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Vitakridrinda

Say it: VEE-tak-rid-RIN-da

Name means: “Vitakri lizard”1

Ate: MeatMeat-eating dinosLate Cretaceous

Vitakridrinda was a meat-eating dinosaur that lived in what is now Pakistan. It was a fierce predator with a snout covered in pits and grooves, like a bumpy shield.2

Lived

72 to 66 million years ago6

Late Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Balochistan, Pakistan1 3

Food

Meat1 2

Length

10 m1

estimate from PBDB adult length range

Weight

5 tonnes to 10 tonnes4

estimate

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

How long was it?

How heavy was it?

as heavy as 7 cars

as long as 2 cars parked in a rowas long as 56 bananas end to endas heavy as 1.5 elephantsas heavy as 2000 watermelons

How big was Vitakridrinda compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

Vitakridrinda was named by Pakistani paleontologist M. Sadiq Malkani in 2004.1

Its fossils were found in the Vitakri Member of the Pab Formation, which is about 72 to 66 million years old.1 3

A rostrum (snout) of Vitakridrinda was discovered with bite marks, punctures, and even a tooth embedded in it, showing it fought with another dinosaur.2

The snout of Vitakridrinda had pits and grooves on its surface, a feature that links it to the abelisaurid group of theropods.2

Vitakridrinda lived alongside titanosaur sauropods, and scientists think it may have scavenged or preyed on them.2

This dinosaur is part of a group called Vitakrisauridae, which includes other dinosaurs from Pakistan.1

The fossils of Vitakridrinda were found in red, maroon, and greenish-grey mudstones, which were deposited in a river environment.3

AI-made picture of Vitakridrinda — An AI-made picture of how Vitakridrinda might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Vitakridrinda

?How big was Vitakridrinda?

Nobody knows for sure because only a few bones are known. The fossils suggest it was a large-bodied theropod, but no exact size estimate has been published.5 6

?What did Vitakridrinda eat?

Vitakridrinda was a meat-eater, as shown by its sharp teeth and the fact that it is classified as a theropod. It likely hunted or scavenged titanosaurs, since its fossils were found with them.6 2

?Did Vitakridrinda fight with other dinosaurs?

Yes. Its snout has bite marks, punctures, and even a tooth embedded in it, showing it fought with another dinosaur, possibly of the same species.2 5

?Why did Vitakridrinda have pits and grooves on its snout?

The pits and grooves are a feature of abelisaurid theropods, but scientists don't know exactly what they were for. They might have been for display or for supporting a tough covering.2

?When did Vitakridrinda live?

Vitakridrinda lived during the latest Cretaceous, about 72 to 66 million years ago, in the Maastrichtian age.6

?Where was Vitakridrinda found?

Its fossils were found in the Vitakri Member of the Pab Formation in Balochistan, Pakistan.2 6

?Is Vitakridrinda a dinosaur?

Yes, Vitakridrinda is a theropod dinosaur, a meat-eating dinosaur that walked on two legs.6

?What does the name Vitakridrinda mean?

The name Vitakridrinda comes from the Vitakri Member where it was found, and 'drinda' may relate to a local word. It was named by paleontologist M. Sadiq Malkani in 2004.6

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For dino experts

Scientific name: Vitakridrinda
Named by: Malkani 20046
Group: Meat-eating dinos
Family / clade: Vitakrisauridae6
Classification: Theropoda > Ceratosauria6
Age of the rocks: 72 to 66 million years (Maastrichtian)6
Rock formations: Vitakri6
Countries: Pakistan6
Fossil records: 8 in the Paleobiology Database6
Discovery: Vitakridrinda was named by M. Sadiq Malkani in 2004 based on fossils found in the Vitakri area of Balochistan, Pakistan. The first rostrum (snout) was discovered later in the Alam Kali Kakor locality.1 2
Still debated: Scientists are not sure exactly how big Vitakridrinda was, because only partial fossils like a snout and leg bones have been found.1 2

Where the facts come from

PBDB Taxon (paleobiodb.org)
First rostrum of carnivorous Vitakridrinda (Abelisaurid Theropod Dinosaur) found from the latest Cretaceous Dinosaur Beds (Vitakri) Member of PAB formation, Alam Kali Kakor Locality of Vitakri area, Barkhan District, Balochistan, Pakistan (sujo.usindh.edu.pk)
PBDB Collection (paleobiodb.org)
Theropods, Mesoeucrocodiles and Pterosaurs Found from the Latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation of Balochistan, Pakistan; Description with Large Photographs and Comparison with Coeval Taxa from Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent (scirp.net)
Vitakridrinda (Vitakrisauridae, Theropoda) from the latest Cretaceous of Pakistan | Journal of Earth Science | Springer Nature Link (link.springer.com)
Vitakridrinda in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

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