Open Paleo

Albertavenator

Evans et al., 2017 al-BURR-tuh-vuh-NAY-tuhr

Named after Alberta, Canada, combined with Latin 'venator' meaning 'hunter'; meaning 'Alberta hunter'

83.6–66.0 million years ago Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Albertavenator is a genus of small-bodied troodontid theropod dinosaur that lived during the early Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 71 million years ago. It is known from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation in Alberta, Canada, and is currently represented by a single species, Albertavenator curriei. The species name honors Canadian paleontologist Philip J. Currie for extensive contributions to theropod research. The animal is known from parts of the skull.

Under dispute

Albertavenator curriei, based on frontal material once attributed to Troodon, is recovered as a derived troodontine; Rivera-Sylva and colleagues (2026) place it in their new tribe Troodontini (with Xenovenator), which is not adopted as a node. It is placed in Troodontinae.

Diagnosis

  1. Primary supraciliary foramen truncated anteriorly by the lacrimal contact, unlike all other troodontids where it is completely enclosed by the frontal
  2. Superficial (ectocranial) surface of the frontal proportionally shorter than all known troodontids, with a length to width ratio less than 1.3
  3. Frontoparietal contact bearing an enlarged lappet of the frontal extending medially to extensively overlap the lateral region of the interfrontal (anterior) process of the parietal

Species

Albertavenator curriei Evans et al., 2017

Type species

Named for Canadian paleontologist Philip J. Currie for extensive contributions to theropod research.

Holotype
TMP 1993.105.0001 , Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
Material
Incomplete left frontal lacking the postorbital process
Horizon
Horsethief Member, Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–66.0 million years ago
Locality
25 m northeast of Bleriot Ferry bonebed, Alberta, Canada

References

  1. Evans, D. C.; Cullen, T. M.; Larson, D. W.; Rego, A. (2017). A new species of troodontid theropod (Dinosauria: Maniraptora) from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Maastrichtian) of Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 54(8): 813-826. Canadian Science Publishing. doi:10.1139/cjes-2017-0034 evans2017a
  2. Eberth, D. A.; Braman, D. R. (2012). A revised stratigraphy and depositional history for the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Upper Cretaceous), southern Alberta plains. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 49(9): 1053-1086. Canadian Science Publishing. doi:10.1139/e2012-035

    Source of the Horsethief Member.

    eberth2012a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length estimate.

    jones2026c
  4. Rivera-Sylva, H. E.; Aguillón-Martínez, M. C.; Flores-Ventura, J.; Sánchez-Uribe, I. E.; Guzmán-Gutiérrez, J. R.; Longrich, N. R. (2026). A Thick-Skulled Troodontid Theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico. Diversity 18(1). MDPI AG. doi:10.3390/d18010038

    Placed Albertavenator in new tribe Troodontini with Xenovenator.

    rivera-sylva2026a