Fossil raptor dinosaur discovered
1 March 2005
by Kimiko
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Newly discovered fossils from a previously unknown species of raptor dinosaur have provided evidence that raptors may have roamed the earth much earlier than originally thought. Dr Fernando Novas and Dr Pablo Puerta, members of the Argentine Museum of Natural History, discovered fragments of the dinosaur's vertebrae and ribs, as well as parts of its legs and signature raptor claw during an excavation in Patagonia, South America. These were the first fossils from a raptor species found in the Southern Hemisphere. The new raptor species, Neuquenraptor argentinus, measured six feet ( approximately 1.8 metres) and boasted a razor-sharp claw for slashing prey. The species are believed to have lived 90 million years ago during the late cretaceous period - roughly the same time as Jurassic Park's famous Velociraptor. Dr Diego Pol, a researcher at Ohio State has assisted with the investigation into the Neuquenraptor. Using highly developed computer software, Pol mapped the Neuquenraptor's anatomical and skeletal characteristics to place it on the raptor family tree. The combined research suggests that Raptors roamed the earth over 90 million years ago, a lot earlier than originally believed. "Up to now, all known raptor species were exclusive to the Northern Hemisphere" Pol said. "And they all date to a time way after the splitting of the two land masses." According to current geological theory, the earth once existed as one large land mass named Pangea. Approximately 90 million years ago this land mass separated into two continents - Laurasia, in the Northern Hemisphere and Gondwana in the Southern Hemisphere. Neuquenraptor is the first raptor species found that is believed to have emerged from raptor species that inhabited Gondwana. |
 As all previously discovered raptor species only occupied the Northern Hemisphere, it was believed that the raptor family emerged after the split of Pangea into to smaller continents. The discovery of Neuquenraptor suggests that a common raptor ancestor probably inhabited both continents before they split apart from Pangea, possibly as far back as 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period. Including Neuquenraptor, the raptor family tree now has eleven official branches, all of which share a common ancestor with modern birds |
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Original news release from Ohio State Univeristy
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