Mapusaurus

Mapusaurus is a genus of large carnivorous theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of southern South America. It belongs to the family Carcharodontosauridae, a group of large predatory dinosaurs related to Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. Mapusaurus roseae is the type species and, so far, the only formally described species.

Fossils of Mapusaurus have been recovered from Patagonia in Argentina, indicating it was a gigantic predator that could have reached lengths of about 9 to 12 meters (30–40 feet). Its skull and jaws, built for powerful biting and slicing meat, along with robust limbs, are characteristic of carcharodontosaurids, which possessed some of the largest theropod skulls of their time.

The known remains are fragmentary, but include parts of the skull and vertebrae as well as limb bones. Despite incomplete material, Mapusaurus is recognized as one of the largest South American theropods of the Cretaceous and contributes to understanding the diversity of predatory dinosaurs on that continent.

Paleoecology and significance: Mapusaurus is notable for being known from a bonebed that includes multiple individuals, which has been interpreted as evidence for potential social or gregarious behavior in this species. Its existence adds to the picture of a diverse and highly competitive theropod fauna in Patagonia during the Late Cretaceous.