“Giant lizard of the South”
The Giganotosaurus was one of the largest terrestrial carnivores on our planet. Its dagger-shaped sharp teeth and three sharp-clawed legs made perfect hunting weapons. These allowed it to attack large herbivores such as sauropods. It is suggested that it used its teeth to slash wounds in its prey and waited for it to bleed out before eating it, rather than using its jaws to kill. This species was likely also a scavenger. Some discoveries highlight the possibility that it lived in groups or family groups.
Frequently compared to the T-rex due to its similarity, the Giganotosaurus existed over 10 million years before the T-rex and lived on a different continent. But just like the Tyrannosaurus, it was most likely at the top of the food chain.
Many fossils show a similar size between the two species. Although this is still debated, some discovered specimens suggest that certain Giganotosaurus could reach nearly 14 tons, nearly double that of Tyrannosaurus rex.