Aerosteon

air bone

• aero · Greek · air
• osteon · Greek · bone

The name combines the Greek words for "air" and "bone". It refers to the many air-filled (pneumatic) cavities in the skeleton of this theropod. These include unusually extensive air spaces in the bones of the body, which suggest it had a bird-like air-sac breathing system.

Named by

Sereno et al.

Year named

2008

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Santonian

Found in

Anacleto Formation, Mendoza Province, Argentina

A large theropod. The type species is Aerosteon riocoloradensis. It is generally classified as an allosauroid, often in or near Megaraptora. The exact age of the formation and the genus's precise classification have been debated.