Linheraptor
| Linheraptor Temporal range: Late Cretaceous,
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|---|---|
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| Holotype fossil, IVPP V16923 | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Family: | †Dromaeosauridae |
| Clade: | †Eudromaeosauria |
| Subfamily: | †Velociraptorinae |
| Genus: | †Linheraptor Xu et al., 2010 |
| Species: | †L. exquisitus
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| Binomial name | |
| †Linheraptor exquisitus Xu et al., 2010
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Linheraptor is a
dromaeosaurid dinosaur which lived in what is now China in the Late Cretaceous. It was named by Xu Xing and colleagues in 2010, and contains the species Linheraptor exquisitus.[1] This bird-like dinosaur was less than 2 m (6.5 ft) long and was found in Inner Mongolia
. It is known from a single, nearly complete skeleton.
Discovery
Researchers announced the discovery of the genus after a nearly complete fossilised skeleton was found in 2008 by
Djadokhta Formation which have yielded the closely related dromaeosaurids Tsaagan and Velociraptor.[1] The holotype specimen of Linheraptor, articulated and uncompressed, is one of the few nearly complete skeletons of dromaeosaurid dinosaurs worldwide.[1] The name of the genus refers to the district of Linhe, Inner Mongolia, China where the specimen was discovered, while the specific name, exquisitus, refers to the well-preserved nature of the holotype (IVPP V 16923).[3]
Description
Linheraptor was a bird-like
theropod dinosaur. It was a dromaeosaurid which measured approximately 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) in length,[1] and weighed up to approximately 25 kilograms (55 lb).[4] At that size, Linheraptor would have been a fast and agile predator, perhaps preying on small ceratopsians.[5] Like all dromaeosaurids, it had an elongated skull, a curved neck, an enlarged toe claw on each foot, and a long tail; Linheraptor was bipedal and carnivorous. The large toe claws may have been used for capturing prey.[5]
Taxonomy
Among its sister taxa, Linheraptor is believed to be most closely related to derived dromaeosaurids such as Velociraptor.[1] Senter (2011) and Turner, Makovicky and Norell (2012) argue that Linheraptor exquisitus is a junior synonym of Tsaagan mangas,[6][7] but Xu, Pittman et al. (2015) reject this synonymy by responding to the counterarguments proposed using new and existing details of Linheraptor's anatomy.[2] A monographic description of Linheraptor is currently in preparation.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Xu Xing; Choinere, J.N.; Pittman, M.; Tan, Q.W.; Xiao, D.; Li, Z.Q.; Tan, L.; Clark, J.M.; Norell, M.A.; Hone, D.W.E.; Sullivan, C. (2010). "A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai Formation of Inner Mongolia, China" (PDF). Zootaxa (2403): 1–9. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
- ^ a b Xu Xing; Michael Pittman; Corwin Sullivan; Jonah N. Choiniere; Qing Wei Tan; James M. Clark; Mark A. Norell; Wang Shuo (2015). "The taxonomic status of the Late Cretaceous dromaeosaurid Linheraptor exquisitus and its implications for dromaeosaurid systematics". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 53 (1): 29–62.
- ^ Ker Than (2010-03-19). "New Dinosaur: "Exquisite" Raptor Found". National Geographic. Archived from the original on March 22, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
- ^ Richard Alleyne (2010-03-19). "'Beautiful' fossil of Jurassic Park dinosaur found". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
- ^ a b "Linheraptor Exquisitus - New Raptor Species Discovered in Mongolia". Science Blogging. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- PMID 21726330.
- S2CID 83572446.
External links
Wikispecies has information related to Linheraptor.