page_title: Murusraptor
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Murusraptor / Description
caption_attribution_description: Braincase of Murusraptor barrosaensis, holotype, MCF-PVPH-411. Braincase in dorsal (A), lateral (B), anterior (C), ventral (D) and posterior (E,E’) views; occipital condyle in ventral view, photography (F) and line drawing (F’). Abbreviations: bo, basioccipital; bp, basipterygoid process; bs, basisphenoid; bsp, basipterygoid; br, basisphenoidal recess; cn, condylar neck; cp, cultriform process; ec, endocranial cavity; exo, exoccipital-opisthotic; f, frontal; fm, foramen magnum; fov, fenestra ovalis; io, interorbital slot between prefrontal/lacrimal and postorbital; n/p, nasal/prefrontal contact; lat, laterosphenoid; np, nasal pit; oc, occipital condyle; op, opistotic; orb, orbitosphenoid; p, parietal; path, pathology; pit, pituitary fossa; pn, pneumatopore; po, postorbital contact; pof, postorbital suture of the frontal; pop, paraoccipital process; pr, prootic; prp, prefrontal pit; soc, supraoccipital; vcdf, vena capitis dorsalis foramen; II, second cranial nerve exit; III, third cranial nerve exit; V, trigeminal (fifth cranial nerve) exit; V1, ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal exit; VI, sixth cranial nerve exit; IX-XI, exit for ninth to eleventh cranial nerves. Scale bar: 10 cm.
context_page_description: Murusraptor is a genus of carnivorous megaraptoran theropod dinosaur from the Sierra Barrosa Formation, part of the Neuquén Group of Patagonia, in Argentina, South America. It is known from a single specimen that consists of a partial skull, ribs, partial pelvis, leg and other assorted skeletal elements.
context_section_description: The holotype of Murusraptor is estimated to be 6.4 m (21 ft), but is considered to be an immature specimen, as the cranial sutures in its braincase have not yet disappeared; this indicates it would have been potentially larger. Analysis of the skeleton further revealed anatomical features as-yet unseen in Megaraptora, particularly in the skull and hips. Analysis of the posterior of the skull indicates that, possibly like the related Megaraptor, Murusraptor likely had an elongated and narrow snout. The sacral ribs are hollow.
  Coria & Currie established some distinguishing traits of Murusraptor. The front branch of the lacrimal is longer than the descending branch is high. In the lower jaw, the surangular shows a bone shelf at its outer side, under the groove between the front surangular opening and the notch for the upper rear branch of the dentary, contributing to the side joint. The sacral ribs are hollow and tube-like. The ischia are short, transversely flattened and vertically slightly widened. These last two traits are unequivocal autapomorphies, unique derived qualities, as they are unique within the entire Theropoda.
   
  Furthermore, a unique combination of traits is present that are in themselves not unique. In the braincase, the processus basipterygoidei are situated at the front underside of the basisphenoid while the entrance of the deep depression of the recessus basisphenoideus is directed obliquely upwards and to the rear. The basisphenoid shows a shallow wide notch between the tubera basilaria and the processus basipterygoidei. The chevron bones are rather straight.
caption: Illustration and photos of the braincase; at E it is clearly visible that the left half is deformed
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