Utahraptor

Taxobox
name = "Utahraptor"
fossil_range = Early Cretaceous

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image_caption = Life restoration of "Utahraptor ostrommaysi".
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
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 the theropod dinosaur family Dromaeosauridae, and dates from the upper Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous period (132-119 million years ago).

James Kirkland, Rob Gaston, and Don Burge discovered "Utahraptor" in 1993 in Grand County, Utah, within the Cedar 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.] The type specimen is currently housed at the College of Eastern Utah, although Brigham 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's Peabody Museum of Natural History, and Chris Mays, of Dinamation International. Sculptor Raymond 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 giant Mongolian dromaeosaurid "Achillobator".

In popular culture

The novel "Raptor Red", by Bob Bakker, told the story of a pack of "Utahraptor". Other speculative reconstructions of "Utahraptor" lifestyle and behavior were presented in the BBC 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" by Paul 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