Open Paleo

Anabisetia

Coria & Calvo, 2002 AH-nuh-bee-SET-ee-uh /ˌɑːnəbiːˈsɛtiə/

Named for the late Ana Maria Biset, an influential archaeologist from Neuquén Province, Argentina, where the remains were found.

93.9–89.8 million years ago Turonian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Anabisetia is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of Patagonia, South America. It was a small bipedal herbivore, around 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) long.

Diagnosis

  1. Cranioventrally oriented occipital condyle
  2. Fifth metacarpal transversely flattened with sharp lateral borders
  3. Scapula with exceptionally strong and well-developed acromial process, stronger than in any other ornithopod
  4. Ilium with preacetabular process longer than 50% of total ilium length; when articulated reaches the same anterior point as the prepubic process
  5. Ischiadic shaft triangular proximally and quadrangular distally in cross section
  6. Tarsus with fibula-astragalar contact

Species

Anabisetia saldiviai Coria & Calvo, 2002

Type species

Named for Roberto Saldivia Blanco, a local farmer who discovered the fossils in 1985 and brought them to the attention of science in 1993.

Holotype
MCF-PVPH 74 , Museo ‘Carmen Funes’, Plaza Huincul
Material
Portion of left maxilla with one tooth, both dentaries, ventral braincase, four cervical vertebrae, four dorsal neural arches, four sacral centra, two complete caudal vertebrae, ten caudal centra, complete left shoulder and forearm including left manus, almost complete right scapula and coracoid, proximal right humerus, almost complete left hind limb, almost complete left pes.
Horizon
Cerro Lisandro Formation, Turonian, Late Cretaceous , 93.9–89.8 million years ago
Locality
Cerro Bayo Mesa, Neuquén, Argentina

References

  1. Coria, R. A.; Calvo, J. O. (2002). A new iguanodontian ornithopod from Neuquen Basin, Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(3): 503-509. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0503:aniofn]2.0.co;2 coria2002b
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Ornithischians. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the mass and hip height estimates.

    jones2026a