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Abelisaur
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. 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 moderately large predator from the Late Ju ... [...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'', '' Arcovenator'' and '' Caletodraco'' have been described in France. Abelisaurids possibly first appeared during the Jurassic period based on fossil records, and some genera survived until the end of the Mesozoic era, around . 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'', the forelimbs are vestigial, the skull is shorter, and bony cres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Majungasaurus
''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. Measuring around long and weighing more than , 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 Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carnotaurus
''Carnotaurus'' (; ) is a genus of Theropoda, theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous period, probably sometime between 72 and 69 million years ago. The only species is ''Carnotaurus sastrei''. Known from a single well-preserved skeleton, it is one of the best-understood theropods from the Southern Hemisphere. The skeleton, found in 1984, was uncovered in the Chubut Province of Argentina from rocks of the La Colonia Formation. ''Carnotaurus'' is a derived member of the Abelisauridae, a group of large theropods that occupied the large predation, predatorial ecological niche, niche in the southern landmasses of Gondwana during the late Cretaceous. Within the Abelisauridae, the genus is often considered a member of the Brachyrostra, a clade of short-snouted forms restricted to South America. ''Carnotaurus'' was a lightly built, bipedal predator, measuring in length and weighing . As a theropod, ''Carnotaurus'' was highly specialized and distincti ... [...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 in paleontology, 2004 by Paul Sereno, Jeffrey A. Wilson, Jeffery Wilson and Jack Conrad. ''Rugops'' has an estimated length of and weight of . 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 the carcharodontosau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ceratosaurus Nasicornis
''Ceratosaurus'' (from Greek 'horn' and 'lizard') is a genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived in the Late Jurassic period (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian ages). The genus was first described in 1884 by American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh based on a nearly complete skeleton discovered in Garden Park, Colorado, in rocks belonging to the Morrison Formation. The type species is ''Ceratosaurus nasicornis''. The Garden Park specimen remains the most complete skeleton known from the genus and only a handful of additional specimens have been described since. Two additional species, ''Ceratosaurus dentisulcatus'' and ''Ceratosaurus magnicornis'', were described in 2000 from two fragmentary skeletons from the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry of Utah and from the vicinity of Fruita, Colorado. The validity of these additional species has been questioned, however, and all three skeletons possibly represent different growth stages of the same species. In 1999, the discovery o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eoabelisaurus
''Eoabelisaurus'' () is a genus of abelisauroid 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 (zoology), 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, bas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dahalokely
''Dahalokely'' is an extinct genus of carnivorous Abelisauroidea, abelisauroid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Turonian) of Madagascar. Discovery In 2007, during an expedition by Andrew Farke to the north of Madagascar, Joseph Sertich discovered near Antsiranana the remains of a theropod new to science. In 2010, these were completely excavated by Sertich and Liva Ratsimbaholison. The fossils were then transported to the United States of America to be prepared, repaired, and scanned at Stony Brook University. After casts had been made and stored in the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology with inventory number RAM 16010, the original fossils were returned to Madagascar and added to the collection of the University of Antananarivo. The type species, ''Dahalokely tokana'', was named by Farke and Sertich in 2013. The generic name, ''Dahalokely'', means "small thief" in Malagasy language, Malagasy, deriving from its estimated length of , smaller than those of known ab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noasauridae
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 Herbivore, herbivorous diets, at least as adults. The most complete and well known elaphrosaurine was ''Limusaurus, Limusaurus inextricabilis''. At least some noasaurids had Skeletal pneumaticity, pneumatised cervical vertebrae.Arthur Souza Brum, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Afromimus
''Afromimus'' (meaning "Africa mimic") is a genus of ceratosaurian 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 described as a genus of ornithomimosaurian, but subsequent arguments have placed it as a taxon within or close to the superfamily Abelisauroidea. 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 natio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spinostropheus
''Spinostropheus'' is a genus of carnivorous neotheropod theropod dinosaur that lived in the Middle Jurassic period and has been found in the Tiouraren Formation, Niger. The type and only species is ''S. gautieri''. History of discovery In 1959, Albert-Félix de Lapparent excavated fossils near Oued Timmersöi, west of In Tedreft in the Agadez desert. Among the finds were the remains of a theropod. In 1960, de Lapparent, based on these, named a second species of the genus ''Elaphrosaurus'', ''E. gautieri''. The specific name honours François Gautier, the discoverer of the type locality. In 2004, Paul Sereno, John Wilson and John Conrad named a separate genus: ''Spinostropheus''. The generic name is derived from Latin ''spina'', "spine", and Greek στροφεύς, ''stropheus'', "vertebra", and refers to the epipophyseal processes of the cervical vertebrae, which are prominent and dorso-ventrally flattened. The holotype, MNHN 1961-28, was found in a layer of the Tiour ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Austrocheirus
''Austrocheirus'' is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. It was named and described by Martin Ezcurra, Federico Agnolin and Fernando Novas in 2010 in paleontology, 2010. It contains the type species ''Austrocheirus isasii''. The generic name means "southern hand". The specific name (zoology), specific epithet honours discoverer and preparator Marcelo Pablo Isasi. The fossils were found on 17 March 2002 in the Pari Aike Formation, dating from the Campanian to Maastrichtian. These fossils consist of a partial manus (anatomy), manus (hand), a tibia, Axial skeleton, axial bones, and a foot bone. ''Austrocheirus'' was a medium-sized theropod measuring long. Classification A cladistic analysis indicated ''Austrocheirus'' had a basal position in the Abelisauroidea, but was more derived than ''Ceratosaurus'' and ''Berberosaurus''. This would make it the first known mid-sized abelisauroid which did not possess the reduced forelimbs seen i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
