Majungasaurus: The ‘Cannibal’ Dinosaur
Paleontologists have unearthed a unique species of dinosaur known as Majungasaurus. Unique to Madagascar, Majungasaurus is believed to have grown up to 23 feet in length and weighed around 2 tons.
It is believed to have lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, between 66 to 67 million years ago. Majungasaurus, like Abelisaurus and Masiakasaurus, is classified as an abelisaur, a type of carnivorous theropod.
Throughout the years there has been a great deal of discussion surrounding Majungasaurus’ eating habits. Its name, Majungasaurus, is actually derived from the town of Mahajanga, Madagascar, and the Latin word for ‘lizard’.
Unique Predators
Majungasaurus was an extremely powerful predatory dinosaur. Though they would hunt smaller animals, they are believed to have been cannibalistic. This interesting and unique theory emerged from the discovery of numerous Majungasaurus bones with tooth marks and gouge marks of Majungasaurus teeth on them.
This kind of behaviour is fairly rare in the fossil record. In addition, the fact that Majungasaurus have been found with other Majungasaurus bones suggests that the dinosaur was not only a carnivore but a scavenger as well.
Odd Appearance
Despite being a carnivore, Majungasaurus had some very odd features. It had a long, thick neck, an S-shaped jaw, small but sharp teeth and a large spine extending from the neck.
Furthermore, its tail was large, almost as long as its body and was equipped with a caudal fin to help it move faster through the water. It had two strong legs, three fingers and small arms.
Majungasaurus also had a thick hide and horns on its skull. This makes it look almost more like a rhino or a triceratops than a typical theropod dinosaur.
Similar Species
Majungasaurus shares many features with its cousin, Masiakasaurus. Both species have short arms and long, slender necks. Further similarities include the large spine located at the base of its neck and the horns on its skull.
These features are also shared with Abelisaurus, another similar species of dinosaur. However, Majungasaurus has one unique resemblance to these two species that sets it apart – its tail.
The tail of Majungasaurus was thick and much longer than other similar species of dinosaur. This could suggest that Majungasaurus was better suited for swimming than its cousins.
Fossilized Remains
Majungasaurus has been well documented. Not only were the dinosaur’s remains found in abundance, but they were also remarkably well preserved.
The first fossil remains of Majungasaurus were discovered in 1935. Since then numerous more fossil remains have been unearthed from the same region.
These fossils have provided paleontologists with significant insight into the creature’s behavior, eating habits and physical features. The majority of these fossilized remains have been found in the Mahajanga Basin, a region of central Madagascar.
What Can We Learn?
By studying Majungasaurus it is possible to gain insight into how certain species of dinosaurs evolved over time. We can also use the findings to better understand the environment Majungasaurus inhabited and how it interacted with other animals in the region.
We can also obtain better understanding of the development of dinosaurs in general, as Majungasaurus was a rather strange species, with features more in line with modern animals like rhinoceroses than other theropods.
In conclusion, Majungasaurus is an extremely interesting dinosaur with many unique features that have allowed us to uncover numerous new aspects about their behavior and the environment in which they lived.