Neuquenraptor

• Argentina, Neuquén Province ( Portezuelo Formation)

Neuquenraptor is a theropod dinosaur from the group of Dromaeosauridae. So far, a fragmentary skeleton is only known from the Upper Cretaceous ( Coniacian ) of the Argentine province of Neuquén comes. This genus was described in 2005 with the only previous way Neuquenraptor argentinus scientifically. Makovicky and colleagues ( 2005) suggest that Neuquenraptor was identical to Unenlagia, a Unenlagiinen from the same rock formation. This assumption is supported by some other authors.

Features

Neuquenraptor was a medium sized Dromaeosauride with an estimated length of two meters. The radius ( anatomy) spoke ( radius) is long and graceful, and is similar to the langstoni of Saurornitholestes. The thigh bone (femur) is relatively short and robust, which is to distinguish the genus from the closely related Unenlagia showing a longer and slimmer thigh bone. The fibula ( fibula ) is chip type at the distal ( lower) end. Important features to distinguish it from other genera are found in the bones of the foot: for example, is dominated by the metatarsal II side the caudal surface of metatarsal III ( autapomorphy ). A basal ( primitive ) feature is the position of the foot bones arctometatarsale: In this arrangement, touch the second and fourth metatarsals and the third pushed back so that it is visible only in the lower part of the mid-foot from the front. The second toe ended as with other Dromaeosauriden in a sharp, enlarged " sickle claw" ( ungual ).

Fund and naming

The only known Fund ( holotype, specimen number MCF PVPH 77 ) comes from the Portezuelo formation, a layer link in the Neuquén Group, in the Sierra del Portezuelo in the Argentine province of Neuquen. Other theropods this formation include the close relatives Unenlagia, Patagonykus and Mega Raptor with a. The skeleton was discovered in 1996 by the Palätontologen Fernando Novas and Pablo Puerta randomly when exposing the chest of a Titanosauriers. It is composed of fragments of the neck and back vertebrae, the dorsal fin, Hämalbögen, the proximal end of the left spoke, the right femur, the distal tibial (tibia), the proximal foot bones, as well as the majority of the left foot. The bones are preserved in the Museo Carmen Funes in Plaza Huincul.

Neuquenraptor was described in 2005 by Fernando Novas argentinus and Diego Pol with the only kind Neuquenraptor. The name is made up of the province of Neuquén in northwestern Patagonia, as well as raptor (Greek for " robber "). The Artepitheth argentinus has the Fund Country Argentina.

Swell

• Fernando E. Novas, Diego Pol: New evidence on dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous deinonychosaurian of Patagonia. In: Nature. 433, 2005, pp. 858-861.