The theropod record from the Cretaceous of northeastern Brazil are rare and consist mostly of isolated and incomplete remains, with only four species described. Here we describe, identify and evaluate the diversity of theropod materials from the Albian-Cenomanian Açu Formation, Potiguar Basin. The material consists of nine isolated vertebrae and a tooth. The vertebrae have been identified as belonging to four theropod groups: Abelisauria, Carcharodontosauria, Spinosauridae, Megaraptora, and Maniraptora. The isolated tooth was classified as belonging to a spinosaurid. One of the significant results so far is the occurrence of Megaraptora in the Potiguar Basin, based on the general morphology, the bones are very similar to Aerosteon and Megaraptor. Another unexpected result is the identification and presence of a maniraptoran caudal vertebrae, very rare in Brazil, with few fossils described. Besides this, other groups already found on isochronous basins of the Northeast region of Brazil and Africa as Carcharodontosauria and Spinosauridae. The presence of these theropod groups in the Açu Formation reveals a dinosaur richness in in the Potiguar Basin similar to isochronous basins in Northern Africa and increases the knowledge about the diversity of South American dinosaurs.
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