Asfaltovenator is a large theropod, comparable in size to the well-known Allosaurus. The skull is 75–80 cm long, and the estimated body length of the holotype is 7–8 m. The reconstructed skull is high and slightly arched (Fig. 1A,B), similar to that of other allosauroids2. The premaxilla has an almost quadrangular body and a steeply arising anterior nasal process. In medial view, a large, posterodorsally opening foramen is present just below the narial margin, slightly posterior to its anterior end. The bone bears four teeth, with the anteriormost tooth being considerably smaller than the remaining premaxillary teeth. The maxilla has a short and high anterior ramus and an ascending process with a kinked anterior margin (Fig. 2B,C), as in many megalosaurids2. A large maxillary antorbital fossa is present and almost reaches the alveolar margin in the jugal ramus (Fig. 2B). Towards the anterior end of the antorbital fossa, at the base of the ascending process, there are a promaxillary foramen and a medially closed maxillary fenestra (Fig. 2C), similar to the situation in many megalosaurids10. The maxilla lacks a pneumatic recess on the medial side of the base of the ascending process. There were 13 maxillary teeth, which were held in place by separated interdental plates medially. The nasal has a large, sharply defined supranarial fossa and two pneumatic foramina within an expansion of the antorbital fossa onto its ventrolateral side (Fig. 2A), as in allosauroids. Similar to the situation in Allosaurus, the lateral margins of the nasals are raised into a crest that is continuous with a similar crest on the lacrimal. The lacrimal has a moderately developed lacrimal horn and a subdivided lacrimal fenestra, as in allosauroids2. The anterior and ventral rami of the lacrimal are of subequal length. The jugal expands anteriorly, as in most basal tetanurans, and the posterior, quadratojugal process is notably high at its base, higher than the jugal body below the orbit. A small pneumatic recess is present in the rim of the antorbital fossa in the anterior part of the bone. The frontal is notably robust, and the parietals are fused without visible suture. The postorbital is T-shaped, with a robust ‘brow’ in the supraorbital ramus and a small, triangular cornual process over the central body of the bone. The jugal articulation of the long, slender, but transversely robust jugal process forms a large, posteriorly opening trough, as in many megalosaurids. The supratemporal fossa does not extend onto the posterior process of the postorbital, in contrast to the situation in megalosaurids2, and, as in allosauroids, the dorsal lamina of the squamosal is continuous between the lateral and medial ramus, not invaginated by the supratmeporal fenestra. On the occiput (Fig. 1C), the posterior exit of the mid cerebral vein is connected to the posttemporal foramen by a curved depression, as in Allosaurus11, and the supraoccipital crest is rather low, but broad. The paroccipital processes are strongly ventrolaterally directed, with their tips lying entirely ventral to the foramen magnum, as in Allosaurus11. A broad vertical groove is present below the occipital condyle, as in most megalosauroids, but well-developed subcondylar recesses are absent, unlike the condition in Piatnitzkysaurus12 and Eustreptospondylus13. The basisphenoid has a deep basisphenoid recess and stout, dorsoventrally expanded and mainly anteriorly directed basipterygoid processes, similar to the condition in Allosaurus11. The palatine is tetraradiate with an expanded jugal process and a pneumatic recess dorsally. A pneumatic recess invaginates the ectopterygoid from medially (Fig. 2D), as in Allosaurus and other basal tetanurans. The jugal process of the ectopterygoid has a stout anteroventral process (Fig. 2E), as in Dubreuillosaurus14. A marked depression is present on the dorsal surface of the ectopterygoid wing of the pterygoid.

The dentary bears 14 teeth. It has a slightly expanded anterior end (Fig. 2F), as in most megalosauroids, and two meckelian foramina at the anterior end of the meckelian groove medially. As in the maxilla, the interdental plates are separate. The splenial has a forked posterior end and completely encloses a myliohyoid foramen. The mandibular fenestra was obviously small and might have been absent altogether, so that the anterior end of the surangular is high and accounts for more than half the height of the mandible at this level. A broad dorsal shelf is found on the posterior two-thirds of the surangular, bound medially by a raised medial flange, but the anterior border of the glenoid, which is formed by the surangular, is not notably raised, in contrast to most large basal tetanurans. A stout, triangular antarticular is present between the prearticular and the articular (Fig. 1D), a bone that was hitherto considered to be an autapomorphic neomorph of Allosaurus11. The retroarticular process is represented by a short, semioval, laterally placed posterior process of the articular that is broader than long. The articular surface for the m. depressor mandibular is developed as a broad, posterodorsally directed depression on the process.

