# Carnotaurus (*Carnotaurus sastrei*)

Carnotaurus was a prehistoric dinosaur known for its distinctive features. Scientists study its bones to learn about how dinosaurs lived.

- **Category:** [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/ancient)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mesozoic forests and floodplains

![Carnotaurus](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424348/objects/5762.jpg)

## Appearance

The Carnotaurus has two prominent bony horns above its eyes, giving it a bull-like appearance. Its deep, blunt skull sits on a muscular neck. Its body was likely covered in scaly skin, and its arms were remarkably short and vestigial.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia

## Interesting facts

- Carnotaurus had the shortest arms of any large predatory dinosaur, even smaller than T-Rex's!
- Fossil skin impressions show it had bumpy, scaly skin, not feathers, like a giant lizard!
- It lived in ancient South America, long before humans existed, as a fierce top predator!
- Its name means 'meat-eating bull' because of the unique horns above its eyes!

## Special abilities

- **Head-butting Power:** Carnotaurus can use its thick skull and strong neck muscles to deliver powerful head-butts because of its unique horned forehead.
- **Sprint Speed:** Carnotaurus can run very fast because of its muscular legs and lightweight body, helping them pursue agile prey.
- **Textured Camouflage:** Carnotaurus had bumpy, scaly skin that helped them blend into ancient forest and floodplain habitats for ambush hunting.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 7.5-9 m
- **Weight:** 1300-2100 kg
- **Era:** Ancient
- **Extinct Millions Years Ago:** 70

## Diet & Feeding

A swift and powerful hunter, Carnotaurus ate other dinosaurs.

- **Primary Foods:** Medium-sized ornithopods, Juvenile titanosaurs, Smaller crocodylomorphs, Other dinosaurs
- **Foraging Method:** Pursuit

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** Gasparinisaura (*Gasparinisaura cincosaltensis*) — Fast-moving prey in open floodplains.
- **Hunts:** Saltasaurus (*Saltasaurus loricatus*) — Preyed on young or weak sauropods.
- **Hunts:** Notosuchus (*Notosuchus terrestris*) — Opportunistically targeted smaller crocodylomorphs.

## Traits

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient): Ancient refers to organisms, objects, or geological formations that have existed for an extremely long period.
- [Artifact](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/artifact): An artifact is an object made or modified by human culture, typically of historical or archaeological interest.
- [Fossil](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fossil): A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of an ancient organism embedded in rock or other geological deposits.

## Collections

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/ancient)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

While extremely dangerous in their time, this creature is now extinct.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Carnotaurus?

Compare skull shape, horns, plates, limbs, posture and tail. Museum models and toys can mix features or follow outdated reconstructions. Dinosaur Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Carnotaurus?

7.5-9 m

### How much does Carnotaurus weigh?

1300-2100 kg

### What does Carnotaurus eat?

A swift and powerful hunter, Carnotaurus ate other dinosaurs.

### Where is Carnotaurus usually found?

Mesozoic forests and floodplains

### How does Carnotaurus hunt?

Pursuit

### What geologic era did Carnotaurus live in?

Ancient

### When did Carnotaurus go extinct?

70

## More Ancient

- [Tyrannosaurus rex](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tyrannosaurus-rex) (*Tyrannosaurus rex*)
- [Triceratops](https://www.snappit.app/explore/triceratops) (*Triceratops horridus*)
- [Stegosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stegosaurus) (*Stegosaurus stenops*)
- [Brachiosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brachiosaurus) (*Brachiosaurus altithorax*)

---

Source: [Carnotaurus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/carnotaurus)