Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus have confused me for about a decade-and-a-half now. I learned about Giganotosaurus first from Chased by Dinosaurs, and then Mapusaurus from Horizon: "Extreme Dinosaurs" and Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia. For a long time, I've thought that Giganotosaurus was larger than Mapusaurus, and that both of them lived at the same time. Then I read that Giganotosaurus was suppose to be older than Mapusaurus, and that Mapusaurus was larger than Giganotosaurus. However, Mapusaurus was given a length of 10.2 meters, while Giganotosaurus was given 13.2 meters. Years later, I decided to measure the bones of these two genera myself. As a result, I've discovered that Mapusaurus (10.9-15.3 meters) was larger than Giganotosaurus (12.4-13.1 meters). However, one thing still bothered me: When did these two live? When I tried to find answers to that question, another one popped in my head: Are these two the same genus?
Well, the answers to both of these questions will be explained in this post. This has been a long journey, almost as long as my quest to find the largest T. rex specimen. I have to say that the answers that I've found blew my mind, and gave me new tips on how to study dinosaurs.
U-Pb, and zircon, dating from Garrido (2010) gives two dates: 97 Ma, plus or minus 3 million years, and 94 Ma (p. 134). In total, this is 100-94 Ma. Dating from Tunik et al., (2010) give a age of 104.3 Ma, plus or minus 2.5 million years, 100.5 Ma, plus or minus 2.1 million years, and 98.6 Ma, plus or minus 2.5 million years (pp. 270-271). In total, this is 106.8-98.4 Ma. Tunik et al.'s dates have been backed up by Krause et al., (2019) (p. 42). U-Pb dating from Di Giullo et al., (2012) give 102 Ma, plus or minus 2 million years, and 100 Ma, plus or minus 8 million years. Some zircon grains give a date of 105 million years (p. 560 "Results"). In total, this gives an age range of 108-92 Ma. In total, the Candeleros Formation is 108-92 Ma. This is middle Albian-early Turonian in age. Avitabatrachus helps to support this as well.
Mapusaurus was discovered in the Huincul Formation (Coria and Currie, 2006, "Abstract," pg. 74). Up to a minimum of nine individuals were found together in the formation (Bell and Coria, 2013, "Abstract"). Microflora collected in the Huincul Formation by Vallati (2001) ("Abstract") (List of Microflora), Vallati (2006) ("Abstract"), Musacchio and Vallati (2007) ("Introduction"), and Vallati (2013) ("Paleotropical representatives in Northern Patagonia" 1-1.2, "Conclusions") date to the Albian-Cenomanian. A list of microflora from Vallati (2013): Elateroplicites africaensis, Galeacornea, Fraxinoipollenites fragilis, and Cretacaeiporites scabratus, are all Albian in age (at best) (pp. 275-278) (Laboratory of Paleobotany, "Elateroplicites africaensis") (Fossilworks, "Elateroplicites africaensis") (Fossilworks,
That's not all. Villa el Chocon, where the holotype of Giganotosaurus was discovered (Simon et al., 2017, "Abstract," pg. 3) (Tu Casu Estu Destino, "Villa el Chocon," pg. 1), is located in between the Candeleros and Huincul Formations (Simon et al., 2017, "Abstract," pg. 3). Limaysaurus was discovered in both the Candeleros and Huincul Formations (Calvo and Salgado, 1995, pg. 15), and in the Lohan Cura Formation, which is Aptian-Albian in age (Salgado et al., 2004, pg. 905). Andesaurus was discovered in the Candeleros (Calvo, 1999, pg. 16, 22-24) (Calvo and Salgado, 1995, pg. 14), but also in the Bajo Barrea Formation. A titanosaur caudal vertebra was discovered there that has been attributed to Andesaurus
Even though Villa el Chocon is in both formations, the Candeleros is older than the Huincul Formation. However, the Huincul Formation is right on top of the Candeleros Formation. This could help support Mapusaurus as being a later, and more derived (advanced), species of Gigaotosaurus. This is called anagenesis (Merriam Webster, "Anagenesis"). In accordance with that, other coexisting dinosaurs were found in both formations, or in other formations of the same age. Other dinosaurs from formations of the same age could have coexisted with dinosaurs from the Candeleros and Huincul Formations as well. Plus, a giant new titanosaur from the Candeleros Formation, larger than any other titanosaur previously discovered from that formation, may be a specimen of Argentinosaurus. This remains to be seen though (Otero et al., 2021, "Discussion" para. 4).
