Aucasaurus

Auca lizard

• Auca · Mapuche · rebel, wild (also a regional place name)
• sauros · Greek · lizard

Aucasaurus combines "Auca", a word from the Mapuche (Araucanian) language usually translated as "rebel" or "wild", with the Greek word for lizard. The "Auca" element refers to the region in Neuquén Province, Patagonia, where it was found. The type species, Aucasaurus garridoi, honours Alberto Garrido, who found the fossil.

Named by

Coria, Chiappe and Dingus

Year named

2002

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Campanian

Found in

Anacleto Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina

A medium-sized abelisaurid theropod known from a well-preserved, nearly complete skeleton. It is closely related to Carnotaurus and has similarly tiny forelimbs. The exact origin of "Auca" in the name is not fully certain here.