Epanterias Temporal range: Late Jurassic | |
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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 | |
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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 was a huge theropod; approximately 11-13m long and 5-6 tonnes heavy.