Ekrixinatosaurus

Ekrixinatosaurus (Explosion-Born Reptile) is a genus of dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous. It was a theropod believed to be one of the abelisaurs. Its fossils have been found in Argentina. The type species, Ekrixinatosaurus novasi, was first described in 2004 by Argentinian paleontologist Jorge Calvo, and Chilean paleontologists David Rubilar-Rogers and Karen Moreno.[1] It was discovered in the Candeleros Formation, a geologic formation that outcrops in Río Negro, Neuquén, and Mendoza provinces of Argentina. The formation dates from 100-97 mya.[2]

Ekrixinatosaurus is perhaps the largest abelisaurid known to date, estimated as 10 to 11 metres (33 to 36 ft) long. It was also particularly robust and had a relatively large head, suggesting that it was a powerful predator or scavenger, able to scare other predators away from their kills.[3] A new and as yet unnamed Abelisaurid taxon from northwestern Turkana's Lappur Sandstone ( dating to Maastrichtian stage) in Kenya however may surpass it in size, having been estimated to be 11-12 meters in length.

Paleoecology
Ekrixinatosaurus shared it environment with several giant Titanosaurian sauropod Andesaurus and rebbachisaurid sauropods Limaysaurus and Nopcsaspondylus were probably the dominate herbivores in its region. Iguanodont ornithischian remains have reportedly been found there too. Carcharodontosaurid Giganotosaurus was possibly the apex predator. Smaller predators also inhabited the area. These included dromaeosaurid Buitreraptor, alvarezsaurid Alnashetri, and basal coelurosaurian Bicentenaria. The primitive snake Najash lived here as well, along with turtles, fish, frogs, and cladotherian mammals. Pterosaurs also lived in the area.