A
research team has identified a new giant raptor fossil dating back 66 million
years that would have roamed and was found in far northwestern South Dakota.
research team has identified a new giant raptor fossil dating back 66 million
years that would have roamed and was found in far northwestern South Dakota.
Named
Dakotaraptor, the fossil from the Hell Creek Formation is thought to be about
17 feet long, making it among the largest raptors or dinosaur specimen with
wings ever found in the world.
Dakotaraptor, the fossil from the Hell Creek Formation is thought to be about
17 feet long, making it among the largest raptors or dinosaur specimen with
wings ever found in the world.
Popularized
by “Jurassic Park” movies, raptors are known for being fast, nimble,
small dinosaurs with stiff tails and feet equipped with wicked sickle-like
claws of 10 inches.
by “Jurassic Park” movies, raptors are known for being fast, nimble,
small dinosaurs with stiff tails and feet equipped with wicked sickle-like
claws of 10 inches.
Dakotaraptor
would have been too big to fly, but with the feathers it would make it the
largest dinosaur found to date with wings
would have been too big to fly, but with the feathers it would make it the
largest dinosaur found to date with wings
A
partial skeleton of the raptor was found in the Harding County, S.D., part of
the formation, one of the more intensely studied dinosaur fossil sites that
includes parts of the eastern Montana Badlands, northwestern South Dakota and
southwestern North Dakota.
partial skeleton of the raptor was found in the Harding County, S.D., part of
the formation, one of the more intensely studied dinosaur fossil sites that
includes parts of the eastern Montana Badlands, northwestern South Dakota and
southwestern North Dakota.
The
formation’s age ranges from about 65 million to 70 million years old and was
formed in a delta with a warm and moist climate.
formation’s age ranges from about 65 million to 70 million years old and was
formed in a delta with a warm and moist climate.
“This
new predatory dinosaur fills the body size gap between smaller theropods and
large tyrannosaurs that lived at this time,” said Kansas University
paleontologist David Burnham, who co-authored the paper outlining and revealing
the find late last week.
new predatory dinosaur fills the body size gap between smaller theropods and
large tyrannosaurs that lived at this time,” said Kansas University
paleontologist David Burnham, who co-authored the paper outlining and revealing
the find late last week.
Lead
researcher and author Robert DePalma, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the
Palm Beach Museum of Natural History in West Palm Beach, Fla led the expedition to South Dakota.
researcher and author Robert DePalma, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the
Palm Beach Museum of Natural History in West Palm Beach, Fla led the expedition to South Dakota.
At
the time, he was a graduate student studying with former University of Kansas
paleontology professor and curator Larry Martin, who died in 2014.
the time, he was a graduate student studying with former University of Kansas
paleontology professor and curator Larry Martin, who died in 2014.
The
specimen is being researched and curated by DePalma’s research team in Florida.
specimen is being researched and curated by DePalma’s research team in Florida.
“This
Cretaceous period raptor would have been lightly built and probably just as agile
as the vicious smaller theropods, such as the Velociraptor,” De Palma said
in a release from the University of Kansas. He added that both fossils showed
evidence of “quill knobs” where feathers would have been attached to
the forearm of the dinosaur.
Cretaceous period raptor would have been lightly built and probably just as agile
as the vicious smaller theropods, such as the Velociraptor,” De Palma said
in a release from the University of Kansas. He added that both fossils showed
evidence of “quill knobs” where feathers would have been attached to
the forearm of the dinosaur.
Compared
to the Velociraptor, which was roughly the size of a turkey, Dakotaraptor would
be among the biggest and most dangerous raptors known. It’s only competitor
would have been its close but much older cousin, Utahraptor, which the largest
skeletons reveal could have grown up to 22 feet in length and weighed up to
1,100 pounds, according to Discover magazine.
to the Velociraptor, which was roughly the size of a turkey, Dakotaraptor would
be among the biggest and most dangerous raptors known. It’s only competitor
would have been its close but much older cousin, Utahraptor, which the largest
skeletons reveal could have grown up to 22 feet in length and weighed up to
1,100 pounds, according to Discover magazine.
The
peer-reviewed research was published Oct. 30 in Paleontological Contributions.
Other, co-authors include Peter Larson of the Black Hills Institute of
Geological Research in Hill City, S.D., and Robert Bakker of the Houston Museum
of Natural Science.
peer-reviewed research was published Oct. 30 in Paleontological Contributions.
Other, co-authors include Peter Larson of the Black Hills Institute of
Geological Research in Hill City, S.D., and Robert Bakker of the Houston Museum
of Natural Science.
In
addition to the museum in Florida, the world’s largest collection of Hell Creek
fossils is housed and exhibited at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont.
The specimens displayed are the result of the museum’s Hell Creek Project, a
joint effort between the museum, Montana State University, the University of
California at Berkeley, the University of North Dakota and the University of
North Carolina. The joint effort began in 1998.
addition to the museum in Florida, the world’s largest collection of Hell Creek
fossils is housed and exhibited at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont.
The specimens displayed are the result of the museum’s Hell Creek Project, a
joint effort between the museum, Montana State University, the University of
California at Berkeley, the University of North Dakota and the University of
North Carolina. The joint effort began in 1998.
Source: twincities
Written
By Barry Amundson
By Barry Amundson
