Scientists discover a new raptor

A dinosaur discovered in South Dakota had feathers on a raptor’s body, as well as large claws and long rear legs, according to a study published by the University of Kansas Paleontological Institute.

It was about 17 feet long, making it one of the largest dromaeosaurids (from the Greek, meaning ‘running lizards’) known, and its fossils were discovered in the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota, also known for producing fossils of the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Triceratops – indeed, this find being dated to the very end of the Cretaceous period may make Dakotaraptor one of the very last surviving dromaeosaurids. The only known raptor larger than the Dakotaraptor was the Utahraptor, but this creature had died out around 60 million years before the Dakotaraptor came along.

   This study, as well as providing a type species of Dakotaraptor steini (the genus Dakotaraptor meaning ‘plunderer of Dakota’), has produced some interesting facts about this dinosaur. Its feathered arms, for example, stretched to about 3ft, but the creature did not have the capacity for flight, based on its size. Scientists have come to this conclusion based on ‘quill knobs’ on the lower arm bones, notches of a kind to which indicate where feathers would be attached, this study being the first time scientists have documented evidence that a large raptor had feathered wings. There is speculation on the evolutionary advantage conferred by these feathers, with the study hypothesising that they could be for prey capture, protecting their eggs or even for attracting their mates.

The archaeologists are now on the hunt for the skull of Dakotaraptor

According to David Burnham, one of the study’s co-authors and a palaeontologist, ‘the most scary thing’ about Dakotaraptors was their sickle claw, found on their second toe. It was laterally compressed, indicating that it was probably made for piercing flesh, and was likely able to kill relatively large plant-eating dinosaurs – it differs in relation to a T-rex claw, which tended to be large and fat, and used to crush to death. As Robert DePalma, head of the research team that discovered the fossils says, ‘it was agile and it essentially had grappling hooks on the front and rear limbs. These claws could grab on to anything and just slice them to bits.’

The study authors have not concluded whether the raptor hunted in groups, but as the discovery of their fossils usually yields more than one in the same area, it is likely they travelled in packs.

This discovery helps fill a niche in the ecological system that was previously thought empty – it fits into a predatory hierarchy as it was larger than some carnivorous creatures but smaller than the T-rex. It was built for running, and thus able to chase down prey that other predators could not.

Following the release of this study, the archaeologists are now on the hunt for the skull of Dakotaraptor, which is still missing – only some loose teeth have been found at the moment. Although there are many more discoveries to be made, I wouldn’t fancy Chris Pratt’s chances against this guy.