Examining the Skeletons:
Now we have to tackle the second, and main, question of this post: Where Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus the same genus? I originally thought of that back in 2016 (I think), but now the question has seeped back into my mind. According to Carrano et al., (2012), Giganotosaurus can only be distinguished by its "two pneumatic foramina on the medial side of its quadrate." Other characteristics given to Giganotosaurus from Coria and Salgado (1995) are found in other carcharodontosaurs, so they are not considered diagnostic (p. 233).
Giganotosaurus' Autapomorphy (Carrano et al., 2012, p. 233):As for Mapusaurus, I originally thought that the paper by Coria and Currie (2006) established Mapusaurus as its own distinct genus, but Carrano et al., (2012) said something that I did not expect. The authors stated that they couldn't specify any autapomorphies (defining characteristics, based on Merriam-Webster) that separate Mapusaurus from Giganotosaurus. They do say that Mapusaurus differed from Giganotosaurus in the "nasal rugosities" (bumps on nose) (pg. 235) (this was also stated in Novas, 2009, pg. 302), and had one pneumatic foramen on the medial side of its quadrate while Giganotosaurus had two (Carrano et al., 2012, pg. 233 and 235). Mapusaurus' neural spines also seem to be larger and wider (Novas, 2009, pg. 302).
Notes on the Autapomorphies of Mapusaurus by Carrano et al., (2012) (Pg. 235):
I decided to try and find the pneumatic foramen myself. Luckily for me, Novas et al., (2013) pointed out one pneumatic foramen on the medial side of Giganotosaurus' quadrate (pg. 13 Figure 10 "E"). However, they didn't point out the second one. I tried to look for it myself, but to no avail. I tried to look for the Mapusaurus' pneumatic foramen in Coria and Currie (2006) (pg. 83 Figure 7). Oddly enough, the pneumatic foramen, called a pneumatopore in the paper (Larson (2013) says that they're the same thing), is on the anterior side of the quadrate, not the medial side. Carrano et al., (2012) says that there's a pneumatic foramen on the medial side (p. 135), but I cannot find it in Coria and Currie (2006). Therefore, the only difference that I can spot with regards to the pneumatic foramen on the two animals' quadrates are their locations. However, both animals have only one pneumatic foramen on their quadrates. (Pneumatic foramen also fluctuate between ontogenetic, and individual, variation, according to Yun, 2015, p. 5)
Giganotosaurus' Right Quadrate (Novas et al., 2012, pg. 13 Figure 10) ("E" is the medial view) ("pf" is the pneumatic foramen):
Mapusaurus' Left Quadrate (Coria and Currie, 2006, pg. 83 Figure 7):
Update (6/22/21): Both Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus had one pneumatic foramen on the medial sides of their quadrates.
Mapusaurus' (Left) and Giganotosaurus' (Right, C) Quadrates in Medial Views (Hendrickx et al., 2015, Figure 5 B and C). "MPF" means "medial pneumatic foramen." Scale bars are 10 cm:It looks like Giganotosaurus doesn't have anymore autapomorphies...
As of right now, we've discovered that both Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus have at least one pneumatic foramen/pneumatopore on the medial sides of their quadrates (Carrano et al., 2012, p. 233 and 235) (Hendrickx et al., 2015, Figure 5). We will have to investigate the rugosities on the nasals next.
Mapusaurus' Nasal (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 3):
While we do have most of Mapusaurus' nasals preserved, there is a small problem with Giganotosaurus': No paper seems to have the nasals shown. I had to get a picture of it from online.
Giganotosaurus' Actual Skull Remains (Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum) (Tripadvisor):
I can't say too much about the nasals. Mapusaurus' seems have rugosities (bumps) at the end of its nasals (near the lacrimal horn and eyes), and nothing near the nostrils. Giganotosaurus seems to have had the same thing going on. The only problem is that I can't tell for certain.
Mapusaurus Skeletons (Nagoya City Science Museum):
Links:
Image:
https://images.app.goo.gl/77MAUdVcpZr9pzvHA
Tripadvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.es/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g2044288-i101982911-Villa_El_Chocon_Province_of_Neuquen_Patagonia.html#57186768
Welcome to Argentina:
https://www.welcomeargentina.com/elchocon/dinosaurs-museum.html
Even though the rugosities are unknown, I still wanted to research the rest of the skulls of the two animals.
1. Lacrimals:
The lacrimals of Mapusaurus seem to be flat at the top. The shaft seems to extend outwards at both sides in the beginning, and then straighten out at the bottom (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 5). This seems to coincide with Mapusaurus having a shorter ("squeezed in") skull. The lacrimal of Giganotosaurus at the top curves backwards. The shaft bends inwards, and then begins to straighten out towards the end (Coria and Salgado, 1995, pg. 225 Figure 1 "A"). that look similar and have a large box-like opening for the postorbital.
