Megaraptor
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M. namunhaiquii Novas, 1998 (type) |
Megaraptor ("giant thief") was once thought to be the largest dromaeosaur ever found, but is now known to be a carnosaur related to Allosaurus. It lived in Late Cretaceous times in the Patagonian region of Argentina. It was a contemporary of Giganotosaurus, one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs of all time.
[edit] Identification
Megaraptor was initially described as a giant dromaeosaur, known primarily from a single claw (about 1ft long) that resembled the sickle-shaped foot claw of dromaeosaurids.[1] The discovery of a complete front limb, however, showed that this giant claw actually came from the first finger of a carnosaur's hand. The hand is still quite different from other carnosaurs, so it is not clear whether Megaraptor is an allosaurid, a carcharodontosaurid, a megalosauroid, or something else entirely.[2]
It should be noted that, when first discovered and prior to publication, the spinosaurid Baryonyx was also reported to be a dromaeosaurid, again based on a large hand claw.
[edit] Size
Megaraptor's size is debated. However, most experts have come to agree that Megaraptor is approximately 8 meters (26 feet) in length and 3 meters (10 feet) in height.
[edit] References
- ^ Novas, F.E. (1998). "Megaraptor namunhuaiquii, gen. et sp. nov., a large-clawed, Late Cretaceous theropod from Patagonia." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 18:4-9.
- ^ Calvo, J. O., Porfiri, J.D., Veralli, C., Novas, F.E., and Poblete, F. (2004). "Phylogenetic status of Megaraptor namunhuaiquii Novas based on a new specimen from Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina." Ameghiniana, 41: 565-575.
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