Groundbreaking research reveals fossils of the world’s oldest known megaraptorid and the first evidence of carcharodontosaurs in Australia. This discovery reshapes our understanding of theropod dinosaurs and highlights a unique predator hierarchy in Cretaceous Australia.
Researchers led by Museums Victoria Research Institute and Monash University PhD student Jake Kotevski found five theropod fossils along Victoria’s coastline. These fossils, dating back 113-121 million years, were unearthed in the upper Strzelecki Group and the Eumeralla Formation.
The fossils reveal an ancient ecosystem dominated by large megaraptorids (6-7 meters long), smaller carcharodontosaurs (2-4 meters long), and agile, meter-long unenlagiines (southern raptors).
Kotevski stated that the discovery of carcharodontosaurs in Australia is groundbreaking. In South America, carcharodontosaurs reached Tyrannosaurus rex-like sizes, towering over megaraptorids. In Victoria, the roles were reversed, showcasing the unique predator hierarchy of Australia’s Cretaceous ecosystem.
Two of the fossils represent the oldest known megaraptorids globally, expanding our understanding of the group’s evolutionary history and suggesting that Australia’s theropod fauna played a crucial role in Gondwanan ecosystems.
Dr. Thomas Rich from Museums Victoria Research Institute explained that these findings provide evidence of faunal interchange between Australia and South America through Antarctica during the Early Cretaceous, challenging previous assumptions about predator ecosystems.
The research highlights the importance of museum collections and the collaborative efforts of palaeontologists. Fossils preserved for decades are now offering new insights into dinosaur evolution. This discovery also emphasizes the contributions of community members, as Museums Victoria volunteer Melissa Lowery first identified three fossils.
Kotevski and his team continue to explore key fossil sites, aiming to uncover more significant discoveries through the Dinosaur Dreaming project.
Journal Reference:
- Kotevski, J., Duncan, R. J., Ziegler, T., Bevitt, J. J., Vickers-Rich, P., Rich, T. H., … Poropat, S. F. (2025). Evolutionary and paleobiogeographic implications of new carcharodontosaurian, megaraptorid, and unenlagiine theropod remains from the upper Lower Cretaceous of Victoria, southeast Australia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2441903
