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Description
  In addition to the tyrannosaurids, abelisaurids, and dromaeosaurids, the megaraptora stands as the fourth major guild of large predatory dinosaurs across the world's ecosystems. Cooelurosaurs that resemble the extinct allosauroids such as carcharodontosaurids at first glance, these strange theropods not only share characteristics in common with allosauroids, but are also the tyrannosaurs' closest relatives, and likewise share many characteristics both internal and external with their sister superfamily. Biology-wise, they are unique, with powerful, extremely mobile arms that have developed a more flexible shoulder, and an opposable thumb, a very different type of anatomy compared to their tyrannosaur cousins. The wrist is more flexible in modern forms than in ancestral genera, though it is not capable of true pronation. Nevertheless the arms serve as extremely deadly weapons thanks to the huge talons tipping the fingers on both hands. The gripping, swiping and puncturing force megaraptorans have in their hands is the highest for any large theropod, and they are more than capable of using these claws to inflict fatal wounds on their prey.
  During the faunal interchanges across much of the world, megaraptorans adapted to competition from their more powerful and aggressive tyrannosaur kin by way of niche partitioning and habitat preferences. Most living genera prefer dense forests and jungles, where tyrannosaurids prefer more open habitat such as grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands. Many are also nocturnal, which allows them to rule the night while the tyrannosaurs reign by day. Additionally, they may prefer different prey species where they share territory, and exist in differing population densities, keeping conflict to a minimum unless resources are scarce.
Megaraptora exist in four subfamilies in modern times; the Megaraptorinae, Australovenatorinae, the Deussaurinae, and the Arswydosaurinae. The deussaurinae are the most widespread family, with representatives in Eurasia, Africa, and South America. Though once present in North America as well, deussaurines became extinct in North America at the onset of the Pleistocene epoch, possibly due to climate change and the evolution of the largest and most ferocious megaraptorans... the arswydosaurinae. Originating in South America and migrating to North America in the Pleistocene during the great faunal interchange, these animals, all forest-dwellers, are the most terrifying predators among the megaraptora and can readily challenge tyrannosaurs directly if they cross paths with them. The megaraptorinae, the original subfamily, has declined significantly and teeters on the verge of extinction, with the last member, Smilocarcharias, being confined to Madagascar, where it reigns as the apex predator. The Australovenatorinae meanwhile, are unique. A completely Australian and Indonesian group, they are the apex predators of their environment, as tyrannosauroids have remained small to midsize predators and abelisaurids have long since died out. Though confined to three genera, their species diversity is relatively high, with two species per genus, usually divided by east and western species, though the third has an island-dwelling and a mainland species. As a result, their future remains secure as the top predators of the outback. Shown here are two of the three members of australovenatorinae, showcasing their unique features.

Australocarcharias- The largest predator in Australia, Australocarcharias is a 40-foot, 9-ton australoraptorine megaraptoran. Found in almost every habitat from the drier areas to the outskirts of the jungles, this huge predator hunts everything from giant sauropods to iguanodonts, as well as struthiotheres, the herbivorous noasaurs, and anything else it can catch. Though its arms are relatively small for a megaraptoran, they are quit powerful and can deliver a killing blow that can snap an iguanodont's neck and rip out its throat with one swipe. Its bite is relatively weak, but thanks to its 11-inch, serrated teeth, it can deliver bites that cause shock and blood loss very quickly. Ambush hunters, they generally can move only about 15 mph at top speed, and mainly lie in wait when hunting iguanodonts or struthiotheres. Sauropods meanwhile are steadily tracked and pursued in hunts that can last for days, while nodosaurids are killed by bite and retreat tactics. A social animal, Australocarcharias lives in small packs of up to six to eight adults, usually consisting of a male and his harem of females. Females are one to two tons lighter than a male, and average a meter shorter. The females do most of the hunting, while the males mainly defend the territory from other males, who try to unseat the resident male and occasionally succeed. The male himself generally only hunts when extra force is needed to ensure prey is brought down. Chicks, usually laid large clutches to ensure survival by numbers, are nurtured by all members of the pack, not just their mothers. The male also protects the young while the females hunt, ensuring they do not end up snatched by smaller predators like australotyrannids. Adults can live more than fifty years, and the young that survive the most dangerous first year of life become independent after four years of care by their family, by which time they are roughly 18 feet long. The adolescents will become mature by the age of eighteen years of age, where upon they will form packs of their own or try to unseat resident males.

