---
title: Carnotaurus sastrei
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
---

![](https://noidinosauri.it/images/encyclopedia/dinosaurs/carnotaurus/Carnotaurus-late-cretaceous.webp)

![](https://noidinosauri.it/images/encyclopedia/dinosaurs/carnotaurus/carnotaurus-eats-small-ankylosaurus.webp)

## Curiosity - Did you know?

**The Runner Who Couldn't Turn - **Paleontologists consider Carnotaurus one of the fastest theropods ever to have walked the Earth, with estimated top speeds between 40 and 50 km/h — a record that makes it the undisputed sprint champion among the large predators of the South American Cretaceous. But this power came at a precise cost: the structural rigidity at the base of the tail, the very same feature that drove those explosive bursts of speed, made sharp turns nearly impossible. A *T. rex* may have been slower in a straight line, but in a twisting pursuit through the trees it would have stood a real chance of surviving the encounter. Carnotaurus was a weapon built for a single trajectory — and when that trajectory was the right one, there was no escape.

How fast could Carnotaurus run?

Paleontologists consider it one of the fastest theropods ever, with estimated top speeds reaching **40 to 50 km/h**. This remarkable velocity made it the undisputed champion sprinter among the large predators of the South American Cretaceous, built to close the gap on prey in the blink of an eye.

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