Mapusaurus Lacrimals (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 4):
Giganotosaurus Lacrimal (Coria and Salgado, 1995, Figure 1 "A"):
Update (7/23/22):
According to Novas (2009), Mapusaurus' lacrimal would have been similar to Giganotosaurus' (p. 296 Figure 6.32, C):
2. Postorbitals:
Postorbitals are identical with a bump at the end of them. Both postorbitals probably overlap at the end (It's not visible in Giganotosaurus' since it's attacked to the skull). Both are also rugose (Coria and Salgado, 1995, pg. 225 Figure 1 "A") (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 5).
Mapusaurus' Postorbitals (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 5):
Giganotosaurus' Postorbitals (Coria and Salgado, 1995, Figure 1 "A"):
3. Maxillas:
Both maxillas are box-like. Maxilla fenestra, and antorbital fossa, are in the same places (Coria and Salgado, 1995, pg. 225 Figure 1 "A") (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 2) (Canale et al., 2014, Figure 3).
Mapusaurus Maxillas (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 2):
Giganotosaurus Holotype Maxilla (Canale et al., 2014, Figure 3):
(?)4. Dentaries:
Dentary has a chin that is “V-shaped,” and there is a groove on the body of the dentaries (Coria and Salgado, 1995, pg. 225 Figure "C") (Brusatte et al., 2012, Figure 2) (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 8). I don't know if this counts because other carcharodontosaurids, like Tyrannotitan and Carcharodontosaurus, have this chin as well. This could just be a carcharodontosaurid trait.
Giganotosaurus Neotype Specimen MUCPv-95 ("C") (Brusatte et al., 2012, Figure 2):
5. Tooth Count:
A very important characteristic that different species of the same genera share is an equal number of teeth in their jaws. Counting teeth is necessary when comparing different genera (Deak and McKenzie, 2016, "Conclusions") (Currie, 2003, pp. 224-225) (Carr et al., 2017, “Discussion: Ontogenetic tooth count reduction” para. 1-2) (Holtz et al., 2004, p. 98) (Hurum and Sabath, 2003, “Conclusion” pp. 186-188), so I decided to count the number of teeth that Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus have.
The Giganotosaurus specimen MUCPv-95 has 15 teeth in its incomplete dentary (Coria and Calvo, 1998, pg. 118 "Description," pg. 119 Figure 3), but Coria and Calvo say that, "it is possible that at least one or two more were present" (pg. 118 "Description").
MUCPv-95 (Coria and Calvo, 1998, pg. 119 Figure 3):
Link:
Calvo and Coria (1998):
http://www.arca.museus.ul.pt/ArcaSite/obj/gaia/MNHNL-0000776-MG-DOC-web.PDF
Link 2:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40662857_New_specimen_of_Giganotosaurus_carolinii_Coria_Salgado_1995_supports_it_as_the_largest_theropod_ever_foundCoria and Currie (2006) (PP. 77-78, and 85):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
Links:
Coria and Currie (2006) (Pg; 86-87):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
Another specimen, MSNVE-20154, from the Museum of Natural History in Venice, has 15 teeth in its maxilla. It came from Mount Anti Atlas in Morocco, Egypt. The rocks there are said to be Aptian-Albian in age (Museum of Natural History in Venice, Teeth of Carcharodontosaurus (on maxilla cast)). I was confused as to whether or not this was actually a specimen of Eocarcharia, which came from the Aptian and has 15 teeth in its maxilla (Sereno and Brusatte, 2008, pg. 26-27). Mount Anti Atlas has rocks in it that are similar to the Kem Kem beds (Ibrahim et al., 2020, "Introduction" p. 1, Figure 1), or are the Kem Kem beds and the "Continental Intercalaire" (Cavin et al., 2010, pg. 393 “Geological Settings” p. 3). The "Continental Intercalaire' rocks appear to be Albian in age (Cavin et al., 2010, pg. 393 “Geological Settings” p. 4). It looks like this is a Carcharodontosaurus specimen.
Museum of Natural History in Venice. Teeth of Carcharodontosaurus (on maxilla cast):
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/teeth-of-carcharodontosaurus-on-maxilla-cast/PAH4rlYlKQd2aw?hl=en
Link 2:
https://artsandculture.google.com/art-projector/PAH4rlYlKQd2aw?hl=en
https://vdocuments.site/amp/predatory-dinosaurs-from-the-sahara-and-late-cretaceous-faunal-differentiation.html
Stromer (1931) (Part 2) (Pg. 6 "Teeth"):
http://www.dinochecker.com/papers/Stromers-Egypt-expedition_Carcharodontosaurus_Stromer_1931.pdf
Skull 1 (Left Side) (Currie and Carpenter, 1999, pg. 211 Figure 3):
Premaxilla: 3.Maxilla: 15.
