Phuwiangvenator is a genus of megaraptoran theropod from the Early Cretaceous. The type and only species is named P. yaemniyomi.
Description[]
Eating Phuwiangvenator. Credit: Joschua Knüppe
The genus have been discovered on Sao Khua Formation of Thailand. It is the most basal megaraptorid known. Its remains were originally discovered in 1993, but were only described in 2019. The Genus and the species name means; "Hunter of Phu Wiang".
Phuwiangvenator yaemniyomi is a medium-sized, early branching megaraptoran theropod from the Lower Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of Phu Wiang Mountain, Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand. The holotype includes dorsal and sacral vertebrae, lower legs, hand and foot elements. The new skeletal material pertaining to the same individual representing the holotype of Phuwiangvenator based on size, shape, and shared phylogenetic affinities.
Phuwiangvenator yaemniyomi (left) and Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis. Image credit: Adun Samathi / Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn.
This material was recovered at the same quarry as the holotype and consists of an incomplete fibula, left and right metatarsals. A new autapomorphy observed from the new material is the presence of a long, deep fossa between the lateral and medial distal condyles of the metatarsal II that extends to the distal articular facet is visible in anterior view.
The metatarsal III of Phuwiangvenator is relatively short, more similar to the proportion present in basal carcharodontosaur Concavenator than in the derived megaraptorans, but more gracile than other basal allosauroids. Its hindlimb proportions are similar to the basal carcharodontosaur Neovenator than other more derived megaraptorans and coelurosaurs. Phuwiangvenator shows a combination of features shared with allosauroids and basal coelurosaurs and appears to be “intermediate” between non-megaraptorid and megaraptorid theropods. The present work adds anatomical data on this theropod and provides information on the early evolution of the Megaraptora.
Other Wikis[]
References[]
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667121003414
- https://www.mindat.org/taxon-P387579.html
- https://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2019/05/30/two-new-theropod-dinosaurs-from-thailand.html
- https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Coelurosaurian-theropod-Phuwiangvenator-yaemniyomi-gen-et-sp-nov-from-the-Early-Creta_fig3_333255346
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667121003414