Huinculsaurus

Huinculsaurus (meaning "Huincul Formation lizard") is a genus of elaphrosaurine noasaurid dinosaur from the Huincul Formation in Neuquén Province, Argentina. The type and only species is Huinculsaurus montesi.[1] It was probably around 3 metres (9.8 ft) when fully grown, although this is only speculation since no fully mature specimens are currently known.

Huinculsaurus
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous 97–93 Ma
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Family: †Noasauridae
Subfamily: †Elaphrosaurinae
Genus: †Huinculsaurus
Baiano, Coria, & Cau, 2020
Type species
†Huinculsaurus montesi
Baiano, Coria, & Cau, 2020

Discovery and naming
Size comparison

Huinculsaurus is only known from three thoracic and two sacral vertebrae from an immature individual, discovered around 1991. It was discovered ten meters away from where the original Ilokelesia specimen was discovered[2] and the vertebrae were mechanically separated during preparation. The genus was eventually named in 2020.[1]

Classification

Huinculsaurus was placed in the Elaphrosaurinae subfamily of Noasauridae in 2020.[1] It was most closely related to Elaphrosaurus and Limusaurus, both from the Late Jurassic. This would make Huinculsaurus the youngest known elaphrosaurine.

References
  1. Mattia Baiano; Rodolfo Coria; Andrea Cau (2020). "A new abelisauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Huincul formation (lower upper Cretaceous, Neuquén Basin) of Patagonia, Argentina". Cretaceous Research. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104408.
  2. Coria, R.A.; Salgado, L. & Calvo, J.O. (1991) "Primeros restos de dinosaurios Theropoda del Miembro Huincul, Formación Río Limay (Cretácico Tardío Presenoniano), Neuquén, Argentina." Ameghiniana, 28: 405-406.


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