Open Paleo

Protathlitis

Santos-Cubedo et al., 2023 pro-TATH-li-tis Disputed

From Greek protathlitis (champion); meaning "champion".

125.8–121.4 million years ago Barremian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Protathlitis is a potentially dubious and chimeric genus of theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Arcillas de Morella Formation of Castellón, Spain. The type and only species is Protathlitis cinctorrensis, known from a partial skeleton. It was originally identified as a basal member of the Baryonychinae. If a spinosaurid identity of the material is correct, its discovery, as well as those of the spinosaurids Camarillasaurus, Iberospinus, Riojavenatrix, and the contemporary Vallibonavenatrix shows that the Iberian Peninsula held a diverse assemblage of these theropods during the Early Cretaceous.

Under dispute

Protathlitis cinctorrensis was described as a basal baryonychine (Santos-Cubedo and colleagues, 2023), but Rauhut and colleagues (2025) regard it as a probably chimeric nomen dubium whose spinosaurid affinities are questionable.

Diagnosis

  1. Subcircular depression in anterior corner of antorbital fossa in maxilla (autapomorphy)
  2. Transverse process of caudal vertebrae with only two fossae and one buttress, posteriorly oriented
  3. Caudal vertebrae centra with narrow ventral groove
  4. Articular facets of caudal vertebrae clearly oval in outline
  5. Prezygapophyses and postzygapophyses projected beyond anterior and posterior rims of centrum
  6. No hyposphene below postzygapophysis

Species

Protathlitis cinctorrensis Santos-Cubedo et al., 2023 Disputed

Type species

Named for Cinctorres, the town in Castellón, Spain, where the holotype remains were discovered.

Holotype
8ANA-109, 3ANA83, 4ANA43, 4ANA69, 4ANA76, 5ANA78 , Unknown institution
Material
Maxillary fragment and caudal vertebrae
Horizon
Arcillas de Morella Formation, Barremian, Early Cretaceous , 125.8–121.4 million years ago
Locality
Ana site, near Cinctorres, Castellón, Spain

References

  1. Santos-Cubedo, A.; de Santisteban, C.; Poza, B.; Meseguer, S. (2023). A new spinosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous of Cinctorres (Spain). Scientific Reports 13(1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33418-2 santos-cubedo2023a
  2. Rauhut, O. W. M.; Canudo, J. I.; Castanera, D. (2025). Revision of the theropod dinosaur Camarillasaurus cirugedae from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of Teruel province, Spain. Palaeontologia Electronica 28(3): 1-67. doi:10.26879/1543

    In revising Camarillasaurus, reassessed Protathlitis as a probably chimeric nomen dubium of questionable spinosaurid affinity.

    rauhut2025a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length, mass, and hip height estimates.

    jones2026c