Giganotosaurus, << jee guh NOH toh sawr uhs, >> was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs that ever lived. It weighed approximately 8 tons (7.3 metric tons), measured about 45 feet (14 meters) in length, and stood about 15 feet (4.6 meters) tall at the hips. Its skull grew over 5 feet (1.5 meters) long and had huge teeth.
Giganotosaurus walked on its hind legs, which were much longer and stronger than its forelimbs. Its long, slim tail helped it balance and turn quickly while running. The animal held its tail out behind it, rather than dragging the tail on the ground. Giganotosaurus preyed on large plant-eating dinosaurs. Scientists think it may have eaten animals much larger than itself. Its daggerlike, saw-edged teeth could easily slice flesh.
Giganotosaurus lived in what is now South America about 95 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period. Its fossils were first discovered in southern Argentina in 1993. The name Giganotosaurus means giant southern lizard. Scientists found similarities between the remains of Giganotosaurus and those of other meat-eating dinosaurs that lived in Africa. This discovery led scientists to speculate that the continents of South America and Africa, which at one time were connected, split apart from each other later than was previously thought.
