The Megaraptor Dinosaur: A Giant of Raptors
The Megaraptor was a genus of dinosaur discovered in Argentina in the early 2000s. This was a carnivore theropod, a type of coelurosaur, that lived in the late Cretaceous period, which lasted between 65 and 145 million years ago. While there have only been a few fossils discovered, they suggest that it was a large, predatory dinosaur that could be as long as twenty feet.
Unlike some of its saurian contemporaries such as the Tyrannosaurus or Allosaurus, the Megaraptor was a relatively new species and its exact origin is still unknown. It is believed to be a member of the megaraptoran family, which includes genera such as Aerosteon and Rajasaurus. Its size and shape made it uniquely adapted for hunting large prey.
Reconstructed Appearance and Behaviour of Megaraptor
The Megaraptor is often depicted with a large, elongated head with a pointed snout and a powerful upper jaw. It is well known for its high-crowned teeth, which were specially designed for piercing through flesh and cracking through bone. The dinosaur also had sharp claws for grasping large animals and a large body covered in thick scales, which provides it with further protection from predators.
In terms of behaviour, Megaraptor is thought to have been a solitary hunter, whose main diet comprised of large land animals, such as other dinosaurs and large birds. Its long legs would have enabled it to run fast and catch up with its prey, and its sharp claws would have allowed it to immobile its prey and cause serious wounds.
Discovery of Megaraptor Dinosaur
The first fossil of the Megaraptor was found in the La Flecha formation in central Argentina in 2004. The fossil was discovered by Argentinian paleontologist Fernando Novas and is believed to be the only known representative of its species. This fossil is made up of several vertebrae, a large shoulder blade, pieces of its large head, both its legs and its shoulder girdle.
The first reconstruction of the Megaraptor was unveiled in 2006, which was done using the fossil discovered in 2004. This reconstruction showed a very large and powerful predator, with an estimated length of as much as 20 feet. This alone demonstrates that the Megaraptor was a giant amongst smaller predators, and this was confirmed with the later discovery of an even larger Megaraptor fossil in 2015.
New Discoveries of Megaraptor
The second Megaraptor fossil was discovered in 2015 in the Santa Cruz province, Argentina. This fossil closely resembles the earlier La Flecha fossil, including a similar head and shoulder shape, as well as a similar size. However, this fossil is larger than the other and is estimated to be around 25 feet in length.
This fossil also has more evidence of armor, in the form of large scutes, which were attached to the upper body. This armor would have provided the Megaraptor with more protection from both predators and its own prey. The fossil also revealed evidence of protofeathers and the quill knobs that indicate the presence of a large tail feather.
Conclusion
The Megaraptor was an amazing discovery, providing us valuable insight into the world of giant predators that once roamed the Earth. Its fossils have revealed this dinosaur to be a large, powerful animal that was well-adapted to hunting large prey. It was also heavily armored, with evidence of both protofeathers and large scutes, and evidence of a large tail feather. While little is known about its exact origin, the discovery of multiple large Megaraptor fossils gives us a glimpse into the incredible animals that once roamed the Earth.