Phuwiangvenator

Phylogeny: Dinosauria > Saurischia > Theropoda > Neotheropoda > Tetanurae > Avetheropoda > Coelurosauria > Tyrannosauroidea (?) > Megaraptora

Overview: Known from Thailand’s Sao Khua Formation, Phuwiangvenator would’ve lived about one hundred and twenty-five million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous. It coexisted with a number of other dinosaurs including spinosaurids, basal ornithomimosaurs, and a variety of sauropod taxa like Phuwiangosaurus. Remains of various other animals are also known from the Sao Khua. The region would’ve been a vast floodplain at that time, with a mostly semi-arid climate, though it appears to have been more humid and lush at certain points. Phuwiangvenator, with a length of about six or so meters, was one of the larger theropods in this environment. It probably went after medium to large-sized dinosaurs, but also smaller animals. Remains of a few other carnivorous theropods are also known from the Sao Khua, with these dinosaurs likely occupying different hunting niches.

Phuwiangvenator is based on partial fossil material, largely consisting of some vertebrae, leg bones, and part of a hand. This is fairly limited, but there are some diagnostic traits on these bones, which make it possible to both distinguish it from other theropods in the region and also tell what kind of animal it was. Studies usually classify Phuwiangvenator as a megaraptoran, making it related to the likes of Megaraptor, Tratayenia and Australovenator. It’s usually seen as a more basal genus within the group, which fits with it having lived in the Early Cretaceous. Megaraptorans tended to possess long arms, huge claws, narrow snouts, and overall lighter builds. They may’ve been coelurosaurs, or possibly allosauroids according to older studies. Described in 2019, Phuwiangvenator takes part of its generic name from the region of Phu Wiang, where it was found, similar to Phuwiangosaurus.