Afrovenator abakensis

†Afrovenator abakensis was a megalosaurid theropod from the Middle Jurassic (~167 Ma) of Niger. An 8-9m carnivore, it was named by Sereno et al. in 1994 from an almost complete skeleton found in the Tiourarén Formation. The species name refers to the Tuareg word 'abaka' (master). It is the most complete Jurassic theropod known from Africa.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Afrovenator abakensis was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Afrovenator abakensis lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.