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Carcharodontosaurus, Early Cretaceous to Late CretaceousContinental Intercalaire Formation, Algeria · named 1931
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Carcharodontosaurus

kar-KAR-oh-DON-toh-SORE-us

"shark-toothed lizard"

Lived
121 to 94 million years ago, Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous
Diet
Carnivore
Length
about 12 m (39 ft)
Group
Theropods, Carcharodontosauridae
Found in
Algeria, Morocco, Niger and Tunisia
Named by
Stromer 1931

Size comparison

To scale

Where its fossils were found

The evidence

Today

36 finds

110 million years ago

Map: C. R. Scotese, PALEOMAP

Also reported from Brazil and Egypt.

Habitat

In Morocco, rivers crossed a low coastal plain with channels, ponds and wetlands. Spinosaurus, Deltadromeus and Rebbachisaurus were other dinosaurs of the region.

Field notes

About Carcharodontosaurus

What it was like

Carcharodontosaurus was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs known, growing to roughly 12 meters (39 feet) long. Its skull was long and lightly built, with large openings that saved weight, and its jaws held rows of flattened, serrated teeth shaped more for slicing than for crushing bone.

Its arms were small compared to its powerful legs, and a long, muscular tail balanced its body as it moved. Like its close relatives, it probably relied on quick, slashing bites rather than a single crushing one to bring down prey.

Its world

Carcharodontosaurus lived from about 121 to 94 million years ago, spanning the Early and Late Cretaceous, in what is now North Africa. Its fossils come from Algeria, Morocco, Niger, and Tunisia, with possible finds also reported from Brazil and Egypt.

It shared its habitat with other huge predators, including Spinosaurus and Suchomimus, as well as plant eaters such as Ouranosaurus and the armored Lurdusaurus. Rivers and wetlands across the region supported a rich mix of fish, crocodile relatives, and other animals.

How it was found

Stromer named Carcharodontosaurus in 1931 from fossils found in North Africa. Around 36 finds are now known, a solid record for such a large predator, and its closest relatives, including Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, and Acrocanthosaurus, were also huge meat eaters found on other continents.

Field gallery

More views of Carcharodontosaurus

Scenes reconstructed from the available fossil evidence.

Carcharodontosaurus in its habitat, photo 1

1 of 7

Lived alongside

Found in the same rock formations

A rock formation can hold fossils laid down millions of years apart, so not every animal here met Carcharodontosaurus.

The evidence

The science behind Carcharodontosaurus

Which parts of the picture come from its own bones, and which come from its relatives.

From its own fossils

  • A partial skull from Morocco shows a long head with large openings in the bone.
  • Its flattened teeth have serrated edges suited to slicing flesh.

Borrowed from relatives

  • Giganotosaurus and Acrocanthosaurus help restore the body behind the better-known skull.
  • Its three-fingered hands and probable lips are inferred from other theropods.

Still unknown

  • Its skin covering and color.
  • The proportions of its complete body.
  • How its young looked and whether adults lived in groups.

Often drawn wrong

  • A deep, rounded Tyrannosaurus head replaces its much longer skull.
  • Two-fingered arms copy tyrannosaurs; its relatives support three-fingered hands.
  • A tall sail on its back belongs to Spinosaurus.

Discovery timeline

  1. 1931Named itStromer
  2. 2007SkullBrusatte & Sereno
  3. 2020Its worldIbrahim et al.
  4. 2023Close relativeCullen et al.
  5. 2025RedescriptionKellermann, Cuesta & Rauhut

Key papers

The research behind what we know of Carcharodontosaurus

Close relatives

Other members of Carcharodontosauridae

Sources: Wikidata