Dinopedia
Advertisement
Epanterias
Temporal range: Late Jurassic
Epanterias-Brett-Booth
An artist's illustration of Epanterias amplexus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Superorder: Dinosauria
Suborder: Theropoda
Family: Allosauridae
Genus: Epanterias
Cope, 1878
Species: E. amplexus
Binomial name
Epanterias amplexus
Cope, 1878
Synonyms

Epanterias amplexus (probabably synonymous with Saurophaganax or Allosaurus?) was probably the largest known theropod species of the Jurassic Period. The species lived at North America. Epanterias likely hunted larger prey animals unlike several other theropod species at the Jurassic and was considerably bigger than Allosaurus and Torvosaurus. It is likely to be synonymous to Saurophaganax, assuming that Saurophaganax is of a valid separate genus to Allosaurus. It would be near impossible that 4 (Ceratosaurus, Torvosaurus, Allosaurus, Saurophaganax) and much less, 5 large carnivores lived in the same area, in the same time.

Disputed Validity of Genus[]

The validity of the Epanterias genus is debated, it being so similar to Allosaurus and Saurophaganax (assuming that Saurophaganax is valid) makes many to believe it to be synonymous with them. It may just be a large specimen of Allosaurus Fragilis or just another specimen of Saurophaganax. But for now, Epanterias stays as a genus.

Size[]

Epanterias Skeletal

Epanterias amplexus skeletal recontruction by randomdinos and Alpha8

Epanterias was a huge theropod; approximately 11-13m long and 5-6 tonnes heavy.

Gallery[]

Advertisement