- Utahraptor
Taxobox
name = "Utahraptor"
fossil_range =Early Cretaceous
image_caption = Life restoration of "Utahraptor ostrommaysi".
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo =Dinosaur ia
ordo =Saurischia
subordo =Theropoda
familia =Dromaeosauridae
genus = "Utahraptor"
genus_authority = Kirkland, Gaston & Burge, 1993
subdivision_ranks =Species
subdivision = "U. ostrommaysi" Kirkland, Gaston & Burge, 1993 (type)"Utahraptor" (meaning "
Utah 's predator") is the largest known member of thetheropod dinosaur familyDromaeosauridae , and dates from the upperBarremian stage of the EarlyCretaceous period (132-119 million years ago).James Kirkland, Rob Gaston, and Don Burge discovered "Utahraptor" in 1993 in Grand County,
Utah , within theCedar Mountain Formation .Kirkland, J.I., Burge, D., and Gaston, R. (1993). "A large dromaeosaur [Theropoda] from the Lower Cretaceous of Utah." "Hunteria", 2(10): 1-16.] Thetype specimen is currently housed at theCollege of Eastern Utah , althoughBrigham Young University currently houses the largest collection of "Utahraptor" fossils.The type species (and only known species of "Utahraptor"), "Utahraptor ostrommaysi", was named for the American
paleontologist John Ostrom , from Yale University'sPeabody Museum of Natural History , and Chris Mays, ofDinamation International. SculptorRaymond Persinger was included in James Kirkland's original abstract referencing Mr. Persinger's concepts regarding the claw structure.Like other dromaeosaurids, "Utahraptor" had a huge curved claw on the second toe that could grow to convert|23|cm|in|abbr=off|lk=on long. The animal may have grasped its prey with its forelimbs while kicking with its hindlimbs. Recent tests on reconstructions of the smaller "
Velociraptor " suggest that claws of this type were used for stabbing or suffocating its prey, not slashing into their hide. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/tv_radio/killer_dinosaurs/programmes1.shtml BBC - Science & Nature - The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs ] ] Up to convert|6.5|m|ft|abbr=on long, convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on tall, and convert|700|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on in weight, "Utahraptor" would have been a formidable predator.It is thought that "Utahraptor" may be closely related to the much smaller "
Dromaeosaurus " and the giantMongolia n dromaeosaurid "Achillobator ".In popular culture
The
novel "Raptor Red ", byBob Bakker , told the story of a pack of "Utahraptor". Other speculative reconstructions of "Utahraptor" lifestyle and behavior were presented in theBBC television series "Walking with Dinosaurs " and the History series "Jurassic Fight Club ". Both of the television series portrayed "Utahraptor" as featherless. The History series contained anatomical inaccuracies including pronated hands. Another novel, "Raptor" byPaul Zindel , gave "Utahraptor" fictional characteristics including poison-secreting claws."Utahraptor" is a main character (alongside "T-Rex" and "Dromiceiomimus") in Ryan North's
webcomic ,Dinosaur Comics .Gallery
References
External links
* [http://www.dinoruss.com/de_4/5a6b2de.htm "Utahraptor" in The Dinosaur Encyclopaedia] at Dino Russ's Lair
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