A fearsome meat-eating killer, the Llukalkan aliocranianus was likely among the top predators throughout Patagonia, now in Argentina, during the late Cretaceous period because of its formidable size, extremely powerful bite, sharp teeth, huge claws and keen sense of smell, according to scientists.
It prowled mainly in patagonia
(now ARgentina) about
80 million years ago.
The Llukalkan aliocranianus had an unusually short, deep skull that often bore crests, bumps and horns.
SOURCE Sciencemag.org; Smithsonianmag.com; USA TODAY research; Illustrations based on Alexander Averianov, reconstruction of Dzharatitanis kingi; Gustavo Monroy-Becerril, reconstruction of Spinosaurus; Getty Images
Contributing Doyle Rice/USA TODAY