Composite Megaraptorid Skeletal Reconstruction

SPECIMENS USED:
Aerosteon riocoloradense- MCNA-PV-3137 (Sereno et al., 2008)
Australovenator wintonensis - AODF 604 (Hocknull et al., 2009; White et al., 2012; White et al., 2013; White et al., 2015)
Megaraptor namunhuaiquii- MCF-PVPH 79 (Novas, 1998), MUCPv 341 (Calvo et al., 2004; Novas et al., 2016), MUCPv-595 (Porfiri et al., 2014)
Murusraptor barrosaensis - MCF-PVPH-411 (Coria & Currie, 2016)
Orkoraptor burkei - MPM-Pv 3457 (Novas, Ezcurra & Lecuona, 2008)
Allosaurus fragilis - DINO 2560 (Madsen, 1976)

BONES USED:
Skull - Murusraptor brain case, lacrimal, postorbital, quadrate and lower jaw (Coria & Currie, 2016); Juvenile Megaraptor snout (Porfiri et al., 2014) modified to fit Murusraptor's posterior skull; Australovenator's dentary (White et al., 2015); Orkoraptor's quadratojugal (Novas, Ezcurra & Lecuona, 2008). Remaining elements speculative.

Vertebrae - Complete presacral series modified from Aerosteon (Sereno et al., 2008). Caudal vertebrae reconstructed from Aerosteon (Sereno et al., 2008), Megaraptor (Calvo et al., 2004) and Murusraptor (Coria & Currie, 2016), missing parts modified from Allosaurus (Madsen, 1976).

Ribs - Cervical ribs speculative. Dorsal ribs and gastralia from Australovenator (Hocknull et al., 2009) and Murusraptor (Coria & Currie, 2016).

Pectoral girdle - Scapulocoracoid and furcula from Aerosteon (Sereno et al., 2008). Sternal elements speculative.

Arms - Humerus and radius from Australovenator (Hocknull et al., 2009; White et al., 2012). Ulna and hand from Megaraptor (Novas, 1998; Novas et al., 2016).

Pelvic girdle - Pubis from Aerosteon (Sereno et al., 2008). Illium and restored ischium from Murusraptor (Coria & Currie, 2016).

Leg - All hindlimb elements restored from Australovenator (Hocknull et al., 2009; White et al., 2013).

REFERENCES:
Calvo, J.O., Porfiri, J.D., Veralli, C., Novas, F. and Poblete, F., 2013. Phylogenetic status of Megaraptor namunhuaiquii Novas based on a new specimen from Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina. Ameghiniana, 41(4), pp.565-575.

Coria, R.A. and Currie, P.J., 2016. A New Megaraptoran Dinosaur (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Megaraptoridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia. PloS one, 11(7), p.e0157973.

Hocknull, S.A., White, M.A., Tischler, T.R., Cook, A.G., Calleja, N.D., Sloan, T. and Elliott, D.A., 2009. New mid-Cretaceous (latest Albian) dinosaurs from Winton, Queensland, Australia. PLoS One, 4(7), p.e6190.

Madsen Jr, J.H., 1976. Allosaurus fragilis: a revised osteology. Vancouver

Novas, F.E., 1998. Megaraptor namunhuaiquii, gen. et sp. nov., a large-clawed, Late Cretaceous theropod from Patagonia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 18(1), pp.4-9.

Novas, F.E., ROLANDO, A.M.A. and AGNOLÍN, F.L., 2016. Phylogenetic relationships of the Cretaceous Gondwanan theropods Megaraptor and Australovenator: the evidence afforded by their manual anatomy. Victoria, 74, pp.49-61.

Porfiri, J.D., Novas, F.E., Calvo, J.O., Agnolín, F.L., Ezcurra, M.D. and Cerda, I.A., 2014. Juvenile specimen of Megaraptor (Dinosauria, Theropoda) sheds light about tyrannosauroid radiation. Cretaceous Research, 51, pp.35-55.

Sereno, P.C., Martinez, R.N., Wilson, J.A., Varricchio, D.J., Alcober, O.A. and Larsson, H.C., 2008. Evidence for avian intrathoracic air sacs in a new predatory dinosaur from Argentina. PLoS one, 3(9), p.e3303.

White, M.A., Cook, A.G., Hocknull, S.A., Sloan, T., Sinapius, G.H. and Elliott, D.A., 2012. New forearm elements discovered of holotype specimen Australovenator wintonensis from Winton, Queensland, Australia. PLoS One, 7(6), p.e39364.

White, M.A., Benson, R.B., Tischler, T.R., Hocknull, S.A., Cook, A.G., Barnes, D.G., Poropat, S.F., Wooldridge, S.J., Sloan, T., Sinapius, G.H. and Elliott, D.A., 2013. New Australovenator hind limb elements pertaining to the holotype reveal the most complete neovenatorid leg. PloS one, 8(7), p.e68649.

White, M.A., Bell, P.R., Cook, A.G., Poropat, S.F. and Elliott, D.A., 2015. The dentary of Australovenator wintonensis (Theropoda, Megaraptoridae); implications for megaraptorid dentition. PeerJ, 3, p.e1512.