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Noasaurids
Noasauridae is an extinct family of theropod dinosaurs belonging to the group Ceratosauria. They were closely related to the short-armed Abelisauridae, abelisaurids, although most noasaurids had much more traditional body types generally similar to other theropods. Their heads, on the other hand, had unusual adaptations depending on the subfamily. 'Traditional' noasaurids, sometimes grouped in the subfamily Noasaurinae, had sharp teeth which splayed outwards from a downturned lower jaw. The most complete and well-known example of these kinds of noasaurids was ''Masiakasaurus knopfleri'' from Madagascar. Another group, Elaphrosaurinae, has also been placed within Noasauridae by some studies. Elaphrosaurines developed toothless jaws and herbivorous diets, at least as adults. The most complete and well known elaphrosaurine was ''Limusaurus, Limusaurus inextricabilis''. At least some noasaurids had pneumatised cervical vertebrae.Arthur Souza Brum, Elaine Batista Machado, Diogene ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Afromimus
''Afromimus'' (meaning "Africa mimic") is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Elrhaz Formation of Niger. It contains a single species, ''A. tenerensis'', named in 2017 by Paul Sereno from parts of the right leg, vertebrae, and ribs found in the Ténéré Desert. It was originally classified as an ornithomimosaurian, but subsequently it was argued to be an abelisauroid. Discovery and naming The only known specimen of ''Afromimus'' is a partial skeleton consisting of seven (originating from the middle of the tail and estimated to be the 15th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, and 27th tail vertebrae), bones from the right hindlimb (the , , , and ), and part of a rib, all found within a radius of . It was discovered in 1997 at the Gadoufaoua locality in the Elrhaz Formation, in the Ténéré Desert of Niger. The specimen is catalogued as MNBH GAD112 in the Musée National Boubou Hama, the national museum of Niger in the city of Niamey. Since the specimen was expose ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noasaurus
''Noasaurus'' ("Northwestern Argentina lizard") is a genus of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaur genus from the late Campanian-Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of Argentina. The type and only species is ''N. leali''. Discovery and naming In the mid-seventies, a fragmentary small theropod skeleton was discovered by Jaime Eduardo Powell and José Fernando Bonaparte at the Estancia El Brete-site. In 1977, the discovery was reported in the scientific literature. The type species, ''Noasaurus leali'', was named and described by Bonaparte and Powell in 1980. The generic name begins with a usual abbreviation of ''noroeste Argentina'', "northwest Argentina". The specific name honours the owner of the site, Fidel Leal.J. F. Bonaparte and J. E. Powell. 1980. "A continental assemblage of tetrapods from the Upper Cretaceous beds of El Brete, northwestern Argentina (Sauropoda-Coelurosauria-Carnosauria-Aves)". ''Mémoires de la Société Géologique de France, Nouvelle Série'' 139: 19-28 Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elaphrosaurus
''Elaphrosaurus'' ( ) is a genus of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaur that lived approximately 154 to 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic Period in what is now Tanzania in Africa. ''Elaphrosaurus'' was a medium-sized but lightly built member of the group that could grow up to long. Morphologically, this dinosaur is significant in two ways. Firstly, it has a relatively long body but is very shallow-chested for a theropod of its size. Secondly, it has very short hindlimbs in comparison with its body. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that this genus is likely a ceratosaur. Earlier suggestions that it is a late surviving coelophysoid have been examined but generally dismissed. ''Elaphrosaurus'' is currently believed to be a very close relative of ''Limusaurus'', an unusual beaked ceratosaurian which may have been either herbivorous or omnivorous. Discovery The type specimen of ''Elaphrosaurus bambergi'' HMN Gr.S. 38–44 was recovered in the Middle Dinosaur Member of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masiakasaurus Knopfleri Skull Reconstruction
''Masiakasaurus'' is a genus of small predatory noasaurid theropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. In Malagasy, ''masiaka'' means "vicious"; thus, the genus name means "vicious lizard". The type species, ''Masiakasaurus knopfleri'', was named after the musician Mark Knopfler, whose music inspired the expedition crew. It was named in 2001 by Scott D. Sampson, Matthew Carrano, and Catherine A. Forster. Unlike most theropods, the front teeth of ''M. knopfleri'' projected forward instead of straight down. This unique dentition suggests that they had a specialized diet, perhaps including fish and other small prey. Other bones of the skeleton indicate that ''Masiakasaurus'' were bipedal, with much shorter forelimbs than hindlimbs. ''M. knopfleri'' was a small theropod, reaching long and weighing . ''Masiakasaurus'' lived around 70 million years ago, along with animals such as ''Majungasaurus'', ''Rapetosaurus'', and ''Rahonavis''. ''Masiakasaurus'' was a member of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abelisauridae
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] |
Velocisaurus