There are ten cervical and 13 dorsal vertebrae. Cervical vertebrae are short and stout, with flat anterior and concave posterior articular surfaces (Figs 2G, 3A,B). Single pneumatic foramina are present on the anterolateral side in postaxial cervicals and anterior dorsals, but are absent in the axis and posterior dorsals. A very weak ventral ridge is present in the axis, but ventral keels are absent in postaxial cervicals and are poorly developed in dorsals one (Fig. 2G) and two, in contrast to Piatnitzkysaurus and Condorraptor, which have deep ventral keels in posterior cervical and anterior dorsal vertebrae15,16. The mid-cervical vertebrae have a shallow depression on the anterior part of the ventral side. Cervical neural arches have well-developed lateral lamination, large, laterally placed prezygapophyses and large, posterodorsolaterally directed epipophyses, which considerably overhang the postzygapophyses in anterior and mid-cervicals. The third cervical has an unusual, anteroposteriorly reduced neural spine that is strongly inclined posteriorly and has a curved anterior and thickened posterior margin (Fig. 3A). The spine of the fourth cervical has a straight ventral portion with parallel margins and a posteriorly inclined dorsal half with a slightly curved anterior margin. More posterior cervical neural spines are straight, with subparallel anterior and posterior margins and are taller than long. Dorsal vertebrae have spool-shaped, strongly constricted centra that lack pleurocoels or pronounced pleurocentral grooves. Lateral neural arch lamination is well developed, and neural spines are moderately high and rectangular (Fig. 3C). A small additional lamina is present in dorsals 11 and 12 between the paradiapophyseal lamina and the posterior centrodiapophyseal lamina. The anterior end of the hyposphene articular facet is marked by a notable step, as in Piatnitzksaurus15 and Condorraptor16. The last dorsal vertebra has anterolaterally directed transverse processes and is fused to the first sacral. The first sacral has an oblique ridge on the transverse process dorsally, as in Condorraptor16.

The furcula is not preserved, but both scapulocoracoids and forelimbs are complete. The scapula is notably broad, its length being approximately six times the minimal height of the shaft, but seems to be only slightly expanded distally, similar to the condition in megalosaurids. The acromion process is considerably, but more gradually expanded than in Allosaurus11, and a well-developed supraglenoid fossa is present on the proximal part of the scapula. The coracoid is semioval, higher than long, and has a well-developed, tapering posteroventral process. The biceps tubercle is developed as a ridge extending obliquely from the level of the dorsal margin of the glenoid anteroventrally, as in Piatnitzkysaurus15 and allosauroids. The humerus is robust and almost straight, as in several megalosauroids, and thus lacks the pronounced sigmoidal curve seen in Piatnitzkysaurus15 or Allosaurus11. The greater tubercle of the proximal humerus is robust and pronouced, though not to the degree seen in Acrocanthosaurus17. The deltopectoral crest is well-developed, anteriorly directed and extends for almost half the length of the humerus. The bone has a fossa on the anterior side of the distal end (Fig. 3D), as in allosauroids, and the distal articular surface is slightly canted medially. The antebrachium is short and robust, the radius being approximately 60% of the length of the humerus. The ulna has a large, robust olecranon process (Fig. 3E). The carpus consists of two proximal and two unfused distal carpals. The manus has three digits, without a remnant of the fourth metacarpal (Fig. 3F). The metacarpus is notably broad and stout, the articulated metacarpals being wider than long. Metacarpal I is slightly more than half the length of metacarpal II, closely appressed to the latter and very robust, whereas metacarpal III is very slender. The digits are rather short and massive, with digit I being the most robust and digit III being significantly more slender and shorter than the other digits.

Only the distal ends of the articulated pubes are preserved of the pelvic girdle. The pubic boot is moderately developed and only posteriorly expanded, with the distal ends of the left and right pubic boots being fused. The distal two thirds of the right femur are preserved. In contrast to many theropods, there is no depression for the attachment of m. femorotibialis on the anterior side of the distal end, but a well-developed extensor groove is present and extends onto the anterior side of the femur. Distally, the well-rounded condyles are separated by a broad, anteroposteriorly extending groove. The tibia has a well-developed, anteroproximally directed cnemial crest with rectangular outline (Fig. 3G). The fibular condyle is well offset from the cnemial crest by a broad incisura tibialis and does not reach as far posteriorly as the medial part. The fibular crest of the tibia is separated from the proximal end and thin, unlike the bulbous crest seen in some megalosaurids10. The proximal articular surface of the fibula is elongate kidney-shaped, being wider anteriorly than posteriorly and the bone lacks a pronounced groove on the medial side of the proximal end.

A poorly preserved right foot is present, including distal tarsal IV, metatarsals II to IV and several pedal phalanges. Metatarsals IV has a rounded anterolateral part of the proximal articular surface and a long posteromedial process, as in other basal tetanurans.