Victoria’s fossil record has yielded five significant theropod fossils that shed new light on the Cretaceous period. Researchers have identified these bones, which include evidence of carcharodontosaurs and unenlagiines, a diverse group of carnivorous dinosaurs.
The finds are notable for providing the first evidence of these predators in Australia. Carcharodontosaurs, known as “shark-toothed lizards,” were apex predators in South America and Africa but had never been found in Australia until now. The Victorian fossils show that these sharks-toothed lizards were much smaller than their African and South American cousins.
In contrast, unenlagiines, related to Velociraptor, were likely feathered and preyed on fish or small land-dwelling animals. Their snouts were relatively longer, and their arms shorter than those of their Northern Hemisphere counterparts.
Megaraptorids, medium-sized carnivores with scythe-like claws, dominate the Australian fossil record. The new fossils provide evidence for a large megaraptorid in southeast Australia, rivaling its South American relatives in size.
The discovery highlights the importance of Victoria’s fossil record and the ongoing efforts of researchers and citizen scientists like Melissa Lowery from Dinosaur Dreaming, an ongoing volunteer palaeontology project.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/ancient-fossils-reveal-a-surprising-truth-about-australian-dinosaurs