A new abelisaurid from the Huincul Formation (Cenomanian-Turonian; Upper Cretaceous) of Río Negro province, Argentina

CERRONI, M.A.; MOTTA, M.J.; AGNOLÍN, F.L.; ARANCIAGA ROLANDO, A.M.; BRISSÓN EGLI, F.; NOVAS, F.E.

JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2020 vol. 98

0895-9811

The record of abelisaurids in South America, particularly Argentina is relatively abundant. However, abelisauriddiversity is far from being well-known. Huincul Formation has yielded diverse theropod remains, including theabelisaurids Ilokelesia and Skorpiovenator. The aim of the present contribution is to describe a new abelisauridcoming from the Upper Section of the Huincul Formation (Cretaceous; Cenomanian-Turonian) at the ViolanteFarm fossil site, Río Negro province, northern Patagonia, Argentina. The new taxon described in this contribution is represented by an incomplete specimen including well-preserved maxilla and dorsal vertebrae, anddistorted pelvic girdle and caudal and sacral vertebrae. Its size, much smaller than large abelisaurids asAbelisaurus and Carnotaurus indicates that the new taxon probably occupied a different ecological niche withinthe carnivoran guild.