Velocisaurus

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Velocisaurus
Fossil range: Late Cretaceous

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Infraorder:	Ceratosauria
Superfamily:	Abelisauroidea
Family:	Noasauridae
Genus:	Velocisaurus Bonaparte, 1991

Species

V. unicus Bonaparte, 1991 (type)

Velocisaurus ("swift lizard") is a genus of ceratosaurian dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period of Argentina. Known only from hind limb bones, it was probably around 1.2 meters long (4 ft). What is known of the hind leg and foot show adaptations for running, giving Velocisaurus its name. A study of theropod relationships by Novas and Apesteguia (2003) showed that Velocisaurus was a close relative of the strange ceratosaur Masiakasaurus. These two may form a subfamily of noasaurids, the Velocisaurinae.

[edit] References

Bonaparte (1991). The fossil vertebrates of the Rio Colorado Formation, of the city of Neuquen and surroundings, Upper Cretaceous, Argentina. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ``Bernardino Rivadavia e Instituto Nacional de las Ciencias Naturales. Paleontología 4 p. 17-123.
F. AGNOLÍN, F. NOVAS and S. APESTEGUÍA (2003). Velocisaurids in South America and Madagascar (Ameghiniana 40(4): 77R). Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘B. Rivadavia’, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, (1405) Buenos Aires, Argentina.