Neovenator

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neovenator
Fossil range: Early Cretaceous

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Superfamily:	Allosauroidea
Family:	Carcharodontosauridae?
Genus:	Neovenator Hutt Martill & Barker, 1996

Species

N. salerii Hutt, Martill, & Barker, 1996 (type)

Since its discovery on the Isle of Wight, UK, Neovenator ("New-Hunter") has become one of the best-known large carnivorous dinosaurs in Europe. It was at first considered possibly a new species of Megalosaurus. It measured approximately 7.5 meters in length, and was of a gracile build. It lived during the Barremian stage of the Cretaceous Period.

[edit] Discovery and species

The first bones of the type species were discovered in 1978, in the chalk cliffs of southwest Isle of Wight. It was much later (1996) that more bones from this specimen were found. Excavations have so far revealed approximately 70% of the skeleton.

At the time that it was described, by Hutt, Martill and Barker in 1996, it was the only known allosaurid in Europe. It is currently considered to be closely related to Allosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus and Giganotosaurus.

[edit] In popular culture

A life-sized, animatronic model of the animal is on display at the Dinosaur Isle attraction in the Isle of Wight. It was the first animatronic dinosaur in Britain.