---
title: Afrovenator the Agile Predator of the African Jurassic - Noi Dinosauri
description: "Dalle origini del pianeta alle grandi estinzioni. Un viaggio attraverso 4 miliardi di anni di storia, dalle prime forme di vita dell'Adeano ai giganti del Mesozoico e oltre."
author: Angelo Denitto
url: https://noidinosauri.it/en/dinosaurs/saurischians/theropods/afrovenator
---

![](https://noidinosauri.it/images/encyclopedia/dinosaurs/afrovenator/afrovenator-late-jurassic.webp)

## Curiosity - Did you know?

At the time of its discovery in 1993, researchers mistakenly dated the Tiourarén Formation to the **Early Cretaceous** period (about 130 million years ago). This generated widespread confusion in the scientific community. Why did an African dinosaur from the Cretaceous look so remarkably similar to the megalosaurs of the European Jurassic? In 2009, a comprehensive geological study corrected the error, proving the rocks actually dated back to the **Middle Jurassic** (about 160 million years ago). This 30-million-year temporal relocation suddenly made perfect sense of its anatomy. It transformed *Afrovenator* from an anachronistic fossil into a piece perfectly fitted within its correct evolutionary tree!

How big was the Afrovenator?

How big was the Afrovenator?

What did the Afrovenator eat?

What did the Afrovenator eat?

Why did the Afrovenator change geological history?

Why did the Afrovenator change geological history?

IMPORTANT - Some statements regarding behavior, coloration, and sensory abilities reflect ongoing scientific hypotheses, not established certainties.