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Abelisaurids
Abelisauridae (meaning "Abel's lizards") is a family (or clade) of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaurs. Abelisaurids thrived during the Cretaceous period, on the ancient southern supercontinent of Gondwana, and today their fossil remains are found on the modern continents of Africa and South America, as well as on the Indian subcontinent and the island of Madagascar. Isolated teeth were found in the Late Jurassic of Portugal, and the Late Cretaceous genera '' Tarascosaurus'' and ''Arcovenator'' have been described in France. Abelisaurids first appear in the fossil record of the early middle Jurassic period, and at least two genera (the Moroccan ''Chenanisaurus'' and the Madagascan ''Majungasaurus'') survived until the end of the Mesozoic era 66 million years ago. Like most theropods, abelisaurids were carnivorous bipeds. They were characterized by stocky hind limbs and extensive ornamentation of the skull bones, with grooves and pits. In many abelisaurids, such as ''Carnotaurus'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Majungasaurus Crenatissimus
''Majungasaurus'' (; ) is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Madagascar from 70 to 66 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, making it one of the last known non-avian dinosaurs that went extinct during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. The genus contains a single species, ''Majungasaurus crenatissimus''. This dinosaur is also called ''Majungatholus'', a name which is considered a junior synonym of ''Majungasaurus''. Like other abelisaurids, ''Majungasaurus'' was a bipedal predator with a short snout. Although the forelimbs are not completely known, they were very short, while the hind limbs were longer and very stocky. It can be distinguished from other abelisaurids by its wider skull, the very rough texture and thickened bone on the top of its snout, and the single rounded horn on the roof of its skull, which was originally mistaken for the dome of a pachycephalosaur. It also had more teeth in both upper and lower jaws than most a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ceratosauria
Ceratosaurs are members of the clade Ceratosauria, a group of dinosaurs defined as all theropods sharing a more recent common ancestor with ''Ceratosaurus'' than with birds. The oldest known ceratosaur, ''Saltriovenator'', dates to the earliest part of the Jurassic, around 199 million years ago. According to the majority of the latest research, Ceratosauria includes three major clades: Ceratosauridae, Noasauridae, and Abelisauridae, found primarily (though not exclusively) in the Southern Hemisphere. Originally, Ceratosauria included the above dinosaurs plus the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Coelophysoidea and Dilophosauridae, implying a much earlier divergence of ceratosaurs from other theropods. However, most recent studies have shown that coelophysoids and dilophosaurids do not form a natural group with other ceratosaurs, and are excluded from this group. Ceratosauria derives its names from the type species, ''Ceratosaurus nasicornis'', described by O.C. Marsh in 1884. A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indosuchus
''Indosuchus'' () is a genus of abelisaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period (70 to 66 million years ago – the Maastrichtian), a theropod related to '' Abelisaurus''. Like most theropods, ''Indosuchus'' was a bipedal carnivore. It was about 7 metres long, weighed about 1.2 tonnes, and had a crested skull, flattened on the top. Naming ''Indosuchus'' was named by Friedrich von Huene in 1932 and was described by Huene and Charles Alfred Matley in 1933 from three partial skulls found by Matley in India near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh in strata of the Lameta Formation.F. v. Huene and C. A. Matley, 1933, "The Cretaceous Saurischia and Ornithischia of the Central Provinces of India", ''Palaeontologica Indica (New Series), Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India'' 21(1): 1-74 The lectotype is GSI K27/685, consisting of the parietals and frontals of a single individual. Two paralectotypes were referred, both including material from the posterior skull, with the fossils referr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Niebla Antiqua
''Niebla'' is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period (Campanian-Maastrichtian) of Río Negro province, Argentina. The genus contains a single species, ''Niebla antiqua'', and is known from a partial, non-articulated skeleton. The holotype, found in the Allen Formation, represents an adult individual. Discovery and naming The holotype, MPCN-PV-796, was found near Matadero Hill, south of General Roca, Río Negro province, Argentina. The fossil material includes a near-complete braincase, fragmentary jaw and teeth, relatively complete scapulocoracoid, dorsal ribs and incomplete vertebrae. The genus name ''Niebla'' comes from the Spanish word for "mist", referring to the foggy days during the excavation of the fossil. The specific name, ''antiqua'', is derived from a Latin word meaning "old." Description ''Niebla'' represents one of the most derived abelisaurids. Despite its relatively small size, especially when compared to related dinosaurs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xenotarsosaurus
''Xenotarsosaurus'' is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous of Argentina. Discovery In 1980 geologist Juan Carlos Sciutto discovered a rich fossil site six kilometres north of the Ocho Hermanos ranch in Chubut province. Among the fossils found there were some theropod remains. Later, a team led by Argentinian paleontologist José Fernando Bonaparte recovered some more theropod bones, possibly from the same individual. In 1986, Rubén Martínez, Olga Giménez, Jorge Rodríguez and Graciela Bochatey described the theropod fossils and coined the genus and species ''Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei'' for them. The generic name is derived from Greek ''xenos'', "strange", ''tarsos'', " tarsus", and ''sauros'', "lizard", a reference to the exceptional build of the ankle. The specific name ''bonapartei'' honours Bonaparte. The type specimens (and only known fossils of ''Xenotarsosaurus'') were found in the Bajo Barreal Formation. In 1986 this for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chenanisaurus
