Pronunciation: tie-RAN-o-TIE-tan
Meaning: Giant Tyrant
Author/s: Novas et al. (2005)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Chubut, Argentina
Discovery Chart Position: #572
Tyrannotitan chubutensis
Seven years before it was added to the roll call of dinosaurs, Tyrannotitan fossils were discussed in a review of
"Middle" Cretaceous theropods from Chubut by Tom Rich and colleagues, who identified them as the property of a possible spinosaurid, though they were still in the ground at the time. After excavation, preparation, deliberation and cogitation, Tyrannotitan was recognised as a carcharodontosaurid and officially christened in 2005. Then an ever so brief description announced that its teeth were less blade-like than its relatives, it had powerful shoulders but tiny arms, and its hips were solid, heavy and lacking air spaces (pneumaticity).
Little of the neck and only two vertebrae of the tail are known, and its back is missing vertebrae too, so the total length of the beast is unknown. However, its compareable parts suggest the "giant tyrant" wasn't as giant as fellow carcharodontosaurids Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus and probably no bigger than Carcharodontosaurus and Acrocanthosaurus. We're beginning to think the name wasn't properly thought through.
Little of the neck and only two vertebrae of the tail are known, and its back is missing vertebrae too, so the total length of the beast is unknown. However, its compareable parts suggest the "giant tyrant" wasn't as giant as fellow carcharodontosaurids Giganotosaurus and Mapusaurus and probably no bigger than Carcharodontosaurus and Acrocanthosaurus. We're beginning to think the name wasn't properly thought through.
(Giant Tyrant from Chubut)Etymology
Tyrannotitan is derived from the Greek "tyrannos" (tyrant) and "titan" (giant). The species epithet,
chubutensis, means "from Chubut" in Latin.
Discovery
The remains of Tyrannotitan were discovered in the Cerro Castaño Member of the Cerro Barcino (aka Gorro Frigio) Formation at La Juanita Farm, 28 kilometres northeast of Paso de Indios, Chubut Province, Argentina, in 1994. The holotype (MPEF-PV 1156) consists of two lower jaw bones, two teeth, ten back vertebrae, one tail vertebra, ribs and chevrons, the left shoulder girdle, a partial right arm, a left forearm bone, a partial pelvis, both thighs, the left calf and a metatarsal.
The paratype (MPEF-PV 1157), found 1km from the holotype and approximately 7% bigger, includes two right "cheek" bones, a partial right lower jaw bone, two isolated teeth, one neck vertebra, eight back vertebrae, a block of five partial hip vertebrae, one tail vertebra, rib fragments, a right thigh, one metatarsal and some toe bones.
Referred material (MPEF-PV 10821) consists of nineteen isolated teeth.
