Everything Dinosaur team members welcome a trio of carcharodontosaurids. The three new for 2023 PNSO carcharodontosaurid models are now in stock. The new PNSO Scientific Art Giganotosaurus replica in 1:35 scale has arrived along with Mungo the Meraxes and Mila the Mapusaurus. The models represent members of the Carcharodontosauridae family of theropods and all these predators lived in South America.

A trio of carcharodontosaurids. The new PNSO Giganotosaurus model in 1:35 scale along with the PNSO Mapusaurus and Meraxes figures.
A trio of carcharodontosaurids. The new PNSO Giganotosaurus model in 1:35 scale (top) along with the PNSO Mapusaurus (middle) and Meraxes figures (bottom). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Members of the Giganotosaurini Tribe

Most palaeontologists consider Giganotosaurus (G. carolinii), Mapusaurus (M. roseae) and Meraxes (M. gigas) to be closely related. Phylogenetic assessments place all three theropods in the Giganotosaurini tribe of carcharodontosaurids. These dinosaurs may have been closely related and from the South America, but they were probably not coeval.

PNSO Lucas the Giganotosaurus dinosaur model (new for 2023).
The new PNSO Lucas the Giganotosaurus dinosaur model.

A Trio of Carcharodontosaurids

Dating the rocks associated with the fossilised remains of these three, South American dinosaurs is problematical. Calculating when these dinosaurs lived is difficult, especially when isolated teeth might be found at different horizons suggesting the presence of carnivorous dinosaurs in younger/older sediments, but the genus cannot be determined.

As an approximate guide, here are details of the fossil discoveries:

  • Giganotosaurus carolinii – from the Candeleros Formation of Argentina. The fossils are associated with Lower Cenomanian deposits indicating that Giganotosaurus may have lived around 100 million years ago to perhaps 97 million years ago.
  • Meraxes gigas – from the Huincul Formation. Fossils are associated with the Upper Cenomanian suggesting that this dinosaur lived around 95-93 million years ago.
  • Mapusaurus roseae – probably the geologically youngest of these three carcharodontosaurids. M. roseae fossils are also associated with the Huincul Formation, but from younger strata than the rocks associated with Meraxes. These large predators may not have co-existed. The dating of these rocks remains controversial. Perhaps Mapusaurus lived 96-94 million years ago.
Mila the Mapusaurus (PNSO).
An apex predator – the Mapusaurus dinosaur model from PNSO. Probably the geologically youngest of the three carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs featured in this blog post.

A Trio of Carcharodontosaurids

Welcoming the trio of carcharodontosaurids into stock a spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur exclaimed:

“It is wonderful to see new models of Cretaceous theropods added to the PNSO model range. It is exciting to have new replicas of enigmatic members of the Carcharodontosauridae family added to our inventory.”

The trio of carcharodontosaurids from PNSO in stock at Everything Dinosaur.
Three of the best! New carcharodontosaurid theropod models in stock at Everything Dinosaur. Scientific Art Giganotosaurus (top), Mila the Mapusaurus (middle) and Mungo the Meraxes (bottom). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the extensive range of PNSO dinosaur and prehistoric animal figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: PNSO Prehistoric Animal and Dinosaur Figures.