Australovenator wintonensis is a theropod dinosaur that belongs to the allosaur group and lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 110 to 105 million years ago. It was discovered in the Winton Formation in Queensland, Australia. This bipedal carnivore is known to be one of the largest theropods found in Australia and is of interest among paleontologists due to its role in understanding the Cretaceous dinosaur fauna of the Australian continent.
Australovenator wintonensis possessed typical allosaur characteristics, such as an elongated head with sharp, curved teeth, adapted for tearing flesh. It is estimated that it reached lengths of around 6 meters, which places it in the category of medium-sized carnivorous dinosaurs.
His name, "Australovenator", means "southern hunter", reflecting his geographical origin in southern Australia. The specific epithet, "wintonensis", refers to the Winton Formation where the fossils were discovered. The Winton Formation is known for preserving a rich diversity of fossils, including dinosaur bones and other remains of the fauna and flora of the time.
Although relatively few fossils of Australovenator wintonensis are known, the remains found provide valuable information about the anatomy and behavior of this predatory dinosaur.
Approximate measurements of the Australovenator:
- Scale 1:57 Complete
- Length 92 mm
- Height 32 mm
- Snout-tail length 105 mm
- Scale 1:35 (Australovenator in 2 pieces)
- Length 150 mm
- Height 51 mm
- Snout-tail length 170 mm
- Scale 1:20 (Australovenator in 2 pieces)
- Length 262mm
- Height 89 mm
- Snout-tail length 296 mm
