ACROCANTHOSAURUS ATOKENSIS

"oklahoma giant"

The "top spined lizard" cruises the early Cretaceous coastal plain of what is now Oklahoma 120  million years ago. Following the scent of a dead sauropod, and a mob of circling Pterosaurs ensures a sure path to a full belly opportunity.

Acrocanthosaurus is somewhat of a missing link in the Allosaur family between the Jurassic Allosaurus and later Cretaceous Carcharadontosaurus. At 40 feet long and 13 feet tall it was probably the dominant flesh eater of its respective fauna. 

One of the anatomical mysteries of this species is the four-foot tall vertebral spines, from which it gets its name. The exact  physiological function of these spines is not known for sure.  Like many structures on animals  the spines probably had a dual function. One function may have been an inter-species communication signal and the other may have been to regulate body temperature . The  broader lateral surface of the animal's profile gave greater area to advertise colors and patterns, as well as dissipate and absorb heat. 

The spines also could have provided more surface area for the attachment of larger muscle and ligament sheets. This could have given Acrocanthosaurus more suspension bridge-like stability for grappling large prey or yanking carcasses to a safe feeding spot, or just fighting amongst each other. Suchomimus also sported elongated spines, though not as long.

 The teeth of Acrocanthosaurus were suited to slashing flesh from bone, and generally eating the softer parts of prey. They were definitely not stout enough to crush and crack  as in Tyrannosaurus which, like modern day hyenas, could probably consume an entire carcass,bones and everything in a matter of minutes.