Dynamoterror (meaning powerful terror) is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod from the Late Cretaceous Menefee Formation of New Mexico. Along with Lythronax, it is one of the oldest tyrannosaurids known. The type and only species is Dynamoterror dynastes.
Etymology[]
Its name originates from "Dynamosaurus", an old name that was originally applied to a chimera of Tyrannosaurus rex, a nodosaurid, and a few other herbivore remains that had been found together and described as one animal in 1905, but was later found to be synonymous with T. rex. The generic name is a combination of the Greek word "dynamis", which translates to power, and terror, while the specific name comes from the Latin word for ruler, "dynastes", put all together gives the meaning "Powerful Terror Ruler".
Discovery[]
The holotype (LACM 23845) of Dynamoterror was discovered in 2012 at the Menefee Formation in New Mexico during an expedition by Andrew McDonald and others, where they found partial remains, after few more expeditions in the from 2013 to 2018, the Holotype was described and named in a paper in 2018 by McDonald and colleagues.
Description[]
The holotype is estimated at 9 meters (30 feet). The right frontal possesses a slight swelling posterior to the nasal, prefrontonasal, and prefrontolacrimal. The sagittal crest is also prominent. The caudal part of the postorbital suture is subrectangular and slightly concave. One of the fragments is known to be part of the centrum of a middle caudal vertebra.
Classification[]
It is classified as a member of tyrannosauridae. Its sister taxon is Teratophoneus and Lythronax.
Paleoecology[]
It lived with Invictarx, which was a ankylosaur that was contemporary with.