Genus
Valid Extinct

Majungasaurus

Lavocat 1955
Etymology Lézard de Majunga (l’ancien nom de la province de Mahajanga)

Majungasaurus is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Madagascar from 70 to 66 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, making it one of the last-known non-avian dinosaurs that went extinct during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. The genus contains a single species, Majungasaurus crenatissimus. This dinosaur is also called Majungatholus, a name which is considered a junior synonym of Majungasaurus.

Temporal range
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
Paleogene
Neogene
252 201 145 66 0 Ma
PBDB occurrences
25
Group
Dinosaures
Carnivore Ground dwelling, solitary Terrestrial
Majungasaurus
click to enlarge
Mounted skeleton (cast) of Majungasaurus crenatissimus, Stony Brook University. © Skye McDavid · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia
PBDB ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Classification
Dinosauria Unranked clade
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Theropoda Unranked clade
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Neotheropoda Unranked clade
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Averostra Unranked clade
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Ceratosauria Suborder
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Abelisauridae Family
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Carnotaurinae Subfamily
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Majungasaurini Tribe
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Majungasaurus Genus
Fossil sites 25 geolocated sites
Distribution
Top countries
🇲🇬 Madagascar
25
Geological formations
Maevarano
25
Temporal distribution
Maastrichtian (72.2–66 Ma)
25
Species (2)
Majungasaurus crenatissimus 72 Ma
Majungatholus atopus subjective synonym of Majungasaurus crenatissimus 72 Ma
Synonyms (1)
Majungatholus subjective synonym of Majungasaurus
Images 7
Bibliography
Original description
R. Lavocat. 1955. Sur une portion de mandibule de théropode provenant du Crétacé supérieur de Madagascar [On a portion of theropod mandible from the Upper Cretaceous of Madagascar]. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 2e série 27(3):256-259
Bibliography (13)
W. G. Joyce, Y. Rollot, and S. W. Evers, T. R. Lyson, L. J. Rahantarisoa, D. W. Krause. 2021. A new pelomedusoid turtle, Sahonachelys mailakavava, from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar provides evidence for convergent evolution of specialized suction feeding among pleurodires. Royal Society Open Science 8(5):210098:1-32 DOI ↗
R. R. Rogers, D. W. Krause, and S. C. Kast, M. S. Marshall, L. Rahantarisoa, C. R. Robins, J. J. W. Sertich. 2013. A new, richly fossiliferous member comprised of tidal deposits in the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation, northwestern Madagascar. Cretaceous Research 44:12-29 DOI ↗
S. H. Burch and M. T. Carrano. 2012. An articulated pectoral girdle and forelimb of the abelisaurid theropod Majungasaurus crenatissimus from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32(1):1-16 DOI ↗
F. Fanti and F. Therrien. 2007. Theropod tooth assemblages from the Late Cretaceous Maevarano Formation and the possible presence of dromaeosaurids in Madagascar. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 52(1):155-166
D. W. Krause, S. D. Sampson, and M. T. Carrano, P. M. O.'Connor. 2007. Overview of the history of discovery, taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography of Majungasaurus crenatissimus (Theropoda: Abelisauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Majungasaurus crenatissimus (Theropoda: Abelisauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 8. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 2 (supplement) DOI ↗
R. R. Rogers, D. W. Krause, and K. Curry Rogers, A. H. Rasoamiaramanana, L. Rahantarisoa. 2007. Paleoenvironment and paleoecology of Majungasaurus crenatissimus (Theropoda: Abelisauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. In S. D. Sampson & D. W. Krause (eds.), Majungasaurus crenatissimus (Theropoda: Abelisauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 8. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(2, suppl.):21-31 DOI ↗
R. R. Rogers, D. W. Krause, and K. Curry Rogers. 2003. Cannibalism in the Madagascan dinosaur Majungatholus atopus. Nature 422:515-518 DOI ↗
S. D. Sampson, L. M. Witmer, and C. A. Forster, D. W. Krause, P. M. O.'Connor, P. Dodson, F. Ravoavy. 1998. Predatory dinosaur remains from Madagascar: implications for the Cretaceous biogeography of Gondwana. Science 280:1048-1051 DOI ↗
S. D. Sampson, D. W. Krause, and P. Dodson, C. A. Forster. 1996. The premaxilla of <i>Majungasaurus</i> (Dinosauria: Theropoda), with implications for Gondwanan paleobiogeography. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 16(4):601-605 DOI ↗
D. Russell, D. E. Russell, and P. Taquet, H. Thomas. 1976. Nouvelles récoltes de vertébrés dans le terraines continentaux du Crétacé supérieur de la région de Majunga (Madagascar) [New collections of vertebrates in the Upper Cretaceous continental terrains of the Majunga region (Madagascar)]. Comptes Rendus de la Société Géologique de France 1976(5):205-208
R. Lavocat. 1955. Sur une portion de mandibule de théropode provenant du Crétacé supérieur de Madagascar [On a portion of theropod mandible from the Upper Cretaceous of Madagascar]. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 2e série 27(3):256-259
A. Thevenin. 1907. Paléontologie de Madagascar. IV. — Dinosauriens [Paleontology of Madagascar. IV. — Dinosaurs]. Annales de Paléontologie 2:121-136
C. Depéret. 1896. Note sur les dinosauriens sauropodes & théropodes du Crétacé supérieur de Madagascar [Note on the sauropod and theropod dinosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of Madagascar]. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 3e série 24:176-194