Australovenator is a relatively recently named Neovenatorid a family of the Allosauroids known from across the world. Australovenator itself is from Australia, also ranging over what is now a separated Antarctica. It reached about 5-6 meters in length, and 500 to 1000 kilograms in weight. Australovenator, means, 'Southern Hunter'. Originally this Dinosaur was dubbed, 'the Polar Allosaur', because initially it seemed to be from the Allosauridae. Even so, a Palaeontologist specialised in studying ankle bones, one of the few rare pieces of skeletal evidence we do have for this Dinosaur, highlighted the bones are suitably different from true Allosaurs as so to group them in a very closely related, but still different family - the Neovenatorids. At the same time Neovenator lived in Britain, and Afrovenator lived in Africa, this was the Australian answer, for this advanced Cretaceous line that actually began to themselves decline as had the true Allosaurs and Megalosaurs, in the face of competition from newer predators, such as the bigger, more deadly Tyrannosaurus.
Walking With Dinosaurs
Australovenator, named the 'Dwarf Allosaur', as it was in the show
Australovenator featured in the fifth episode of Walking with Dinosaurs - Spirits of the Ice Forest. It attempted to kill one of the Leaellynasaura, but failed the first time. Nevertheless, a male Australovenator is later explained to have brought down an old Muttaburrasaurus along the riverside. A female Australovenator is then seen to scavenge flesh from the kill of the male Australovenator, but there is rivalry between them, with the male driving the female away. Then it has to find other food to survive. Eventually, an Australovenator killed the lead Leallynasaura but the others escaped (it is unknown if this was the female Australovenator or the male, or another altogether, though is probably one of those shown before from the same general area.
Australovenator was 5 metres long, likely weighing in at 500 kg-750 kg, or at most a tonne in the very largest. They are said to be 'summer migrants from warmer lands to the north', referring to what is now Australia. it is about 93 million years old.
Specials
Australovenator doesn't appear in any specials.
Trivia
- Australovenator was called the 'Polar Allosaur' on the show, due to the fact the species hadn't been named at the time.