Abelisaurus

Taxobox
name = "Abelisaurus"
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous

---

image_size = 200px
image_caption = Profile of "Abelisaurus comahuensis".
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Theropoda
infraordo = Ceratosauria
familia = Abelisauridae
genus = "Abelisaurus"
genus_authority = Bonaparte & Novas, 1985
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "A. comahuensis" Bonaparte & Novas, 1985 (type)

"Abelisaurus" (pronEng|əˌbɛlɨˈsɔrəs; "Abel's lizard") is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. It was a bipedal carnivore that probably reached 7 to 9 meters (25 to 30 feet) in length, although it is known from only one partial skull.

The generic name recognizes Roberto Abel as the discoverer of the specimen and former director of the provincial Museum of Cipolletti in Argentina, where the specimen is housed. It also incorporates the Greek "σαυρος"/"sauros", meaning 'lizard'. There is one named species, "A. comahuensis", which honors the Comahue region of Argentina, where the fossil was found. Both genus and species were named and described by Argentine paleontologists Jose Bonaparte and Fernando Novas in 1985, who placed it in the newly-created family Abelisauridae.Bonaparte, J.F. & Novas, F.E. 1985. ["Abelisaurus comahuensis", n.g., n.sp., Carnosauria of the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia.] "Ameghiniana". 21: 259-265. [In Spanish] ]

Classification

Many other abelisaurids have since been discovered, including extremely complete specimens of "Aucasaurus", "Carnotaurus" and "Majungasaurus". Some scientists place "Abelisaurus" as a basal abelisaurid, outside the subfamily Carnotaurinae.Tykoski, R.S. & Rowe, T. 2004. Ceratosauria. In: Weishampel, D.B., Dodson, P., & Osmolska, H. (Eds.) "The Dinosauria" (2nd edition). Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 47-70.] Sereno, P.C., Wilson, J.A., & Conrad, J.L. 2004. New dinosaurs link southern landmasses in the Mid-Cretaceous. "Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences" 271: 1325-1330.] Others are less certain of its position.Sampson, S.D., Witmer, L.M., Forster, C.A., Krause, D.A., O'Connor, P.M., Dodson, P., Ravoavy, F. 1998. Predatory dinosaur remains from Madagascar: implications for the Cretaceous biogeography of Gondwana. "Science" 280: 1048-1051.] Lamanna, M.C., Martinez, R.D., & Smith, J.B. 2002. A definitive abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the early Late Cretaceous of Patagonia. "Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology". 22(1): 58-69.] Abelisaurids share some skull features with the unrelated carcharodontosaurids and, since "Abelisaurus" is known only from a skull, future discoveries may show that this genus was in fact a carcharodontosaurid.Novas, F.E. 1997. Abelisauridae. In: Currie, P.J. & Padian, K.P. "Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs". San Diego: Academic Press. Pp. 1-2.] However, this is thought unlikely.

Fossil material

The one known fossil skull of "Abelisaurus" is incomplete, especially on the right side. It is also missing most of the palate (roof of the mouth). Despite the missing pieces, it is over 85 centimeters (33 inches) long. Although there are no bony crests or horns, like those found in some other abelisaurids, such as "Carnotaurus", rough ridges on the snout and above the eyes might have supported some kind of crest made out of keratin, which wouldn't have become fossilized. There are also very large "fenestrae" (window-like openings) in the skull, which are found in many dinosaurs and reduce skull weight.

Disputed age

"Abelisaurus" is one of the many dinosaurs that have been discovered in Patagonia. It was originally described as coming from the Allen Formation but subsequent research proved the remains were actually found in the older Anacleto Formation (part of the Neuquén Group) of Rio Negro Province, Argentina. The Anacleto is a geologic formation in South America, dating from the early Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, between 83 and 80 million years ago.Leanza, H.A., Apesteguia, S., Novas, F.E., & de la Fuente, M.S. 2004. Cretaceous terrestrial beds from the Neuquén Basin (Argentina) and their tetrapod assemblages. "Cretaceous Research" 25(1): 61-87.]

References

External links

* [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/nature-online/dino-directory/detail.dsml?Genus=Abelisaurus "Abelisaurus" in the Dino Directory]
* [http://www.dinodata.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6090&Itemid=67 "Abelisaurus"] at DinoData