The Arcovenator was a carnivorous hunter from the Late Cretaceous of Southern France. This new Abelisaurid dinosaur was discovered in 2007 near the Aix-en-Provence basin and was closely related to Abelisauroids of Madagascar and India, not the Carnotaurus of South America. The discovery delayed the building of the A8 Motorway until paleontologists explored the site.
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Some Quick Facts about the Arcovenator
| Name | Arcovenator (meaning “Arc Hunter”) |
| Type of dinosaur | Belongs to Abelisaurid Theropod dinosaurs |
| Territory | Forested areas with waterways and open fields, France |
| Size | About the size of a Clydesdale horse, 16 feet long, 6 feet tall |
| Color | Unknown |
| Interesting Characteristics | Thick body and heavy tail. Strong hind limbs and short, useless forelimbs |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Major Threats | Larger carnivores, climate change, and natural disasters |
What did the Arcovenator look like?
This large Theropod was bipedal, with big claws, scary face, but tiny arms. It had a thick body and heavy tail.
Did the Arcovenator Have Arms?
The Arcovenator did have arms, but they were tiny and useless. Like other Abelisauroids of the Late Cretaceous, Arcovenator’s arms had evolved to be smaller than earlier Theropod dinosaurs. Eventually, Theropod dinosaurs evolved into modern-day birds, trading forelimbs for wings.
The Arcovenator’s useless forelimbs gave its prey a bit of an advantage. If an armored dinosaur like Struthiosaurus knocked Arcovenator over, it would be difficult for Arcovenator to get back up again. This is the same tactic Triceratops used against T. rex in North America.
Where did the Arcovenator live?
The Arcovenator roamed the Ibero-Armorican landmass during the Late Cretaceous. This landmass included Spain, Portugal, and France. During this time, Europe was warmer, with dense forests, large waterways, and sprawling grasslands.
What did Arcovenator eat?
The Arcovenator preyed on herbivorous dinosaurs like Rhabdodon, Struthiosaurus, and Telmatosaurus. They also ate prehistoric mammals, flightless birds, and other vertebrates. Like many carnivores, Arcovenator lived alone or in mated pairs.
What dinosaurs are related to the Arcovenator?
The Arcovenator taxon is closely related to fellow Abelisauroids from the Majungasaurinae subfamily., for example the taxa Rajasaurus and Majungasaurus. The Majungasaurinae family is from Madagascar and India. This relationship between Arcovenator and Majungasaurinae had huge palaeobiogeographical implications.
Paleontologists used to think the landmass separations happened in the mid to late Jurassic or possibly the early Cretaceous.
On the other hand, the Arcovenator was not closely related to Carnotaurus which had paleontologists scrambling to rethink the landmass separation timeline.
What Arcovenator Fossils Have Been Discovered?
The holotype (specimen) Arcovenator fossil is only a partial one. During the excavation of the future A8 Motorway site in Pourrières, scattered fossils were found in the Fluvial Sandstone. These bones were the fibula, tibia, braincase, teeth, and caudal vertebrae, part of the tail.
Experts found many other types of fossils in this same area. Extinct turtle species Foxemys and Solemys, Crocodylomorphs like Ischyrochampsa, Pterosaurs, Sauropods, and Nodosaurids have all been located in this region.
Luckily the A8 Motorway concession company Escota ensured they excavated the area before people built the motorway. This is why the Arcovenator escotae was named in honor of Escota.