Cryolophosaurus

Cryolophosaurus
Temporal range: Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian), 186–182 Ma
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Reconstructed holotype skeleton
Reconstructed skeleton, Field Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Neotheropoda
Genus: †Cryolophosaurus
Hammer & Hickerson, 1994
Type species
†Cryolophosaurus ellioti
Hammer & Hickerson, 1994

Cryolophosaurus (/ˌkraɪəˌloʊfəˈsɔːrəs/ or /kraɪˌɒləfəˈsɔːrəs/; KRY-ə-LOH-fə-SAWR-əs) is a genus of large theropod dinosaur known from only a single species Cryolophosaurus ellioti, from the early Jurassic of Antarctica. It was one of the largest theropods of the Early Jurassic, with the subadult being estimated to have reached 6–7 metres (20–23 ft) long and weighed 350–465 kilograms (772–1,025 lb).

Cryolophosaurus was first excavated from Antarctica's Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian aged Hanson Formation, formerly the upper Falla Formation, by paleontologist Dr. William Hammer in 1991. It was the first carnivorous dinosaur to be discovered in Antarctica and the first non-avian dinosaur from the continent to be officially named. The sediments in which its fossils were found have been dated at ~196 to 188 million years ago, representing the Early Jurassic Period.

Cryolophosaurus is known from a skull, a femur and other material, all of which have caused its classification to vary greatly. The femur possesses many primitive characteristics that have classified Cryolophosaurus as a dilophosaurid or a neotheropod outside of Dilophosauridae and Averostra, whereas the skull has many advanced features, leading the genus to be considered a tetanuran, an abelisaurid, a ceratosaur and even an allosaurid.[2][3] Cryolophosaurus is currently considered to be a derived neotheropod, close to Averostra. Additionally, Cryolophosaurus possessed a distinctive "pompadour" crest that spanned the head from side to side. Based on evidence from related species and studies of bone texture, it is thought that this bizarre crest was used for intra-species recognition. The brain of Cryolophosaurus was also more primitive than those of other theropods.

  1. ^ Bomfleur, B.; Schöner, R.; Schneider, J. W.; Viereck, L.; Kerp, H.; McKellar, J. L. (2014). "From the Transantarctic Basin to the Ferrar Large Igneous Province—new palynostratigraphic age constraints for Triassic–Jurassic sedimentation and magmatism in East Antarctica". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 207 (1): 18–37. Bibcode:2014RPaPa.207...18B. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2014.04.002. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference evans was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference pickrell2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).