Giganotosaurus: the largest sauropod in South America

81
A Giganotosaurus was one of the largest Theropods with a thick body and a heavy tail. Since Giga was gigantic, it’s sometimes mistakenly called a Gigantosaurus. Still, the Gigantosaurus was a herbivorous dinosaur unrelated to Giga.

Some Quick Facts About the Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus
Name Giganotosaurus carolinii (meaning “Giant Southern Lizard”)
Type of dinosaurCarcharodontosaurid Theropoda
Territory Swampy, plant heavy Patagonia region of South America
Size Huge dino, 45 feet long, 16-18.5 feet tall
Color Unknown, but probably reddish brown to deep olive gray like close relatives
Interesting CharacteristicsLarge skull with a small brain for its size
Diet Meat eating dinosaur
Major ThreatsClimate change and loss of food source

Giganotosaurus is one of the largest Theropods of the Mesozoic era. This huge terrestrial carnivore was bigger than T-rex and almost as big as Spinosaurus! Giga had sharp teeth it used to slash its prey.

What did the Giganotosaurus Look Like?

The Giganotosaurus had a similar body shape to a Tyrannosaurus rex but was a few feet bigger. The Giga had a big body with a large tail to help it balance on two back legs. Like many other large Theropods of the Late Cretaceous period, the Giga’s forelimbs were small and almost useless.

Since the Giga was so huge, it probably had countershading to camouflage it from prey. Counter shading is when an animal is darker on top to blend into the environment. Paleontologists think the Giga probably had stripes to hide among the trees like a tiger.

What was Special about the Giganotosaurus?

The discovery of the Giganotosaurus changed a lot in the field of paleontology. Until the Giga came up, Spinosaurus and T-rex were believed to be the largest terrestrial carnivores of the Mesozoic era. Paleontologists also realized that the Giga was not cold-blooded like a reptile.

The Giga and other dinos had a body temperature that stayed pretty constant. This type of almost warm-bloodedness is called homeothermic. The outside did affect the Giga’s temperature, but not like a snake or a lizard.

What did the Giganotosaurus Eat?

The Giganotosaurus ate giant Sauropods and other herbivorous dinosaurs. The Giga’s favorite food was the massive Titanosaur called Argentinosaurus. Both Giga and Argentinosaurus are considered the largest land dinos in South America!

Did the Giga have a strong bite force?

The Giga didn’t have a strong bite force and used its teeth to slash instead of crush. The Giga’s bite force was only 6,000 pounds, only half as strong as the smaller T-rex. Like many carnivores, the Giga also scavenged dead dinos, including other Giganotosauruses!

When and Where Did the Giganotosaurus Live?

Giganotosaurus in Patagonia
Giganotosaurus in Patagonia

The Giganotosaurus lived in the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period. The Giga first appeared about 99 million years ago and went extinct about 95 million years ago. The holotype or main species fossil is about 70% complete and was found in Southern Argentina.

The Giga was found by an amateur fossil hunter named Ruben Dario Carolini, who found the leg bone. Paleontologists Rodolfo Coria and Leonardo Salgado named Giganotosaurus carolinii in honor of Carolini. Additionally, the Giga is a pretty recent find and was only discovered about 30 years ago, in 1993!

The discovery of the Giganotosaurus was a huge find for paleontology. Imagine seeing a bone in the desert and discovering a whole new dino! Paleontologists are still searching the area where the Giga resurfaced, hoping to make discoveries.

What Dinos Was the Giganotosaurus Related to?

The Giganotosaurus was part of the Carcharodontosauridae family. This family of carnivorous dinosaurs was very large. Carcharodontosaurids evolved from the Allosaurus of North America.

Some of the Giga’s closest relatives were fierce predators, including:

Vianna Arenas

Vianna Arenas is an enthusiastic seeker of knowledge, nature lover, and history buff. When she's not writing about dinosaurs, you can find her camping and hiking with her family.

Recent Posts