撒(sa)哈拉鯊齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(Carcharodontosaurus saharicus),是(shi)體型最大(da)的食肉恐龍(long)(long)之(zhi)一。生(sheng)存于白堊(e)紀(ji)中期到白堊(e)紀(ji)晚期,阿爾布階(jie)(Albian)到土侖階(jie)(1億—9300萬年前)。鯊齒(chi)龍(long)(long)是(shi)一種生(sheng)存于埃及(ji)(ji),阿爾及(ji)(ji)利亞和摩洛哥等地區的巨型食肉恐龍(long)(long)。鯊齒(chi)龍(long)(long)身長11~13米,重6~9噸,高約4.5米。特(te)點是(shi)牙(ya)冠有(you)整齊的鋸齒(chi),適合(he)切割皮膚以及(ji)(ji)肌(ji)肉組織。它的頭比霸王(wang)龍(long)(long)略長但偏窄,腦容量比霸王(wang)龍(long)(long)小。
撒哈拉鯊(sha)齒龍(long)生(sheng)活在非洲的(de)卡瑪卡瑪組地層,當(dang)時(shi)當(dang)地大(da)片沼澤,氣候濕潤,與撒哈拉鯊(sha)齒龍(long)共同生(sheng)活著的(de)恐龍(long)還(huan)有棘龍(long)科棘龍(long)(數量最多)、西北阿根廷龍(long)科的(de)三角(jiao)洲奔龍(long)、蜥腳類(lei)的(de)雷巴齊斯(si)龍(long)等。
撒(sa)哈拉鯊齒龍是已知(zhi)最大型的(de)獸腳類(lei)恐龍之(zhi)一。根據(ju)不同科學(xue)家(jia)的(de)估計(ji)值,撒(sa)哈拉鯊齒龍的(de)身長約(yue)在12到(dao)13米(mi)之(zhi)間,體重約(yue)在6到(dao)9公噸之(zhi)間。
撒哈(ha)拉鯊(sha)(sha)齒(chi)(chi)(chi)龍(long)(long)是肉食(shi)性恐龍(long)(long),有(you)(you)巨大(da)的(de)嘴部(bu),及達(da)8英寸長的(de)鋸(ju)齒(chi)(chi)(chi)狀牙齒(chi)(chi)(chi)。古生物學家曾一度認為(wei)鯊(sha)(sha)齒(chi)(chi)(chi)龍(long)(long)的(de)頭顱骨(gu)是獸腳亞目中最長的(de)。可是因為(wei)原有(you)(you)的(de)非洲(zhou)頭顱骨(gu)中缺少了前(qian)上頜(he)骨(gu)及方骨(gu),導致了對(dui)其實際大(da)小的(de)錯誤估計。有(you)(you)研究指撒哈(ha)拉鯊(sha)(sha)齒(chi)(chi)(chi)龍(long)(long)的(de)頭顱骨(gu)實際是1.6米長。
撒哈拉(la)鯊齒(chi)龍(long)的(de)顱腔及內耳結構很像鱷(e)魚。大(da)腦與整個(ge)腦部的(de)相對大(da)小,類(lei)似爬行(xing)動物,但較虛骨龍(long)類(lei)及鳥類(lei)為小。
在早期的(de)研(yan)究中,撒哈(ha)拉鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍的(de)頭(tou)骨被描述成較為脆弱(ruo),并且牙(ya)(ya)齒(chi)薄得像餐(can)刀一樣(yang)。但是一項新的(de)研(yan)究否認了(le)這個觀(guan)點:新發現的(de)若干牙(ya)(ya)齒(chi)比(bi)較原先發現的(de)牙(ya)(ya)齒(chi)更加粗(cu)壯(zhuang),而之前的(de)頭(tou)骨和牙(ya)(ya)齒(chi)化石極有可能是經(jing)過了(le)嚴重的(de)地層(ceng)擠壓(ya)。所(suo)以鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍的(de)頭(tou)部結(jie)構沒(mei)有以往(wang)人們所(suo)想(xiang)的(de)那樣(yang)脆弱(ruo)。
