STL Science Center

STL Science Center

10 January 2015

When Abelisaurids Are Not

©Maurizio Morosan
The image yesterday was of Tarascosaurus as a Ceratosaurid theropod with very few to little Abelisaurid characteristics. The questioned nature of the relationship of the remains to Abelisaurids makes that sort of interpretation a valid envisioning of the anatomy of the dinosaur. The little material available leaves either an interpretation favoring or disagreeing with an Abelisaurid taxonomic assignment entirely up to the discretion of the artist as they illustrate Tarascosaurus. The illustration appearing here today favors an Abelisaurid body plan even more, with reduced forelimbs and a short boxy skull. The illustration presented is not presented to argue for or against taxonomic descriptions, but instead is intended only to show another interpretation of the dinosaur as it may have appeared if it belonged to the Abelisauridae.

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