NEW THEROPOD FAUNA FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS (HUINCUL FORMATION) OF NORTHWESTERN PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA

MATÍAS J. MOTTA; ALEXIS M. ARANCIAGA ROLANDO; SEBASTIÁN ROZADILLA; FEDERICO E. AGNOLÍN; NICOLES R. CHIMENTO; BRISSÓN EGLI F.; FERNANDO E. NOVAS

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin

Editorial of New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin

Lugar: New Mexico; Año: 2016 vol. 71 p. 231 - 256

The present contribution describes theropod remains coming from the Huincul Formation (NeuquénGroup; Cenomanian-Turonian; Upper Cretaceous) at a single locality located in northwestern Río Negroprovince, Patagonia, Argentina. This theropod association is composed of abelisauroids, two different-sizedcarcharodontosaurid allosauroids, a coelurosaur of uncertain relationships, a megaraptoran tyrannosauroid, and apossible unenlagiid paravian. Two new theropod genera and species are here described. The new carcharodontosauridis based on an isolated postorbital bone bearing a unique prominence above the orbital brow. The new megaraptoranof uncertain affinities is described on the basis of a partially articulated tail and sacral vertebra. A new taxon ischaracterized by having notably elongate and highly pneumatic sacral and caudal vertebrae. It shows a largenumber of similarities with the African taxa Deltadromeus and Baharisaurus. These genera probably constitutea still poorly known clade of megaraptoran tyrannosauroids different from the Megaraptoridae. These findingssupport that Patagonia is a key place for understanding theropod evolution in Gondwana