In the early days of dinosaur discovery, what made them famous was their colossal, astounding sizes.
Then, as we discovered new species of meat-eating dinosaurs, their status as apex predators that could easily snack on even the largest living animals today became apparent.
The largest carnivorous dinosaurs were the most fearsome predators of their time, dominating their respective habitats.
The famous long-necked sauropods and many of the other popular groups, such as the ceratopsians, hadrosaurs, and ankylosaurs, were all herbivores.
The theropods were the main group of meat-eating dinosaurs.
They had a wide range of adaptations that made this possible, including massive bone-crushing jaws and giant claws that could disembowel prey easily.
Some were also known for their great speed and impressive hunting tactics.
In this article, we’ll do a rundown of 15 of the biggest carnivorous dinosaurs to have ever lived, exploring various aspects of their life, such as their size, where they lived, and how they hunted prey.
15. Megalosaurus
| Name | Megalosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Great lizard” |
| Pronunciation | MEG-uh-loh-SAWR-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Middle Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 3 meters (10 feet) |
| Length | 7–9 meters (23–30 feet) |
| Weight | 1–2 tons (2,200–4,400 lbs) |
| Location | Europe |
First discovered in 1824, the Megalosaurus was one of the first dinosaurs to be scientifically described.
It was a carnivore that roamed Europe during the Middle Jurassic Period, about 166 million years ago.
The Megalosaurus was not as massive as many of the theropod dinosaurs that evolved after it.
However, it was one of the largest and most formidable predators of its time.
This dinosaur had a large, elongated head with long dagger-like teeth effective for slashing through the flesh of large prey.
14. Chilantaisaurus
| Name | Chilantaisaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Chilantai lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Chi-lan-tay-sore-us. |
| Era | Mesozoic — Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4 meters (13 feet) |
| Length | 13 meters (43 feet) |
| Weight | 6 tons (13,000 lbs) |
| Location | China (Asia) |
Chilantaisaurus was a large theropod dinosaur that lived in China about 92 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period.
This 11-meter-long (36-foot) dinosaur was a distant relative of the Allosaurus.
Many aspects of this dinosaur’s life and relationship with other dinosaurs are unclear due to the incomplete nature of its fossils.
Standing at a height of at least four meters, Chilantaisaurus was a massive meat-eater, large enough to prey on some of the largest dinosaurs in its habitat.
13. Carnotaurus
| Name | Carnotaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Meat-eating bull “ |
| Pronunciation | kar-noh-TAWR-uhs |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 3–3.6 meters (10–12 feet) |
| Length | 5.8–9 meters (19.2–30 feet) |
| Weight | 1 ton (2,000 lbs) |
| Location | South America |
The Carnotaurus is one of the most bizarre meat-eating dinosaurs of the Cretaceous Period.
It had two prominent horns on its head, similar to a bull’s.
Experts think the horns were probably useful for intraspecific competitions between these dinosaurs for mating rights, similar to how modern bulls contest.
This distinctive appearance and behavior earned this dinosaur the name “meat-eating bull.”
Carnotaurus was a formidable predator in Late Cretaceous South America.
Although lightly built compared to other notable carnivores, Carnotaurus still manages to reach an impressive length of about 26 feet on average.
12. Tarbosaurus
| Name | Tarbosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Alarming Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | tar-boh-SAW-rus |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4 meters (13 feet) |
| Length | 10.57 meters (34.7 feet) |
| Weight | 4.5-5 tons (9,900–11023 lbs) |
| Location | Mongolia & China (Asia) |
The 33-foot-long Tarbosaurus is often considered the Asian version of the famous Tyrannosaurus rex.
Both dinosaurs are closely related, but the Tarbosaurus lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 70 million years ago.
Like its North American cousin, Tarbosaurus was an apex predator in its ecosystem.
It hunted large dinosaurs, including sauropods like the Nemegtosaurus and hadrosaurids like the Saurolophus.
The Tarbosaurus had the largest skull of any tyrannosaurid dinosaur (apart from the T. rex).
The jaws were lined with up to 64 teeth, which were more than that of the Tyrannosaurus.
11. Suchomimus
| Name | Suchomimus |
| Name Meaning | “Crocodile Mimic” |
| Pronunciation | Sook-oh-mim-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Piscivore/Carnivore |
| Height | 3.6 meters (12 feet) |
| Length | 11 meters (36 feet) |
| Weight | 2.5 to 3.8 metric tons (2.8 to 4.2 short tons) |
| Location | Niger (Western Africa) |
The name Suchomimus means “crocodile mimic,” and it refers to the long and shallow skull of this dinosaur, which closely resembled that of a crocodile.
The long snout was filled with several conical teeth, typical of a fish-eating dinosaur.
The Suchomimus is a spinosaurid dinosaur, which means it is closely related to the similar but much larger Spinosaurus.
Both dinosaurs lived in North Africa during the Cretaceous, but the Suchomimus lived earlier in the period.
