Amongst the many exhibits at the “Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur” exhibition is a theropod replica skull. Team members visited the exhibition and marvelled at the dinosaur’s model skull. If we recall correctly, it was a replica of a Mapusaurus fossil skull. The “Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur” exhibition is currently at the London Natural History Museum.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Mapusaurus roseae

Mapusaurus (M. roseae), has been classified as a member of the Carcharodontosauridae family. More specifically, this huge theropod is regarded by many palaeontologists as a sister taxon to Giganotosaurus. As such, it has been classified in the tribe Giganotosaurini alongside Giganotosaurus carolinii.

The picture (above) shows how Mapusaurus models have changed over the last few years as more carcharodontosaurid fossils have been found. These models are all CollectA replicas.

To view the CollectA range of not-to-scale prehistoric animal models: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models.

Mapusaurus Fossil Skull

Palaeontologists know that large carcharodontosaurids coexisted with titanosaurs like Patagotitan (P. mayorum). It has been postulated that theropods did hunt titanosaurs. Perhaps carnivores mobbed sick, old or juvenile members of the herd. It is hard to imagine a single 13-metre-long carnivore being able to subdue an adult Patagotitan that measured more than 30 metres in length.

A carcharodontosaurid skull is included in the exhibit. We think this is a replica of the skull of Mapusaurus roseae. Mapusaurus is geologically younger than Patagotitan. The dating of volcanic ash layers associated with the Patagotitan deposits suggest that this dinosaur lived approximately 100 million years ago.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

M. roseae fossils are associated with the Huincul Formation, these are younger strata than the rocks associated with Patagotitan fossil material. Mapusaurus lived approximately 96-94 million years ago.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s earlier blog post looking at a trio of carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs: A Trio of Carcharodontosaurids.

There is a carcharodontosaurid that comes from the same Member of the Cerro Barcino Formation as Patagotitan. This dinosaur is Tyrannotitan chubutensis, another giant member of the Giganotosaurini tribe. Tyrannotitan may have hunted and attacked Patagotitan.

The cladogram (above) shows the estimated temporal range for several theropod dinosaurs associated with the carcharodontosaurid lineage. Tyrannotitan was not contemporaneous with Mapusaurus.

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.