Giant Raptor Fossil Discovered

Published: 10th Nov 2015

Palaeontologists hasve discovered the fossilised remains of one of the largest raptors known in South Dakota, USA. It comes from the fossil rich Hell Creek Formation of rocks and has been named Dakotaraptor steini. It is thought that Dakotaraptor would have been about 4.9 metres long

As with all raptors Dakotaraptor had a large sickle-shaped claw on its middle toe measuring 24 centimetres. Scientists still debate haow exactly this claw was used but there is no doubting that it was an effective weapon. Dakotaraptor possesses a row of ‘quill knobs’, which indicate that it had feathers on its arms at least although it would not have been able to fly.

This partial skeleton of Dakotaraptor dates from the late Cretaceous some 66 million years ago.

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