Genusaurus

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title: "Genusaurus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["abelisauridae", "dinosaur-genera", "albian-dinosaurs", "fossil-taxa-described-in-1995", "taxa-named-by-philippe-taquet", "dinosaurs-of-france"] description: "Extinct genus of dinosaurs" topic_path: "geography/france" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genusaurus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Extinct genus of dinosaurs ::

|fossil_range = Early Cretaceous, |genus = Genusaurus | display_parents=3 |parent_authority = Accarie et al., 1995 |species = sisteronis |authority = Accarie et al., 1995

Genusaurus ( ; meaning "knee lizard") is a genus of abelisaurid theropod from the Early Cretaceous. Its fossils were found in France. Genusaurus is believed to have lived during the Albian stage, around 112-100 million years ago.

Description

Genusaurus possesses several distinguishing traits. The dorsal vertebrae are elongated. The elements of the pelvis are strongly fused. The thighbone shows a low bone plateau below the major trochanter; to the front an accessory trochanter is present. The epicondyle of the inner femoral condyle is well-developed. The cnemial crest strongly extends to the front and is curved upwards. The fibula has a distinctive boss serving as an attachment for the Musculus iliofibularis. The upper inner side of the fibula is strongly hollowed out.

Size

Genusaurus was originally estimated to have been 3.16 m long. From the 38 cm thighbone, a weight of 129.6 kg was extrapolated. have reduced the weight to 50 kg, or even 35 kg. In 2016, its length was estimated at 3.6 m, making it among the smallest known abelisaurids.

Discovery and naming

The type species, Genusaurus sisteronis, is the only named species. It is based on a partial skeleton found in 1984-1986 in the Albian Bevons Beds, holotype MNHN Bev.1. The holotype contains seven partial dorsal vertebrae, a piece of a sacral, a piece of an ilium, the top of a pubic bone, a thighbone, the top of a shinbone, the top of a fibula and a metatarsal. It was named and described by Hugues Accarie, Bernard Beaudoin, Jean Dejax, Gérard Friès, Jean-Guy Michard and Philippe Taquet in 1995. The genus name is derived from the Latin word genu (knee) and refers to the cnemial crest in front of the proximal end of the tibia. The specific name refers to Sisteron, the town near which the specimen was found.

Classification

Accarie et al. assigned Genusaurus to the ceratosaur group of theropods, more precisely to the Coelophysoidea. In 2025, Eric Buffetaut reexamined the holotype and suggested that it should be placed into Furileusauria.

References

References

1. Creisler, Ben. (July 7, 2003). "Dinosauria Translation and Pronunciation Guide G".
2. (2007). "The Phylogeny of Ceratosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda)". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
3. Holtz, Thomas R. Jr.. (2007). "Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages". Random House.
4. Montague, J. R.. (2006). "Estimates of body size and geological time of origin for 612 dinosaur genera (Saurischia, Ornithischia)". Florida Scientist.
5. Paul, G.S., 2010, ''The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs'', Princeton University Press p. 78
6. (2016). "Allometry and body length of abelisauroid theropods: ''Pycnonemosaurus nevesi'' is the new king". Cretaceous Research.
7. Accarie, H., B. Beaudoin, J. Dejax, G. Fries, J.C. Michard, and P. Taquet (1995). "Découverte d'un Dinosaure théropode nouveau (''Genusaurus sisteronis n. g., n. sp''.) dans l'Albien marin de Sisteron (Alpes de Haute-Provence, France) et extension au Crétacé inférieur de la lignée cératosaurienne". ''Compte rendu hebdomadaire des scéances de l'Académie des Sciences à Paris''. '''320''' (2): 327-334 [http://paleoglot.net/files/Accarie_94.doc Translation into English.]
8. (2016). "A new brachyrostran with hypertrophied axial structures reveals an unexpected radiation of latest Cretaceous abelisaurids". Cretaceous Research.
9. (2023). "Osteology of the axial skeleton of ''Aucasaurus garridoi'': phylogenetic and paleobiological inferences". PeerJ.
10. Buffetaut, E.. (2025). "Furileusaurian osteological characters in ''Genusaurus sisteronis'' Accarie et al., 1995, an abelisaurid dinosaur from the Albian (Lower Cretaceous) of south-eastern France". Carnets natures.

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