Dentary: Can't tell.
Information from Eddy and Clarke (2011):
Premaxilla (Figure 4):
Note: Figure 2 shows 4 premaxilla teeth, but the actual fossil shows three.
Dentary (Figure 28 "A"):
Currie and Carpenter (1999) (Pg. 211-212, and 217; Figure 3):
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0017932
Figures:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
http://www.paleofile.com/Dinosaurs/Theropods/Acrocanthosaurus.asp
Up next is Tyrannotitan. It lived in the Aptian-Albian of South America, and seems to have been the ancestor of Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus. Up to 15 (Novas et al., 2015, p. 6) to 16 (Novas et al., 2005, p. 228) alveoli are present in Tyrannotitan's dentaries. However, when I counted the dentaries of the holotype, I got 15 alveoli, as stated in Novas et al., (2015).
Holotype (Novas et al., 2015, pg. 5 Figure 4 "C"):
Tooth Count Numbered (Made by me):Paratype Dentary (Novas et al., 2015, pg. 6 Figure 5 "B"):Alveoli visible: 13 (two are indeterminate).https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7901883_A_large_Cretaceous_theropod_from_Patagonia_Argentina_and_the_evolution_of_carcharodontosaurids
Bilobate:
Merriam Webster. "Bilobate":
https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/bilobate
Merriam Webster. "Lobes":
Tyrannotitan is in a weird predicament. It has the same number of teeth in its dentary as Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus, but different denticles compared to other carcharodontosaurs. Perhaps the fifteen teeth in their dentaries are a trait all giganotosaurini share, but the denticles help to tell them apart? Despite having bilobate serrations, Tyrannotitan did have the same amount of teeth in its dentary as in Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus. One could place Tyrannotitan chubutensis as Giganotosaurus chubutensis...
Maxilla: 12 (also noted in Figure 2 "C" and Table 2).
Brusatte et al., (2010) (Figures 1-2; Table 2):
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4069/64fde0143305ce9218d4cbab4c6a54bc3a8c.pdf
Concavenator:
Skull:
Premaxilla: 4.
Maxilla: 13.
Dentary: 14.Skull:
https://images.app.goo.gl/3if11LqhaCVRhYkeA
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. "Concavenator Skull Reconstructed":
https://www.uam.es/ss/Satellite?c=DOC_Noticia_FA&cid=1446767911679&language=en_GB&pagename=EscuelaDoctorado%2FDOC_Noticia_FA%2FDOC_detalle
Cuesta et al., (2018) ("Abstract"):
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667118301046?via%3Dihub
Premaxilla: 5 (Also noted in Currie and Carpenter, 1999, p. 217).
Maxilla: 15.
Dentary: 15.Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus:
Maxilla: 12.
Dentary: 15.
Premaxilla: 4.
Premaxilla: 4.
Maxilla: 15.
Dentary: 17.
Dentary: 15.
Maxilla: 12.
Premaxilla: 4.
Maxilla: 13.
Dentary: 14.Premaxilla: 5.
Maxilla: 15.
Dentary: 15.https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36949178#page/198/mode/1up
Sereno et al., (1998):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235242262_A_Long-Snouted_Predatory_Dinosaur_from_Africa_and_the_Evolution_of_Spinosaurids
Dal Sasso et al., (2005) (Pg. 889):
Paleofile. "Baryonyx":
https://images.app.goo.gl/xRkY3wRxbpUXw3qH8
Link 2:
https://images.app.goo.gl/so2qd8msCshy9KJ76
Paleofile. "Suchomimus":
https://images.app.goo.gl/CCRcbnipxT4ovjN36
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254314432_Irritator_challengeri_a_Spinosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Lower_Cretaceous_of_Brazil
Holtz et al., (2004) (Pg. 98) (From Osmolska, 2004):
https://books.google.com/books?id=h4WRTHfTzXsC&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98&dq=baryonyx+tenerensis&source=bl&ots=jb-QUCCyJ9&sig=ACfU3U18o0GKUt7dZFU_L_VgjQ-p40P4aw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjrrYuU3MPsAhWjmHIEHV89BDg4FBDoATAGegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=baryonyx%20tenerensis&f=false
Paul (2010/2016) (Pg. 94-95):
https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/PFuzDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=suchomimus
Henderson (2018) ("Materials and Methods" p. 2, Figure 1 and 5, Table 1-2):
https://peerj.com/articles/5409/
