Skorpiovenator
{{Short description|Extinct genus of dinosaurs}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = Cenomanian-Turonian, {{fossilrange|99.6|89.8}}
| image = 219 Arg ElChocon Museo dino.JPG
| image_upright = 1.15
| image_caption = Cast of the holotype specimen
| taxon = Skorpiovenator
| authority = Canale et al. 2009
| type_species = {{extinct}}Skorpiovenator bustingorryi
| type_species_authority = Canale et al. 2009
}}
Skorpiovenator ("scorpion hunter") is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Turonian) Huincul Formation of Argentina. The sole species of Skorpiovenator, S. bustingorryi, was named in honour of Manuel Bustingorry, the late owner of the farm on which the type specimen was discovered. Formally described in 2009, the type specimen is one of the most complete and informative abelisaurids yet known, described from a nearly complete and articulated skeleton. A tibia fragment was assigned to Skorpiovenator in 2022.
Skorpiovenator was a fairly large abelisaurid. What is preserved of the type specimen measures {{cvt|4.35|m|ft|1}} in length. Based on the anatomy of close relatives, it may have been {{cvt|6|-|6.2|m|ft|1}} long in life, and may have weighed a little under {{convert|900|kg|lb}}. Its skull was short and blunt, and somewhat resembled that of Carnotaurus. Its bone texture was rugose, even by the standards of other abelisaurids, which indicates the presence of large facial scales. The skull is also covered in small pits called foramina, which suggests a strong degree of facial sensitivity.
Discovery and naming
File:227 Arg ElChocon Laboratorio Scorpiovenator.JPG
The type specimen of Skorpiovenator bustingorryi (MMCH-PV 48K) was discovered on a farm owned by Manuel Bustingorry, {{Convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Villa El Chocón, in the Neuquén Province. It consists of a nearly complete skeleton, missing only part of the nasals and premaxillae, parts of the pelvic girdle, sections of the tail, and most of the forelimb elements. The strata from which Skorpiovenator was recovered belong to the lower part of the Huincul Formation in Patagonia, dating to the late Cenomanian stage, about 95 million years ago. After discovery, they were relocated to the Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum of Villa El Chocón, Patagonia, Argentina. In a paper physically published in 2009 (released as an advanced publication online the year before), Juan Canale, Carlos A. Scanferla, Federico L. Agnolin and Fenando E. Novas formally described the specimen, assigning to it the binomial name of Skorpiovenator bustingorryi. The generic name derives from the Latin words skorpios ("scorpion") and venator ("hunter"), referring to its nature as a predator and the abundance of scorpions at the dig site. The specific name honours Manuel Bustingorry, who had passed away by the time the paper was released. In naming Skorpiovenator, Canale et al. erected a new abelisaurid clade, Brachyrostra, to which it was assigned.{{Cite journal |last1=Canale |first1=J.I. |last2=Scanferla |first2=C.A. |last3=Agnolin |first3=F. |last4=Novas |first4=F.E. |name-list-style=and |year=2009 |title=New carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of NW Patagonia and the evolution of abelisaurid theropods |journal=Naturwissenschaften |volume=96 |issue=3 |pages=409–414 |bibcode=2009NW.....96..409C |doi=10.1007/s00114-008-0487-4 |pmid=19057888 |s2cid=23619863 |hdl-access=free |hdl=11336/52024}} In 2022, the proximal (far) end of a right tibia, MMCh-PV255, was assigned to Skorpiovenator.{{Cite journal |last1=Cerroni |first1=Mauricio A. |last2=Baiano |first2=Mattia A. |last3=Canale |first3=Juan I. |last4=Agnolín |first4=Federico L. |last5=Otero |first5=Alejandro |last6=Novas |first6=Fernando E. |date=2022-12-31 |title=Appendicular osteology of Skorpiovenator bustingorryi (Theropoda, Abelisauridae) with comments on phylogenetic features of abelisaurids |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14772019.2022.2093661 |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |language=en |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=1–32 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2022.2093661 |issn=1477-2019 |archive-date=2024-09-26 |access-date=2025-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926235511/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14772019.2022.2093661 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}
Description
File:SkorpiovenatorSize.svg|250x250px]]
= Body size =
