Tyrannotitan

Tyrannotitan was a colossal carnivorous dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of modern-day Patagonia, Argentina. Discovered in Chubut Province, this apex predator reached lengths estimated over twelve metres and a mass around six tonnes. Although sharing the name root with tyrannosaurs, it was actually a basal member of the carcharodontosaurid clade, making it an older cousin to Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus. Tyrannotitan possessed robust limb bones and heavily built vertebrae, along with distinctively textured dorsal neural spines and teeth that showed less compression than its later relatives. Its powerful build was adapted for hunting the titanic sauropods that shared its environment, such as Patagotitan. It provides vital evidence that giant body sizes emerged early in the carcharodontosaurid radiation.

It represents one of the earliest giant carcharodontosaurids to evolve extreme body size.

Where and when

Tyrannotitan lived in the Early Cretaceous, from 118 to 113 million years ago (Aptian age). Its remains come from Argentina, in the Cerro Barcino Formation.

The numbers

Length 12 m (estimates run from 12 to 12 m). Mass about 5.9 t. Hip height about 3.5 m. That is 7 human-lengths, or 1.06 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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