Viavenator


Viavenator is a genus of carnivorous abelisaurid theropod dinosaur discovered in Argentina's Bajo de la Carpa Formation. It coexisted with the megaraptoran Tratayenia rosalesi.

Classification

Filippi classified Viavenator to a new clade known as the Furileusauria, which includes Viavenator as well as Carnotaurus. This would have meant Viavenator was closer to Carnotaurus than Majungasaurus. It would have been in length.

Palaeobiology

Viavenator possessed a similar brain morphology to Aucasaurus, another South American abelisaurid and had a similar inner ear. Additionally, when compared to the Madagascan abelisaurid Majungasaurus, it was determined that Viavenator was more reliant more on quick movements of the head and sophisticated gaze stabilization mechanisms than the former theropod; however, both genera had a similar range of hearing according to the examinations and subsequent CT scans of the cranium.