Fun Facts about Abelisaurus

Abelisaurus was a carnivorous dinosaur that lived in what is now South America around 83.5 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Its fossils have been discovered in Argentina. Due to the fact that just the skull of Abelisaurus is known, it has been difficult to establish a reliable size estimate.

Discover more fascinating Abelisaurus dinosaur facts below.

1: Abelisaurus quick facts:

Name: Abelisaurus (Greek for “Abel’s lizard”); pronounced AY-bell-ih-SORE-us
When it lived: Late Cretaceous, 74-70 million years ago
Type of dinosaur: Large Theropod
Location: Argentina
Habitat: Woodlands of South America
Length/Weight: 9 meters/2 tons (2000kg)
Diet: Carnivorous
Distinguishing Characteristics: Large head with small teeth; openings in skull above jaws
Named by: Bonaparte and Novas (1985)

2: What is the meaning of the name Abelisaurus?

The name Abelisaurus means “Abel’s lizard” in honour of the Argentine palaeontologist who discovered the original specimen, Roberto Abel.

3: How do you pronounce ‘Abelisaurus’?

The Greek word Abelisaurus means “Abel’s lizard.” AY-bell-ih-SORE-us is the correct pronunciation.

4: Who named Abelisaurus?

Argentine palaeontologists José Bonaparte and Fernando Emilio Novas named and described the genus and species Abelisaurus comahuensis in 1985. The generic name honours Roberto Abel, the original specimen’s discoverer as well as the previous director of Argentina’s Cipolletti Provincial Museum, where the specimen is stored.

5: Where was the Abelisaurus found?

Patagonia is home to several dinosaurs, including Abelisaurus. It was originally thought to be from the Allen Formation, but additional research revealed that the remains were discovered in the older Anacleto Formation (part of the Neuquén Group) of Argentina’s Rio Negro Province.

6: What time period did a Abelisaurus live?

Abelisaurus was a carnivorous theropod abelisaurid dinosaur that lived in South America around 83.5 million years ago, or 70.6 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period.

7: What was Abelisaurus known for?

Abelisaurus were carnivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous. Abelisaurus is thought to have been a top predator like a Tyrannosaurus Rex, that means it was at the top of the food chain and lacked any rivals.

8: What did the Abelisaurus eat?

In its ecology, Abelisaurus were the top predators. They could grab and tear food, especially meat, because to their enormous teeth. It used to feed in herds on big sauropod dinosaurs like Amargasaurus.

Dinosaur specialist Gregory S. Paul believes these carnivores preyed on Titanosaurus, which were gigantic dinosaurs with elongated necks and tails that could walk on all four legs. Sauropod dinosaurs like Diplodocus and Apatosaurus were among them.

9: What is the height and weight of an Abelisaurus?

Abelisaurus was a dinosaur that walked on two legs (bipedal) and probably grew to be about 24.27 feet long (7.4 m). But we don’t know how long the theropod was because we only have a piece of its skull. In 2016, a complete investigation of the Abelisaur’s dimensions estimated its length to be 24.27 ft (7.4 m) and weight to be around 1.65 tonnes (1496.85 kg).

10: What kind of dinosaur does Abelisaurus belong to?

Abelisaurus was a Late Cretaceous dinosaur genus of Abelisaurid theropods. The dinosaur is classified within the phylum Chordata. It was a bipedal dinosaur that might have reached a length of approximately 7.27 metres (7.4 m). However, the length of the theropod is unknown because only a fragmentary skull is known. The sole species of Abelisaurus is Abelisaurus comahuensis.

11: Why is the finding of Abelisaurus significant?

The finding of Abelisaurus is significant since it provided information on a variety of southern-hemisphere theropods previously only known from fragmented and enigmatic evidence. These fossils were difficult to identify, and they were sometimes used to infer that Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurids from the northern hemisphere had migrated to the southern hemisphere.

Scientists have unearthed and described good abelisaurid material, and many of those remains were abelisaurids. The probability of tyrannosaurids from the southern hemisphere is less likely.

12: Extra fascinating facts about the dinosaur Abelisaurus:

• Abelisaurus existed on the mainland of Gondwana Island during the Late Cretaceous period. Today, the territory encompasses temporal locations in South America, Madagascar, and Africa.
• The only Abelisaurus fossil discovered so far is a skull with considerable damage on the right side.

• José Bonaparte and Fernando Emilio Novas named the Abelisaurus genus and its type species comahuensis in 1985. The generic name comes from Argentine palaeontologist Roberto Abel, who discovered the specimen. The name includes the Greek word sauros, which means lizard. The specific name comahuensis refers to the dinosaur’s fossil’s discovery in Comahue, Argentina.
• Abelisaurus was the earliest of the Abelisauridae family of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs, a relatively recent family that appears to have been most widespread in southern continents like South America and Africa.

Sources:Wikipedia, Kidadl, Dinosaur Pictures