Aoniraptor
Temporal range: late Cenomanian-early Turonian
~96–91 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: †Megaraptora
Genus: †Aoniraptor
Motta et al., 2016
Species:
†A. libertatem
Binomial name
†Aoniraptor libertatem
Motta et al., 2016

Aoniraptor is a megaraptoran theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina (Huincul Formation).

Discovery and naming

The holotype, MPCA-Pv 804/1 to 804/25, which consists of the last sacral vertebra, six proximal caudal vertebrae, four mid-caudal vertebrae, and five haemal arches, was recovered by Matias Motta from the Violante Farm, part of the Huincul Formation. It was discovered in 2010, but only formally described in 2016.[1]

Aoniraptor has been considered as synonymous with the theropod Gualicho, described from the same formation, due to the similarities of their caudal vertebrae.[2][3] If found to be true, the name Gualicho would have precedent.

Aranciaga Rolando et al. in 2020 performed a comparative analysis between Aoniraptor and Gualicho, and found many differences between the two.[4]

Description

Aoniraptor grew up to 6 metres (20 ft) long.[1]

Etymology

Aoniraptor comes from the Tehuelche language word "Aoni", which means south, and the Latin word "raptor", meaning thief. The specific name, libertatem, comes from the Latin word for freedom, as it was discovered on the bicentennial of Argentina's independence from Spain in 1810.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Motta, Matías J.; Aranciaga Rolando, Alexis M.; Rozadilla, Sebastián; Agnolín, Federico E.; Chimento, Nicolás R.; Egli, Federico Brissón; Novas, Fernando E. (June 2016). "New theropod fauna from the Upper Cretaceous (Huincul Formation) of northwestern Patagonia, Argentina". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 71: 231–253 – via ResearchGate.
  2. ^ Mortimer, Mickey (2016-07-13). "Is Gualicho Aoniraptor?". The Theropod Database Blog. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  3. ^ Cau, Andrea. "Nuovi resti di Aoniraptor? Ehm... Benvenuto Gualicho!". Theropoda. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  4. ^ Rolando, Mauro Aranciaga; Marsà, Jordi Garcia; Novas, Fernando (2020). "Histology and pneumaticity of Aoniraptor libertatem (Dinosauria, Theropoda), an enigmatic mid-sized megaraptoran from Patagonia". Journal of Anatomy. 237 (4): 741–756. doi:10.1111/joa.13225. ISSN 1469-7580. PMC 7495275. PMID 32470191.
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