Saurophagaraptor- A 30-foot, 4-ton predator that occupies most habitats in Australia, Saurophagaraptor is the second-largest predator on The Australian continent. A hunter of most types of animal ranging from hypsilophodonts to ankylosaurs, as well as iguanodonts, smaller sauropods, and struthiotheres among other animals, Saurophagaraptor hunts mainly by ambush, dispatching prey with its powerful talons and bites from its serrated teeth. A highly social animal, Saurophagaraptor lives in large packs of up to twelve, generally dominated by an alpha male and his subordinates, while females raise and care for the young and help to keep conflicts in the clan to a minimum by way of social grooming and intervening if conflicts get violent. In such cases, the violence between males will immediately cease, as violence in a pack results in loss of rank and mating rights for the breeding season. Females mate with multiple partners, usually choosing a new one each breeding season to ensure there is little competition between males over a mate, and most clashes between Saurophagaraptors are usually confined to noisy displays or battles between packs that meet and act hostile to one another. Such conflicts are rare, but generally occur when territorial boundaries are not respected and one pack wants resources from another's territory. Chicks are raised in large clutches to ensure survival by numbers, as with their larger cousin, Australocarcharias, and most offspring generally do not survive their first year. Those that do become independent by the age of three years and mature by the age of sixteen. An adult can live for nearly forty years, but accidents, attrition and other factors make such long-lived individuals rare, and most rarely live beyond thirty years of age.

Description
  In addition to the tyrannosaurids, abelisaurids, and dromaeosaurids, the megaraptora stands as the fourth major guild of large predatory dinosaurs across the world's ecosystems. Cooelurosaurs that resemble the extinct allosauroids such as carcharodontosaurids at first glance, these strange theropods not only share characteristics in common with allosauroids, but are also the tyrannosaurs' closest relatives, and likewise share many characteristics both internal and external with their sister superfamily. Biology-wise, they are unique, with powerful, extremely mobile arms that have developed a more flexible shoulder, and an opposable thumb, a very different type of anatomy compared to their tyrannosaur cousins. The wrist is more flexible in modern forms than in ancestral genera, though it is not capable of true pronation. Nevertheless the arms serve as extremely deadly weapons thanks to the huge talons tipping the fingers on both hands. The gripping, swiping and puncturing force megaraptorans have in their hands is the highest for any large theropod, and they are more than capable of using these claws to inflict fatal wounds on their prey.
  During the faunal interchanges across much of the world, megaraptorans adapted to competition from their more powerful and aggressive tyrannosaur kin by way of niche partitioning and habitat preferences. Most living genera prefer dense forests and jungles, where tyrannosaurids prefer more open habitat such as grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands. Many are also nocturnal, which allows them to rule the night while the tyrannosaurs reign by day. Additionally, they may prefer different prey species where they share territory, and exist in differing population densities, keeping conflict to a minimum unless resources are scarce.
Megaraptora exist in four subfamilies in modern times; the Megaraptorinae, Australovenatorinae, the Deussaurinae, and the Arswydosaurinae. The deussaurinae are the most widespread family, with representatives in Eurasia, Africa, and South America. Though once present in North America as well, deussaurines became extinct in North America at the onset of the Pleistocene epoch, possibly due to climate change and the evolution of the largest and most ferocious megaraptorans... the arswydosaurinae. Originating in South America and migrating to North America in the Pleistocene during the great faunal interchange, these animals, all forest-dwellers, are the most terrifying predators among the megaraptora and can readily challenge tyrannosaurs directly if they cross paths with them. The megaraptorinae, the original subfamily, has declined significantly and teeters on the verge of extinction, with the last member, Smilocarcharias, being confined to Madagascar, where it reigns as the apex predator. The Australovenatorinae meanwhile, are unique. A completely Australian and Indonesian group, they are the apex predators of their environment, as tyrannosauroids have remained small to midsize predators and abelisaurids have long since died out. Though confined to three genera, their species diversity is relatively high, with two species per genus, usually divided by east and western species, though the third has an island-dwelling and a mainland species. As a result, their future remains secure as the top predators of the outback. Shown here are two of the three members of australovenatorinae, showcasing their unique features.