Deak and McKenzie (2016) ("Conclusions"):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309340780_HYPOTHETICAL_DIVERGENT_EVOLUTION_OF_TWO_APEX_PREDATORS_FROM_THE_HELL_CREEK_FORMATION_NANOTYRANNUS_LANCENSIS_AND_TYRANNOSAURUS_REX
Link 2:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/12062708/
Currie (2003) (Pg. 224-225):
https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app48/app48-191.pdf
Carr et al., (2017) (“Discussion: Ontogenetic tooth count reduction” p. 1-2):
https://www.ted.com/talks/jack_horner_where_are_the_baby_dinosaurs?language=en#t-1026532
Deak and McKenzie (2016) (Slides 9, 12-13):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309340780_HYPOTHETICAL_DIVERGENT_EVOLUTION_OF_TWO_APEX_PREDATORS_FROM_THE_HELL_CREEK_FORMATION_NANOTYRANNUS_LANCENSIS_AND_TYRANNOSAURUS_REX
Link 2:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/12062708/
Stein (2021):
http://www.thefossilforum.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=755388
Carpenter (1992) (Pg. 254-256):
https://zenodo.org/record/1037523#.X7IzSNNKiu4
Carr (1999) (Pg. 499 "Phylogeny of Nemegt Tyrannosauridae"):
https://zenodo.org/record/3372241#.X7IyM9NKj-Y
Paul (2010/2016) (Pg. 115):
https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/PFuzDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=tarbosaurus
6. The scapulacoracoids of both genera look identical and are thick (Coria and Currie, 2006, pg. 94-95) (Novas et al., 2015, pg. 28 Figure 35).
Note: Mapusaurus' coracoid is really incomplete, as seen in Coria and Currie (2006) (pg. 95 Figure 20).
Giganotosaurus (C.) carolinii's Scapula (Novas et al., 2015, Figure 35):
8. The lower and fourth trochanters are identical, and in the same positions (Coria and Salgado, 1995, pg. 225-226) (Coria and Currie, 2006, pg. 101) (Cuesta et al., 2018, Figure 19). (The lower trochanter is not observable from the side Giganotosaurus' femur was positioned in Cuesta et al., 2018, but the femur is similar to Carcharodontosaurus', as seen in Chiarenza and Cau, 2016, Figure 3. Carcharodontosaurus' femur is also similar to Mapusaurus'. Therefore, the lower trochanter should be in the same position as Carcharodontosaurus' and Mapusaurus') (Mapusaurus' fourth trochanter might be broken, as seen in Coria and Currie, 2006, pg. 101 Figure 28 "B"-"C")
9. There are grooves on both femurs (Coria and Currie, 2006, pg. 101 Figure 28 "ag") (My personal observation from Cuesta et al., 2018, Figure 19).
10. Condyles at the bottom of both femurs that look identical (Giganotosaurus' appear to be smashed together, as seen in Cuesta et al., 2018, Figure 19). The condyles of both femurs bend in the opposite direction of the femur head (Coria and Currie, 2006, pg. 101 and 103) (Cuesta et al., 2018, Figure 19).
Giganotosaurus Femur:
Calvo (1999) (Pg. 29):
Cuesta et al., (2018) (Figure 19 "D"):
Note: Bottom of Giganotosaurus' femur seems to be mashed together, most likely due to preservation. If reconstructed correctly, it would likely look similar to, if not exactly like, Mapusaurus' and Carcharodontosaurus'. Interestingly, Acrocanthosaurus' femur looks similar to Mapusaurus' and Carcharodontosaurus', so this seems to suggest that the bottom of Giganotosaurus' femur was slightly crushed during preservation.
Mapusaurus (C.) roseae (Coria and Currie, 2006, Figure 28):
Note: Notice in "C" that the femur head is missing a portion between the femur head (fh) and the greater trochanter (gt). It might be that half-circle shape seen in Giganotosaurus' and Carcharodontosaurs' femurs. Also in "B"-"C," the 4th trochanter appears to have been broken off. This is evident in the picture of Giganotosaurus' femur from Calvo (1999),
Carcharodontosaurus saharicus' Femur (Chiarenza and Cau, 2018, Figure 3):
Note: According to Stromer (1931), Carcharodontosaurus' femur looks similar, if not identical, to Mapusauru's (pg. 13-14).
11. Carrano et al., (2012) say that Mapusaurus' ilium could have been placed lower than Giganotosaurus', but the ilium appears to be incomplete so the "original shape is unknown" (pg. 235). Based on my own observation, the iliums of both genera appear to be placed in the same positions.
12. Both animals' neural spines appear to be equal in size (Personal Observation). Novas (2009) says that Giganotosaurus also had tall neural spines (pg. 301), so honestly I can't see the difference.
