Scientists discover new dinosaur from Argentina with crocodile bone in its mouth
Joaquinraptor hailed from a mysterious group of dinosaurs known for their huge and powerful claws
Scientists have discovered a new dinosaur from Argentina with powerful claws, feasting on an ancient crocodile bone.
The new find was possibly seven metres (23 feet) long and hailed from a mysterious group of dinosaurs called megaraptorans.
They prowled across what is now South America, Australia and parts of Asia, splitting off into different species over millions of years.
Megaraptorans were known for their stretched-out skulls and “huge and very powerful claws”, said Lucio Ibiricu with the Patagonian Institute of Geology and Paleontology, who was part of the discovery team.
But it is not yet clear how these creatures hunted and where they fall on the evolutionary timeline – mainly because the fossils recovered so far were incomplete.
In a new study, researchers said they uncovered part of a skull as well as arm, leg and tail bones from the Lago Colhué Huapi rock formation in Patagonia. They noticed unique features in the bones that made them realise this could be a new species.