Metriacanthosaurinae
Metriacanthosaurinae is one of the two subfamilies within Metriacanthosauridae, a family of allosauroid theropod dinosaurs that lived across Europe and Asia from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. It comprises the metriacanthosaurids more closely related to Metriacanthosaurus than to the other subgroup's namesake, Yangchuanosaurus. Its members are set apart from the family's more basal forms chiefly by details of the skull, vertebrae, and hindlimb, including a ridged front border to the antorbital opening, a keeled underside to the front back-vertebrae, and distinctive proportions of the pubis, ischium, and lower leg. Like other metriacanthosaurids, these were carnivores whose most notable feature was their tall neural spines, and they spanned a wide range of body sizes.
Diagnosis
- Anteroventral border of the maxillary antorbital fossa demarcated by a raised ridge
- Pronounced ventral keel on the anterior dorsal vertebrae
- Straight posterior margin of the iliac postacetabular process
- Angle of less than 60 degrees between the long axes of the pubic shaft and the pubic boot
- Ventrally curved ischial shaft
- Bulbous fibular crest on the tibia
Genera placed directly in Metriacanthosaurinae
- Metriacanthosaurus Oxfordian (161.5–154.8 Ma)United Kingdom
- Siamotyrannus Valanginian–Hauterivian (137.1–125.8 Ma)Thailandunder dispute
- Sinraptor Callovian–Oxfordian (165.3–154.8 Ma)China
References
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Paul, G. S. (1988). Predatory Dinosaurs of the World. Simon & Schuster, New York 1-464.
Named the subfamily Metriacanthosaurinae as new.
paul1988a -
Carrano, M. T.; Benson, R. B. J.; Sampson, S. D. (2012). The phylogeny of Tetanurae (Dinosauria: Theropoda). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 10(2): 211-300. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.630927
Provided the phylogenetic definition and diagnosis of Metriacanthosaurinae.
carrano2012a