Osteology of Unenlagia comahuensis (Theropoda, Paraves, Unenlagiidae) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia

Abstract

Unenlagia comahuensis was originally described as a phylogenetic link between nonavian dinosaurs and birds. Later it was interpreted by some authors as belonging to the deinonychosaurian clade Dromaeosauridae, and more recently as phylogenetically closer to birds than to dromaeosaurids. The only known specimen is represented by an incomplete skeleton, including vertebrae, incomplete scapular girdle, pelvis, and limbs, coming from Upper Cretaceous beds of Neuquén province, Patagonia, Argentina. The aim of the present paper is to include a detailed anatomical description of Unenlagia (currently only known by preliminary descriptions). Detailed analysis of Unenlagia anatomy resulted in the recognition of one possible additional Unenlagiidae synapomorphy (i.e., the presence of cup-like iliac articulation on ischium). We recognize derived anatomical traits that Unenlagia and kin share with birds, lending support to the interpretation that unenlagiids are stem-Avialae. Particularly, some appendicular features (e.g., scapula with subtriangular and relatively reduced acromion, poor outward projection of the glenoid and glenoidal lips on the scapula, lateral orientation of scapular glenoid, craniolaterally oriented deltopectoral crest of humerus) may be related to the acquisition of anatomical novelties that in birds are associated with flight. The present contribution on Unenlagia provides new data regarding the early evolution of avian features.