Afrovenator facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AfrovenatorTemporal range: Middle Jurassic
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Afrovenator
Sereno et al., 1994
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Afrovenator was a large, meat-eating dinosaur that lived in northern Africa a long time ago. Its name means "African hunter." This dinosaur was a theropod, which means it walked on two legs and had sharp teeth, just like its famous cousin, the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Fossils of Afrovenator were found in the Sahara desert in Niger. This discovery was very exciting because it was one of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever found in Africa!
Contents
What Was Afrovenator?
Afrovenator was a type of theropod dinosaur. Theropods are a group of dinosaurs that mostly ate meat and walked on two legs. Afrovenator was part of a family called Megalosaurs. These dinosaurs were known for being powerful predators.
When Did Afrovenator Live?
Afrovenator lived during the Middle Jurassic period. This was about 165 million years ago! The Jurassic period was a time when many different kinds of dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
Where Was Afrovenator Found?
The only known fossils of Afrovenator were discovered in 1993. They were found in a place called Abaka, in the country of Niger. This area is in the southern part of the vast Sahara desert. Finding such a complete dinosaur skeleton in Africa was a big deal for scientists.
What Did Afrovenator Look Like?
Afrovenator was a bipedal predator, meaning it walked on two legs. It had long, blade-like teeth that were perfect for tearing meat. Scientists can learn a lot about what a dinosaur looked like and how it lived by studying its bones.
Images for kids
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Afrovenator skeleton
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Skeletal diagram of known material
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Reconstructed skull
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Afrovenator skull in front view.
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Life restoration
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See also
In Spanish: Afrovenator abakensis para niños
