Alnashetri

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Alnashetri
Temporal range:
Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Family: Alvarezsauridae
Genus: Alnashetri
Makovicky, Apesteguía & Gianechini, 2012
Type species
Alnashetri cerropoliciensis
Makovicky, Apesteguía & Gianechini, 2012

Alnashetri is an

theropod dinosaur known from the early Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian stage) of La Buitrera, Río Negro Province, Argentina. It contains one known species, Alnashetri cerropoliciensis. Its remains were discovered in Candeleros Formation.[1]

Discovery

Alnashetri is known only from the

Etymology

Alnashetri was first described and named by

generic name is derived from the Günün-a-kunna dialect of the Tehuelche language, meaning "slender thighs" in reference to long and slender hind limbs of the holotype. The specific name cerropoliciensis honors the nearby small village of Cerro Policía for the generous assistance from its residents in fieldwork efforts at La Buitrera locality since its discovery in 1999.[1]

Description

Alnashetri is a small non-avian

ventrally from the collateral ligament pits at the base of the distal articular hemicondyles on phalanges III-2 and III-3. Alnashetri can be easily distinguished from Buitreraptor, the only other known small theropod from La Buitrera.[1]

Phylogeny

Although Alnashetri was a coelurosaur, as shown by the fragmentary nature of the holotype skeleton, it lacks

synapomorphies that would allow unambiguous referral to a particular coelurosaurian clade. Therefore, its phylogenetic position was initially tested in a cladistic matrix used to widely explore coelurosaurian interrelationships. This preliminary analysis found Alnashetri to nest within Alvarezsauroidea. Eight characters with relevance for Alnashetri or for alvarezsaurid relationships and four recently described alvarezsauroids were added to the matrix. In this analysis, Alnashetri was recovered as a basal alvarezsaurid, in a polytomy with other alvarezsaurids from the Neuquén Basin. The evidence supporting this relationship originates in the detailed anatomy of the ankle, however, and this concentration of character support within a single anatomical region may create false results. The cladogram below shows Alnashetri phylogenetic position among other alvarezsaurids following Makovicky, Apesteguía and Gianechini (2012).[1]

Alvarezsauridae 

Alvarezsaurus calvoi

Alnashetri cerropoliciensis

Bonapartenykus ultimus

Patagonykus puertai

Linhenykus monodactylus

Albinykus baatar

Xixianykus zhangi

Mononykus olecranus

Shuvuuia deserti


References