The Gondwanian theropod families Abelisauridae and Noasauridae

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Abstract
The theropod families Abelisauridae and Noasauridae appear closely related because of shared derived characters such as the short anterior area of the maxilla, the small or absent preantorbital fenestra, the quadrate fused to the quadratojugal, and cervical vertebrae with vestigial neural spines and hypertrophied epipophyses. The families appear linked to Ceratosauridae and are interpreted as Ceratosauria. They are very different from the clade Allosauridae‐Tyrannosauridae as well as from other Laurasian theropods. The geographic distribution of the Abelisauridae possibly includes Africa, India, South America and southern Europe, and they are generally associated with titanosaurid sauropods. It is considered that they are endemic to Gondwana, and the presence of abelisaurids in Europe may be the result of a migratory event from Africa. It is suggested that the Baharija theropods may be more related to the abelisaurs than to the tyrannosaurs.