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Chenanisaurus

Longrich et al., 2017 sheh-NAN-eye-SOR-us

Named after Sidi Chennane, the locality in Morocco (Khouribga phosphate mines) where the fossil was found, + Greek sauros ('lizard'), meaning 'Sidi Chennane lizard'.

72.2–66.0 million years ago Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Chenanisaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous in what is now Morocco. The genus belongs to the family Abelisauridae. It is known from a partial dentary (lower jawbone) and several teeth that were found in the phosphate mines of Khouribga, in rocks of the Maastrichtian-aged Ouled Abdoun Basin. Chenanisaurus was described in 2017 by British paleontologist Nicholas Longrich and colleagues. The genus contains a single species, Chenanisaurus barbaricus.

Diagnosis

  1. Lateral groove and associated neurovascular foramina located high (dorsally) on dentary, contrasting with the ventrally positioned groove in other derived abelisaurids
  2. Anterodorsal margin of dentary downturned in lateral view
  3. Massive symphysis with anterior margin nearly vertical in lateral view
  4. Tip of jaws broad, with dentaries meeting at an obtuse angle
  5. Proportionately very deep mandible, more extreme than in Carnotaurus or Ekrixinatosaurus relative to alveolar size

Species

Chenanisaurus barbaricus Longrich et al., 2017

Type species

From Greek word 'barbaros' meaning 'barbaric' and also refers to Barbary, as in the Barbary Coast of Morocco and northwest Africa, where the fossils were found.

Holotype
OCP DEK-GE 772 , Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Service Geologique
Material
Anterior end of the left dentary with three tooth crowns and four tooth roots; posterior end broken away, anteroventral and dorsal margins damaged
Horizon
upper Couche III Member, Phosphates of the Oulad Abdoun Basin Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 72.2–66.0 million years ago
Locality
Sidi Chennane, Khouribga, Morocco

References

  1. Longrich, N. R.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Jalil, N. E.; Khaldoune, F.; Jourani, E. (2017). An abelisaurid from the latest Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of Morocco, North Africa. Cretaceous Research 76: 40-52. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2017.03.021 longrich2017a