Australovenator wintonensis
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Published: July 29, 2012
© 2012 - 2020 Teratophoneus
Australovenator is a big carnivorous dinosaur from australia and beside muttaburrasaurus probabl australias most popular dinosaur. This ferocious hunter belongs to the neovenatoridae, a subfamily of the Allosauroids. Neovenatorids have another subgroup called Megaraptora, dinosaurs with huge handclaws, and Australovenator was a member of this subgroup. Australovenator had huge thumb claws, they were used for ripping its prey apart . It is one of Australias biggest predators, only the elusive rapator and undescribed material from a dinosaur called the ridge ripper indicate that even bigger theropods once roamed australia.
The head was restored after this pic [link] made by 2195Razielim [link]
The head was restored after this pic [link] made by 2195Razielim [link]
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"...huge thumb claws, they were used for ripping its prey apart."
Uhh...I feel rather doubtful on that. Wouldn't it make more sense to kill/dismember with the jaws/teeth (they tend to be the main killing apparatuses of theropods, and Australovenator's teeth seem perfectly adapted to slice, lacerate, tear, and dismember)? I'm sort of skeptical of the manual unguals being the actual main killing tools, even if they're particularly large and are portions of some pretty strong, beefy forelimbs (although I will say this: if they managed to puncture a vital area such as a lung, heart, or throat, it will undeniably be life threatening/fatal).
Edit: I just remembered Australovenator is a megaraptoran which apparently have (or at least what I've read for Megaraptor) sharp ventral edges on their claws (or at least the digit I manual ungual). I'll concede that they'll be better at cutting/lacerating, although I'm still skeptical of them being THE main killing tools.
Uhh...I feel rather doubtful on that. Wouldn't it make more sense to kill/dismember with the jaws/teeth (they tend to be the main killing apparatuses of theropods, and Australovenator's teeth seem perfectly adapted to slice, lacerate, tear, and dismember)? I'm sort of skeptical of the manual unguals being the actual main killing tools, even if they're particularly large and are portions of some pretty strong, beefy forelimbs (although I will say this: if they managed to puncture a vital area such as a lung, heart, or throat, it will undeniably be life threatening/fatal).
Edit: I just remembered Australovenator is a megaraptoran which apparently have (or at least what I've read for Megaraptor) sharp ventral edges on their claws (or at least the digit I manual ungual). I'll concede that they'll be better at cutting/lacerating, although I'm still skeptical of them being THE main killing tools.
YemaYemaProfessional General Artist
I totally agree with this opinion (though I know it was written a long time ago). Just started researching to make my own Australovenator reconstruction and found myself skeptical of exactly the same. Besides the shape of the claws alone, considering the length of both neck (of which afaik we have no material) and legs, using the forelimbs as primary attack weapon could expose the neck to a lot of injuries from kicking prey IMO. I'm trying to think of any animal that attacks or reaches out for something using its forelimbs that also has a neck reaching longer than the forelimbs and I can't think of any. I personally believe Australovenator used its forelimbs to aid gripping prey after or while it was bitten. Could also have been used to tear open carcasses or as defense but ''ripping prey apart'' sounds like sensationalism to me.
That's a good point. Although, I don't know what prey animals Australovenator lived with that were likely to have kicked out in defense.
YemaYemaProfessional General Artist
Well apparently the Winton formation where it was found also contains unidentified hypsilophodonts and ankylosaurids. But most prey will still struggle, regardless of shape, all have defensive moves and if they don't kick then they bite or tail-lash or have spikes or something that could easily reach the Australovenator's throat.
Can you do Rapator ornitholestoides?
yes.
I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD HAVE THIS PICTURE IN A BOOK OF DINOSAURS I'M CREATING, ALONG WITH A FEW OTHERS?
If you mention somewhere that the pic is from me, I have no problem with that 
Thanks heaps!
2195RazielimHobbyist Photographer
evolution in progress the tiny claw looks like its dispiriting
Australovenator is a Neovenatorid theropod , not a tyrannosaur, Neovenatorids belong to the allosauroid and therefore to the carnosaurs, while tyrannosaurs are more closely related to coelurosaurs
Actually, recently a phylogenetic study has found that Megaraptorans (the group Australovenator is placed in) could possibly be basal Tyrannosaurids. So while Torvus here was mis-guided, he could inadvertantly be correct.
absolut greyhound
InfiniteNosferatuHobbyist Traditional Artist
YOU ARE MY FAVOURITE PERSON IN THE WORLD!!!!! I've been searching and contacting several people to find out about this dinosaur!! I LOVE YOU!!! 
hehe thanks 
awsome
dinosaurusbrazilHobbyist Traditional Artist
One of my favourites dinos (but megaraptor wins)
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