Cretaceous
Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus sastrei
The catalogue presents Carnotaurus as a carnivore member of Abelisauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 72.1–69.9 Ma. Its estimated range is 7.5–9.0 m in length and 1.35–2.1 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from La Colonia Formation, Argentina. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Carnotaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Bonaparte (1985).
The PBDB places it in Furileusauria, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Abelisauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Abelisauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Maastrichtian.
The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the La Colonia Formation (1). Provenance: Argentina.
The catalogue records the holotype as MACN-CH 894 and the type locality as “La Colonia Formation, Argentina”.
- MACN-CH 894
- La Colonia Formation, Argentina
The catalogue's reference measurements are 7.5–9.0 m in length and 1.35–2.1 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 7.5-9.0 m
- 1.35-2.1 tons
The record gathers 66 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic reconstruction · speculative details
Soft tissues and colours are speculative; the external form is an artistic interpretation.
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Physical Specifications
- Length
- 7.5–9.0 m
- Weight
- 1.35–2.1 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 72.1–69.9 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1985
- Described by
- José Bonaparte
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Abelisauridae
- Genus
- Carnotaurus
- Species
- C. sastrei
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- MACN-CH 894
- Type locality
- La Colonia Formation, Argentina