Atrociraptor

Taxobox
name = "Atrociraptor"
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Theropoda
familia = Dromaeosauridae
genus = "Atrociraptor"
genus_authority = Currie & Varricchio, 2004
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "A. marshalli" Currie & Varricchio, 2004 (type)

"Atrociraptor" (meaning "cruel thief") was a genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Lower Maastrichtian stage) of Alberta, Canada. The type (and only) specimen was discovered in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation, near Drumheller, Alberta; it consists of parts of the upper and lower jaws and teeth. The skull appears to have been unusually short and tall. The teeth are relatively straight, but they emerge from the tooth sockets at an angle, resulting in a strongly raked row of teeth. A number of isolated teeth (previously referred to "Saurornitholestes") have also been recovered from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Ryan et al. 1998); they can be recognized by their unusually large serrations.

"Atrociraptor" was about the size of a "Bambiraptor". "Atrociraptor" is different from "Bambiraptor" and other velociraptorians via its isodont dentition and short deep snout. "Atrociraptor" is most closely related to "Deinonychus", based on the large number of derived characters in both genera.

References

* Currie, P. J. and D. J. Varicchio (2004). "A new dromaeosaurid from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Alberta, Canada." Pp. 112-132 in P. J. Currie, E. B. Koppelhus, M. A. Shugar and J. L. Wright. (eds.), "Feathered Dragons". Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.

* Ryan, M. J., P. J. Currie, et al. (1998). "Baby hadrosaurid material associated with an unusually high abundance of Troodon teeth from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Upper Cretaceous, Alberta, Canada." Gaia 16: 123-133.

External links

* [http://www.dinodata.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5901&Itemid=67 "Atrociraptor"] at DinoData