Carnosauria

Live reconstruction of Allosaurus

  • Worldwide

Carnosauria (Latin: Meat lizards ) refers to a group of theropods in the Dinosauria systematics.

The term was originally introduced by the German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene, virtually united all previously known large theropod as well as some currently counted among the prosauropods dinosaurs in this group. For a long time the Carnosauria were recognized as monophyletic lineage and extended by many new types of especially large breed theropods; for the prosauropods were removed from the Carnosauriern. Even in the 1980s were found in this group, the families Megalosauridae, Allosauridae and Tyrannosauridae.

Whereas as a few years ago all the major meat -eating dinosaur then assigned the Carnosauria, was discovered in recent times more and more differences between the individual representatives who necessitated a reassessment of Carnosauria. So the family Tyrannosauridae is today counted among the Coelurosauria. The summary of Megalosaurier and Allosauriden ( Allosauroidea ) in a monophyletic group is controversial and is not accepted by most experts. Therefore, a new definition of the group was created recently, after Carnosauria includes all those theropods that are closely related to Allosaurus than with the birds. Currently, thus belonging to this group the Allosauroidea ( Allosauridae, Sinraptoridae and Carcharodontosauridae ) and probably some basal genera.

Lower taxa

After Weishampel, DB, P. Dodson, H. Osmólska, eds. 2004: The Dinosauria.

166360
de