Giganotosaurus was a colossal dinosaur that roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 99-97 million years ago. Although already well know its appearance in Jurassic World Dominion has given it a massive boost in popularity in the last couple of years and the most common question is how big was the giganotosaurus!
Giganotosaurus has a range of estimates on it size since its first discovery in 1993 in South America. These range from 38-44 feet in length, 13-15 feet in height (at the hips) and from 12 – 26,000 lbs in weight over the years. It is considered to be one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs ever discovered.
While we have the short answer above there is a little more to its size than just the stats and we will jump into that in all the sections below, including what it compares to, when it was discovered and more on its size .
What was the Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus, also known as the “giant southern lizard,” was one of the largest and most fearsome carnivorous dinosaurs to ever roam the Earth. It lived around 99 to 95 million years ago in South America ( hence the name) and would have preyed on pretty much anything as it was the Apex predator in its environment However it is thought it may have hunted the large, although possibly juvenile, sauropods of the time like argentinosaurus and this opened question if it hunted in groups.
It was a theropod dinosaur which means it walked on two legs and like others of its size, spinosaurus expected, its arms were not particularly large, although they appear to have been slightly more functional than a T-Rex arms, and they had three fingers rather than 2. This was made up for by its truly massive over 5ft long head filled with razer sharp long teeth,.
We take a closer look at what made this giant southern lizard such a formidable predator. below and include tables to show you its size and well as how it stacked up net to other dinosaurs.
How Big Was a Giganotosaurus?
The biggest carnivore the world has ever seen – Alan Grant
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Soooo much debate from dino nerds like us to less nerdy movie goers who came out of the cinema and googled the question after watching the movie and hearing Alan Grant (Sam Neil)) say this is one of the reasons we thought it useful to write this page, hopefully you feel so too.
Giganotosaurus was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs to have ever walked the Earth. Its size and physical attributes were impressive even by dinosaur standards. Here are some key sizes to consider, and then we will do the reasons why largest dinosaur is a difficult concept to quantify be they carnivore, herbivore or even omnivore. – It didn’t stop us trying though, which is where the links take you.
Table 1: Size of Giganotosaurus.
| Dinosaur | Length | Height | Weight | When lived |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giganotosaurus | 12.2-13.8 m (40-45 ft) | 4.0-4.5 m (14-15 ft) | 6,800-12,000 kg (15,000-26,600 lb) | Late Cretaceous (99.6-95 million years ago) |
Giganotosaurus measured around 43-46 feet (12-14 meters) in length from nose to tail. That’s slightly longer than Tyrannosaurus rex, though probably shorter than a Spinosaurus, and makes it one of the largest theropods ever discovered. However there have been estimates as long as 47 feet in previous years.
Giganotosaurus’ weight estimates vary widely, some suggesting it weighed as little as 6-7 tons, while others put the figure closer to 12-13 tons. That’s about the weight of two adult male elephants, however the current ( it changes ALOT!) average weight is thought to be around 7 tons, or about 14,000 Lbs not a lightweight by any measure!
Giganotosaurus stood around 12-13 feet (3.6-4 meters) tall at the hips. That’s about the height of a single-story house and may have been a little taller than a T-Rex but shorter than a Spinosaurus, especially when including the sail.
Body Type.
Giganotosaurus has been described as an oversized Allosaurus, Its skull was long and narrow, with serrated teeth that could slice through flesh like a knife. Its arms were relatively short and stumpy, but powerful enough to grasp onto prey. It also had ridges or crests on its head.
Its hind legs were muscular and allowed it to run at high speeds, potentially up to 30 miles per hour (48-56 kilometers per hour). Though this was suggested in 2001 and since then the speed estimated for large carnivores have come down dramatically ( the T-Rex speed we talk about here)
Although the wight, as we mentioned above, has been estimated at some points to go up to 26,000 lbs plus, it is currently thought that it was much slimmer and less bulky than this, maybe 13,000 lbs or so. If the speeds it may have moved are in fact accurate it would have to have been to allow its legs to actually run without breaking!.
Comparison to Other Dinosaurs
While Giganotosaurus is certainly one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs that have ever lived, it was not the biggest…probably – so we don’t get into trouble. The Tyrannosaurus Rex, which lived about 25-30 million years after Giganotosaurus, was slightly and heavier,
However, Giganotosaurus was still bigger than the Allosaurus, which lived about 60 million years before Giganotosaurus and had a length of around 28 feet and a weight of up to 3+ tons. Allosaurus, another well-known theropod, was much smaller than Giganotosaurus, measuring around 28 (8.5-9 meters) in length and weighing around 2-5 tons.
