The initial assignment of *Xenotarsosaurus* to Abelisauridae was based on hind leg similarities with which specific relative?
Answer
Carnotaurus sastrei
The foundational taxonomic placement of *Xenotarsosaurus* within the family Abelisauridae was established primarily through comparative anatomy focused on its lower limb structure. Researchers noted significant similarities between the hind leg architecture of *Xenotarsosaurus* and that of *Carnotaurus sastrei*, another well-known South American abelisaurid. While subsequent fossil scarcity created uncertainty, this initial structural resemblance solidified its grouping within the Abelisauridae, a classification that generally persisted in many subsequent accounts until phylogenetic analyses sometimes complicate the placement.
Related Questions
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