Allosauridae

Allosauridae Temporal range: Late Jurassic
Allosaurus model
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Infraorder:	Carnosauria
Superfamily:	Allosauroidea
Family:	Allosauridae Marsh, 1878
Genera
Antrodemus Allosaurus (type) Epanterias Saurophaganax

Allosauridae was a family of medium to large sized carnivorous theropod dinosaurs. Members included Saurophaganax, Allosaurus, and the poorly known Antrodemus. Some key evolutionary novelties of allosaurids are the evenly round face, the medially flattened tip of the lower jaw, and the upper tooth sockets that extend all the way to the back of the face, expandable skull, sleek but strong body design, long, compact legs, stiffened tails, and an expanded "boot" at the end of the pubis.

The exact number of genera that can be included here is very debatable and most of the upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous carnosaurs are somewhat closely related to Allosaurus. Whatever the case, allosaurids seemed to be the most successful hunters of their times, outnumbering the Megalosauridae and Ceratosauridae, with which they competed for prey. The allosaurids would eventually be succeeded by their close relatives the carcharodontosaurids in the southern hemisphere, and replaced by the coelurosaurian tyrannosaurids in the northern hemisphere, during the Cretaceous Period.