Re: Giganotosaurus and Epanterias

[tlford@ix.netcom.com (Tracy Ford )]

Tom Holtz wrote:

>Lawrence Dunn wrote:
>>
>> 1) Was Giganotosaurus an "overgrown" Allosaur like
>> Carcharodontosaurus, with the same slender, slashing teeth and
>> large, long-clawed forearms?  Or was it more like a Tyrannosaurid,
>> with an apparently crushing, trauma-inducing bite and vestigial
>> forelimbs?  How do we say which of the supercarnivores was "the
>> largest" when our evidence is the remains of a few carcasses which
>> are, in fact, substantially similar in size?  Was Giganotosaurus as
>> pea-brained as Carcharodontosaurus?
>
>Giganotosaurus seems to be very closely related to Carcharodontosaurus 

Yes

>and Acrocanthosaurus.

NO!!!

>a bigass allosaurid.

Maybe?

>The teeth in particular are Carcharodontosaurus-like.

No, Carcharadontosaurus and Giganotosaurus are NOT, not similiar to 
Acrocanthosaurus (according to Phil Currie, whom he and I had a nice 
talk), its jus superfical.

Carcharadontosaurus and Giganotosaurus were large, short necked, short 
forelimbed animals.

>>2) Epanterias or not?  'Nuff said.
>
>Not.
>
> The allosaurid part of the Epanterias hypodigm is indistinguishable
> from either Allosaurus proper or Saurophaganax.  The latter seems to
> be the valid name for the tyrannosaur-sized allosaurid from the
> Morrison.

Ala Dan Chure and Jim Madsen jr? I think they have a paper in the 
Morrison Volume that the GSA will shortly produce, of course I could be 
wrong. I know Dan's been working on Saurophagus (he showed me the 
material and WOW!!! What an animal, the largest claw fit around Dan's 
waist!) I also know Dan and ? will have and article about a 
Saurophagus/Saurophanganax from the Morrison of New Mexico for the 
Jurassic symposium this fall. Can't wait.

Tracy