Aucasaurus
Aucasaurus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
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Genus: | Aucasaurus
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Aucasaurus garridoi Coria, Chiappe, Dingus, 2002
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Aucasaurus was a genus of medium-sized theropod dinosaur from Argentina that lived during the Santonian stage. It was smaller than the related Carnotaurus, although the arms were longer. The type skeleton is complete to the thirteenth caudal vertebra, and so is relatively well understood, and is the most complete abelisaurid yet described. However, the skull is damaged, causing some paleontologists to speculate that it was involved in a fight shortly prior to death.
In popular culture
This dinosaur was featured in the Discovery Channel series Dinosaur Planet, where it was depicted as a pack hunter and ate the sauropod Saltasaurus.
External links
- The Theropod Database on Aucasaurus
- Thescelosaurus! on Aucasaurus