Afrovenator

Afrovenator was a prominent predatory dinosaur recovered from the Tiourarén Formation of the Sahara Desert in Niger. When first reported, the rock layers were thought to be Early Cretaceous in age, but subsequent geological dating established that they were deposited during the Middle Jurassic. Afrovenator is known from a remarkably complete skeleton including most of the skull, forelimbs, pelvis, and hind limbs. Stretching up to eight and a half metres long, it was a robust yet athletic hunter equipped with blade-like recurved teeth and strong three-clawed hands. Phylogenetic studies place it among the megalosauroids, establishing an important evolutionary connection between African and European predators of the era. Sharing its habitat with the long-necked sauropod Jobaria, Afrovenator stood as the undisputed apex predator of its ancient woodland home.

Afrovenator is one of the most complete Middle Jurassic theropod skeletons ever found in the Southern Hemisphere.

Where and when

Afrovenator lived in the Middle Jurassic, from 167 to 161 million years ago (Bathonian-Callovian age). Its remains come from Niger, in the Tiourarén Formation.

The numbers

Length 8 m (estimates run from 7.5 to 8.5 m). Mass about 1.2 t. Hip height about 2.1 m. That is 4.7 human-lengths, or 0.71 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from partial skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, first ma, last ma, hip height.

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