Carnotaurus sastrei. Acrylics and inks on cardboard. Original painting in the collection of John Lanzendorf.

 Carnotaurus is one of the strangest dinosaurs that have come from South America. It belongs to the carnosaur family known as Abelisaurids. Its name comes from the peculiar characteristic of being crowned with thick horns (probably to engage in intraspecific head-butting contests, competing for mates). Carnotaurus The snout is incredibly short, giving it the appearance of a dinosaur bulldog. Although the upper part of the skull seems powerful, the lower maxilla is rather slender and weak. Perhaps the strangest peculiarity of this theropod is the construction of the tiny arms, a robust humerus and incredibly short radius and ulna articulate with a four fingered hand (one of the fingers is a spike that is directed backwards) with palms that seem to have faced outwards! We can iust wonder what was the use of these hands . Extensive skin impressions were found with the skeleton, making this a fairly well known theropod. 

 

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