Mahuidacursor Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 0.6m |
| Length | 1.5m |
| Weight | 8 kg |
| Speed | 25 km/h |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Other |
| Location | Argentina |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 0.6m |
| Length | 1.5m |
| Weight | 8 kg |
| Speed | 25 km/h |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Other |
| Location | Argentina |
Mahuidacursor was a small, nimble ornithischian dinosaur that scampered across the landscapes of what is now Argentina during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 85.7 million years ago. This fascinating little dinosaur represents an important piece in understanding the diversity of ornithischian dinosaurs in South America during this time.
Standing about 60 centimetres tall at the hip and measuring roughly 1.5 metres in length, Mahuidacursor was built for speed and agility. Its lightweight frame and long, powerful legs suggest it was an excellent runner, perfectly adapted to escape from the many predators that shared its environment. The dinosaur's name, meaning 'Mahuida runner', reflects both its discovery location near Mahuida Hill and its probable swift-footed lifestyle.
As a herbivore, Mahuidacursor would have fed on the ferns, cycads, and early flowering plants that carpeted the Cretaceous landscape. Its small size allowed it to exploit food sources that larger dinosaurs might have overlooked, whilst its speed provided an effective defence mechanism against carnivorous dinosaurs of the region.
What makes Mahuidacursor particularly interesting to palaeontologists is its uncertain position within the ornithischian family tree. The fossil remains suggest it may represent a unique lineage of small ornithischians that evolved in South America, highlighting the continent's distinctive dinosaur fauna during the Cretaceous period.
Mahuidacursor was distinguished by its small, lightweight build and exceptionally long legs relative to its body size, indicating it was built for running. Its compact skull and body proportions marked it as a swift, agile ornithischian perfectly adapted for rapid movement across Cretaceous landscapes.
Mahuidacursor was likely a highly active, social dinosaur that relied on speed and alertness to avoid predators. Its small size and agile build suggest it may have lived in groups, using collective vigilance to spot danger whilst foraging for low-growing vegetation and possibly seeds from early flowering plants.
Mahuidacursor was first described by Sebastián Rozadilla and colleagues in 2018. The original fossils were discovered at Portezuelo Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina.