The hand and finger bones of "Majungasaurus", like other majungasaurines, lacked the characteristic pits and grooves where claws and tendons would normally attach, and its finger bones were fused together, indicating that the hand was immobile. In 2012, a better specimen was described, showing that the lower arm was robust, though short, and that the hand contained four metatarsals and four, probably inflexible and very reduced, fingers, with small claws on the second and third finger. The phalanx formula was 1-2-2-1-0. Like other abelisaurids, the hindlimbs were stocky and short compared to body length. The tibia (lower leg bone) of "Majungasaurus" was even stockier than that of its relative "Carnotaurus", with a prominent crest on the knee. The astragalus and calcaneum (ankle bones) were fused together, and the feet bore three functional digits, with a smaller first digit that did not contact the ground. "Majungasaurus" is classified as a member of the theropod clade Abelisauridae, which is considered a family in Linnaean taxonomy. Along with the family Noasauridae, abelisaurids are included in the superfamily Abelisauroidea, which is in turn a subdivision of the infraorder Ceratosauria. Abelisaurids are known for their tall skulls with blunt snouts, extensive sculpturing on the outer surfaces of the facial bones (convergent with carcharodontosaurids), very reduced (atrophied) forelimbs (convergent with tyrannosaurids), and stocky hindlimb proportions, among other features. As with many dinosaur families, the systematics (evolutionary relationships) within the family Abelisauridae are confused. Several cladistic studies have indicated that "Majungasaurus" shares a close relationship with "Carnotaurus" from South America, while others were unable to firmly place it in the phylogeny. The most recent analysis, using the most complete information, instead recovered "Majungasaurus" in a clade with "Rajasaurus" and "Indosaurus" from India, but excluding South American genera like "Carnotaurus", "Ilokelesia", "Ekrixinatosaurus", "Aucasaurus" and "Abelisaurus", as well as "Rugops" from mainland Africa.