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Kank australis

Osteichthyes - Unenlagiidae

Discussion

Kank, in reference to the elder Rhea, who created the constellation Choiols (Southern Cross constellation) in the Aonikenk mythology, and australis, which means from south in Latin, in reference to the southern latitude where this dinosaur was found.

Taxonomy
Kank australis was named by Motta et al. (2026). Its type specimen is MPM-PV-23106-A, a partial skeleton (five teeth (four maxillary and one dentary tooth), cervicodorsal vertebrae (CV10), and pedal phalanges II-2 (right), II-3 (left) and III-2 (left)), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Monotreme site, which is in a Maastrichtian terrestrial horizon in the Chorrillo Formation of Argentina. It is the type species of Kank.

Entered
by E. Vlachos on 2026-05-29; modified by E. Vlachos on 2026-05-29

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2026Kank australis Motta et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
RankNameAuthor
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Theropoda()
familyUnenlagiidae()
genusKank
speciesaustralis

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Kank australis Motta et al. 2026
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
M. J. Motta et al. 2026Medium-sized unenlagiid (phalanges similar in size to Neuquenraptor argentinus estimated in ∼27 kg; Motta, Citation2023) showing the following combination of characters (autapomorphies marked by an asterisk): (1) dentary teeth having mesial carinae restricted to the apical third of the crown (shared with Austroraptor); (2) labiolingually compressed maxillary teeth “8” in cross-section (shared with Buitreraptor); (3) dentary teeth having a crenulate mesial carina restricted to its apical third; (4) cervicodorsal vertebra having three pneumatic foramina on its ventral surface*; (5) cervicodorsal vertebra having epipophyseal fossa*; and (6) phalanx 2-II showing reduced distal condyles and collateral pits located very close to the anterodorsal corner of the condyles (shared with troodontids).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Entire body: yeso
Adult length: 10 to < 100o
Adult width: 1.0 to < 10o
Adult height: 1.0 to < 10o
Architecture: compact or denseo
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partso
Grouping: solitaryo
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: carnivoreo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2004-12-14 12:50:08
Modified: 2004-12-14 14:50:08
Source: o = order
References: Marsh 1875, Kiessling 2004

Age range: Early/Lower Maastrichtian or 72.20000 to 66.00000 Ma

Collections (2 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Maastrichtian72.2 - 66.0Argentina (Santa Cruz) Kank australis (221115) Unenlagiidae indet. (type locality: 234712)