Elemgasem

Elemgasem is the first abelisaurid dinosaur ever found from the Turonian to Coniacian time period, which was a gap in the fossil record for this group.1

The only known skeleton of Elemgasem belonged to a subadult, but it had already reached sexual maturity.1

Elemgasem had a rough, bumpy surface on the side of its fibula (a leg bone) and a deep wall on its calcaneum (a heel bone), which are unique features.1

Its tail vertebrae were shaped a bit differently from those of other abelisaurids, which helped scientists identify it as a new species.1

Elemgasem lived during a time of big changes in South America, including climate shifts and extinctions in the oceans.1

Scientists are not sure exactly where Elemgasem fits in the abelisaurid family tree, but it is closely related to a group called Furileusauria.1