Biology:Achillesaurus

From HandWiki
Short description: Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Achillesaurus
Temporal range: Santonian
~85 Ma
Achillesaurus.jpg
Illustration
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Genus: Achillesaurus
Species:
A. manazzonei
Binomial name
Achillesaurus manazzonei
Martinelli & Vera 2007

Achillesaurus is a genus of alvarezsaurid theropod dinosaur from the Santonian-age Upper Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa Formation of Rio Negro, Argentina . It was named in reference to Achilles' heel, because diagnostic features are found there for these animals. The genus was a relatively large, basal alvarezsaurid, and a contemporary of Alvarezsaurus. Achillesaurus is based on MACN-PV-RN 1116, a partial skeleton including a sacral vertebra, four tail vertebrae, part of the left thighbone, shin and foot, and the left ilium. Agustín Martinelli and Ezequiel Vera, who described the specimen, performed a phylogenetic analysis and found their new genus to be an alvarezsaurid with an unresolved relationship to Alvarezsaurus and more derived alvarezsaurids.[1] Makovicky, Apesteguía & Gianechini (2012) argued that Achillesaurus might actually be a junior synonym of Alvarezsaurus which, according to the authors, "is known from the same formation and from which it [i.e. Achillesaurus] differs trivially."[2]

References

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q132569 entry