A possible oviraptorosaur from the Late Cretaceous of northwestern Argentina

ABSTRACT

A newly discovered cervical vertebra from the Upper Cretaceous Lecho Formation of northwestern Argentina (Estancia El Brete) bears pneumatic foramina and epipophyses, and is assigned to the Theropoda. Although isolated, this specimen is significant because it is different from all described theropod cervical material from South America, most likely representing a new taxon. The El Brete specimen most closely resembles the cervical vertebrae of Chirostenotes, oviraptorids, and therizinosaurids. A cladistic analysis of cervical morphology groups the new specimen with those of the Laurasian oviraptorosaurs, suggesting the presence of this group of nonavian theropods in the Cretaceous of Gondwana.