Australocarcharias- The largest predator in Australia, Australocarcharias is a 40-foot, 9-ton australoraptorine megaraptoran. Found in almost every habitat from the drier areas to the outskirts of the jungles, this huge predator hunts everything from giant sauropods to iguanodonts, as well as struthiotheres, the herbivorous noasaurs, and anything else it can catch. Though its arms are relatively small for a megaraptoran, they are quit powerful and can deliver a killing blow that can snap an iguanodont's neck and rip out its throat with one swipe. Its bite is relatively weak, but thanks to its 11-inch, serrated teeth, it can deliver bites that cause shock and blood loss very quickly. Ambush hunters, they generally can move only about 15 mph at top speed, and mainly lie in wait when hunting iguanodonts or struthiotheres. Sauropods meanwhile are steadily tracked and pursued in hunts that can last for days, while nodosaurids are killed by bite and retreat tactics. A social animal, Australocarcharias lives in small packs of up to six to eight adults, usually consisting of a male and his harem of females. Females are one to two tons lighter than a male, and average a meter shorter. The females do most of the hunting, while the males mainly defend the territory from other males, who try to unseat the resident male and occasionally succeed. The male himself generally only hunts when extra force is needed to ensure prey is brought down. Chicks, usually laid large clutches to ensure survival by numbers, are nurtured by all members of the pack, not just their mothers. The male also protects the young while the females hunt, ensuring they do not end up snatched by smaller predators like australotyrannids. Adults can live more than fifty years, and the young that survive the most dangerous first year of life become independent after four years of care by their family, by which time they are roughly 18 feet long. The adolescents will become mature by the age of eighteen years of age, where upon they will form packs of their own or try to unseat resident males.

Saurophagaraptor- A 30-foot, 4-ton predator that occupies most habitats in Australia, Saurophagaraptor is the second-largest predator on The Australian continent. A hunter of most types of animal ranging from hypsilophodonts to ankylosaurs, as well as iguanodonts, smaller sauropods, and struthiotheres among other animals, Saurophagaraptor hunts mainly by ambush, dispatching prey with its powerful talons and bites from its serrated teeth. A highly social animal, Saurophagaraptor lives in large packs of up to twelve, generally dominated by an alpha male and his subordinates, while females raise and care for the young and help to keep conflicts in the clan to a minimum by way of social grooming and intervening if conflicts get violent. In such cases, the violence between males will immediately cease, as violence in a pack results in loss of rank and mating rights for the breeding season. Females mate with multiple partners, usually choosing a new one each breeding season to ensure there is little competition between males over a mate, and most clashes between Saurophagaraptors are usually confined to noisy displays or battles between packs that meet and act hostile to one another. Such conflicts are rare, but generally occur when territorial boundaries are not respected and one pack wants resources from another's territory. Chicks are raised in large clutches to ensure survival by numbers, as with their larger cousin, Australocarcharias, and most offspring generally do not survive their first year. Those that do become independent by the age of three years and mature by the age of sixteen. An adult can live for nearly forty years, but accidents, attrition and other factors make such long-lived individuals rare, and most rarely live beyond thirty years of age.