Was Saurophaganax A Sauropod Specialist?

[@Benglavosaurus]

Saurophaganax itself is a sauropod now 😂😂

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@Benglavosaurus the news is crazy if true. Still there was an animal as big as Saurophaganax maybe it just was a giant allosaurus as originally thought

[@lordcooler8160]

@@PrehistoricMagazineI wonder if it’s an Allosaurus then would it be just a really large Allosaurus Fragillis individual or at the very least a different species of Allosaurus. Also wonder how Epanterias fits into this mystery

[@tamaltarudey8912]

Short answer: Yes The mid caudal chevrons are similar in appearance to Tarbosaurus baatar, Tyrannotitan chubutensis. The fourth trochanter of its femur is poorly developed and indicates that it wasn't very cursorial. Also the Kenton quarry of Oklahoma had yielded a considerable amount of Apatosaurus ajax remains, unearthed by Stovall, with some specimens approaching 25 to 30 tonnes. The presence of a large elephant sized predatory theropod dinosaur is necessary to regulate the population dynamics and ecological stability in that particular area as it wasn't cursorial enough to chase down smaller herbivores such as Camptosaurus and Dryosaurus. Although Saurophaganax maximus would have preferred smaller and weaker individuals. It's also possible that a mob of Saurophaganax maximus attacked a large but weakened adult sauropod injured by battling a rival over breeding rights with bites and claw slashes, further weakening the already injured animal for a comparatively easier kill. Feel free to share your opinion about my Point of View. Also Tarbosaurus and Tyrannotitan were also living alongside sauropods and likely preying on them so it would also make sense for Saurophaganax maximus to be an equivalent in that way.

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@tamaltarudey8912 What a wonderful comment. Thx for taking the time to write such a detailed response. Love your thinking here. Mike

[@aleague23]

Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus, Meraxes were also sauropod specialists not just Tyrannotitan & Tarbosaurus

[@tommothomas9844]

Love this channel. Thank you and keep up the awesome work 🙏💪

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@tommothomas9844 Thank you for the beautiful comment. Greatly appreciate it. Mike

[@teosworld5001]

Fascinating animal. Do we have any status on the upcoming paper regarding the saurophaganax size estimate?

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@teosworld5001 nothing yet that I’m aware of. Thx, Mike

[@011keepers]

I thought somewhere I have read that there is a formula for predator to prey size. Normally the prey is smaller than the predator. There at least to my knowledge no HIPPO, ELEPHANT, or CAPE BUFFALO specialist predator. Once the prey gets so many times bigger than the prey they are off the menu

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@011keepers point well taken. Mike

[@v.i.p.vlogsstr3884]

saurophganax and carcharosaurid excel at hunting sauropods with sharp teeth for sliceing and dicing however there is arcocanthosaurus and saurophganax Have large claws in addition to the sharp teeth thus they are exception , saurophganax is the first sauropod specialist although will not attak fullgrown sauropod on theropod will the risk out wight the benefit .

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@v.i.p.vlogsstr3884 Appreciate the detailed response. Mike

[@Phoenixraptor-xo7wg]

I think it’s possible that Saurophaganax could have used its claws to grapple the Sauropod while using its jaws to sever arteries and rip/tear flesh

[@Alberad08]

Maybe, rather than to jump, he would be able to klimb onto his victim's back, whilst using those claws? Another thought: given their superior breathing system, 'birds' are definitely more athletic than mammals. I could also think that those claws were especially meant to puncture the blood vessels in a sauropod's neck, but then he just would have had to come from the front - and by this also being able to evade the sauropod's main weapon, it's devastating tail.

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@Alberad08 Great insight. You make some very good points. Mike

[@aleague23]

No theropod above 2 tonnes can't jump

[@Bananajuicefr]

I do think sauropods were on their diet but i dont think they will attack a fully grown sauropod i think they would attack the young or the sick BUT i think they would have hunted in loose packs not coordinated more like meet ups and then hunted i have this theory bc of the mapusaurus fossil being found all in a close area

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@Bananajuicefr Good points. Mike

[@Shafi756]

These talks are true for Epanterias which is 4 tons

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@Shafi756 I need to do a vid on epanterias . Thx, Mike

[@Shafi756]

@@PrehistoricMagazine u idio u think a Spinosaurus is a sauropod specialist 🤣

[@aleague23]

So you are saying Spinosaurus was a sauropod specialist

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@aleague23 you never know lol that’d be massive news though or at least massive clickbait lol

[@janpaulgarde8639]

Maybe they specialize in juvenile sauropods

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@janpaulgarde8639 probably. Mike

[@shughes108]

My thought on it very easy could have been a sauropods specialists I think sauropods where strong but once there hit in the neck there done just my thoughts think about lions grabbing necks sauropods have giant necks with all those arteries and veins plus wind pipe be punched just my thoughts I also think saurphaganax went on to become acro

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@shughes108 Interesting thoughts. Thx, Mike

[@Shafi756]

Cuz Epanterias is 4.2 tonnes, Saurophaganax is 5.3-8.3 tonnes

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@Shafi756 I guess we still need to find out if it was its own genus. Be amazing if it was, it’d be another large predator walking around the Jurassic . Mike

[@Omarcomics911]

first ❤

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

Nice. Appreciate you. Any thoughts if snax was a sauropod specialist? Mike

[@Rayaan_stuff]

Turns out saurophaganax wasnt a sauropod specialist, but a sauropod itself!

[@Annie1962]

I will be honest - this vid is just a talking head ie you. I don't even know what Saurophaganax looks like . Why not post pics of it in your vid?

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

@@Annie1962 I definitely hear what you’re saying. My problem is I barely have time to film in front of my green screen with a full time job, writing novels at night, and trying to keep my publication Prehistoric Magazine going. I definitely hear what you’re saying though. Thx for the support, Mike

[@VinchenzoC]

I would compare it to lions jumping on the back of a giraffe rather than an elephant and could see that.

[@PrehistoricMagazine]

Great imagery. Mike