While Giganotosaurus was slightly longer than T. rex, it was not as heavy. T. rex weighed an estimated 9-10 tons at its very top end, making it significantly bulkier than Giganotosaurus if we take the average estimates.
Another dinosaur that was similar in size to Giganotosaurus was the Carcharodontosaurus, which lived in North Africa around the same time as Giganotosaurus. Both dinosaurs had long, slender skulls and sharp, serrated teeth adapted for slicing through tough flesh. These two huge dinos are often stitched in largest carnivores lists.
It also coexisted with other large herbivorous dinosaurs, such as Argentinosaurus which may have been among the largest animals to ever walk the earth. While Giganotosaurus possibly hunted these massive creatures, it has led to suggestions it may have been a pack hunter or preyed on juvenile sauropods as bringing down a full grown argentinosaurus would be difficult and risky even for a full size giganotosaurus.
Although it did not exist either in the same place or at the same time as the Therizinosaurus the two have had an on screen meeting in Jurassic World Dominion, and although we won’t throw a spoiler your way, you can check out what we think of that match up in our Giganotosaurus Vs. Therizinosaurus article here on the site.
| Dinosaur | Length (m) | Height at Hips (m) | Weight | When it Lived (mya) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giganotosaurus | 12-14 meters | 3-4.5 meters | 6,800-12,000 kg | 99-95 Mya |
| Carnotaurus | 7-8 meters | 2.5 – 3 meters | 1,350 2,000 kg | 71-69 mya |
| T-Rex | 12.3-12.8 | 4 meters | 8-9000 kg | 68-66 mya |
| Allosaurus | 8-12 | 3.5-4.3 meters | up to 3,000 kg | 155-145 mya |
| Baryonyx | 7.5-10 | 2.5-3 meters | 1-1,700 kg | 130-125 mya |
| Spinosaurus | 12-17 meters | 4-7 metres | 7400 ( currently) | 99-93 mya |
| Therizinosaurus | 9-10 meters | 4-5 meters | 3-5000 kg | 70 mya |
Of course new fossils are found all the time so these are subject to change.
How do we know the size of Giganotosaurus?
Giganotosaurus is known only from the current fossil discoveries, although one is at around 70% complete which is pretty good for a dinosaur fossil! From these remains, scientists have been able to estimate the size and weight of this massive predator using a few different methods. ( we discuss these methods in our other “How Big” articles listed below as well.
Bone Measuring
One way to estimate the size of Giganotosaurus is by using its bones. Paleontologists can use mathematical equations that take into account the size and shape of the bones to work out the overall size of the animal.
Compare to other dinosaurs and animals
Another way to estimate the size is by comparing its fossils to those of other closely related dinosaurs, such as Carcharodontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex. By comparing the sizes of their bones and teeth, scientists can make educated guesses about how big Giganotosaurus may have been.
Although this method gives ball park figures it can be risky, spinosaurus has been estimated with the bulk of a T-Rex, which currently it is thought to have been much much MUCH slimmer for example.
Computer modelling
In addition to bone measurements and the comparisons, computer modeling can also be used to estimate the size of Giganotosaurus.
By using the measurements of its known bones, scientists can create a 3D digital model of the animal and make estimates about its size and weight. This enables them to start to research how the dinosaur would have moved, and its possible speed as well.
Habitat and Discovery
Giganotosaurus was alive on the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 98 to 97 million years ago. It lived in what is now South America. The environment at the time was a mix of forests, grasslands, and wetlands, with a warm and humid climate.
The first fossils of Giganotosaurus were discovered in 1993 by an Argentinian ameteur fossil hunter named Rubén Carolini while he was on a dune buggy. The full name of giganotosaurus is
The fossils were found in the Neuquén Province of Argentina, in rocks that date back to the late Cretaceous period. The discovery was important because it was the first time that such a large carnivorous dinosaur had been found in South America and as we discussed it also had a claim for the title of largest carnivore dinosaur ever!
We have a series of articles on How Big Dinosaurs were and you can follow the links below to check out the size of other popular dinosaurs.
| How Big was Allosaurus | How Big was T-Rex | How Big was Pterodactyl | How Big was Triceratops |
| How Big was Stegosaurus | How Big was Amphicoelias | How Big were Dinosaur Babies | How big was Spinosaurus |
| How Big were dinosaur eggs | How Big was a Parasaurolophus | How Big was Carnotaurus | How Big Was Giganotosaurus |
| How big was Dilophosaurus | How Big was Argentinosaurus |
And if you wanted to know some of the smallest dinosaurs ever you can check out the article on the site as well. As although dinosaurs are often thought to be huge monstrous animals there were plenty of small ones as well and we take a look at them on the link above.
