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 novasi is a large abelisaurid with a relatively large head and robust limbs, the only known specimen being between 7 to 8 m (23 to 26 ft) in length,[3] some suggested that this specimen actually represented the largest abelisaurid yet known at 10 to 11 m (33 to 36 ft) in length, comfortably surpassing the type of Carnotaurus,[4] however, it was later noted by other researchers that this estimate was based only on the absolute size of the skull, ignoring that limb bone comparisons clearly show Carnotaurus was larger, thus Carnotaurus was larger than Ekrixinatosaurus but with a proportionally smaller head.

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.