Given its diet, Suchomimus lived in an area near a large body of water and was probably capable of swimming, too.
10. Daspletosaurus
| Name | Daspletosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Frightful Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Daas-pleet-u-sore-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 2.2-2.5 meters (7.2-8 feet) |
| Length | 8.5–9 meters (28–30 feet) |
| Weight | 2–3 metric tons (4,409-6,613 lbs) |
| Location | Alberta, Canada (North America) |
Daspletosaurus was a close relative of the T. rex and inhabited North America during the Late Cretaceous Period about 77 million years ago.
Some experts also think this dinosaur was probably a direct ancestor of the T. rex since it lived a few years earlier.
Its name, which means “frightful lizard,” aptly describes the size of this imposing predator.
It could grow to a length of about 33 feet and preyed on various herbivorous dinosaurs such as Centrosaurus and Hypacrosaurus.
Evidence suggests that the Daspletosaurus probably lived and hunted in groups, which would have improved their hunting efficiency.
9. Saurophaganax
| Name | Saurophaganax |
| Name Meaning | “Ruling lizard-eater” |
| Pronunciation | sore-oh-fuh-GAN-aks |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 5 meters (16 feet) |
| Length | 10-12 meters (33-39 feet) |
| Weight | 3-4 tons (6600-8800lbs) |
| Location | USA (North America) |
Saurophaganax was the largest carnivorous dinosaur known from the Late Jurassic Period of North America.
It closely resembles the Allosaurus, and both dinosaurs were distantly related.
Saurophaganax was aptly named the “lord of lizard-eaters” because of its colossal size and the fact that it probably preyed on other carnivorous dinosaurs in its ecosystem, such as the Allosaurus and smaller ones like the Ornitholestes.
Saurophaganax measured up to 10.5 meters (34 feet) in length and weighed at least 2.7 tons.
8. Acrocanthosaurus
| Name | Acrocanthosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “High-spined lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Ah-kroh-kan-tho-sore-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4 meters (13 feet) |
| Length | 11-11.5 meters (36-38 feet) |
| Weight | 4.4-6.6 metric tons (4.9-7.3 short tons) |
| Location | North America |
Acrocanthosaurus was a large predator that roamed North America during the Early Cretaceous Period.
Its name, which means “high-spined lizard,” refers to the tall neural spines on its back, which supported a mass of muscles that formed a ridge along its back similar to that of present-day Bisons.
Acrocanthosaurus measured up to 38 feet in length and weighed up to 6.6 tons on average.
This dinosaur’s massive size and robust limbs suggest that it was not an agile runner, which means it probably used an ambush hunting style to take down prey.
7. Allosaurus
| Name | Allosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Other Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | AL-oh-saw-russ |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 5 meters (16.4 feet) |
| Length | 8.5 to 12 meters (27.89 to 39.37 feet) |
| Weight | 1,500 to 2,000 kilograms (3,306.93 to 4,409.25 lbs) |
| Location | Portugal, Utah, Germany, Nebraska |
The Allosaurus is a North American theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic Period, about 145 million years ago.
While an average length of about 38 feet may seem smaller than some of the later, biggest carnivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous, the Allosaurus was one of the largest dinosaurs of its time.
It had a massive skull filled with sharp teeth and was likely a top predator in its ecosystem.
The forelimbs of the Allosaurus were also well-developed compared to that of other large theropods like the T. rex.
The arms were quite robust, and the clawed hands probably helped to hold down struggling prey.
6. Mapusaurus
| Name | Mapusaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Earth Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Ma-pu-saw-rus |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 3 meters (10 feet) |
| Length | 12–13 meters (39.4–42.7 feet) |
| Weight | 3–5 metric tons (3.3–5.5 short tons) |
| Location | Argentina (South America) |
Mapusaurus was a massive carnivore closely related to the Carcharodontosaurus.
However, like its cousin, it lived in South America instead of Africa.
Mapusaurus was up to 40 feet long on average, which makes it one of the largest predators in its habitat.
In addition to being massive, experts think this dinosaur hunted prey in packs, an unusual behavior for such a massive carnivore.
This would make it an even more formidable predator compared to other carnivores from the same period.
However, the nature of cooperative hunting between these dinosaurs is still uncertain.
5. Oxalaia
| Name | Oxalaia |
| Name Meaning | “The African deity Oxalá” |
| Pronunciation | Ox-ah-lie-ah |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Theropoda, & Spinosauridae |
| Diet | Carnivorous, primarily piscivorous |
| Height | Nil |
| Length | 39-46 feet (12-14 meters) |
| Weight | 11,000-15,432 lbs (5-7 tonnes) |
| Location | Brazil, South America |
Oxalaia was a large spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in the northeastern region of Brazil during the Late Cretaceous Period.
This was about 94 million years ago.
It was a close relative of the Spinosaurus and lived in a tropical forest surrounded by an arid landscape.
The estimated length of this dinosaur is about 12 to 14 meters (39 to 46 feet).
Like other spinosaurids, this dinosaur also had a giant sail on its back.
