Austrocheirus is a type of dinosaur that lived a long time ago, during the Late Cretaceous period, around 76 to 70 million years ago.
The name “Austrocheirus” means “southern hand,” and it was named in 2010 by scientists Martin Ezcurra, Federico Agnolin, and Fernando Novas. The specific name, “A. isasii,” honors a discoverer named Marcelo Pablo Isasi.
Fossils of Austrocheirus were discovered on March 17, 2002, in Argentina. The fossils include parts of a hand, a leg bone, some backbone pieces, and a bone from its foot.
Austrocheirus was a medium-sized dinosaur that measured about 5.5 to 6.5 meters long, which is about 18 to 21 feet.
Scientists think Austrocheirus was related to a group of dinosaurs called abelisauroids. However, it was different from other members of this group because it had smaller front arms.
There is some debate about how exactly Austrocheirus fits in with other dinosaurs. One scientist, Oliver Rauhut, suggested that the features that linked Austrocheirus to abelisauroids might also be found in other types of dinosaurs.
In a more recent study in 2024, scientists included Austrocheirus in a group with two other dinosaurs, Berthasaura and Afromimus, and named this group Berthasauridae. This shows that researchers continue to learn more about where Austrocheirus fits in the dinosaur family tree.
In summary, Austrocheirus is an interesting dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous that gives us clues about the variety of dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth.