Carnotaurus

Carnotaurus sastrei, whose name translates to "meat-eating bull of Sastre," is the type genus for brachyrostran abelisaurids. It is one of the most well-preserved large theropods ever found. The single known skeleton, MACN-CH 894, was recovered articulated and nearly complete, including significant skin impressions. This holotype is known for its paired bony horns above the eyes and a short, deep skull. Its forelimbs were reduced to vestigial stubs with four fingers and almost no humeral musculature.

Its body plan stands out among large theropods. Carnotaurus had an exceptionally deep ribcage and long, muscular hindlimbs with elongated lower legs. Its stiff tail featured massive attachments for the caudofemoralis muscle, suggesting the animal was built for sprinting. Biomechanical models developed by Mazzetta et al. (2009) and Persons & Currie (2011) suggest that Carnotaurus was a high-speed runner, potentially reaching bursts of 50 km/h.

Preserved skin impressions reveal small polygonal scales covering the body, interspersed with rows of larger, conical features along the flanks. These traits are unique to abelisaurids and likely functioned as display structures.

During the Maastrichtian, Carnotaurus lived in the fluvial floodplains of Patagonia alongside titanosaurs, smaller theropods, and crocodyliforms. Its combination of a short skull, vestigial arms, and legs built for speed has prompted debate about its preferred prey. The skull seems too small for large sauropods, while the animal's overall size was likely too large for small mammals. Additionally, its tiny arms would have been useless for grappling with prey. Most researchers now believe it was a high-speed pursuit predator that targeted medium-sized animals. The brow horns were most likely used for intraspecific display or low-velocity head-pushing contests.

Analysis of the skull's biomechanics suggests Carnotaurus had a relatively weak bite but a very wide gape. This contrasts with the bone-crushing power of tyrannosaurids or the slicing capabilities of carcharodontosaurids.

• MACN-CH 894 — Bonaparte's holotype, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; near-complete skeleton with skin impressions.
• Other abelisaurid material — Aucasaurus, Majungasaurus, Skorpiovenator — closely related.

Forelimb function — vestigial almost beyond utility; some workers (Senter 2011) argue minimal use, others suggest crude grappling or display. Brow horn function — head-pushing combat (Mazzetta et al. 2009) vs display vs both; current consensus: low-velocity intraspecific combat plausible. Maximum running speed — early estimates of ~50 km/h are biomechanically defensible but contested; safer range ~30–48 km/h. Prey size — debated; medium prey most consistent with available evidence.

Carnotaurus gained celebrity status in Disney's Dinosaur (2000), where it played the main antagonist. It later returned in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Dominion (2022). Prehistoric Planet (2022) presented an accurate sprint-specialist reconstruction with ornament-display behaviour.

• theropoda
• giganotosaurus
• tyrannosaurus-rex

• Bonaparte, J. F. (1985). A horned Cretaceous carnosaur from Patagonia. National Geographic Research, 1, 149–151.
• Mazzetta, G. V., et al. (2009). Cranial mechanics and feeding habits of the abelisaurid Carnotaurus sastrei. Lethaia, 42, 73–85.
• Persons, W. S., & Currie, P. J. (2011). Dinosaur speed demon: the caudal musculature of Carnotaurus. PLOS ONE, 6, e25763.
• Hendrickx, C., & Bell, P. R. (2021). The skin of dinosaurs and other archosaurs. Cretaceous Research, 128, 104970.