Pandoravenator

Extinct genus of reptiles

Pandoravenator
Temporal range: Oxfordian-Tithonian,
~160–150 Ma
PreꞒ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Tetanurae
Genus: Pandoravenator
Rauhut & Pol, 2017
Type species
Pandoravenator fernandezorum
Rauhut & Pol, 2017

Pandoravenator (meaning "Pandora hunter", after the type locality, "Caja de Pandora", i.e. Pandora's box) is a genus of basal tetanuran theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian to Tithonian) of central Patagonia (Chubut Province). Fossils in the form of a fragmentally preserved postcranial skeleton of this dinosaur were discovered and scientifically described in 2017 by paleontologists Oliver Rauhut and Diego Pol.

This dinosaur represents the first theropod discovered in the 160–150 million year old sediments of the Cañadón Calcáreo Formation, a Late Jurassic assemblage in Argentina, which has also produced remains from sauropods, neosauropods, ancient crocodiles and ancient fishes. The significance of Pandoravenator is associated with the evolution of a particular set of features that are characteristic of the averostran or tetanuran tarsus (ankle and foot). The interpretation put forward by Rauhut and Pol suggests that the unique developmental pattern seen in the astragalus of living birds arose at least at the base of Averostra, when the ceratosaur and tetanuran lineages diverged from one another, in the late Early Jurassic.

The type and only known species is Pandoravenator fernandezorum.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ Rauhut, Oliver; Pol, Diego (14 November 2017). "A theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Cañadón Calcáreo Formation of Central Patagonia, and the evolution of the theropod tarsus" (PDF). Ameghiniana. 54 (5): 539–566.
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Avemetatarsalia
    • see Avemetatarsalia
Theropoda
    • see below↓
Coelophysoidea
Coelophysidae
Averostra
    • see below↓
Dubious neotheropods
Coelophysis bauri
Dilophosaurus wetherilli
Ceratosauridae
Noasauridae
Elaphrosaurinae
Noasaurinae
Majungasaurinae
Carnotaurinae
Brachyrostra
Furileusauria
Tetanurae
    • see below↓
Ceratosaurus nasicornis
Limusaurus inextricabilis
Rajasaurus narmadensis
Aucasaurus garridoi
Piatnitzkysauridae
Megalosauridae
Megalosaurinae
Afrovenatorinae
Baryonychinae
Ceratosuchopsini
Spinosaurinae
Spinosaurini
Avetheropoda
    • see below↓
Piatnitzkysaurus floresi

Torvosaurus tanneri

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
Metriacanthosauridae
Metriacanthosaurinae
Allosauridae
Carcharodontosauria
Neovenatoridae
Carcharodontosauridae
Carcharodontosaurinae
Giganotosaurini
Megaraptora?
Megaraptoridae
Coelurosauria
    • see below↓
Xuanhanosaurus qilixiaensis
Allosaurus fragilis

Neovenator salerii Carcharodontosaurus saharicus

Australovenator wintonensis
Coeluridae?
Proceratosauridae
Albertosaurinae
Tyrannosaurinae
Alioramini
Daspletosaurini
Teratophoneini
Tyrannosaurini
Maniraptoromorpha
    • see below↓
Dubious coelurosaurs
Zuolong salleei
Stokesosaurus clevelandi

Alioramus remotus

Tarbosaurus bataar
Compsognathidae
Ornithomimosauria
Macrocheiriformes
Deinocheiridae
Ornithomimidae
Maniraptora
    • see Maniraptora
    • includes birds
Sinosauropteryx prima

Deinocheirus mirificus

Qiupalong henanensis
Taxon identifiers
Pandoravenator


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