Kurupi itaata
Kurupi is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Marília Formation of Brazil. The type and only species is Kurupi itaata. It is so named because its remains were found near a love hotel.[1]
| Kurupi itaata Temporal range: Maastrichtian, | |
|---|---|
| Skeletal diagram | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Family: | †Abelisauridae |
| Genus: | †Kurupi Iori et al., 2021 |
| Type species | |
| †Kurupi itaata Iori et al., 2021 | |
Etymology Edit
The generic name is named for Kurupi, a god of fertility and sex from Guaraní mythology. According to the authors, "The choice of the name is due to the fact that the fossils were found in the region of “Motel Paraíso” (“Paradise Motel”), a place intended for intimate encounters." The specific name is derived from the Tupi language and has two roots: ita, meaning hard, and atã, meaning rock. This name is in reference to the cemented rocks of the Monte Alto region.[1] Together, the generic and specific name can be translated as rock-hard Kurupi, or rock-hard god of sex.
Description Edit
The holotype, MPMA 27-0001/02, consists of three caudal vertebrae and a partial pelvic girdle. The authors estimate that the animal was 5 metres (16 ft) long. It would have been a cursorial, stiff-tailed hunter.[1]
Classification Edit
The describers assign Kurupi to the Abelisauridae, but its precise relationships are uncertain because a phylogenetic analysis only generates a massive polytomy of abelisaurids more derived than Spectrovenator.[1]
References Edit
- ^ a b c d Iori, F.V.; de Araújo-Júnior, H.I.; Simionato Tavares, S.A.; da Silva Marinho, T.; Martinelli, A.G. (2021). "New theropod dinosaur from the late Cretaceous of Brazil improves abelisaurid diversity". Journal of South American Earth Sciences: 103551. doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103551. ISSN 0895-9811.