The long snout of this dinosaur and its unique dentition suggest that it ate fish predominantly.
However, fossil evidence also suggests that it may have preyed on other animals as well, including smaller dinosaurs in its ecosystem.
Given its size, Oxalaia is arguably the largest carnivorous dinosaur known from the South American continent.
4. Carcharodontosaurus
| Name | Carcharodontosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Shark-toothed lizard” |
| Pronunciation | kar-kah-roh-DON-toh-SAWR-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Early Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4 meters (13 feet) |
| Length | 12–14 meters (39–46 feet) |
| Weight | 6.6 and 16 tons (14,000–35,000 lbs) |
| Location | Argentina (South America) |
The name “Carcharodontosaurus” translates as “shark-toothed lizard” because this dinosaur had a dentition similar to that of one of the most fearsome predators today — the great white shark.
The enormous serrated teeth of this dinosaur were designed to slice through the flesh of prey with relative ease but would have been incapable of crushing bones.
Carcharodontosaurus lived in North America alongside the equally massive Spinosaurus.
It preyed mainly on sauropod dinosaurs, which were quite abundant in North Africa during the Late Cretaceous Period when this dinosaur was alive.
The typical prey of this dinosaur would have included some of the largest sauropods of all time, such as the Paralititan and Aegyptosaurus.
3. Tyrannosaurus rex
| Name | Tyrannosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Tyrant lizard” |
| Pronunciation | Tie-RAN-oh-SAWR-uhs |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4–6 meters (13–20 feet) |
| Length | 12–15 meters (40–50 feet) |
| Weight | 5–8 tons (11,000–18,000 lbs) |
| Location | United States and Canada (North America) |
Tyrannosaurus rex (commonly referred to as T. rex) is arguably the most iconic carnivorous dinosaur ever discovered.
This bipedal theropod is the poster child that represents the forecity of all dinosaurs.
The fierceness of this dinosaur is commonly represented in pop culture references like the Jurassic Park movie, where it is depicted as a merciless meat-chomping predator.
The T. rex grew to an average length of about 40 feet and stood at a height of more than 12 feet tall at the hips.
In addition to being one of the largest terrestrial carnivores to have ever lived, the T. rex also had one of the strongest bite-force of any known predator.
Its massive 5-foot-long skull and robust jaws could deliver a bite force of more than 12,800 pounds.
Although some scientists have proposed a scavenging lifestyle for the T. rex, it was most likely the apex predator of Late Cretaceous North America.
2. Giganotosaurus
| Name | Giganotosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Giant Southern Lizard” |
| Pronunciation | jy-guh-NOH-tuh-SAWR-us |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4.5 meters (15 feet) |
| Length | 12–13 meters (39–43 feet) |
| Weight | Argentina (South America) |
| Location | North America |
The Giganotosaurus was bigger than the T. rex or roughly the same size, depending on who you ask.
It did evolve a few years earlier than the Tyrannosaurus and lived in South America.
This means encounters between this beast and its famous North American cousin would have been unlikely.
Giganotosaurus was an apex predator in South America during the Late Cretaceous, about 96 million years ago.
The 43-foot dinosaur had a massive skull that measured up to 5.9 feet in length and was lined with numerous serrated teeth effective for tearing through flesh.
The Giganotosaurus was an agile predator with an estimated running speed of up to 14 meters per second.
They also formed hunting packs, which would have been advantageous since they had to take down large sauropod dinosaurs as prey.
1. Spinosaurus
| Name | Spinosaurus |
| Name Meaning | “Spined lizard” |
| Pronunciation | SPY-noh-SAW-rus |
| Era | Mesozoic – Cretaceous Period |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Height | 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) |
| Length | 12 to 18 meters (39 to 59 feet) |
| Weight | 6 to 12 tons (13,000 to 26,000 pounds) |
| Location | Africa |
The 10-ton, 49-foot-long Spinosaurus holds the record for the biggest carnivorous dinosaur to have ever lived.
It lived in North Africa during the Late Cretaceous Period and was one of the top predators on the continent at the time.
Interestingly, this massive theropod dinosaur had a taste for fish even though it could have easily hunted any of the terrestrial prey abundant in its habitat.
This is evidenced by the crocodile-like snout of this dinosaur, which suggests a primarily piscivore diet.
The dinosaur was also known for the massive, sail-like neural spine that grew out of its back.
Despite its massive size, evidence suggests that the Spinosaurus was an agile predator.
It was probably capable of swimming as well, which would make it one of the few theropod dinosaurs that lived a partly aquatic lifestyle.
Sources:
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sponsored/spinosaurus-lost-dinosaur-paleontology-new-discovery-great-courses-plus-180962953/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcharodontosaurus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saurophaganax
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/oxalaia-brazils-new-giant-spinosaur-97929249/
- https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/megalosaurus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapusaurus
- https://www.britannica.com/animal/Allosaurus
- https://new.smm.org/dino-days/battle/carnotaurus
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