Conclusion
Giganotosaurus was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs that ever lived, rivaled in size only Tyrannosaurus rex in terms of weight and by Spinosaurus in terms of length and height.
At up to 43-44 feet long and over 7,000 kg or 15,000 lbs it was a formidable predator. This large size would have been important and allowed it to dominate its ecosystem during the Late Cretaceous period. Its skull alone was over 5 feet in length and it is thought to be on, if not the largest skull of any carnivorous dinosaur.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giganotosaurus
- https://www.kids-dinosaurs.com/giganotosaurus.html
- https://www.livescience.com/24642-giganotosaurus.html
- https://www.dinopit.com/just-how-big-was-giganotosaurus/
- https://www.welcomeargentina.com/elchocon/dinosaurs-museum.html
Roy Ford
Hi, I am Roy Ford a General Studies and English Teacher who has taught all over the world. What started as a fossil collection became a great way to teach, motivate and inspire students of all ages and all over the world about dinosaurs and from that and children’s love of dinosaurs came the site dinosaur facts for kids, a resource for all ages.
FAQs
How big was the dinosaur Giganotosaurus? ›
The largest Giganotosaurus is estimated to be 13.7 m (45 ft) long, 5-5.5 m (16.6-18.3 ft) tall, and weighed 5.2 tons. The specimen's skull was the size of a bathtub, measuring 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in). Giganotosaurus surpasses Tyrannosaurus rex in length by almost 2 m. .
How much bigger was Giganotosaurus? ›| Giganotosaurus | Spinosaurus |
|---|---|
| 40-43 feet long | At least 50 feet long |
| Weighed up to nearly 14 tons | Weighed up to 23 tons |
| Huge skull with sharp teeth; short arms and three-fingered, clawed hands | Long spines on back; long, narrow snout; powerful jaws with needle-like teeth |
Giganotosaurus was the largest meat-eating dinosaur of South America. The awesome Giganotosaurus roamed and roared the earth around 99 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. It is the largest carnivorous predator to have ever lived in South America, known today as Argentina.
How long was Giganotosaurus? › How much bigger was Giganotosaurus than T-Rex? ›Giganotosaurus vs T-Rex: Size
The Giganotosaurus weighed about 17,600 pounds, stood 20 feet high, and was about 45 feet long. The T-Rex maxed out the scale at 15,000 pounds but was also 20 feet tall and 40 feet in length. The comparison is close, but the Giganotosaurus is the bigger beast and has an advantage.
In 2004, paleontologists noted that despite the larger femur, the Giganotosaurus' tibia was 3 inches shorter than T. rex's, indicating that Giganotosaurus had actually been smaller.
What did Giganotosaurus eat? ›Diet. The Giganotosaurus was a carnivore, which means it ate meat. It is thought to have hunted enormous herbivorous dinosaurs, such as the Sauropod. Scientists believe that the Giganotosaurus had a bite force three times that of the Tyrannosaurus rex!
What was unusual about the Giganotosaurus? ›Giganotosaurus Had an Unusually Small Brain for Its Size
Adding insult to injury, to judge by its long, narrow skulll, Giganotosaurus' tiny brain appears to have been the approximate shape and weight of a banana (a fruit that had yet to evolve 100 million years ago).
Cretaceous, 112 - 89 million years ago. Giganotosaurus belongs to the same group as the North American Allosaurus and has three fingers on each hand, typical of allosaurs. It displaced Tyrannosaurus rex as the largest meat-eating dinosaur when its discovery was announced in 1995.
What dinosaur is bigger than a Giganotosaurus? ›Spinosaurus was the biggest of all the carnivorous dinosaurs, larger than Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus. It lived during part of the Cretaceous period, about 112 million to 97 million years ago, roaming the swamps of North Africa.
What is bigger giga or spino? ›
The Spinosaurus was larger than the Giganotosaurus, but we don't know by how much of a margin. Some reconstructions pin the Spinosaurus as weighing as much as 31,000lbs and others say it was closer to 20,000lbs.
What is the biggest dinosaur ever recorded? ›According to a-z-animals.com, the largest dinosaur to exist was the Supersaurus. Experts believe the Supersaurus to be between 105 and 138 feet long. Fossils for the Supersaurus have been found in both Portugal and Colorado. The dinosaur is estimated to have lived 153 million years ago.
Is Giganotosaurus the biggest predator? ›It is none other than Giganotosaurus carolinii, the largest carnivore known to date and the new villain of Jurassic World Dominion, the latest film in the Jurassic Park saga.
