A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

Credit: Jorge Gonzalez

An illustration shows what Meraxes would have looked like in its natural habitat around 90-95 million years ago.

« A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

Credit: Lautaro Rodriguez Blanco and Javier Pazo

By reconstructing the bones of Meraxes, such as the skull shown above, the researchers can learn more about the anatomy and evolutionary trends of big, meat-eating dinosaurs.

« A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

Credit: Peter Makovicky

Meraxes’ left tibia bone uncovered at the excavation site.

« A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

Credit: Peter Makovicky

Sebastian Apesteguía, co-author of the study and a researcher at Maimónides University in Argentina, excavates skull bones from Meraxes under an overhang.

« A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

Credit: Akiko Shinya

Researchers Juan Canale and Peter Makovicky use a shovel and jackhammer to excavate the site where Meraxes was discovered.

« A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

Credit: Carlos Papolio

Though not the largest in the carcharodontosauridae family, Meraxes measured around 36 feet from snout to tail tip and weighed approximately 9,000 pounds.

« A New Giant Dinosaur Gives Insight Into Why Many Prehistoric Meat-Eaters Had Such Tiny Arms

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