**Asfaltovenator: The Hunter of Cañadón Asfalto**
Asfaltovenator is an extinct genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the lower Jurassic period, specifically between 179 to 178 million years ago. Its name means “Cañadón Asfalto Formation hunter,” named after the geological formation in Argentina where its fossils were discovered.
**Discovery of Asfaltovenator**
In 2002, a technician named Leandro Canesa found a theropod skeleton in Argentina, near Cerro Condor. Excavations began in 2005, and it took until 2007 to carefully remove the fossil from the ground. The fossil was prepared for study over five years, as it was embedded in very hard rock. By 2019, scientists Oliver Walter Mischa Rauhut and Diego Pol officially named and described the dinosaur as Asfaltovenator vialidadi. The species name honors the organization that helped recover the fossil.
**What Did Asfaltovenator Look Like?**
Asfaltovenator was a fairly large dinosaur, comparable in size to the well-known Allosaurus. Its skull measured about 75 to 80 centimeters long, and the entire body length was estimated to be around 7 to 8 meters, which is about 23 to 26 feet.
Scientists identified several unique features in Asfaltovenator, such as certain shapes of its teeth and skull bones. These features helped place Asfaltovenator within a specific dinosaur family known as the allosaurs.
**Classification**
Asfaltovenator is classified as a theropod, part of a group of dinosaurs known for being bipedal meat-eaters. Within these groups, it showed both primitive and advanced traits, which made researchers rethink how dinosaurs relate to each other. It was found to be a basal allosauroid, meaning it had characteristics that link it to earlier relatives, yet it was somewhat advanced, showing features similar to later dinosaurs.
**Paleoecology: What Was Its Environment Like?**
The fossils of Asfaltovenator were discovered in the Chacritas Member of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation. This area was not just a dry land but had water bodies similar to modern lakes. The environment experienced volcanic activity, and the lakes were sometimes salty or very salty, which would affect the plants and animals living around them.
During the time when Asfaltovenator lived, the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event occurred. This was a significant event that may have caused rapid evolution among dinosaurs. Asfaltovenator is an example of the many changes happening in dinosaur species during this period.
In summary, Asfaltovenator was an exciting dinosaur that roamed what is now Argentina millions of years ago. Its notable features and the fact it lived during a time of great evolutionary change make it a fascinating subject for study.