratosaur, may be closest to ''Monolophosaurus''; if the known specimen is an adult, it is the smallest tetanuran outside of coelurosaurs. ''Monolophosaurus'' appears in the 2021 TV animated series ''WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous''.

* Since 2009 or so, ''Megaraptor'' is classified as an allosauroid, more precisely as a very specialized member of the family Neovenatoridae (here called "megaraptorans"). However, some workers think that megaraptorans may be coelurosaurs and possibly even tyrannosaurs. This recently-created family is based on ''Neovenator'' (“new hunter”), a much more normally-looking 7.5 long theropod which lived in Early Cretaceous England alongside former ''Iguanodon'' species ''Mantellisaurus'' as well as ''Iguanodon'' itself. Discovered in the 1990s, ''Neovenator'' unwillingly made a HilariousInHindsight case. It has indirectly made [[TruthInTelevision Truth In Books]] a classic in old dinosaurian portraits: that is, the battle between ''Iguanodon'' and an [[AnachronismStew anachronistic]] ''Megalosaurus'', which in RealLife lived in the Middle Jurassic. The 2009 discovery in Australia of the megaraptoran ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australovenator Australovenator]]'', "southern hunter", has likely revealed the true identity of the mysterious 'dwarf Allosaur' seen in Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs. Also of note is ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukuiraptor Fukuiraptor]]'', one of the rare Japanese dinosaurs. Initially known from the claw, this Early Cretaceous megaraptoran was initially considered a large deinonychosaur (again, the claw actually went on the hand). Perhaps the most interesting member of the neovenatorid family is ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosteon Aerosteon]]'': discovered in Argentina in 2008, this allosauroid shows prominent ''air sacs'' in its bones, providing more evidence that birds are dinosaurs. Also notable is the fact that lived in the Late Cretaceous, in a time tyrannosaurids and abelisaurids (see further) were believed the only large predatory theropods still around. Also argentinian but even younger than ''Aerosteon'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkoraptor Orkoraptor]]'' was initially considered a [[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeBirdlikeTheropods birdlike theropod]]; probable carcharodontosaurid teeth from Brazil that are still younger suggest allosauroids as a group may have survived until the very end of the Cretaceous. While with the 2013 discovery of a North American megaraptoran called ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siats_(dinosaur) Siats]]'' ("man-eating monster"), neovenatorids are now known from every continent except Africa & Antarctica. Living about 90 mya, ''Siats'' is to date the youngest North American allosauroid. The recent discovery of a ''Megaraptor'' skull lends credence to a idea proposed by F.E Novas...that megaraptorans were not allosauroids, but ''tyrannosauroids'' However, this may simply be a case of convergent evolution. A real phylogeny chaos for ''Megaraptor'' and its relatives.

* Still another close kin has been described as a [[UpToEleven really huge]] animal, up to 15 m long, even bigger than an average ''T. rex'': "Epanterias". The astonishing thing is, "Epanterias" is known to science since as early as year 1878, ''25 years'' before ''T. rex'' was discovered! This awesome oversight is due to its extremely scant remains (to the point it was originally considered a sauropod). But the main point is another: "Epanterias" is very likely another overgrown ''Allosaurus'' species as well. If true, then our ''Allosaurus'' would deserve to be considered a real rival of ''T. rex'', "Giga", and "Spino" for the “King of Dinosaurs” title, and whether or not this was true, we have at least one new contender in the form of ''Saurophaganax''.

'''Allosaurs vs Tyrannosaurs:''' "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epanterias Epanterias]]" & ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saurophaganax Saurophaganax]]''

* One of the reasons behind the PoorMansSubstitute role ''Allosaurus'' has played in pop-culture is probably its smaller size compared to ''Tyrannosaurus rex''. But this is true only if you count the most known allosaurid species, ''Allosaurus fragilis'' (the second term, ironically, means “fragile”). Another species, ''Allosaurus maximus'' (“maximus” just means “the biggest” or ”the greatest”), has recently been thought distinct enough to be classified once more in its own genus, ''Saurophaganax'' (originally "Saurophagus", "reptile-eater", but the name was preoccupied). Nonetheless, the latter was so similar to the classic ''Allosaurus'', it might well return to the genus ''Allosaurus'' again. ''Saurophaganax maximus'' though, sounds much [[RuleOfCool cooler]] and it means "The greatest king of the reptile-eaters" opposed to ''Allosaurus maximus'', which means "The largest different lizard"". Other dubious synonyms of ''Allosaurus'' include "Creosaurus" (which some thought had a longer snout than ''Allosaurus'' proper) and "Labrosaurus" (based on an astonishingly deformed jaw). ''Saurophaganax'' was about the size of a T. rex and most of the really large ''Allosaurus'' depictions, which are really misnamed ''Saurophaganax'' from the days when the two were considered the same animal. Still another close kin has been described as a [[UpToEleven really huge]] animal, up to 15 m long, even bigger than an average ''T. rex'': "Epanterias". The astonishing thing is, "Epanterias" is known to science since as early as year 1878, ''25 years'' before ''T. rex'' was discovered! This awesome oversight is due to its extremely scant remains (to the point it was originally considered a sauropod). But the main point is another: "Epanterias" is very likely another overgrown ''Allosaurus'' species as well. If true, then our ''Allosaurus'' would deserve to be considered a real rival of ''T. rex'', "Giga", and "Spino" for the “King of Dinosaurs” title, and whether or not this was true, we have at least one new contender in the form of ''Saurophaganax''.