Science/Tech

Remains Of Biggest Carnivorous Dinosaur Found In Europe

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Mar 06, 2014 03:31 PM EST

Researchers in Portugal have discovered a new species of dinosaur that are being considered as largest land predator of any kind ever found in the entire continent. 

According to the experts, the 33-foot-long dinosaur called Torvosaurus gurneyi was scourge of Jurassic Europe. 

"It was indeed better not to cross the way of this large, carnivorous dinosaur," said  paleontologist Christophe Hendrickx, according to Fox News. "Torvosaurus gurneyi was obviously a super predator feeding on large prey like herbivorous dinosaurs."

The remains of the giant species were first unearthed by an amateur fossil hunter in 2003 in rock cliffs near Lisbon, said paleontologists behind the discovery. They added that fossilized embryos possibly belonging to the same species were identified last eyar in Portugal. 

The giant predator roamed Europe 150 million years ago. It weighed massive four to five tons and had a nearly 4-foot-long skull possessing powerful jaws lined with blade-shaped teeth four inches longs. They also might have been covered with an early type of feather, noted researchers. 

This is the second species of genus Torvosaurus. The other species called Torvosaurus tanner which lived nearly the same time in North America were identified back in 1979. 

"This is not the largest predatory dinosaur we know. Tyrannosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Giganotosaurus from the Cretaceous were bigger animals," Hendrickx added in a news release. He referred to predators that appeared on Earth post Jurassic period. 

The recently identified predator is not only the largest known meat-eating dinosaur from Europe but is also the biggest land predator of any kind ever found. 

"This animal, Torvosaurus, was already a fossil for 80 million years before the (Tyrannosaurus rex) ever walked the Earth," added Octávio Mateus, another paleontologist who is also related to the discovery, according to Fox News

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