Top 10 Biggest Dinosaur Carnivores?

Name	Time Period	Estimated max length (m)	Estimated max length (ft)
Spinosaurus	Cretaceous	18	59
Tyrannosaurus Rex	Cretaceous	15.7	51.5
Epanterias	Jurassic	15.2	49.9
Sigilmassasaurus	Cretaceous	14.4	47.2
Giganotosaurus	Cretaceous	14	46
Carcharodontosaurus	Cretaceous	14	46
Oxalaia	Cretaceous	14	46
Saurophaganax	Jurassic	14	46
Mapusaurus	Cretaceous	13.7	45
Deltadromeus	Cretaceous	13.3	44

Do you want to learn about the biggest dinosaur carnivores that ever existed? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, Jonathan Holmes shares his expertise in research to provide you with the top 10 biggest dinosaur carnivores, giving you a glimpse into the incredible scale of these creatures.

Spinosaurus

The giant and mysterious Spinosaurus is the biggest dinosaur carnivore that ever lived, with an estimated maximum length of 18 meters (59 feet). Discovered in Arabia in 1915 by Ernst Freiherr Stromer von Reichenbach, it has become one of the most popular dinosaurs in pop culture, thanks to its starring role in the Jurassic Park series of films.

Despite its reputation for being a fearsome predator, Spinosaurus was also a highly adapted aquatic animal able to use its four flipper-like limbs and dorsal fin to help propel itself through water. Its long neck and powerful jaws were well suited for reaching far into rivers to grab fish, while its sharp claws were used for gripping slippery prey. It was even theorized that it had the ability to dive underwater when hunting!

Although there haven’t been any full skeletal reconstructions of this species available until recently, fossil evidence suggests that it had a long snout with a wide skull, powerful jaws with conical teeth, a bulky body and short legs. What’s more remarkable is that the fossil remains found so far might only represent half of its total body length – meaning that if reconstructed using all known fossils, Spinosaurus could be even bigger than what we know right now!

It’s clear why mystery continues to surround this behemoth dinosaur – not only because of its imposing size and power but also because modern science still can’t answer many questions about how exactly it lived. Recent research into its skeletal structure has provided us with new insights and will undoubtedly prompt further investigation into these prehistoric giants!

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tyrannosaurus Rex – also known as T-Rex – is the second largest dinosaur carnivore, after Spinosaurus. This fearsome creature once roamed the earth an estimated 66 to 68 million years ago and is by far one of the world’s most recognizable dinosaurs. The estimated maximum length of a T-Rex stretches 15.7 meters (51.5 feet) and its weight range was anywhere from 14 to 20 tonnes (16,000 lbs – 22,000 lbs).

The robust body of a typical T-Rex featured formidable hind limbs designed for running with sharp claws and a powerful tail providing balance and direction. The front arms were smaller in size but would have been useful to carry prey while its massive jaws were armed with up to 58 sharply serrated teeth capable of tearing flesh from bone in powerful bites or slicing chunks from large bones. It’s believed that this legendary predator chewed on its prey in much like a modern day raptor before swallowing.

T-Rex was an apex predator and it’s believed that it had access to all types of food sources which helped it become one of the biggest land carnivores ever known. Fossilized evidence suggests that as well as being able to hunt successfully individually, these creatures could also work together in packs or pairs further heightening their already significant hunting prowess.

Ultimately there are many remaining questions about one of the most lethal predators ever unearthed, but thanks to extensive research we now have more knowledge than ever before about this king among dinosaurs! For more information on T-Rex and other biggest dinosaur carnivores be sure to check out the references below detailing sources used for this article.

Epanterias

Epanterias is a genus of primitive carnivorous dinosaurs that lived in the Late Jurassic period. They belonged to the family Allosauridae and were among the biggest dinosaurs that ever lived. It is believed to be one of the largest carnivores that ever existed.

Epanterias had an estimated maximum length of about 15.2 meters (49.9 feet). This makes them one of the largest carnosaurs that ever walked on Earth, similar in size to Tyrannosaurus rex and Giganotosaurus carolinii, which are both estimated to have reached lengths around 12 meters (39.4 feet). Epanterias was also one of the earliest known members of allosaurids, which was a family of large carnosaurs active during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

The most complete skeleton from this genus has been discovered in Pittsburgh, Kansas, while several isolated remains have been reported from North America, Europe and Asia Minor. The exact diet this dinosaur followed is still up for debate but it’s believed they relied heavily on meat as their primary food source by scavenging or hunting other animals like Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus.

When compared to contemporary giants like T-rex or Giganotosaurus, Epanterias may not seem particularly impressive but it’s still an impressive inclusion in our list of top 10 biggest carnivorous dinosaurs ever discovered!

