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Description

A new drawing, this time in color. This is the recently described basal abelisaurid Spectrovenator ragei from the early Cretaceous of Brazil.

Spectrovenator is described from well-preserved fossils, including an almost complete skull and a pelvic girdle with legs. The remains belong to a very small individual (the length of the skull is about 21 centimeters), but it is not known whether it was young or adult. The name "Spectrovenator" means "Ghost hunter" because its skeleton was unexpectedly discovered under the bones of the holotype of sauropod Tapuiasaurus macedoi.

Spectrovenator is very important for understanding the evolution of abelisaurids for two reasons. First, his age. Far fewer theropods are known from the early Cretaceous of South America than from the second half of the period, so such a well-preserved specimen is of great importance. And secondly, this taxon shows a mixture of primitive and advanced features, especially in the skull. The postcranium is very similar to the later abelisaurids. Phylogenetically, Spectrovenator is a sister taxon to the clade that unites Rugops primus and all late abelisaurids.

In this drawing, I wanted to experiment with coloring. I made the base with a black ballpoint pen and then colored it with watercolors. This is actually an old method, but I decided to go back to it. And, I think, the result was quite good.

Black ballpoint pen and watercolors, 2020.

Description

A new drawing, this time in color. This is the recently described basal abelisaurid Spectrovenator ragei from the early Cretaceous of Brazil.

Spectrovenator is described from well-preserved fossils, including an almost complete skull and a pelvic girdle with legs. The remains belong to a very small individual (the length of the skull is about 21 centimeters), but it is not known whether it was young or adult. The name "Spectrovenator" means "Ghost hunter" because its skeleton was unexpectedly discovered under the bones of the holotype of sauropod Tapuiasaurus macedoi.

Spectrovenator is very important for understanding the evolution of abelisaurids for two reasons. First, his age. Far fewer theropods are known from the early Cretaceous of South America than from the second half of the period, so such a well-preserved specimen is of great importance. And secondly, this taxon shows a mixture of primitive and advanced features, especially in the skull. The postcranium is very similar to the later abelisaurids. Phylogenetically, Spectrovenator is a sister taxon to the clade that unites Rugops primus and all late abelisaurids.

In this drawing, I wanted to experiment with coloring. I made the base with a black ballpoint pen and then colored it with watercolors. This is actually an old method, but I decided to go back to it. And, I think, the result was quite good.

Black ballpoint pen and watercolors, 2020.