How big is Spinosaurus VS Giganotosaurus? ›| Spinosaurus | Giganotosaurus | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Likely between 49-52 feet | Potentially between 39 and 43 feet |
| Mass | Likely between 7 and 21 metric tons | Potentially between 4.2-15.2 metric tons |
Nigersaurus had a delicate skull and an extremely wide mouth lined with teeth especially adapted for browsing plants close to the ground. This bizarre, long-necked dinosaur is characterized by its unusually broad, straight-edged muzzle tipped with more than 500 replaceable teeth.
What kills the Giganotosaurus? ›The Gigantosaurus was killed by the Therizinosaurus, which stabbed the Giga through the neck. With that, the T-rex finally got the revenge it waited 65-million years for to close out Jurassic World Dominion.
When was Giganotosaurus alive? ›Period on Earth. The Giganotosaurus lived during the the early Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 97 million years ago.
What is Giganotosaurus known for? ›Giganotosaurus is known from very fragmentary remains. Taller and longer but slimmer than Tyrannosaurus rex, Giganotosaurus lived millions of years earlier and in South America not North America. Giganotosaurus had 3 fingers on its hands, not 2 like T.
What is the history of Giganotosaurus? ›It lived in the Cretaceous period and inhabited South America. Its fossils have been found in places such as Argentina and Argentina. Quick facts about Giganotosaurus: Existed from 99.6 million years ago to Turonian Age.
What did Giganotosaurus live with? ›Giganotosaurus lived in Argentina alongside giant sauropods such as Limaysaurus and Andesaurus. It's closest relatives were from the same continent, Tyrannotitan and Mapusaurus, and was also closely related to Carcharodontosaurus in Africa. It was a distant relative of Allosaurus from the Jurassic period.
What abilities does a Giganotosaurus have? ›
The Giganotosaurus is an aggressive creature. Due to its rage mechanic, it will become enraged when being attacked, which makes its attacks deal more damage. It also regains stamina faster when enraged. If it builds up too much rage, it may even eat its own rider, right off the saddle!
Who found the first Giganotosaurus? ›Discovery. Giganotosaurus was initially spotted in 1993 by amateur fossil collector Rubén D. Carolini from a tibia jutting out of the stone in the Neuquén province of Patagonia in Argentina.
Who is bigger Giganotosaurus or argentinosaurus? ›The T. rex edged out another super predator that some scientists had once figured was bigger based on the length of its skull, Giganotosaurus, which lived alongside Argentinosaurus in ancient South America. The study estimated Giganotosaurus at about 6 tons, pretty darned big, but just a bit shy of dethroning T.
Is Giganotosaurus bigger than Blue Whale? ›No. The Blue Whale is the largest animal that has ever lived. Larger and heavier than the largest dinosaurs.
Who would win Giga or Spino? ›Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Giganotosaurus and a Spinosaurus? The Giganotosaurus was a powerhouse, and it would take down the Spinosaurus. A Giganotosaurus would win a fight against a Spinosaurus. We can't mistake the large size of the Spinosaurus for the ability to kill another massive dinosaur.
What is the 2 biggest dinosaur? ›| Rank | Dinosaur | Length/Weigh |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Supersaurus | 105-138 ft / 35-40 tons |
| 2 | Maraapunisaurus | 99-131 ft / 87-132 tons |
| 3 | Argentinosaurus | 98-115 ft / 72-110 tons |
| 4 | Patagotitan | 102-121 ft / 57-85 tons |
| Nigersaurus Temporal range: Aptian – Albian | |
|---|---|
| Genus: | †Nigersaurus Sereno et al., 1999 |
| Species: | †N. taqueti |
| Binomial name | |
| †Nigersaurus taqueti Sereno et al., 1999 | |
T. rex's genus was slow to grow, review finds. Tyrannosaurus rex may have towered over its Cretaceous competition, but for their first 80 million years, most tyrannosaur species were small-timers—no bigger than humans, researchers say.
What animal weighs 70 tons? ›That would be the finback or fin whale! Named for its prominent dorsal fin two thirds of the way back on its body, fin whales can grow to 80 feet (24 meters) in length and weigh up to 70 tons (63 tonnes).
What was the biggest water dinosaur? ›The largest animal that could informally be considered a “water dinosaur” in history was the Shonisaurus sikanniensis. Alive during the late Triassic period, approximately 227 to 237 million years ago, this giant marine reptile was 69 feet long. Shonisaurus sikanniensis was a species of ichthyosaur.
What is the largest animal that ever lived? ›
Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant.