Description
Acrocanthosaurus was a North American Early Cretaceous apex predator that preyed on Sauropods, Ornithopods, and Ankylosaurs. Like Spinosaurus, it features large spines running along its back, giving it a name that translates to 'high-spined lizard'. These spines differ from Spinosaurus in that they likely supported a ridge of muscle, rather than a sail. The spines could have been used to assert dominance and attract mates, or perhaps for body temperature regulation.
Discovery
The first Acrocanthosaurus specimens to be discovered consisted of material from the Antlers Formation in Oklahoma, excavated in the early 1940s. The name 'Acrocanthosaurus' was coined in 1950 by J. Willis Stovall and Wann Langston Jr. In the 1990s, Cephis Hall and Sid Love discovered a much more complete specimen which revealed information on the forelimbs, feet, and skull. Hall and Love's discovery was unusual in that it was a major dinosaur find, excavated by amateurs, independent from any academic or commercial sponsorship. Initially digging with permission, Hall and Love were taken to court once the company who owned the land found out how valuable the specimen was.
Paleoecology
A large predator like Acrocanthosaurus likely inhabited multiple types of environment in its life. Areas where Acrocanthosaurus fossils have been discovered are believed to have been, at the time, coastal areas and floodplains.
Cohabitation Preferences