Pronunciation: LEE-gah-boo-AY-no
Meaning: Ligabue's little one
Author/s: Bonaparte (1996)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Neuquén, Argentina
Discovery Chart Position: #408
Ligabueino andesi
When José Bonaparte named Ligabueino andesi in 1996, he tentatively classified it as a member of the Noasaurus-anchored Noasauridae; a family of small-bodied (ceratosaurian) theropods within a larger ceratosaurian group called Abelisauroidea. He also highlighted its remarkably small size, which led to the assumption that its dinky skeleton, with thighs a smidgen over 6cm long and a total body length just shy of 80 cm, belonged to one of the most diminutive adult-sized predatory dinosaurs known from Argentina. However, later studies revealed a lack of bone fusion in its vertebrae, confirming it was not an adult. And the absence of features in common with Noasaurus showed that it was not a noasaurid, either.
(Ligabue's Little One from the Andes)Etymology
Ligabueino is derived from "Ligabue" (in honour of Dr.Giancario Ligabue) and the Italian (masculine) suffix "-ino" (little one). This is the first of three dinosaurs to honour Ligabue, preceding Agustinia ligabuei (1999) and Ligabuesaurus leanzai (2006). They were all named by José Bonaparte.
The species epithet, andesi, refers to the Andes.
Discovery
The remains of Ligabueino were discovered in the Puesto Antigual Member of the La Amarga Formation, Neuquén, Argentina.The holotype (MACN-N 42) includes three scraps of vertebrae, a left thigh, two hip bones, and two toe bones, one of which might be a finger.
