Anteavis
From Latin 'ante' meaning 'before' and 'avis' meaning 'bird', meaning 'before birds', reflecting its position as an early theropod predating modern birds.
Late Triassic stages
Anteavis is an extinct genus of early theropod dinosaurs known from the Late Triassic (Carnian age) Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina. The genus contains a single species, Anteavis crurilongus, known from a partial skeleton and skull.
Diagnosis
- Dorsal maxillary process expanded anteroposteriorly, with concave anterior and posterior margins.
- Large coracoid foramen situated between scapula and coracoid, drilling the scapula medially.
- Humerus with deep foramina on the proximal surface of the medial tuberosity.
- Puboischiadic plate with two similarly sized openings in the pubis.
- Femoral head with blunt anterolateral tuberosity in proximal view and pronounced ovoid tuberosity on the anterolateral surface.
- Distal end of the tibia with coarse, rounded tuberosities on the medial and posterior surfaces.
Species
Anteavis crurilongus Martínez et al., 2025
Type species
From Latin, combining crus, meaning 'leg', and longus, meaning 'long', in reference to the proportionally elongate lower hindlimb.
- Holotype
- PVSJ 1085 , División de Paleontología de Vertebrados del Museo de Ciencias Naturales y Universidad Nacional de San Juan
- Material
- Partial skeleton of a single individual, including cranial and postcranial remains.
- Horizon
- lower Cancha de Bochas Member, Ischigualasto Formation, Carnian, Late Triassic , 237.0–227.3 million years ago
- Locality
- Ischigualasto Provincial Park, Hoyada de Ischigualasto, San Juan, Argentina
References
- Martínez, R. N.; Colombi, C. E.; Ezcurra, M. D.; Abelín, D. O.; Cerda, I.; Alcober, O. A. (2025). A Carnian theropod with unexpectedly derived features during the first dinosaur radiation. Nature Ecology & Evolution 9(12): 2238-2247. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02868-4 martínez2025a