Sigilmassasaurus

Sigilmassasaurus is the fourth biggest dinosaur carnivore, with an estimated max length of 14.4 meters (47.2 feet). Belonging to the Carcharodontosauridae family, it roams the earth around 97 million years ago in what is now North Africa during the Upper Cretaceous era. It is also one of the earliest known examples of a large predatory dinosaur from Gondwana.

Sigilmassasaurus was an enormous reptile that possessed sharp claws, strong legs and even a small crest atop its skull, strikingly similar to its relatives like Spinosaurus and Acrocanthosaurus. In comparison to other members of its family, Sigilmassasaurus had larger teeth and comparatively stronger jaws which may have enabled it to hunt bigger prey with more ferocity than some of its kin. Not much else is currently known about Sigilmassasaurus but fossil discoveries are increasingly unlocking this apex predator’s true voracity.

Fossils found in Morocco have given researchers greater insight into Sigilmassasaurus’ speciation and behavior, as well as evidence of their hunting patterns and home range size, alongside other interesting facts about their anatomy and ecology. Further research into this unique species is likely to add further contributions to our understanding of ancient dinosaurs in general that are still applicable today.

Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus is one of the five biggest dinosaur carnivores that have ever lived. A study published in the journal Historical Biology estimates that this species probably had a maximum length of around 14 meters (46 feet). This would put it at around one meter (3.3 feet) shorter than the biggest one of them all – Spinosaurus.

Giganotosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous period, some 71 to 89 million years ago, and was discovered in Patagonia, Argentina in 1995.

Compared to most other dinosaurs, Giganotosaurus had an unusually short and narrow snout. It also had extra-large teeth which were perfectly adapted for slicing off large chunks of flesh from its prey – much like a modern day lion or tiger does today. However, despite its muscular jaws and large teeth, it is thought that instead of hunting bigger prey such as sauropods it was mostly preying on smaller animals such as iguanodons or even juvenile dinosaurs such as those belonging to other predators like Allosaurus and Ceratosaurus.

In terms of size comparison to present-day animals, research suggests that Giganotosaurus would weigh approximately the same as two adult African elephants combined! So you can see why it’s no surprise that this dinosaur is more commonly referred to as a ‘mega-carnivore’ – it certainly lived up to its reputation!

I’m sure if you encounter a living Giganotosaurus today you won’t be too keen on finding out firsthand how powerful these ancient beasts really were so luckily for us they’re long gone and we can just marvel in fascination at them through our textbooks, documentaries, and museum displays!

Carcharodontosaurus

One of the biggest carnivorous dinosaurs known to science is the Carcharodontosaurus. It has been estimated to grow up to 14 meters (46 feet) long, making it one of the largest predatory dinosaurs that ever existed and amongst the top 10 biggest dinosaur carnivores.

Carcharodontosaurus lived in what is now Africa during the middle Cretaceous period and was first discovered in 1922. This fierce dinosaur had a skull that measured 1.75 meters (5.7 feet) long, with a row of large sharp teeth which could measure 12 cm (5 inches). It also had powerful jaws which were capable of crushing its prey in a single bite, while its front limb claws could exert pressures of up to 10-14 kilograms per square centimeter.

Its fossils have been discovered in numerous parts of Africa including northern Tanzania, Morocco and Niger. In 2006 scientists reported they had recovered a complete dinosaur skeleton comprising even some soft tissue such as skin impressions from Niger and they estimated this individual to be 13 meters long – meaning it could rival T-Rex as the longest carnivore ever found.

The Carcharodontosaurus was well suited for hunting large animals – everything from sauropods to ceratopsian dinosaurs were likely on its menu – and it would have roamed open landscapes looking for both live prey and scavenged carcasses for food. It represents an important link between small two-legged predators like Coelophysis, which lived during the Triassic period around 200 million years ago, and much bigger predatory dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex, which flourished almost 100 million years later.

Oxalaia

Oxalaia is the seventh biggest dinosaur carnivore known to date, with an estimated max length of 14 meters (46 feet) from head to tail, and a weight of around 8-10 tons¹. It was discovered in Brazil in 2011, and is believed to be related to the Carcharodontosauridae family of dinosaurs. Although it is not currently classified as such, due to its size; experts believe Oxalaia could become one of the largest dinosaur predators ever found.

Oxalaia belonged to a group of dinosaurs characterized by their relatively big size and long arms – which were likely used them during prey capturing ². Its skeletal features suggested that it may have been semi-aquatic and was likely the largest predator at its time in South America ³. It has since become a major focus for paleontologists due to its unique size and potential evolutionary implications.

Due to its classification as a member of the Carcharodontosauridae family, Oxalaia can be grouped among other large species such as Gigantosaurus, Mapusaurus and Acrocanthosaurus^4,5 – all members of this category tend to have higher body mass than any other type of meat-eating dinosaurs. This suggests that at some point during their evolution, their lifestyles changed from being hunters similar to other large bodies; moving towards larger prey capture strategies – such as targeting very large species for nourishment⁶. As more studies are conducted on this particular topic and greater insight into these ancient animals becomes available. Oxalaia will remain one of the most fascinating discoveries ever made.

