Irritator
Irritator
- Pronunciation:
- irr-it-ate-or
- Name meaning:
- 'irritator'
© Andrey Atuchin
- Type of dinosaur:
- large theropod
- Length:
- 6.5m
- Diet:
- carnivorous
- When it lived:
- Early Cretaceous, 112-99 million years ago
- Found in:
- Brazil
Irritator was quite like Spinosaurus. It is known only from a skull, so the sail is a guess.
The type species, Irritator challengeri was named after Professor Challenger from Arthur Conan Doyle's novel 'The Lost World', published in 1912.
Taxonomic details
- Taxonomy:
- Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda, Spinosauridae, Spinosaurini
- Named by:
- Martill, Cruickshank, Frey, Small and Clarke (1996)
- Type species:
- challengeri
Related
-
DinosaursHow dinosaurs evolved into birds
The humble pigeon is a distant relative of the mighty T. rex.
-
DinosaursDinosaur family tree gets major makeover
Dinosaurs have a new family tree. Find out how it has changed and what the new tree reveals about dinosaurs' origins and evolution.
-
DinosaursWhat's wrong with these dinosaurs?
These popular dinosaur reconstructions from the 1960s are no longer scientifically accurate. Can you spot the errors?
-
What is a coprolite?
Fossil poo may not be a glamorous fossil find, but it can reveal a lot about prehistoric animals.
Step back in time
Find out more about dinosaurs' lives and the world they lived in.
Fun and games
Learn more about dinosaurs through toys, board games and activity kits, available from our online shop.
Dinosaurs gallery
Roarrr. Come face-to-face with some of the Museum's most famous dinosaurs.