Osteology of Aerosteon riocoloradensis (Sereno et al. 2008) a large megaraptoran (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina

Abstract

Aerosteon riocoloradensis represents one of the most complete megaraptorans yet discovered. This theropod comes from Anacleto Formation (Campanian) of Mendoza Province, Argentina. The aims of this contribution are: to present a detailed, bone by bone description of this specimen with figures of each bone; provide comparisons to other closely related theropods; revise the original assignation and diagnosis of such taxa. Three bones were re-assigned and almost all the autapomorphies of Aerosteon were modified. Features in the vertebral columns, which are shared with other megaraptorans, show that these theropods shared features with basal coelurosaurs.