Abelisaurid postcranial pneumaticity (free pdf)
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Ben Creisler
Dec 20, 2025, 4:22:43 PM12/20/25
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Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Free pdf:
Virginia Zurriaguz and Mauricio A. Cerroni (2025)
Postcranial pneumaticity in abelisaurids (Dinosauria: Theropoda): the cases of Tralkasaurus cuyi, Skorpiovenator bustingorryi and Carnotaurus sastrei
Ameghiniana (advance online publication)
doi: 10.5710/AMGH.18.12.2025.3656
https://www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/159
Abelisaurids were a group of mostly Gondwanan theropod dinosaurs, whose anatomy and phylogeny are well known. However, this is not the case for some paleobiological aspects such as postcranial pneumaticity. In this work, postcranial pneumaticity patterns were analyzed in three abelisaurids: Tralkasaurus cuyi, Skorpiovenator bustingorryi, and Carnotaurus sastrei, which were compared with other abelisaurids and closely related groups (e.g., noasaurids). For this purpose, both naked-eye observations and CT scans of vertebral material (dorsal and caudal), as well as cervical and dorsal ribs were considered. The results obtained show that Tralkasaurus and Skorpiovenator have pneumatized dorsal vertebrae, like almost all the analyzed taxa (e.g., Majungasaurus crenatissimus). The same occurs with the ribs of both Skorpiovenator and Carnotaurus and other taxa (e.g., Niebla antiqua). In the case of Carnotaurus, only the cervical ribs were scanned, which showed camerae, while the dorsal ribs of Skorpiovenator showed a possible pneumatic space. The greatest variation is found in the caudal vertebrae, where Skorpiovenator presents pneumatization in the neural arches, while most abelisaurids have apneumatic caudal vertebrae, with the exception of Aucasaurus garridoi and an undetermined abelisaurid from Chubut. These results are unexpected, since the caudal vertebrae of abelisaurids were historically considered apneumatic, and highlight the need to delve deeper into this type of studies within this fascinating group of theropods.
Postcranial pneumaticity in abelisaurids (Dinosauria: Theropoda): the cases of Tralkasaurus cuyi, Skorpiovenator bustingorryi and Carnotaurus sastrei
Ameghiniana (advance online publication)
doi: 10.5710/AMGH.18.12.2025.3656
https://www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/libraryFiles/downloadPublic/159
Abelisaurids were a group of mostly Gondwanan theropod dinosaurs, whose anatomy and phylogeny are well known. However, this is not the case for some paleobiological aspects such as postcranial pneumaticity. In this work, postcranial pneumaticity patterns were analyzed in three abelisaurids: Tralkasaurus cuyi, Skorpiovenator bustingorryi, and Carnotaurus sastrei, which were compared with other abelisaurids and closely related groups (e.g., noasaurids). For this purpose, both naked-eye observations and CT scans of vertebral material (dorsal and caudal), as well as cervical and dorsal ribs were considered. The results obtained show that Tralkasaurus and Skorpiovenator have pneumatized dorsal vertebrae, like almost all the analyzed taxa (e.g., Majungasaurus crenatissimus). The same occurs with the ribs of both Skorpiovenator and Carnotaurus and other taxa (e.g., Niebla antiqua). In the case of Carnotaurus, only the cervical ribs were scanned, which showed camerae, while the dorsal ribs of Skorpiovenator showed a possible pneumatic space. The greatest variation is found in the caudal vertebrae, where Skorpiovenator presents pneumatization in the neural arches, while most abelisaurids have apneumatic caudal vertebrae, with the exception of Aucasaurus garridoi and an undetermined abelisaurid from Chubut. These results are unexpected, since the caudal vertebrae of abelisaurids were historically considered apneumatic, and highlight the need to delve deeper into this type of studies within this fascinating group of theropods.
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Mickey Mortimer
Aug 4, 2026, 6:57:37 PM (2 days ago) Aug 4
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Is it just me or is this paper now unlisted in both the Current, Archives and Future Issues sections of Ameghiniana?
Mickey Mortimer
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