Riojavenatrix
A spinosaurid theropod from Early Cretaceous Spain.
Riojavenatrix, meaning "La Rioja huntress," was a spinosaurid theropod from Spain's Early Cretaceous Enciso Group. Its only species is Riojavenatrix lacustris. This dinosaur is one of five known spinosaurid taxa from the Iberian Peninsula.
Quick Facts
- Type species
- Riojavenatrix lacustris
Facts from the source article.
Discovery and naming
The spinosaurid Riojavenatrix was named in 2024 based on fossils unearthed in 2005 at the Virgen del Villar-1 site in La Rioja, Spain. The holotype, a single individual, includes a partial dorsal vertebra, pelvic girdle, and hindlimb bones originally thought to belong to Baryonyx. This site lies within the Enciso Group, dating to the uppermost Barremian or lower Aptian, most likely the lower Aptian. This age places Riojavenatrix after Baryonyx, Camarillasaurus, Ceratosuchops, Iberospinus, Riparovenator, and probably Vallibonavenatrix, while being roughly contemporary with Ichthyovenator and Suchomimus. It predates the more derived spinosaurids from the mid-Cretaceous of Africa and South America. The genus name combines La Rioja with the Latin venatrix, meaning "huntress," and the species name lacustris means "from the lake."
Classification
Riojavenatrix is classified as a spinosaurid due to its pubis and femur, and more specifically as a baryonychine based on its femur, fibula, and tibia. Its astragalus also shows some resemblance to spinosaurines. It ranks among the youngest known baryonychines and is the fifth spinosaurid discovered on the Iberian Peninsula. A 2025 study on Camarillasaurus reinforced its placement within Baryonychinae.
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