What makes Carcharodontosaurus scientifically significant?

Carcharodontosaurus provides critical insights into the evolutionary radiation of Theropoda. Holotypes and fossil evidence indicate: Pristine complete 1.6-meter skull (UCRC PV12) and associated postcrania from Morocco.

Carcharodontosaurus (Carcharodontosaurus saharicus Depéret & Savornin, 1925) - Size, Diet & Cretaceous Period Facts

DinoOrigin.comEncyclopedia of Prehistoric LifePrehistoric Encyclopedia

Carcharodontosaurus (Carcharodontosaurus saharicus Depéret & Savornin, 1925) - Size, Diet & Cretaceous Period Facts | DinoOrigin

Evolutionary Taxonomy & Cladistics

View Dinosaur Phylogeny

Phylogenetic classification of Carcharodontosaurus saharicus Depéret & Savornin, 1925 based on peer-reviewed cladistic analyses of diagnostic skeletal synapomorphies.

Taxonomic Rank	Taxon / Clade	Diagnostic Context
Kingdom	Animalia	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Phylum	Chordata	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Clade	Dinosauria	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Order	Saurischia (Lizard-Hipped Dinosaurs)	Characterized ancestrally by a triradiate pelvis with an anteriorly pointing pubis.
Suborder	Theropoda	Bipedal saurischian dinosaurs, historically dominated by carnivores and including the avian lineage.
Genus	Carcharodontosaurus	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Species	Carcharodontosaurus saharicus Depéret & Savornin, 1925	Specific authority designation

Anatomy & Physical Characteristics

Carcharodontosaurus was an immense macropredator that dominated North Africa during the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous. Reaching estimated lengths of 12 to 13 meters, its skull alone exceeded 1.6 meters in length.

Its teeth, measuring up to 20 centimeters, were laterally compressed, serrated, and razor-sharp like those of modern great white sharks, perfectly adapted for slicing massive chunks of flesh and inducing catastrophic blood loss in large titanosaurs.

Diagnostic Morphological Traits

Enormous theropod with a narrow, deep skull, prominent brow ridges, long muscular neck, and blade-like teeth.

Comparative Scale & Biometrics

Anatomical dimensions relative to an average adult human (1.8 m / 6 ft tall)

Approx. 7.2× human length

Carcharodontosaurus (Length)11.5–13 m (37.7–42.7 ft)

Adult Human1.8 m (6.0 ft)

Length

11.5–13 m (37.7–42.7 ft)

Height

3.6–4.2 m (11.8–13.8 ft)

Estimated Mass

6.0–9.0 metric tons (13,228–19,842 lbs)

Diet & Feeding Ecology

All Carnivore Species

Trophic Guild: Carnivore

Carnivorous; sliced deep wounds into large sauropods (Paralititan) and hadrosaurids (Ouranosaurus).

Paleobiology & Behavior

Dominant apex predator of Cenomanian North Africa, armed with serrated, blade-like teeth designed to slice through flesh. It shared river delta and mangrove wetlands with the specialized semi-aquatic theropod Spinosaurus, with niche partitioning reducing direct trophic competition between the two colossal carnivores.

Habitat & Ecological Biome

Prehistoric Depositional Setting

Humid mangrove coastal swamps, river deltas, and tidal marshes of the Kem Kem beds.

Fossil Evidence & Specimen Records

Preserved Skeletal Material & Bonebeds

Pristine complete 1.6-meter skull (UCRC PV12) and associated postcrania from Morocco.

Discovery & Taxonomic Naming History

Year of Discovery / Description1924

Type Specimen Locality & FormationKem Kem Beds, Algeria & Morocco

Original teeth found in 1924; complete neotype skull discovered by Paul Sereno's team in Morocco in 1995.

Geological Era & Chronostratigraphy

Explore All Cretaceous Period Fauna

Cretaceous Period PeriodTemporal Interval: 99–94 Ma (million years ago)

The longest and final period of the Mesozoic Era, characterized by the rise of flowering plants, ceratopsians, hadrosaurs, tyrannosaurids, and concluding with the Chicxulub asteroid impact.

Where It Lived & Paleoenvironment

Africa Dinosaurs

During the Mesozoic Era, continental drift progressively reconfigured land bridges, atmospheric currents, and regional precipitation regimes. Fossils of Carcharodontosaurus evidence its adaptation to the paleoenvironments of Africa.

Paleogeographic RealmAfrica (Africa)

Featuring the Bahariya and Kem Kem deltaic systems of North Africa, home to colossal riverine theropods and unique freshwater ecosystems.

Fossil Discovery Locality

Scientific Significance & Evolutionary Impact

The anatomical architecture of Carcharodontosaurus serves as a crucial benchmark in vertebrate paleontology, illustrating key adaptive radiations within Theropoda.

Phylogenetic Placement: Informs cladistic debates concerning the divergence, skull biomechanics, and skeletal evolution of Cretaceous Period fauna.
Paleoecological Guild: Documents trophic specialization (Carnivore) and predator-prey dynamics across its regional ecosystem.
Taphonomic Record: Pristine complete 1.6-meter skull (UCRC PV12) and associated postcrania from Morocco.

Frequently Asked Questions About Carcharodontosaurus

Scientifically verified answers based on peer-reviewed paleontological evidence.

Q1.When did Carcharodontosaurus live?

Carcharodontosaurus lived during the Cretaceous Period Period, approximately 99–94 Ma (million years ago). This places it within the Mesozoic Era.

Q2.How big was Carcharodontosaurus?

Paleontological estimates place Carcharodontosaurus at a length of 11.5–13 m (37.7–42.7 ft), a hip/standing height of 3.6–4.2 m (11.8–13.8 ft), and a body mass of 6.0–9.0 metric tons (13,228–19,842 lbs).

Q3.What was the diet of Carcharodontosaurus?

Classified as a carnivore, Carcharodontosaurus specialized in consuming Carnivorous; sliced deep wounds into large sauropods (Paralititan) and hadrosaurids (Ouranosaurus)..

Q4.Where were Carcharodontosaurus fossils discovered?

Fossil specimens of Carcharodontosaurus have been recovered from Kem Kem Beds, Algeria & Morocco, with notable historic specimens documented in 1924. Original teeth found in 1924; complete neotype skull discovered by Paul Sereno's team in Morocco in 1995.

Academic Literature & Peer-Reviewed References

Authoritative citations establishing the factual taxonomy, biometrics, and anatomy of Carcharodontosaurus.

ScienceView Publication
Sereno, P. C., Dutheil, D. B., Iarochene, M., et al. (1996). Predatory dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous faunal differentiation. Science, 272(5264), 986-991. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.272.5264.986
Curated & Verified: 2026-09-24
Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Abteilung, Neue Folge

Carcharodontosaurus

Quick Facts