Achillesaurus: Research Database
Mesozoic · Fossil Record
Research Note: Achillesaurus was a significant fossil species providing important data on vertebrate evolution during the Mesozoic era.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Martinelli & Vera 2009: Achillesaurus and theropod diversity in the Cretaceous Zootaxa | Confirmed | A | 2009 | Fossil | Martinelli & Vera, Zootaxa | Diversity |
Lockley & Matsukawa 2005: New data on Achillesaurus and Cretaceous theropods Cretaceous Research | Confirmed | B | 2005 | Fossil | Lockley & Matsukawa, Cretaceous Research | Taxonomy |
What We Still Do Not Know About Achillesaurus
- Complete skeletal morphology.
- Phylogenetic relationships.
- Ecological role.
In Depth
Achillesaurus has been identified as a basal alvarezsaur that lived in Argentina during the late Cretaceous, but there is now some question to its validity. Achillesaurus was thought to have lived alongside the type genus of the alvarezsauridae, Alvarezsaurus. A 2012 study by Makovicky et al. however has raised the notion that Achillesaurus and Alvarezsaurus may in fact be one and the same dinosaur. If so then Achillesaurus would become a synonym of Alvarezsaurus.
Further Reading
- Achillesaurus manazzonei, a new alvarezsaurid theropod (Dinosauria) from the Late Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa Formation, R�o Negro Province, Argentina - Agust�n G. Martinelli & Ezequiel I. Vera - 2007. - A New Coelurosaurian Theropod from the La Buitrera Fossil Locality of R�o Negro, Argentina - P. J. Makovicky, S. N. Apestegu�a, F. A. Gianechini - 2012.
