Open Paleo

Lajasvenator

Coria et al., 2020 LAH-hass-VEN-uh-tuh

Named after the city of Las Lajas in Neuquén, Argentina combined with Latin venator (hunter); meaning "Las Lajas hunter"

137.1–132.6 million years ago Valanginian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Lajasvenator is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaur from the Mulichinco Formation from Neuquén Province in Argentina. The type and only species is Lajasvenator ascheriae. It was probably one of the smaller known Carcharodontosaurids, being slightly more than half the length of Concavenator, about 3.5 m (11 ft).

Under dispute

Lajasvenator ascheriae is recovered as a basal carcharodontosaurid, in a polytomy with Concavenator and Eocarcharia (Coria and colleagues, 2020) or in a polytomy of basal carcharodontosaurids with Lusovenator and Concavenator (Canale and colleagues, 2022). It is placed at Carcharodontosauridae incertae sedis.

Diagnosis

  1. Anterior projections on cervical prezygapophyses
  2. Lip-like crests on lateral surfaces of cervical postzygapophyses
  3. Bilobed anterior processes on cervical ribs
  4. Premaxilla ventral to external naris with height/length ratio less than 0.5
  5. Paradental plates with striated or ridged surfaces
  6. Relatively small premaxillary teeth
  7. Cervical vertebrae with distinct rim on anterior articular surface
  8. Ilium with straight dorsal margin

Species

Lajasvenator ascheriae Coria et al., 2020

Type species

Named for Susana Ascheri, in recognition of Ascheri's kindness in allowing the researchers to work on Ascheri's land.

Holotype
MLL-Pv 005 sensu Coria 2020 , Museo Municipal de Las Lajas
Material
Partial skeleton including premaxilla and maxilla with teeth, dentaries, four cervical and first dorsal vertebrae with ribs, dorsal centra, sacral and caudal vertebrae, and pelvic elements
Notes
Coria and colleagues (2019) gave the same catalog number for the holotype dorsal vertebra of the dicraeosaurid Pilmatueia faundezi, collected from the same locality and formation.
Horizon
Mulichinco Formation, Valanginian, Early Cretaceous , 137.1–132.6 million years ago
Locality
Pilmatué, Neuquén, Argentina

References

  1. Coria, R. A.; Currie, P. J.; Ortega, F.; Baiano, M. A. (2020). An Early Cretaceous, medium-sized carcharodontosaurid theropod (Dinosauria, Saurischia) from the Mulichinco Formation (upper Valanginian), Neuquén Province, Patagonia, Argentina. Cretaceous Research 111. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2019.104319 coria2020a
  2. Coria, R. A.; Windholz, G. J.; Ortega, F.; Currie, P. J. (2019). A new dicraeosaurid sauropod from the Lower Cretaceous (Mulichinco Formation, Valanginian, Neuquén Basin) of Argentina. Cretaceous Research 93: 33-48. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2018.08.019

    Names Pilmatueia faundezi on a holotype carrying the same catalog number as this one.

    coria2019a
  3. Canale, J. I.; Apesteguía, S.; Gallina, P. A.; Mitchell, J.; Smith, N. D.; Cullen, T. M.; Shinya, A.; Haluza, A.; Gianechini, F. A.; Makovicky, P. J. (2022). New giant carnivorous dinosaur reveals convergent evolutionary trends in theropod arm reduction. Current Biology 32(14): 3195-3202.e5. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.057

    Recovered Lajasvenator in a polytomy of basal carcharodontosaurids with Lusovenator, Concavenator.

    canale2022a
  4. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Illustrated by E. Viola.

    jones2026c