撒(sa)哈(ha)拉鯊(sha)(sha)齒龍(long)(long)(long)生活在大約1億(yi)到9300萬年前的(de)非(fei)洲北部(bu)(bu),是(shi)(shi)當地的(de)頂級掠食(shi)者。當時的(de)北非(fei)大片是(shi)(shi)沼澤,水產豐富,另一(yi)種大型肉食(shi)恐(kong)(kong)龍(long)(long)(long),埃及(ji)棘(ji)龍(long)(long)(long)通(tong)常只(zhi)會捕食(shi)這(zhe)些水產品(例如中(zhong)小型魚類)。由于埃及(ji)棘(ji)龍(long)(long)(long)腿部(bu)(bu)較短,移動速度較為(wei)緩慢,而且身體(ti)結構(gou)不(bu)適合(he)打斗,所以撒(sa)哈(ha)拉鯊(sha)(sha)齒龍(long)(long)(long)對(dui)棘(ji)龍(long)(long)(long)可能會構(gou)成威脅,甚(shen)至把棘(ji)龍(long)(long)(long)作為(wei)主要獵物,再是(shi)(shi)因為(wei)當地大片沼澤,不(bu)適合(he)素(su)食(shi)恐(kong)(kong)龍(long)(long)(long)生存,所以當時北非(fei)的(de)素(su)食(shi)恐(kong)(kong)龍(long)(long)(long)非(fei)常稀少,而棘(ji)龍(long)(long)(long)在當地恐(kong)(kong)龍(long)(long)(long)的(de)數量占比(bi)最大,并且紀錄片《恐(kong)(kong)龍(long)(long)(long)星(xing)球》也展現了被鯊(sha)(sha)齒龍(long)(long)(long)咬(yao)斷的(de)棘(ji)龍(long)(long)(long)椎骨。
鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)化(hua)石(shi)最先(xian)是(shi)(shi)由Charles Depéret及J. Savornin于1927年在(zai)北非所發(fa)(fa)現,發(fa)(fa)現于阿(a)爾及利亞(ya)的(de)卡(ka)(ka)瑪卡(ka)(ka)瑪地層(Kem Kem Formation),地質年代為(wei)(wei)阿(a)爾比階。原先(xian)被(bei)歸類為(wei)(wei)斑龍(long)(long)(long)(long)的(de)一(yi)個(ge)種,撒(sa)哈拉斑龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(Megalosaurus saharicus)。在(zai)1931年,恩(en)斯(si)特(te)·斯(si)特(te)莫(Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach)改建立為(wei)(wei)鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)屬(shu),模式種是(shi)(shi)撒(sa)哈拉鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)(C. saharicus)。他斯(si)特(te)莫命(ming)名鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)的(de)原因,是(shi)(shi)因為(wei)(wei)它(ta)們有著類似噬(shi)人鯊(sha)屬(shu)的(de)牙齒(chi),而這牙齒(chi)并(bing)非彎(wan)曲,幾(ji)乎(hu)是(shi)(shi)兩(liang)邊對(dui)稱而前緣凸。這個(ge)鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)的(de)首個(ge)化(hua)石(shi)在(zai)第二次世界(jie)大戰(zhan)中被(bei)毀。在(zai)1996年,保(bao)羅·塞里諾(nuo)(Paul Sereno)在(zai)摩(mo)洛(luo)哥的(de)卡(ka)(ka)瑪卡(ka)(ka)瑪群(qun)發(fa)(fa)現了鯊(sha)齒(chi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)的(de)頭蓋(gai)化(hua)石(shi)。
鯊(sha)齒龍(long)屬(shu)除了模式種(zhong)撒哈拉鯊(sha)齒龍(long),還有(you)一(yi)個種(zhong)。在(zai)2007年,塞利(li)諾也發現了鯊(sha)齒龍(long)屬(shu)的(de)另一(yi)個物種(zhong),在(zai)上頜骨、腦殼與撒哈拉鯊(sha)齒龍(long)有(you)所差異。這一(yi)新的(de)物種(zhong)是1997年在(zai)尼日(ri)爾發現,并在(zai)2007年命(ming)名(ming)為(wei)伊吉迪鯊(sha)齒龍(long)(C.iguidensis)。