The “One Who Causes Fear” – Extremely Powerful New Meat-Eating Predator Discovered

Newly discovered T. rex lookalike with an unusual skull terrorized Patagonia 80 million years ago

Anti-aristarchus writes:

Patagonia, the fine article is from CNN, kinda South of the Border.

(CNN)Paleontologists in Argentina have identified a previously unknown species of dinosaur that would have used its huge claws, powerful bite and keen sense of hearing to hunt prey in Patagonia 80 million years ago.
The fossilized remains of Llukalkan aliocranianus include a superbly preserved and uncrushed braincase and were unearthed in the Bajo de la Carpa Formation in Argentina. Llukalkan means "the one who causes fear" in the language of the indigenous Mapuche, and aliocranianus is Latin for "unusual skull."

The One Who Causes Fear" - Extremely Powerful New Meat-Eating Predator Discovered

upstart writes in with an IRC submission:

The One Who Causes Fear" - Extremely Powerful New Meat-Eating Predator Discovered:

[...] Around 80 million years ago as tyrannosaurs ruled the Northern Hemisphere, this lookalike was one of 10 currently known species of abelisaurids flourishing in the southern continents.

A fearsome killer, Llukalkan was likely among the top predators" throughout Patagonia, now in Argentina, during the Late Cretaceous due to its formidable size (up to five meters long), extremely powerful bite, very sharp teeth, huge claws in their feet and their keen sense of smell.

Journal Reference:
Federico A. Gianechini, Ariel H. Mendez, Leonardo S. Filippi, et al. A New Furileusaurian Abelisaurid from La Invernada (Upper Cretaceous, Santonian, Bajo De La Carpa Formation), Northern Patagonia, Argentina, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2020.1877151)

Original Submission #1 Original Submission #2

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