Tarascosaurus
Encyclopedia
Tarascosaurus is a genus
of, perhaps abelisaurid
, theropod dinosaur
from Late Cretaceous
of France
.
After having in 1988 identified an upper jaw bone found near Pourcieux
as belonging to a member of the Abelisauridae
, French paleontologist Eric Buffetaut reviewed the known remains of larger theropods found in the Late Cretaceous
of Europe
concluding they all were of abelisaurid affinity. Most of these fossils, earlier named as Megalosaurus
pannoniensis, Megalosaurus hungaricus and Megalosaurus lonzeensis, he considered to be nomina dubia
because of the paucity of the material. However, when in the collection of the University of Lyon
he discovered some theropod bones once excavated by an unknown collector at the escarpment
of the Lambeau de Beausset, Buffetaut and Jean Le Loeuff named and described these in 1991 as the type species
Tarascosaurus salluvicus. The generic name is derived from the Tarasque or Tarasca, a devouring monster from Occitan and Spanish folklore
. The specific name refers to the Salluvii, a Gallic
tribe in Antiquity
inhabiting the area near Marseilles.
The holotype
PSL 330201 was found in the Fuvelian Beds, dating from the lower Campanian
. It consists of the upper part of a thigh bone, 22 centimetres (8.7 in) long. PSL 330202, consisting of two dorsal vertebrae, was made a paratype
; these bones may belong to the same individual. Referred was PSL 330203, a damaged tail vertebra. The femur
, with an undamaged length estimated at 35 centimetres (13.8 in), indicates a body length of two and a half to three metres. Some fossils from Spain
were also referred to the genus.
In 2003 Oliver Rauhut concluded that Tarascosaurus itself was also a nomen dubium because the material was not diagnostic.
Tarascosaurus was placed in the Abelisauridae in 1991. It was then seen as the only known abelisaurid from the Northern Hemisphere
apart from Betasuchus
of the Maastrichtian
of The Netherlands. However, in 2003 Ronan Allain et al. concluded that the type lacked any uniquely abelisaurid traits.
, a dinosaur museum located in Espéraza
, France.
Tarascosaurus is featured in the second episode of the Discovery Channel
TV series Dinosaur Planet
as the top predator
living in the southern Europe
an islands of the Late Cretaceous Period.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of, perhaps abelisaurid
Abelisauridae
Abelisauridae is a family of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaurs. Abelisaurids thrived during the Cretaceous Period, on the ancient southern supercontinent of Gondwana, and today their fossil remains are found on the modern continents of Africa and South America, as well as on the Indian...
, theropod dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from Late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Pourcieux
Pourcieux is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.The small village provides a typical image of the Provence of Frédéric Mistral, with vine-grower's houses built around a castle, and a town square and fountain shaded by hundred year-old...
as belonging to a member of the Abelisauridae
Abelisauridae
Abelisauridae is a family of ceratosaurian theropod dinosaurs. Abelisaurids thrived during the Cretaceous Period, on the ancient southern supercontinent of Gondwana, and today their fossil remains are found on the modern continents of Africa and South America, as well as on the Indian...
, French paleontologist Eric Buffetaut reviewed the known remains of larger theropods found in the Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous period is divided in the geologic timescale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous series...
of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
concluding they all were of abelisaurid affinity. Most of these fossils, earlier named as Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus is a genus of large meat-eating theropod dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic period of Europe...
pannoniensis, Megalosaurus hungaricus and Megalosaurus lonzeensis, he considered to be nomina dubia
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
because of the paucity of the material. However, when in the collection of the University of Lyon
University of Lyon
The University of Lyon , located in Lyon and Saint Etienne, France, is a center for higher education and research comprising 16 institutions of higher education...
he discovered some theropod bones once excavated by an unknown collector at the escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
of the Lambeau de Beausset, Buffetaut and Jean Le Loeuff named and described these in 1991 as the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
Tarascosaurus salluvicus. The generic name is derived from the Tarasque or Tarasca, a devouring monster from Occitan and Spanish folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
. The specific name refers to the Salluvii, a Gallic
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
tribe in Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
inhabiting the area near Marseilles.
The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
PSL 330201 was found in the Fuvelian Beds, dating from the lower Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
. It consists of the upper part of a thigh bone, 22 centimetres (8.7 in) long. PSL 330202, consisting of two dorsal vertebrae, was made a paratype
Paratype
Paratype is a technical term used in the scientific naming of species and other taxa of organisms. The exact meaning of the term paratype when it is used in zoology is not the same as the meaning when it is used in botany...
; these bones may belong to the same individual. Referred was PSL 330203, a damaged tail vertebra. The femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
, with an undamaged length estimated at 35 centimetres (13.8 in), indicates a body length of two and a half to three metres. Some fossils from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
were also referred to the genus.
In 2003 Oliver Rauhut concluded that Tarascosaurus itself was also a nomen dubium because the material was not diagnostic.
Tarascosaurus was placed in the Abelisauridae in 1991. It was then seen as the only known abelisaurid from the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
apart from Betasuchus
Betasuchus
Betasuchus was a theropod dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous Period.Its fossil, holotype BMNH 42997 , a part of a right femur, 312 mm long, was found in The Netherlands near Maastricht, and originally described as a new species of Megalosaurus in 1883 by Harry Seeley: M...
of the Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
of The Netherlands. However, in 2003 Ronan Allain et al. concluded that the type lacked any uniquely abelisaurid traits.
In popular culture
A life-size reconstruction of this dinosaur can be seen at DinosauriaDinosauria (museum)
Dinosauria is a museum devoted to dinosaurs in Espéraza, Aude, a département of southern France.Opened in 1992, it is directed by the association which created it, which is also named Dinosauria. The museum exhibits at least 35 different species of dinosaurs, mounted skeletons or life-size models....
, a dinosaur museum located in Espéraza
Espéraza
Espéraza is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.It lies on the River Aude just north of the foothills of the Pyrenees.-Population:-History:* The church was built during the 13th century....
, France.
Tarascosaurus is featured in the second episode of the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
TV series Dinosaur Planet
Dinosaur Planet (television series)
Dinosaur Planet is a four-part American nature documentary first aired on Discovery Channel in 2003. It was hosted by Scott Sampson and narrated by Christian Slater....
as the top predator
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
living in the southern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an islands of the Late Cretaceous Period.