Which Dinosaur Genus would Top an Alphabetical List?

Having written the previous day a brief article answering the question put forward by a pupil on which dinosaur name would appear at the bottom of an alphabetical list, we now find ourselves being asked another, related question.

Which dinosaur name would appear at the top of an alphabetical list?

Again this is a tricky question, one that has led to quite a bit of debate amongst team members at Everything Dinosaur.  The current, list of non-avian dinosaur genera must be getting on for more than 900 names at the moment.  This does not include that long list of dinosaurs which are Nomen dubium – named organisms whose validity is in doubt or Nomen nudum – dinosaurs for example, that have not been formerly described with no designated holotype fossil.

Abelisaurus

The trouble is, with new discoveries all the time, the list of genera is being altered almost constantly.  However, if we were to stick our necks out, our alphabetical list would be headed (no pun intended) by a Late Cretaceous meat-eater from South America – Abelisaurus (Abelisaurus comahuensis).  Abelisaurus is the dinosaur that gave its name to an entire group of theropod dinosaurs – the abelisaurids.

At approximately, 7 metres long it was roughly the size of the more famous Carnotaurus, another Late Cretaceous abelisaurid.  Abelisaurus was named in honour of Roberto Abel, the Director of the Argentinian Museum of Natural Science.

PNSO have included a replica of Abelisaurus in their Age of Dinosaurs model range:

PNSO prehistoric animals, models and figures: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models.

A Model of Abelisaurus

PNSO prehistoric animals that accompany your growth – Martin the Abelisaurus.

To view a model of an abelisaurid (Carnotaurus) and other dinosaur toys in the Natural History Museum model range: Natural History Museum Model Dinosaurs.