Saurophaganax

Saurophaganax is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur that lived about 1 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period in North America. This fearsome predator is the eighth-largest dinosaur carnivore known, with an estimated maximum length of 14 meters (46 feet). Its existence was first discovered by paleontologist Robert T. Bakker in 1986 and it was later described in more detail by paleontologist John Ostrom.

The exact relationship between Saurophaganax and other meat-eating dinosaurs such as Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus are still being debated among scientists, but most agree that it was likely a top carnivore in its environment. It likely had a powerful bite capable of crushing powerful prey like Stegosaurus and Diplodocus. It is also possible that Saurophaganax scavenged carrion from other predators or competed with them directly for food sources.

Further evidence of its impressive size, strength, and predatory habits can be seen from Saurophaganax’s distinctive long neck which suggests that it may have been able to reach high into trees to grab larger animals like tree shrews or small mammals which would have been difficult for other predators to reach at the time. Additionally, fossilized footprints provide clues about how quickly it could run and describe a stable bipedal gait which allowed for quick acceleration across open terrain and agile maneuvering when hunting its prey.

Due to the limited fossil evidence so far discovered and ongoing debate among scientists about its exact relationship with other theropods, a great deal remains unknown at this time about Saurophaganax’s biology – including its diet, behavior, sensory abilities etc.. With more research being done on this extinct species each day, however, we may one day get closer to uncovering all these mysteries surrounding this fascinating creature!

Mapusaurus

Mapusaurus is the ninth biggest dinosaur carnivore, with an estimated max length of 13.7 meters (45 feet). The name “Mapusaurus” is derived from the Mapuche language, and means “Earth Lizard“, referring to its massive size. Mapusaurus likely lived in both North and South America during the late Cretaceous period, a time when the continents were still part of Gondwana.

Mapusaurus appears to have been a ceratosaurian, similar in appearance to its close relatives such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Albertosaurus. Unlike these genera, however, Mapusaurus seems to have been considerably larger than most other carnivorous dinosaurs of its time period. Estimates suggest that it could grow up to 13.7 meters long and weigh as much as several tons; making it one of the largest carnvivores on record.

In 2007, paleontologists discovered the remains of seven closely related individuals in Patagonia, Argentina; thought to represent a pack-hunting behavior known among certain species of large carnivores. This incident marks one of only a few occasions where multiple dinosaur specimens have been discovered together in such numbers; making it a critical contribution to our understanding of dinosaur ecology at this time period in Earth’s history.

Although there is much still unknown about Mapusarus species as well as dinosaur evolution more broadly speaking; these discoveries provide valuable insight into how dinosaurs may have functioned instinctively and how different species may have interacted—namely through cooperative hunting strategies employed by larger carnivores such as Mapusaruas at this point in prehistory!

Deltadromeus

Deltadromeus is the tenth biggest dinosaur carnivore that lived in the area of northern Africa known as the Sahara Desert. It was closely related to its bigger cousin, Spinosaurus, and had a similar body shape with long arms and legs. Its exact size is not known but estimated to have been around 13.3 meters (44 feet) in length. Its fossils were first discovered in 1995 by a paleontologist named Paul Sereno who was looking for evidence of Spinosaurus remains in Morocco.

Much like its bigger cousin, Deltadromeus was a meat-eating dinosaur with sharp claws and teeth adapted for hunting and scavenging small animals such as fish, lizards, frogs and even infections from larger animals such as its close relative Spinosaurus’s main prey – an aquatic creature called Prognathodon. With an estimated top speed of 17 MPH (27 KPH), Deltadromeus would have been a formidable predator capable of outrunning most dinosaurs that stood in its way.

Despite being one of the big carnivores that lived during this time, we know very little about this amazing species since few fossils have survived to this day due to the hot climate of northern Africa where they once roamed free. There are several hypotheses regarding its diet and behavior which remain subject to research before we will be able to piece together all missing details about this majestic animal that once roamed our planet millions of years ago.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the top 10 biggest dinosaur carnivores?

A: According to research, the top 10 biggest dinosaur carnivores were the Spinosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Giganotosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus, Allosaurus, Daspletosaurus, Mapusaurus, Baryonyx, and Dilophosaurus. [1]

Q: What makes a dinosaur a carnivore?

A: Carnivorous dinosaurs were meat-eaters that had sharp teeth and claws, allowing them to hunt and eat other animals. They also had a large brain and well-developed senses, which enabled them to be effective predators. [2]

Q: Are there any modern-day carnivorous dinosaurs?

A: No, all of the carnivorous dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago are now extinct. There are, however, several species of modern-day reptiles, birds, and mammals that are considered carnivorous. [3]