Dracovenator

• South Africa ( Elliot Formation)

• Dracovenator Regenti

Dracovenator ( " Dragon Hunters " ) is a genus theropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of South Africa.

He is regarded as a basal (original ) Representatives of Neotheropoda and was closely related to Dilophosaurus and Zupaysaurus. These genera are traditionally grouped together as Dilophosauridae - this group is, however, no longer accepted by many researchers. So far, a fragmentary skull is only been found, which consists of the premaxillary bone ( premaxilla ) and parts of the upper jaw (maxilla ) and lower jaw ( mandible ) is.

Features

Dracovenator is estimated to have a length of 5.5 to 6.5 meters. From other species it can be distinguished among other things by a bilobed depression ( fossa ) on the lateral surface of the premaxillary bone, which is by a narrow pit with the tooth sockets in combination.

Fund and naming

The only copy is from the Elliot Formation, an important fossil site in South Africa. These rock layers can be dated to the Hettangian to Sinemurian, so fall in the Lower Jurassic. The name Dracovenator (Latin draco - "dragon"; venator - " Hunter") has the Drakensberg (Eng. " Dragon Mountains " ), the highest mountain range in South Africa, in their environment, the reference is. The second part of the species name, Regenti honors Regent Huma, who discovered the fossil along with James Kitching.