Masiakasaurus

Masiakasaurus was a small, predatory ceratosaur from the Late Cretaceous Maevarano Formation of northwestern Madagascar. Growing to about two metres in length, it possessed one of the strangest dentitions of any theropod. Its frontmost teeth projected almost horizontally forwards from the lower jaw, while the upper front teeth hooked downwards, creating an effective biological pair of tongs. Behind these unusual front teeth sat typical serrated blades for cutting meat. Palaeontologists suggest this distinctive arrangement helped Masiakasaurus snare slippery prey such as fish, lizards, frogs, and insects along riverbanks. Its specific name, knopfleri, honours musician Mark Knopfler, whose music the expedition team played while discovering the fossils. Masiakasaurus coexisted with the stocky apex predator Majungasaurus in a highly seasonal environment.

Its forward-pointing front teeth formed a specialised pincering trap for snatching fish, frogs, and small prey.

Where and when

Masiakasaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 70.6 to 66 million years ago (Maastrichtian age). Its remains come from Madagascar, in the Maevarano Formation.

The numbers

Length 2 m (estimates run from 1.8 to 2.1 m). Mass about 37 kg. Hip height about 0.6 m. That is 1.2 human-lengths, or 0.18 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from partial skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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