Dakotaraptor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dakotaraptor |
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| Reconstructed skeleton | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | Eumaniraptora |
| Clade: | †Deinonychosauria |
| Genus: | †Dakotaraptor DePalma et al. 2015 |
| Type species | |
| †Dakotaraptor steini DePalma et al. 2015
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Dakotaraptor (meaning “thief from Dakota”) is a potentially chimaeric genus of large dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous period. Dakotaraptor was a medium-sized predator that lived about 66 million years ago. The discovery of Dakotaraptor filled a niche in the ecological system that scientists "thought was empty".
Discovery and naming
In 2005, paleontologist Robert DePalma in Harding County, South Dakota discovered a variety of dinosaurian and non-dinosaurian remains. Among them was a partial skeleton attributed by DePalma to a large dromaeosaurid.
The name, Dakotaraptor, has a reference to the US state of South Dakota, where the bones were discovered. The Latin word raptor, which forms the second part of the name, means "plunderer".
Description
Dakotaraptor is exceptionally large for a dromaeosaurid. Adult animals were about 5.5 m (18 ft) in length. In 2016, other estimations suggested a length of 4.35-6 m (14.3-19.7 ft) and a weight of 220-350 kg (485-772 lbs).
Its body was covered with feathers. Although it had wings, it could not fly, like ostriches, emus, and other flightless birds. The wingspan of Dakotaraptor was estimated at 120 centimetres (47 in). The animal might have used its wings to threaten enemies and to keep its balance when killing prey.
Dakotaraptor had large, sharp claws on its front and rear limbs that could grab onto anything and slice them to bits. The animal had very strong legs and was able to run very fast. Dakotaraptors probably hunted in packs.
It could have preyed upon larger herbivores, possibly competing with subadult Tyrannosaurus in the 6–9 metres (20–30 ft) length range. It lived alongside other famous Hell Creek dinosaurs, including the aforementioned Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Pachycephalosaurus, Ornithomimus, and Edmontosaurus.
Images for kids
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Proposed furcula (A and G) compared with other theropod dinosaurs. Said furcula was later shown to be an element from a trionychid turtle.
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Life restoration by Emily Willoughby, 2015
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The foot claws of the Dakotaraptor holotype, showing the flexor tubercles for muscle attachment
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Comparison between Dakotaraptor and other giant dromaeosaurids
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Graph comparing tooth dimensions of Dakotaraptor with those of other theropods
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Dakotaraptor compared to contemporaneous fauna of the Hell Creek Formation (Dakotaraptor in caramel brown)
See also
In Spanish: Dakotaraptor steini para niños
