Saurophaganax Temporal range: Upper Jurassic
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Family: | Allosauridae
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Genus: | Saurophaganax Chure, 1995
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Saurophaganax ("lizard-eating master") is a genus of allosaurid dinosaur from the Morrison Formation of Upper Jurassic in Oklahoma. It lived about 151 million years ago).[1]
Saurophaganax was a very large Morrison allosaurid. The maximum size of S. maximus has been estimated at anywhere from 10.5 metres (34 ft)[2] to 13 m (43 ft) in length,[3] and around 3 tonnes (3.0 long tons; 3.3 short tons) in weight.[2] This means it was perhaps similar in size to Tyrannosaurus or Carcharodontosaurus.
Some paleontologists think it is a species of Allosaurus (Allosaurus maximus). It has also been described as a separate genus.[4] The most recent review of basal tetanurans accepted Saurophaganax as a distinct genus.[5] New possible Saurophaganax material from New Mexico may clear up the status of the genus.
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