Jurassic Dinos editorial · Updated · Source-based review
What was Lourinhanosaurus?
Lourinhanosaurus was a predatory theropod from Late Jurassic Portugal. Its name refers to the Lourinhã region, famous for dinosaur discoveries. It should not be confused with Lourinhasaurus, a similarly named long-necked plant eater.
What makes the fossil distinctive?
The principal partial skeleton preserves vertebrae, pelvic bones and hind-limb material. These bones establish much of the animal’s identity, while missing regions make a complete restoration partly comparative. Its precise position among larger theropods has been debated.
Where was it found and how was it named?
The original remains were found in 1982 and formally described in 1998. Fossils are associated with the Lourinhã Formation and local museum research. The species name honours Portuguese palaeontologist Miguel Telles Antunes.
What can we infer, and what remains uncertain?
The region also preserves other large predators, but living in the same formation does not prove direct encounters or particular battles. Sedimentary formations can cover long periods and multiple environments. Comparing Lourinhanosaurus with Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus and Torvosaurus is most useful for anatomy and ecosystem diversity, while imagined combat belongs to fiction.
Is Lourinhanosaurus the same as Lourinhasaurus?
No. Lourinhanosaurus was a predatory theropod; Lourinhasaurus was a long-necked sauropod herbivore.
How can you check the evidence?
The Paleobiology Database record catalogues Lourinhanosaurus under Coelurosauria. Its linked bibliography identifies this research starting point: O. Mateus. 1998. Lourinhanosaurus antunesi, a new Upper Jurassic allosauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from Lourinhã, Portugal. Memórias da Academia de Ciências de Lisboa 37:111-124. Open the bibliographic record. A catalogue entry establishes the source trail; it does not independently verify every later illustration or behavioural claim.
Use the dated genus overview to follow the references behind the discovery and anatomy discussed above. When sources disagree, compare which specimen and rock layer each author studied. A reconstructed whole animal can combine original bones with comparisons to relatives; those two kinds of evidence should not be confused. The account above explains the particular limits that matter for Lourinhanosaurus, rather than supplying unsupported size, speed or lifespan figures.
Read the image and keep exploring
The Lourinhanosaurus mount combines the known body skeleton with restored regions, including a reconstructed head. A displayed specimen or skeletal mount can include restored parts. Its appearance should be read alongside the original specimen description.
Compare Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus. Find more names in the L index and explore theropod field notes. The glossary explains unfamiliar fossil terms.
Quick answers
- Where have Lourinhanosaurus fossils been found?
- The discoveries discussed here come from Portugal. Modern place names describe discovery locations, not a complete ancient geographic range.
- When did Lourinhanosaurus live?
- It is placed in the Jurassic period. See the discovery discussion for qualifications about the particular rock layers and dating.
- Where can I compare Lourinhanosaurus with related dinosaurs?
- Follow the related field notes below. Comparisons explain shared anatomy; they do not imply that all the animals lived together.
