Megaraptor

Skeletal reconstruction of Mega Raptor namunhuaiquii

• South America ( Patagonia)

• Mega Raptor namunhuaiquii

Mega Raptor ( " giant robber " ) is a genus theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of South America. He lived during the early Cretaceous (late Turonian ) in what is now Argentina.

Systematics and anatomy

The type and only known species Mega Raptor namunhuaiquii was described in 1998 by Fernando Novas based on a 35 -centimeter-long fossil claw for the first time. The genus name is a composite of the ancient Greek μέγα (mega ) " enormous," and the Latin raptor, " robber ".

Novas held Mega Raptor due to the long sickle claw for a large Dromaeosauriden, a group of small theropods, which are characterized by a similar claw on the foot. Due to the incompleteness of the fossil material, however, was not to determine whether the claw belonged to fingers or toes. More recent finds ( Calvo, 2004) show that the claw was located at one of the three fingers and therefore eliminated a kinship with the Dromaeosauriden.

Mega Raptor is today counted to Megaraptora. Since some Spinosauriden have a similar claw like Mega Raptor, there is also speculation about a relationship with these theropods.

Since corresponding skeletal remains missing, the size of Mega Raptor can only be estimated. Paleontologists assume a length of eight meters and a height of about three meters for an adult animal.