Open Paleo

Mapusaurus

Coria & Currie, 2006 mah-puh-sore-us

From Mapudungun 'mapu' (earth or land) and Greek 'sauros' (lizard); meaning 'earth lizard'

100.5–89.8 million years ago Cenomanian–Turonian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Mapusaurus is a genus of giant carcharodontosaurid carnosaurian dinosaur that lived in Argentina during the Cenomanian-Turonian ages of the Late Cretaceous. It is known from a bonebed of between seven and nine specimens, excavated from the strata of the Huincul Formation between 1997 and 2001 as part of the Argentinian-Canadian Dinosaur Project. In 2006, Rodolfo Coria and Philip J. Currie scientifically described Mapusaurus. Only one species of Mapusaurus, M. roseae, has been described, named after the rose-colored rocks in which it was discovered and sponsor Rose Letwin.

Diagnosis

  1. Unfused nasals that are thick, rugose, and narrower anterior to nasal-maxilla-lacrimal junction
  2. Upper quadratojugal process of jugal autapomorphically splits into two prongs
  3. Small anterior mylohyoid foramen positioned above dentary contact with splenial
  4. Second and third metacarpals fused
  5. Brevis fossa of ilium extends deeply into excavation dorsal to ischial peduncle
  6. Conical, slightly curving cervical epipophyses that taper distally

Species

Mapusaurus roseae Coria & Currie, 2006

Type species

Named for both the rose-colored rocks in which the fossils were found and for Rose Letwin, who sponsored the expeditions that recovered the specimens.

Holotype
MCF-PVPH 108.1 , Museo ‘Carmen Funes’, Plaza Huincul
Material
Right nasal
Horizon
upper Huincul Formation, Cenomanian–Turonian, Late Cretaceous , 100.5–89.8 million years ago
Locality
Cañadón del Gato, Neuquén, Argentina

References

  1. Coria, R. A.; Currie, P. J. (2006). A new carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina. Geodiversitas 28(1): 71-118. doi:10.5281/zenodo.5376792 coria2006a
  2. Aranciaga Rolando, A. M.; Motta, M. J.; Agnolín, F. L.; Tsuihiji, T.; Miner, S.; Brissón Egli, F.; Novas, F. E. (2024). A new carcharodontosaurid specimen sheds light on the anatomy of South American giant predatory dinosaurs. The Science of Nature 111(6): 56. doi:10.1007/s00114-024-01942-4

    Its supplement places this taxon in the upper section of the formation, above the levels yielding Meraxes and Taurovenator.

    aranciagarolando2024a