The preserved length of the excavated Skorpiovenator skeleton, measured from the premaxilla to the 12th caudal (tail) vertebra is {{cvt|4.35|m|ft|1}}. Since it lacks most of the tail, precise length measurements are currently impossible, but it has been estimated to have grown up to {{cvt|6|-|6.2|m|ft|1}} long and weighed up to {{convert|891|kg|lb}}.{{cite journal |last1=Grillo |first1=O. N. |last2=Delcourt |first2=R. |date=2016 |title=Allometry and body length of abelisauroid theropods: Pycnonemosaurus nevesi is the new king |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=69 |pages=71–89 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2016.09.001|bibcode=2017CrRes..69...71G }}{{Cite journal|last1=Pintore |first1=R. |last2=Hutchinson |first2=J. R. |last3=Bishop |first3=P. J. |last4=Tsai |first4=H. P. |last5=Houssaye |first5=A. |year=2024 |title=The evolution of femoral morphology in giant non-avian theropod dinosaurs |journal=Paleobiology |volume=50 |issue=2 |pages=308–329 |doi=10.1017/pab.2024.6 |doi-access=free |pmid=38846629 |pmc=7616063 |bibcode=2024Pbio...50..308P }}
= Skull and dentition =
The skull of Skorpiovenator, measured from the premaxilla to the quadrate, measured {{Convert|54.1|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length. It was fairly short and blunt, similar to that of Carnotaurus, though was shorter and deeper than those of Abelisaurus and Majungasaurus. The antorbital fossa is less developed than in other abelisauroids. The postorbital was large, and intersected the orbit (eye socket), to the point where it almost contacted the lacrimal on the opposite side. Consequently, the orbit had a distinctive "keyhole" shape, similar to that of Carnotaurus and the giant coelurosaur Tyrannosaurus rex.{{Cite journal |last=Lautenschlager |first=Stephan |date=2022-08-11 |title=Functional and ecomorphological evolution of orbit shape in mesozoic archosaurs is driven by body size and diet |journal=Communications Biology |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |page=754 |doi=10.1038/s42003-022-03706-0 |issn=2399-3642 |pmc=9372157 |pmid=35953708 }} The dorsal border of the postorbital was inflated and well-ornamented, similar to that of Ekrixinatosaurus. The bone texture of Skorpiovenator
Skorpiovenator
= Postcranial skeleton =
File:Skorpiovenator bustingorryi.jpgWith the exception of essentially all of the proximal section of the tail, parts of the pelvic girdle, and most of the forelimb elements, Skorpiovenator
Classification
In 2009, Canale et al. published a phylogenetic analysis focusing on the South American carnotaurines. In their results, they found that all South American forms (including Skorpiovenator) grouped together as a sub-clade of Carnotaurinae, which they named Brachyrostra, meaning "short snouts". They defined the clade Brachyrostra as "all the abelisaurids more closely related to Carnotaurus sastrei than to Majungasaurus crenatissimus". Within their topology, Canale et al. recovered Skorpiovenator as part of a sister clade to Carnotaurini, including Ekrixinatosaurus and Ilokolesia, and was the sister taxon of the former. In 2020, Hussam Zaher et al published a paper describing a basal abelisaurid, Spectrovenator ragei. In their topology, this clade was still recovered, though with Ekrixinatosaurus and Ilokolesia as each other's closest relatives.{{Cite journal |last1=Zaher |first1=H. |last2=Pol |first2=D. |last3=Navarro |first3=B.A. |last4=Delcourt |first4=R. |last5=Carvalho |first5=A.B. |date=October 2020 |title=An Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaur from Brazil sheds light on the cranial evolution of the Abelisauridae |url=https://sciencepress.mnhn.fr/sites/default/files/articles/pdf/comptes-rendus-palevol2020v19a6.pdf |journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol |language=en |volume=19 |issue=6 |pages=101–115 |doi=10.5852/cr-palevol2020v19a6 |doi-access=free}} In 2021, Gianechini et al. described another abelisaurid, Llukalkan. Their phylogenetic analysis recovered the same clade, though recovered it as more basal. Whereas Carnotaurini fell within another clade, Furileusauria, in their topology, the clade consisting of Ekrixinatosaurus, Ilokelesia and Skorpiovenator was just outside it.{{Cite journal |last1=Gianechini |first1=Federico A. |last2=Méndez |first2=Ariel H. |last3=Filippi |first3=Leonardo S. |last4=Paulina-Carabajal |first4=Ariana |last5=Juárez-Valieri |first5=Rubén D. |last6=Garrido |first6=Alberto C. |year=2021 |title=A New Furileusaurian Abelisaurid from La Invernada (Upper Cretaceous, Santonian, Bajo De La Carpa Formation), Northern Patagonia, Argentina. |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=e1877151 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E7151G |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1877151 |doi-access=}}
Below are the topologies recovered by Zaher et al. (2020) and Gianechini et al (2021):
{{col-begin|width=75%}}
{{col-2}}
Topology 1: Zaher et al. (2020).