Giganotosaurus Skeleton (Fernbank Museum):
Link:
https://images.app.goo.gl/jmiaG2Kjc69dfUsT9
Giganotosaurus Skeleton 2 (Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art):
Links:
Picture:
https://images.app.goo.gl/SZDEEpwksQ2PgBMf8
Info. on Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art:
Sue White (2011):
https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/saginaw/2011/01/dinosaur_exhibit_will_thrill_k.html
Mapusaurus Skeletons (Nagoya City Science Museum):
Note: This is the best picture that I could find of Mapusaurus' skeleton in a good horizontal view.
Links:
Picture:
https://images.app.goo.gl/aoYzGsUo9R2aCBBM9
Nagoya City Science Museum:
http://www.ncsm.city.nagoya.jp/cgi-bin/en/exhibition_guide/exhibit.cgi?id=L210
13. Their ilia (hip bones) seem to be different. However, when I compared the two genera's ilia (using the three pictures above) to Tyrannotitan's, it seems that its ilium was similar to Mapusaurus' instead of Giganotosaurus's.
Acrocanthosaurus' Ilium (Currie and Carpenter, 1999, pg. 209 Figure 1):
Ibrahim et al., (2020) (Figure 139):
https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47517/zoom/fig/1139/
Paper:https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47517/
14. Both animals also lived in the same place, as explained above.
15. Another similarity, noted by Brusatte et al., (2010), that both Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus share, is an equal ratio of the “proportion of the base of the ascending ramus of the maxilla excavated by the anteroventral corner of the antorbital fossa," which is 0.40 (Table 1).
With all of this in mind, it seems that Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus could have been the same genus. Since Giganotosaurus was named first (Coria and Salgado, 1995), Mapusaurus roseae would be assigned as Giganotosaurus roseae. Giganotosaurus roseae differs from Giganotosaurus carolinii in having a shorter, box-like skull. Giganotosaurus carolinii had a longer, cone-shaped skull.
Here's a list of characteristics that Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, and Tyrannotitan both share:
1.) All three species have a chin/ventral process or flange on their dentaries (Novas et al., 2005, p. 227) (Coria and Currie, 2006, pp. 83-84).
2.) All three species have 15 teeth in its dentary, and 2 serrations per 1 mm on its teeth (Novas et al., 2015, pp. 6-7).
3.) Both G. carolinii and G. (Mapusaurus) roseae had one pneumatopore/pneumatic foramen on the medial views of their quadrates (Hendrickx et al., 2015, Figure 5 B and C). G. (Tyrannotitan) chubutensis doesn't seem to have one preserved.
4.) All three species have tall dorsal and caudal neural spines (Novas et al., 2015, pp. 13-14, and 17) (Coria and Currie, 2006, pp. 90 and 92) (Coria and Salgado, 1995, p. 225). Coria and Salgado (1995) said that G. carolinii had tall dorsal neural archs (p. 225), but Figure 2 shows what seems to be tall dorsal neural spines as well.
5.) All three species also had similarly-shaped ilia (Novas et al., 2005, p. 227 Figure 1) (Coria and Currie, 2006, p. 99 Figure 26). G. carolinii's ilium was damaged (Carrano et al., 2012, p. 235), but it's likely that its ilium was shaped like the other two species'.
6.) All three species seem to have similarly-shaped femora, and share a large 4th trochanter (Coria and Salgado, 1995, pp. 225-226) (Coria and Currie, 2006, p. 103) (Novas et al., 2015, p. 22).
