Skorpiovenator is Found!

When Skorpiovenator was found, named, and described it was an interesting occurrence in paleontology. It is not because Skorpiovenator is the most popular dinosaur or the most intriguing, but because Skorpiovenator was nearly an entire skeleton and added its story to an already interesting and perplexing family of dinosaurs. Abelisaurs from Asia and Africa have different skulls and arms than those from South America and Skorpiovenator further solidified that divide. Additionally, the interesting differences and characteristics of Skorpiovenator that both set it apart from and identify it as an abelisaur lead to a more complete understanding of the family. The original paper of Canale et al. is available online and explains these ideas further and in greater detail than I provide here. It is short and an interesting read about a new dinosaur.