{{clade|{{clade
|2={{clade
|2={{clade
|1=Rugops
|2={{clade
|1=Arcovenator
|2=Rajasaurus
|4=Indosaurus
|5=Abelisaurus
|label6=Brachyrostra
|6={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=Skorpiovenator
|2={{clade
|2=Ilokelesia }} }}
|label2=Carnotaurini
|2={{clade
|1=Dahalokely
|2=Carnotaurus
|3=Aucasaurus
|4=Rahiolisaurus }} }} }} }} }} }}|style=font-size:90%; line-height:90%;|label1=Carnotaurinae }}
{{col-2}}
Topology 2: Gianechini et al. (2021).
{{clade|{{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=Majungasaurinae
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=Genusaurus
|2=Arcovenator }}
|2={{clade
|1=Rajasaurus
|2=Indosaurus
|3=Majungasaurus }} }}
|label2=Brachyrostra
|2={{clade
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=Dahalokely
|2=Rahiolisaurus }}
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=Ilokelesia
|2={{clade
|2=Skorpiovenator }} }}
|label2=Furileusauria
|2={{clade
|1=Llukalkan
|3=Quilmesaurus
|4=Viavenator
|label5=Carnotaurini
|5={{clade
|1=Carnotaurus
|label2=Abelisaurinae
|2={{clade
|1=Aucasaurus
|2=Abelisaurus }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}|style=font-size:90%; line-height:90%;|label1=Abelisauridae}}
{{col-end}}
Palaeoecology
The Huincul Formation, from which Skorpiovenator is known, is thought to represent an arid environment with ephemeral or seasonal streams. The age of this formation is estimated at 97 to 93.5 MYA.[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/displayStrata?geological_group=Neuqu%E9n&formation=Huincul&group_formation_member=Huincul Huincul Formation] at Fossilworks.org The dinosaur record is considered sparse here. Skorpiovenator shared its environment with the sauropods Argentinosaurus (one of the largest sauropods, if not the largest), Choconsaurus, Chucarosaurus and Cathartesaura. Three giant carcharodontosaurids, Mapusaurus, Meraxes and Taurovenator, were found in the same formation, though likely were not all coevals.{{Cite journal |last1=Canale |first1=J.I. |last2=Apesteguía |first2=S. |last3=Gallina |first3=P.A. |last4=Mitchell |first4=J. |last5=Smith |first5=N.D. |last6=Cullen |first6=T.M. |last7=Shinya |first7=A. |last8=Haluza |first8=A. |last9=Gianechini |first9=F.A. |last10=Makovicky |first10=P.J. |date=July 7, 2022 |title=New giant carnivorous dinosaur reveals convergent evolutionary trends in theropod arm reduction |journal=Current Biology |volume=32 |issue=14 |pages=3195–3202.e5 |bibcode=2022CBio...32E3195C |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.057 |pmid=35803271 |doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal |last1=Motta |first1=Matías J. |last2=Aranciaga Rolando |first2=Alexis M. |last3=Rozadilla |first3=Sebastián |last4=Agnolín |first4=Federico E. |last5=Chimento |first5=Nicolás R. |last6=Egli |first6=Federico Brissón |last7=Novas |first7=Fernando E. |date=June 2016 |title=New theropod fauna from the Upper Cretaceous (Huincul Formation) of northwestern Patagonia, Argentina |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304013683 |journal=New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin |volume=71 |pages=231–253 |via=ResearchGate}} Another abelisaurid, Ilokelesia, also lived in the region.{{Cite journal |last1=Sánchez |first1=Maria Lidia |last2=Heredia |first2=Susana |last3=Calvo |first3=Jorge O. |date=2006 |title=Paleoambientes sedimentarios del Cretácico Superior de la Formación Plottier (Grupo Neuquén), Departamento Confluencia, Neuquén |trans-title=Sedimentary paleoenvironments in the Upper Cretaceous Plottier Formation (Neuquen Group), Confluencia, Neuquén |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287905148 |journal=Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina |volume=61 |issue=1 |pages=3–18 |via=ResearchGate}}
