Pampas Killer Roamed Brazil 250 Million Years Ago

Posted on January 16, 2012

A creature that was like a cross between a tiger and a Komodo dragon roamed Brazil 250 million years ago. The fearsome predator, Pampaphoneus biccai, is nicknamed the "Pampas Killer." The carnivore is estimated to have been at least 3 meters (about 10 feet) long. It likely weighed more than a lion.

The remains of the Pampas Killer were excavated by Juan Carlos Cisneros - from the Federal University of Piaui (UFPI) - and his team on a farm in the Pampas region of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. The creature's huge skull measures 32 inches long.

Research about the new creature was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A Portuguese story about the Pampas Killer can be found here.

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