''Chenanisaurus'' is a genus of predatory abelisaurid dinosaur, with a single known species ''C. barbaricus''. It comes from the upper Maastrichtian phosphates of the Ouled Abdoun Basin in Morocco, North Africa. The animal is known from a holotype, consisting of a partial jaw bone, and several isolated teeth found in the same beds. ''Chenanisaurus'' is one of the largest members of the Abelisauridae, and one of the last, being a contemporary of the North American ''Tyrannosaurus''. It would have been among the dinosaur species wiped out by the Chicxulub asteroid impact and the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction that followed. Description ''Chenanisaurus'' is quite a large abelisaurid, measuring , based on measurements of the holotype dentary. Its size is comparable to that of large abelisaurids such as ''Carnotaurus'' and ''Pycnonemosaurus''. Nicholas R. Longrich and colleagues, the describers of ''Chenanisaurus'', identified distinctive features distinguishing the anim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eoabelisaurus
''Eoabelisaurus'' () is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic Cañadón Asfalto Formation of the Cañadón Asfalto Basin in Argentina, South America. The generic name combines a Greek ἠώς, (''eos''), "dawn", with the name '' Abelisaurus'', in reference to the fact it represents an early relative of the latter. Only one species is currently recognized, ''E. mefi''; the specific name honours the MEF, the Museo Paleontológico "Egidio Feruglio", where discoverer Diego Pol is active. It is characterized by reduced forelimb proportions that show primitive characteristics of the Abelisauridae family. Discovery and naming In 2009, Argentinian paleontologist Diego Pol discovered the skeleton of a theropod near the village of Cerro Cóndor in Chubut Province. The remains were found in the Jugo Loco locality that is placed in a series of fine beds of mudstone, marlstone, and limestone in the Cañadón Asfalto Formation. In 2012, based on these remains, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rugops
''Rugops'' (meaning ‘wrinkle face’) is a monospecific genus of basal abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from Niger that lived during the Late Cretaceous period (Cenomanian stage, ~95 Ma) in what is now the Echkar Formation. The type and only species, ''Rugops primus'', is known only from a partial skull. It was named and described in 2004 by Paul Sereno, Jeffery Wilson and Jack Conrad. ''Rugops'' has an estimated length of 4.4–5.3 metres (14.4–17.4 ft) and weight of 410 kilograms (900 lbs). The top of its skull bears several pits which correlates with overlaying scale and the front of the snout would have had an armour-like dermis. Discovery and naming A skull pertaining to an abelisaurid was recovered during an expedition in 2000 led by Paul Sereno near In-Abangharit, Niger Republic. The specimen came from the Echkar Formation of the Tegama Group which dates to the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, 96 Ma. The formation has also yielded specimens pertaining to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Majungasaurinae
Majungasaurinae (after ''Majungasaurus'', itself named after the city of Mahajanga in Madagascar) is a subfamily of large carnivorous theropods from the Upper Cretaceous, found in Madagascar, India, and France. It is a subgroup within the theropod family Abelisauridae, a Gondwanan clade known for their thick and often horned skulls and vestigial arms. The two subfamilies of Abelisauridae are Carnotaurinae, best known from the South American ''Carnotaurus'', and Majungasaurinae, consisting of Madagascar’s ''Majungasaurus'' and its closest relatives. Their ancestors emerged in the Middle Jurassic, and the clade lasted until the Upper Cretaceous. The majungasaurines were mid-sized, bipedal predators, but relatively slow moving. Their stout legs were built for striding, not running. They had tall, deep heads with powerful jaws, but small forearms without carpals in the wrists. Because of their slow gait and small arms, they likely preyed upon the larger, slower sauropods rather th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kryptops
''Kryptops'' is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Niger. It is known from a partial skeleton found at the Gadoufaoua locality in the western Ténéré Desert, in rocks of the Aptian-Albian age Elrhaz Formation. This dinosaur was described by paleontologists Paul Sereno and Stephen Brusatte in 2008. The genus name means "covered face", in reference to evidence that the face bore a tightly adhering covering. The type species is ''K. palaios,'' which means "old". Discovery The holotype skeleton, MNN GAD1, includes a maxilla (main tooth-bearing bone of the upper jaw), vertebrae, ribs, and articulated pelvic girdle and sacrum, belonging to an adult about . According to the describers, this specimen represents one of the earliest known abelisaurids, and is notable for the heavily textured surface of the maxilla; the presence of pits and impressions of blood vessels indicates that there was a covering firmly attached to the face, perhaps of kera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurupi Itaata
''Kurupi'' is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Marília Formation of Brazil. The type and only species is ''Kurupi itaata''. It is so named because its remains were found near a love hotel. Etymology The generic name is named for Kurupi, a god of fertility and sex from Guaraní mythology. According to the authors, "The choice of the name is due to the fact that the fossils were found in the region of “Motel Paraíso” (“Paradise Motel”), a place intended for intimate encounters." The specific name is derived from the Tupi language and has two roots: ''ita'', meaning hard, and ''atã'', meaning rock. This name is in reference to the cemented rocks of the Monte Alto region. Together, the generic and specific name can be translated as ''rock-hard Kurupi'', or ''rock-hard god of sex''. Description The holotype, MPMA 27-0001/02, consists of three caudal vertebrae and a partial pelvic girdle. The authors estimate that the animal was lon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theropod
Theropoda (; ), whose members are known as theropods, is a dinosaur clade that is characterized by hollow bones and three toes and claws on each limb. Theropods are generally classed as a group of saurischian dinosaurs. They were ancestrally carnivorous, although a number of theropod groups evolved to become herbivores and omnivores. Theropods first appeared during the Carnian age of the late Triassic period 231.4 million years ago ( Ma) and included all the large terrestrial carnivores from the Early Jurassic until at least the close of the Cretaceous, about 66 Ma. In the Jurassic, birds evolved from small specialized coelurosaurian theropods, and are today represented by about 10,500 living species. Biology Diet and teeth Theropods exhibit a wide range of diets, from insectivores to herbivores and carnivores. Strict carnivory has always been considered the ancestral diet for theropods as a group, and a wider variety of diets was historically considered a characteri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