Fossilized pollen indicates a wide variety of plants was present in the Huincul Formation. A study of the El Zampal section of the formation found hornworts, liverworts, ferns, Selaginellales, possible Noeggerathiales, gymnosperms (including gnetophytes and conifers), and angiosperms (flowering plants), in addition to several pollen grains of unknown affinities.{{cite journal |last=Vallati |first=P. |year=2001 |title=Middle cretaceous microflora from the Huincul Formation ("Dinosaurian Beds") in the Neuquén Basin, Patagonia, Argentina |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241723727 |journal=Palynology |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=179–197 |bibcode=2001Paly...25..179V |doi=10.2113/0250179}} The Huincul Formation is among the richest Patagonian vertebrate associations, preserving fish including dipnoans and gar, chelid turtles, squamates, sphenodonts, neosuchian crocodilians, and a wide variety of dinosaurs.{{Cite journal |last1=Motta |first1=M.J. |last2=Aranciaga Rolando |first2=A.M. |last3=Rozadilla |first3=S. |last4=Agnolín |first4=F.E. |last5=Chimento |first5=N.R. |last6=Egli |first6=F.B. |last7=Novas |first7=F.E. |date=2016 |title=New theropod fauna from the upper cretaceous (Huincul Formation) of Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OsJQDwAAQBAJ&q=huincul+formation+Argentinosaurus&pg=PA231 |journal=New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin |volume=71 |pages=231–253}}{{cite journal |last1=Motta |first1=M.J. |last2=Brissón Egli |first2=F. |last3=Aranciaga Rolando |first3=A.M. |last4=Rozadilla |first4=S. |last5=Gentil |first5=A. R. |last6=Lio |first6=G. |last7=Cerroni |first7=M. |last8=Garcia Marsà |first8=J. |last9=Agnolín |first9=F. L. |last10=D'Angelo |first10=J. S. |last11=Álvarez-Herrera |first11=G. P. |last12=Alsina |first12=C.H. |last13=Novas |first13=F.E. |year=2019 |title=New vertebrate remains from the Huincul Formation (Cenomanian–Turonian;Upper Cretaceous) in Río Negro, Argentina |url=http://www.peapaleontologica.org.ar/index.php/peapa/article/viewFile/295/355 |url-status=live |journal=Publicación Electrónica de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=R26 |doi=10.5710/PEAPA.15.04.2019.295 |s2cid=127726069 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214020232/http://www.peapaleontologica.org.ar/index.php/peapa/article/viewFile/295/355 |archive-date=December 14, 2019 |access-date=December 14, 2019 |doi-access=free |hdl-access=free |hdl=11336/161858}} Vertebrates are most commonly found in the lower, and therefore older, part of the formation.{{cite journal |last1=Bellardini |first1=F. |last2=Filippi |first2=L.S. |year=2018 |title=New evidence of saurischian dinosaurs from the upper member of the Huincul Formation (Cenomanian) of Neuquén Province, Patagonia, Argentina |journal=Reunión de Comunicaciones de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina |pages=10}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Theropoda|B.}}
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{{Portal bar|Dinosaurs}}
Category:Taxa named by Fernando Novas