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''Lucianovenator'' is an extinct genus of coelophysidae, coelophysid Theropoda, theropod dinosaur which lived in Argentina during the Triassic. The genus name ''Lucianovenator'' translates to "Luciano's hunter", in reference to Don Luciano Leyes, who first reported the remains. The species name ''bonoi'' refers to Tulio del Bono, a local scientific authority who collaborated on the describers' research. It is one of the few Neotheropoda, neotheropods known from South America.
As with other neotheropods, the cervical vertebrae of ''Lucianovenator'' possess a complex system of fossae (pits) and laminae (ridges) that connect the main body of each vertebra (centra), front and rear joint plates (pre- and post-Articular processes, zygapophyses), and top and bottom rib facets (diapophyses and pleurapophyses) to each other. Although the cervicals of ''Lucianovenator'' possess many fossae, four particular examples of paired fossae (four on each side of the vertebrae) can be used to distinguish it from other neotheropods.
The first of these is deep pit located directly at the base of each prezygapophysis, and the second is a larger pit is located immediately behind it. These two pits are obscured by a ridge known as a prezygapophyseal centrodiapophyseal lamina, which connects each prezygapophysis to the each diapophysis, and each diapophysis to the rear portion of the centrum. A third fossa is located at the rear portion of the vertebra. It too is obscured from the side, this time by the centropostzygapophyseal lamina which connects each postzygapophysis to the rear portion of the centrum. Each of the third fossae connects to a pair of large internal cavities which lie adjacent to the canal for the spinal cord. This combination of features is unique to ''Lucianovenator,'' as no other coelophysoid possesses all of these features at once. The first and third pairs of fossae are similar to those of ''Coelophysis kayentakatae, "Syntarsus" kayentakatae'', but the second pair is not. The third pair does connect to internal cavities in ''Coelophysis, Coelophysis bauri'', but so does the first pair, unlike the case in ''Lucianovenator''. Another of ''Lucianovenator''
Discovery
The holotype (PVSJ 906) of ''Lucianovenator bonoi'' was found in the "Quebrada del puma" locality of the Quebrada del Barro Formation in Argentina, which is estimated to be from the late Norian to Rhaetian in age, approximately 210 to 202 million years ago. PVSJ 906 represents an articulated vertebral sequence from the third Cervical vertebrae, cervical to fourth dorsal vertebra, as well as a sacrum and a partial pelvis. In addition, three more specimens were referred to ''Lucianovenator''. These include PVSJ 899 (a sacrum and partial pelvis), PVSJ 1013 (a sacrum), and PVSJ 1084 (a sacrum and partial pelvis). PVSJ 1004, the proximal end of a right tibia, may also belong to the species.Description
As with other neotheropods, the cervical vertebrae of ''Lucianovenator'' possess a complex system of fossae (pits) and laminae (ridges) that connect the main body of each vertebra (centra), front and rear joint plates (pre- and post-Articular processes, zygapophyses), and top and bottom rib facets (diapophyses and pleurapophyses) to each other. Although the cervicals of ''Lucianovenator'' possess many fossae, four particular examples of paired fossae (four on each side of the vertebrae) can be used to distinguish it from other neotheropods.
The first of these is deep pit located directly at the base of each prezygapophysis, and the second is a larger pit is located immediately behind it. These two pits are obscured by a ridge known as a prezygapophyseal centrodiapophyseal lamina, which connects each prezygapophysis to the each diapophysis, and each diapophysis to the rear portion of the centrum. A third fossa is located at the rear portion of the vertebra. It too is obscured from the side, this time by the centropostzygapophyseal lamina which connects each postzygapophysis to the rear portion of the centrum. Each of the third fossae connects to a pair of large internal cavities which lie adjacent to the canal for the spinal cord. This combination of features is unique to ''Lucianovenator,'' as no other coelophysoid possesses all of these features at once. The first and third pairs of fossae are similar to those of ''Coelophysis kayentakatae, "Syntarsus" kayentakatae'', but the second pair is not. The third pair does connect to internal cavities in ''Coelophysis, Coelophysis bauri'', but so does the first pair, unlike the case in ''Lucianovenator''. Another of ''Lucianovenator''Classification
A phylogenetic analysis published along with the description of ''Lucianovenator'' assigned it to the Coelophysidae, in a clade with ''Coelophysis rhodesiensis, Coelophyis rhodesiensis'' and ''Camposaurus''. This clade is supported by a single feature, the fact that the zygapophyses of the sacral vertebrae are fused. The authors of the paper suggested that the relative rarity of theropods in Rhaetian deposits compared to Norian deposits may be the result of taphonomic bias rather than a decline in diversity.See also
* Timeline of coelophysoid research * 2017 in archosaur paleontologyReferences
{{Taxonbar, from=Q30116769 Coelophysoids Late Triassic dinosaurs of South America Triassic Argentina Fossils of Argentina Fossil taxa described in 2017