In Depth
There has been some contention over exactly what kind of theropod dinosaur Austrocheirus was. When described, Austrocheirus was identified as an abelisauroid theropod via cladistic analysis. This was significant because this would have been the first example of an abelisauroid theropod which did not feature the forelimb reduction which is often used as an identifying trait of the group. However, in 2012 Oliver Rauhut proposed that the supposed differences used to identify the holotype remains of Austrocheirus as an Abelisauroid are actually commonly seen in other theropod types. Therefore according to the 2012 study, Austrocheirus cannot be identified as anything beyond an indeterminate theropod.
Further Reading
- An abelisauroid dinosaur with a non-atrophied manus from the Late Cretaceous Pari Aike Formation of southern Patagonia - Mart�n D. Ezcurra, Federico L. Agnolin & Fernando E. Novas - 2010. - A reappraisal of a putative record of abelisauroid theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of England - Oliver W.M. Rauhut - 2012.
