Allosauroidea

Carcharodontosaurus, an Allosauroid

The Allosauroidea (meaning "Strange Lizard Form") are a group of Carnosaurian theropods. They contain four families, Meatriacanthosauridaes , Allosauria , Neovenatoridae, and Carcharodontosauridae .

The rein of the Allosauroideas was fairly long. They had first appeared in Middle Jurassic China around 170 million years ago and then finally died out with Aerosteon around 70 million years ago (although according to a recent study, Aerosteon was a Tyrannosauroid rather than an Allosauroid). The Allosauroids have been found on every continent except Antarctica.

The most known and popular of the Allosauroida clade is Allosaurus.

Characteristics

General characteristics

The Allosauroids are medium to large dinosaurs. They have long, thin skulls with sideways pointing eyes. They also have relatively short arms with long claws, and they where probably used in battle. They also have a long, stiff tail that acts as a counterbalance while they are running.

The Allosauroideas normally have a ridge above their eyes that sticks out from the side of their head. They also have air sacks to make breathing easier while running. The Allosauroidea have long, thin teeth that are more suited for slicing flesh than actually crushing bone.

Hunting and behavior

We have found many sites where skeletons of many of the same species of Allosauroids have been found, leaving us to believe that they hunted in packs. This would make sense because they could then take on the biggest of prey, Sauropods. They also have fairly weak bites

 too.

A typical allosaurid

Classification

• Metriacanthosauridae ;
• Allosauria:
  • Allosauridae ;
  • Carcharodontosauria:
    • Neovenatoridae ;
    • Carcharodontosauridae

Size comparison of Allosauroidea skulls