''Velocisaurus'' ("swift lizard") is a genus of noasaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of Argentina. Description ''Velocisaurus'' was probably around long, based on a tibia length of . This makes it the smallest noasaurid, after ''Berthasaura''. The foot is unique in that the middle (third) metatarsal has become the main weight-bearing element. Its upper end has thickened whereas the shafts of the adjoining second and fourth metatarsals have thinned considerably. Such a configuration is unknown for other theropods, including birds. Bonaparte explained it as an adaptation for a cursorial (running) lifestyle. The high speed would have been necessary to escape larger theropods; Bonaparte suggested that ''Velocisaurus'' was itself an omnivore, as indicated by the fact that the sole claw found, of the fourth toe, was not trenchant but relatively straight. ''Velocisaurus'' can be characterized by several traits unknown in other Abelisauroids. These include: * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masiakasaurus
''Masiakasaurus'' is a genus of small predatory noasaurid theropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. In Malagasy, ''masiaka'' means "vicious"; thus, the genus name means "vicious lizard". The type species, ''Masiakasaurus knopfleri'', was named after the musician Mark Knopfler, whose music inspired the expedition crew. It was named in 2001 by Scott D. Sampson, Matthew Carrano, and Catherine A. Forster. Unlike most theropods, the front teeth of ''M. knopfleri'' projected forward instead of straight down. This unique dentition suggests that they had a specialized diet, perhaps including fish and other small prey. Other bones of the skeleton indicate that ''Masiakasaurus'' were bipedal, with much shorter forelimbs than hindlimbs. ''M. knopfleri'' was a small theropod, reaching long and weighing . ''Masiakasaurus'' lived around 70 million years ago, along with animals such as ''Majungasaurus'', ''Rapetosaurus'', and ''Rahonavis''. ''Masiakasaurus'' was a member o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Limusaurus
''Limusaurus'' is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Late Jurassic, around 161 to 157 million years ago. The type and only species ''Limusaurus inextricabilis'' was described in 2009 from specimens found in the Upper Shishugou Formation in the Junggar Basin of China. The genus name consists of the Latin words for "mud" and "lizard", and the species name means "impossible to extricate", both referring to these specimens possibly dying after being mired. ''Limusaurus'' was a small, slender animal, about in length and in weight, which had a long neck and legs but very small forelimbs (with reduced first and fourth fingers). It underwent a drastic morphological transformation as it aged: while juveniles were toothed, these teeth were completely lost and replaced by a beak with age. Several of these features were convergently similar to the later ornithomimid theropods as well as the earlier non-dinosaurian shuvosaurids. ''Limusaurus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Limusaurus Inextricabilis Skeleton
''Limusaurus'' is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Late Jurassic, around 161 to 157 million years ago. The type and only species ''Limusaurus inextricabilis'' was described in 2009 from specimens found in the Upper Shishugou Formation in the Junggar Basin of China. The genus name consists of the Latin words for "mud" and "lizard", and the species name means "impossible to extricate", both referring to these specimens possibly dying after being mired. ''Limusaurus'' was a small, slender animal, about in length and in weight, which had a long neck and legs but very small forelimbs (with reduced first and fourth fingers). It underwent a drastic morphological transformation as it aged: while juveniles were toothed, these teeth were completely lost and replaced by a beak with age. Several of these features were convergently similar to the later ornithomimid theropods as well as the earlier non-dinosaurian shuvosaurids. ''Limusauru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genusaurus
''Genusaurus'' ( ; meaning "knee lizard") is a genus of abelisauroid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous. Its fossils were found in France. ''Genusaurus'' is believed to have lived during the Albian stage, around 112-100 million years ago. Description ''Genusaurus'' possesses several distinguishing traits. The dorsal vertebrae are elongated. The elements of the pelvis are strongly fused. The thighbone shows a low bone plateau below the major trochanter; to the front an accessory trochanter is present. The epicondyle of the inner femoral condyle is well-developed. The cnemial crest strongly extends to the front and is curved upwards. The fibula has a distinctive boss serving as an attachment for the '' Musculus iliofibularis''. The upper inner side of the fibula is strongly hollowed out. Size ''Genusaurus'' was originally estimated to have been long. From the thighbone, a weight of was extrapolated. Later estimates, while confirming the length of , have reduced the weight ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masiakasaurus Knopfleri
''Masiakasaurus'' is a genus of small predatory noasaurid theropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. In Malagasy, ''masiaka'' means "vicious"; thus, the genus name means "vicious lizard". The type species, ''Masiakasaurus knopfleri'', was named after the musician Mark Knopfler, whose music inspired the expedition crew. It was named in 2001 by Scott D. Sampson, Matthew Carrano, and Catherine A. Forster. Unlike most theropods, the front teeth of ''M. knopfleri'' projected forward instead of straight down. This unique dentition suggests that they had a specialized diet, perhaps including fish and other small prey. Other bones of the skeleton indicate that ''Masiakasaurus'' were bipedal, with much shorter forelimbs than hindlimbs. ''M. knopfleri'' was a small theropod, reaching long and weighing . ''Masiakasaurus'' lived around 70 million years ago, along with animals such as ''Majungasaurus'', ''Rapetosaurus'', and ''Rahonavis''. ''Masiakasaurus'' was a member ... [...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] |
