Neovenatoridae
Live reconstruction of Neovenator
- Europe
- Asia
- South America
- Australia
The Neovenatoridae is a group of theropod dinosaurs within the Allosauroidea, a group of Carnosauria. They lived during the Cretaceous period and represent the last surviving group of Allosauroidea dar.
This group was first proposed in 2010 by Benson and colleagues, and should, according to these authors, the genres Neovenator, Chilantaisaurus, Fukuiraptor, Australovenator, Orkoraptor, Mega Raptor and Aerosteon include. Agnolin and colleagues wrote later in 2010 the Australian Rapator also this group. Within the Neovenatoridae presented Benson and colleagues on another group, the Megaraptora.
General Information and Features
While representatives of the Allosauroidea and Megalosauroidea in the Middle and Upper Jurassic were the dominant large terrestrial carnivores, they were replaced in the Cretaceous of tyrannosaurids and Abelisauriden. The Neovenatoridae provide a diverse, globally distributed group Cretaceous Allosauroidea represents, whose last known representative ( Orkoraptor ) from the Maastrichtian, the uppermost Cretaceous originates - this shows that the Allosauroidea existed until the mass extinction at the Cretaceous - Tertiary boundary. A second large group Cretaceous Allosauroidea was the Carcharodontosauridae. Carcharodontosauridae and Neovenatoridae are summarized by Benson and colleagues as Carcharodontosauria.
Original members of the group as Neovenator show body proportions as they are also found in other members of the Tetanurae. So Neovenator corresponds in size and proportions in about Allosaurus. Also the original Chilantaisaurus was relatively large, with an estimated 2.5 tons. Advanced representatives of Neovenatoridae that Megaraptora, on the other hand show extensive modifications of the design. Representatives of this group were smaller, showed long arms with big claws that are adapted to fast running legs and a Appendikulärskelett (pelvis, shoulder girdle and limbs), which was by pneumatization ( air-filled cavities of the bones) easier. These development trends of Megaraptora show up as in other theropods from the line of development, which the birds brought forth ( convergent evolution ).
Definition and synapomorphies
The Neovenatoridae are defined as originating line based taxon ( stem- based definition); it includes all taxa with Neovenator salerii than Carcharodontosaurus saharicus, Allosaurus fragilis or Sinraptor dongi are closely related.
The group can be distinguished based on 7 synapomorphies (shared derived characteristics) of other groups. Among the scapula was ( scapula ), which was compared with other Allosauroidea short and wide. In addition, the ilium ( ilium ) was pneumatized, so permeated with cavities. Other possible synapomorphies associated with the extended, raptor - like arms in connection therewith; However, appropriate fossils are absent in Neovenator.
System
The Neovenatoridae is classified within the Allosauroidea, which in turn is counted as Tetanurae. Within the Allosauroidea the Neovenatoridae is summarized along with the Carcharodontosauridae by Benson and colleagues as Carcharodontosauria. The following cladogram shows the classification of Benson and colleagues ( 2010) again:
Sinraptoridae
Allosaurus
Carcharodontosauridae
Neovenatoridae
Within the Neovenatoridae Benson and colleagues perform a subgroup Megaraptora, which includes all representatives to the original genera Neovenator and Chilantaisaurus. This Australovenator and Fukuiraptor and Aerosteon and Mega Raptor each be regarded as sister species. The following cladogram shows the internal classification of Neovenatoridae to Benson and colleagues ( 2010):
Neovenator
Chilantaisaurus
Australovenator
Fukuiraptor
Orkoraptor
Aerosteon
Mega Raptor