Similarities:
Time Frames and Locations:
Coria and Salgado (1995) (Pg. 225):
https://vdocuments.mx/a-new-giant-carnivorous-dinosaur-from-the-cretaceous-of-patagonia.html
Coria and Currie (2006) ("Abstract," pg. 74):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
Microfossils:
Baez et al., (2000) (Pg. 491, "Geological Setting"):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312503089_The_earliest_known_pipoid_frog_from_South_America_A_new_genus_from_the_Middle_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
David Cannatella (2015) ("Temporal Data: Ages of Fossils and Calibration Priors," p. 20):
https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/438910
Vallati (2001) ("Abstract"):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241723727_Middle_Cretaceous_microflora_from_the_Huincul_Formation_Dinosaurian_Beds_in_the_Neuquen_Basin_Patagonia_Argentina
List of Microflora:
https://paleobotany.ru/palynodata/publication/21442?dir=asc&order=NameSp&page=1
Musacchio and Vallati (2007) ("Introduction"):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267692115_Late_Cretaceous_non_marine_microfossils_of_the_Plottier_Formation_Cretaceous_at_Zampal_Argentina
Link 2:
https://www.academia.edu/7770746/LATE_CRETACEOUS_NON_MARINE_MICROFOSSILS_OF_THE_PLOTTIER_FORMATION_CRETACEOUS_AT_ZAMPAL_ARGENTINA._E._Musacchio_and_P._Vallati_2007
Vallati (2013) ("Paleotropical representatives in Northern Patagonia" 1-1.2, "Conclusions"):
http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2013_L05/
Elateroplicites africaensis:
Laboratory of Paleobotany. "Elateroplicites africaensis." (Definitely Albian [7], but up to Cenomanian [4], and Turonian [2]):
https://paleobotany.ru/palynodata/species/91930
Fossilworks. "Elateroplicites africaensis." (Albian-Campanian):
http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=252717
Galeacornea:Fossilworks. "Galeacornea" (Albian-Coniacian):
http://fossilworks.org/?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=252563
Fraxinoipollenites fragilis:Fossilworks. "Fraxinoipollenites fragilis." (Albian-Cenomanian):
http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=276463
Laboratory of Paleobotany. "Fraxinoipollenites fragilis." (Albian-Cenomanian for all of South America):
https://paleobotany.ru/palynodata/species/23110
Laboratory of Paleobotany. "Cretacaeiporites scabratus." (Definitely Albian [6], but up to Cenomanian at most [3]):
https://paleobotany.ru/palynodata/species/51473
Fossilworks. "Cretacaeiporites scabratus." (Albian-Coniacian):
http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=276456
Equisetosporites cf. evidens:
Fossilworks. "Equisetosporites evidens." (Cenomanian):
Turner and Peterson (1999) ("Age," pg. 89-90):
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qeRM16ndBx4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA77&ots=W5Kj88zd2x&sig=CZ76lISv4Bbi3BXBoWcGMHGg124#v=onepage&q&f=false
Marjanovic and Laurin (2014) (Pg. 2):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260075695_69_Marja_Laurin_App_comp
Dinosaur National Monument ("Rhadinosteus parvus"):
https://www.nps.gov/dino/learn/nature/rhadinosteus-parvus.htm
Villa el Chocon in Candeleros and Huincul Formations:
Simon et al., (2017) ("Abstract," pg. 3):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318931668_A_New_Titanosaur_Sauropod_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Patagonia_NeuqueN_Province_Argentina
https://www.academia.edu/5642253/Early_uplift_and_orogenic_deformation_in_the_Neuqu%C3%A9n_Basin_Constraints_on_the_Andean_uplift_from_U_Pb_and_Hf_isotopic_data_of_detrital_zircons
Link 2:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195110001642
Link 3:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248242916_Early_uplift_and_orogenic_deformation_in_the_Neuquen_Basin_Constraints_on_the_Andean_uplift_from_U-Pb_and_Hf_isotopic_data_of_detrital_zircons
Di Giullo et al., (2012) (Pg. 600 "Results"):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233851583_Detrital_zircon_provenance_from_the_Neuquen_Basin_south-central_Andes_Cretaceous_geodynamic_evolution_and_sedimentary_response_in_a_retroarc-foreland_basin
Halupczok et al., (2017) ("Geological setting" pg. 2):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321247624_Dinosaur_tracks_in_the_Kokorkom_Desert_Candeleros_Formation_Cenomanian_Upper_Cretaceous_Patagonia_Argentina_Implications_for_deformation_structures_in_dune_fields
Corbella et al., (2004) ("Abstract"):
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/H_Leanza/publication/263009336_First_fission-track_age_for_the_dinosaur-bearing_Neuquen_Group_Upper_Cretaceous_Neuquen_Basin_Argentina/links/0f31753987fde7ee73000000/First-fission-track-age-for-the-dinosaur-bearing-Neuquen-Group-Upper-Cretaceous-Neuquen-Basin-Argentina.pdf
