What makes Concavenator scientifically significant?

Concavenator provides critical insights into the evolutionary radiation of Theropoda. Holotypes and fossil evidence indicate: Virtually complete articulated holotype skeleton with skin and soft tissue impressions (MCCM-LH 6666).

Concavenator (Concavenator corcovatus Ortega et al., 2010) - Size, Diet & Cretaceous Period Facts

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Concavenator (Concavenator corcovatus Ortega et al., 2010) - Size, Diet & Cretaceous Period Facts | DinoOrigin

Evolutionary Taxonomy & Cladistics

View Dinosaur Phylogeny

Phylogenetic classification of Concavenator corcovatus Ortega et al., 2010 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	Concavenator	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Species	Concavenator corcovatus Ortega et al., 2010	Specific authority designation

Anatomy & Physical Characteristics

Concavenator ('humpbacked hunter of Cuenca') was an extraordinary carcharodontosaurian theropod found in the exceptionally preserved Las Hoyas fossil site in Spain. It possessed two tall, elongated vertebrae in front of its hips that formed a narrow, pointed dorsal crest or hump.

Its ulna (forearm bone) preserves distinct quill knobs (papillae), representing osteological attachment points for feather-like integumentary quills, pushing the evolutionary origin of quilled structures deep into carcharodontosaurian theropods.

Diagnostic Morphological Traits

Medium-sized theropod with a sharp triangular crest over its lower back and quill-bearing forearms.

Comparative Scale & Biometrics

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

Approx. 3.3× human length

Concavenator (Length)5.5–6 m (18.0–19.7 ft)

Adult Human1.8 m (6.0 ft)

Length

5.5–6 m (18.0–19.7 ft)

Height

1.7–2 m (5.6–6.6 ft)

Estimated Mass

350–500 kg (772–1,102 lbs)

Diet & Feeding Ecology

All Carnivore Species

Trophic Guild: Carnivore

Hunted primitive birds, ornithopods, and contemporary aquatic vertebrates with ziphodont teeth.

Paleobiology & Behavior

Unusual carcharodontosaurid predator with a pointed dorsal hump and ulnar quill knobs indicating integumentary structures. In the Las Hoyas wetland ecosystem of Early Cretaceous Spain, Concavenator hunted alongside European iguanodontians allied with Iguanodon.

Habitat & Ecological Biome

Prehistoric Depositional Setting

Subtropical freshwater wetlands, lake basins, and surrounding forested uplands.

Fossil Evidence & Specimen Records

Preserved Skeletal Material & Bonebeds

Virtually complete articulated holotype skeleton with skin and soft tissue impressions (MCCM-LH 6666).

Discovery & Taxonomic Naming History

Year of Discovery / Description2003

Type Specimen Locality & FormationLas Hoyas, Cuenca, Spain

Unearthed by paleontologists Francisco Ortega, Fernando Escaso, and José Luis Sanz.

Geological Era & Chronostratigraphy

Explore All Cretaceous Period Fauna

Cretaceous Period PeriodTemporal Interval: 130–125 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

Europe Dinosaurs

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

Paleogeographic RealmEurope (Europe)

During the Mesozoic, Europe was largely an archipelago of islands, resulting in unique insular dwarf species and classic historical fossil discoveries.

Fossil Discovery Locality

Scientific Significance & Evolutionary Impact

The anatomical architecture of Concavenator 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: Virtually complete articulated holotype skeleton with skin and soft tissue impressions (MCCM-LH 6666).

Frequently Asked Questions About Concavenator

Scientifically verified answers based on peer-reviewed paleontological evidence.

Q1.When did Concavenator live?

Concavenator lived during the Cretaceous Period Period, approximately 130–125 Ma (million years ago). This places it within the Mesozoic Era.

Q2.How big was Concavenator?

Paleontological estimates place Concavenator at a length of 5.5–6 m (18.0–19.7 ft), a hip/standing height of 1.7–2 m (5.6–6.6 ft), and a body mass of 350–500 kg (772–1,102 lbs).

Q3.What was the diet of Concavenator?

Classified as a carnivore, Concavenator specialized in consuming Hunted primitive birds, ornithopods, and contemporary aquatic vertebrates with ziphodont teeth..

Q4.Where were Concavenator fossils discovered?

Fossil specimens of Concavenator have been recovered from Las Hoyas, Cuenca, Spain, with notable historic specimens documented in 2003. Unearthed by paleontologists Francisco Ortega, Fernando Escaso, and José Luis Sanz.

Academic Literature & Peer-Reviewed References

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

NatureView Publication
Ortega, F., Escaso, F., & Sanz, J. L. (2010). A bizarre, humped Carcharodontosauria (Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain. Nature, 467(7312), 203-206. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09181
Curated & Verified: 2026-09-24

Concavenator

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