Link 2:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263009336_First_fission-track_age_for_the_dinosaur-bearing_Neuquen_Group_Upper_Cretaceous_Neuquen_Basin_Argentina
Garrido (2010) (Pg. 134-135, and 138-139):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262658711_Estratigrafia_del_Grupo_Neuquen_Cretacico_Superior_de_la_Cuenca_Neuquina_Argentina_nueva_propuesta_de_ordenamiento_litoestratigrafico
Other Dinosaurs from Candeleros and Huincul Formations:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313396701_Rebbachisaurus_tesonei_sp_Nov_A_new_Sauropoda_from_the_Albian-Cenomanian_of_Argentina_new_evi-_dence_on_the_origin_of_the_Diplodocidae_Gaia_Revista_de_Geo-_ciencias_Museu_Nacional_de_Historia_Natural
2nd Version:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232692860_Lower_Cretaceous_Rebbachisaurid_sauropods_from_Cerro_Aguada_del_Leon_Lohan_Cura_Formation_Neuquen_Province_northwestern_Patagonia_Argentina
"Abstract":
Krause et al., (2019) (P. 35 Figure 2, P. 40 Figure 6, and P. 42):
http://staff.mef.org.ar/images/investigadores/diego_pol/papers/101.pdf
Time Frame Chart:International Commission of Stratigraphy Website:
https://stratigraphy.org/news/130
Merriam Webster. "Anagenesis":
https://groups.molbiosci.northwestern.edu/holmgren/Glossary/Definitions/Def-A/anagenesis.html
Carrano et al., (2012) (Pg. 233-235):
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthew_Carrano/publication/230808558_The_phylogeny_of_Tetanurae_Dinosauria_Theropoda/links/0912f504a5960e5645000000/The-phylogeny-of-Tetanurae-Dinosauria-Theropoda.pdf?origin=publication_detail
Coria and Salgado (1995) (Pg. 225 Figure 1 "A," "B," "C"):
https://vdocuments.mx/a-new-giant-carnivorous-dinosaur-from-the-cretaceous-of-patagonia.html
Coria and Currie (2006) (Figure 3, 5, 2, 7, 8, pg. 87):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
Canale et al., (2014) (Figure 3):
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Maxillae-of-Mapusaurus-roseae-a-MCF-PVPH-108115-b-MCF-PVPH-108169-Acrocanthosaurus_fig3_276266912
Brusatte et al., (2012) (Figure 2):
https://bioone.org/journals/Acta-Palaeontologica-Polonica/volume-57/issue-1/app.2010.0125/A-Reassessment-of-iKelmayisaurus-petrolicus-i-a-Large-Theropod-Dinosaur/10.4202/app.2010.0125.full
2nd Link:
https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app57/app20100125.pdf
3rd Link:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260714702_A_Reassessment_of_Kelmayisaurus_petrolicus_a_Large_Theropod_Dinosaur_from_the_Early_Cretaceous_of_China
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
https://vdocuments.mx/a-new-giant-carnivorous-dinosaur-from-the-cretaceous-of-patagonia.html
Cuesta et al., (2018) (Figure 19):
https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/ZbyGKEjskApcGBWkrYkn/full
Chiarenza and Cau (2016) (Figure 3):
https://peerj.com/articles/1754.pdf
Stromer (1931) (Part 2) (Pg. 6, 13-14):
http://www.dinochecker.com/papers/Stromers-Egypt-expedition_Carcharodontosaurus_Stromer_1931.pdf
Brusatte et al., (2010) (Table 1):
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4069/64fde0143305ce9218d4cbab4c6a54bc3a8c.pdf?_ga=2.196665772.1009657602.1594971153-1570346531.1593987467
Hendrickx et al., (2015) (Figure 2 "G"):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4579021/figure/fig-2/
Paper:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4579021/
Tyrannotitan's Ilium:
https://images.app.goo.gl/RniPPMtwNeNB7iRBA
Coria and Currie (2006) (Pg. 99 Figure 26):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
Carcharodontosaurus maxilla with 15 teeth:
Museum of Natural History in Venice:
Link 2:
https://artsandculture.google.com/art-projector/PAH4rlYlKQd2aw?hl=en
Sereno and Brusatte (2008) (Pg. 26-27):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272152049_Basal_abelisaurid_and_carcharodontosaurid_theropods_from_the_Lower_Cretaceous_Elrhaz_Formation_of_Niger
Link 2:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7188693/
Cavin et al., (2010) (Pg. 393 “Geological Settings” p. 3-4):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223833925_Vertebrate_assemblages_from_the_early_Late_Cretaceous_of_southeastern_Morocco_An_overview
Paulina-Carabajal and Canale (2010) (Figure 2):
Differences:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthew_Carrano/publication/230808558_The_phylogeny_of_Tetanurae_Dinosauria_Theropoda/links/0912f504a5960e5645000000/The-phylogeny-of-Tetanurae-Dinosauria-Theropoda.pdf?origin=publication_detail
Novas et al., (2013) (Pg. 13 Figure 10 "E"):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259045022_Evolution_of_the_carnivorous_dinosaurs_during_the_Cretaceous_The_evidence_from_Patagonia
Coria and Currie (2006) (Pg. 83 Figure 7):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655543_A_new_carcharodontosaurid_Dinosauria_Theropoda_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_of_Argentina
Novas (2009) (Pg. 302):
Paulina-Carabajal and Canale (2010) (Figure 2):