The recently explained types comes from the Megaraptoridae, a group of medium -to large-sized theropods understood for slim hind limbs, highly curved teeth and big claws on their hands.

Called Rinconraptor pipoaethe ancient predator strolled our world throughout the Late Cretaceous date, some 83 million years earlier.

“Megaraptoridae was acknowledged a years earlier and consists of medium- to large-sized theropods with numerous distinguishing characteristics, consisting of highly curved teeth with an 8-shaped summary, lengthened and slim hindlimb bones, extremely pneumatic cranial and vertebral aspects, and big trenchant manual claws,” stated CONICET paleontologist Ariel Hernán Méndez and his associates.

“Fossil stays of megaraptorans have actually been taped not just in Argentina, however likewise in Brazil, Australia, Thailand, and Japan.”

“The megaraptorid fossil record stays limited and fragmentary, so the phylogenetic affinities of this group have actually been the topic of dispute amongst professionals.”

The fossilized remains of Rinconraptor pipoae were discovered at Cerro Overo, about 50 km (30 miles) southwest of the city of Rincón de los Sauces, in Patagonia, Argentina.

“The specimens originate from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, an important system of the Río Colorado Subgroup within the Neuquén Group, from the Upper Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin,” the paleontologists stated.

“Throughout the basin, this development records a range of paleoenvironments affected by aeolian and fluvial depositional systems.”

The primary specimen includes 10 tail vertebrae, part of a bone from the underside of the tail, the lower end of a left upper-arm bone and the upper end of an ideal shinbone.

The tibia was still embedded in rock, while the other bones lay spread on the surface area within a location of about 4 square meters (approximately 43 square feet).

By comparing its vertebrae with those of better-known loved ones, the scientists approximate that Rinconraptor pipoae had to do with 7 m (23 feet) long.

They likewise compute that it had more than 40 to 45 tail sections, a pattern comparable to that of Tyrannosaurus

Dr. Méndez and co-authors likewise explain a number of other megaraptorid bones from the very same location that they might not appoint to a types. Their approximated body lengths vary from about 6 to 8.5 meters (20 to 28 feet).

“The existence of medium- and large-sized megaraptorids in the Cerro Overo-La Invernada location throughout the Santonian accompanies the record of medium- and large-sized abelisaurids,” the researchers stated.

“The existence of 2 groups of peak predators sharing time and area might have caused competitors for resources.”

“However, the theropod fossil record because location might show some partitioning of the environmental specific niche inhabited by the agents of both groups of meat-eating dinosaurs, to prevent direct competitors for resources and permit coexistence.”

“It is especially appropriate in the Cerro Overo-La Invernada location, which represents an environment with high faunal biodiversity, consisting of titanosaur sauropods, along with elasmarian and indeterminate ornithopods, to name a few types.”

The group’s paper was released online this month in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica

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Ariel H. Méndez et al2026. Broadening the dinosaur variety of the Cerro Overo-La Invernada location (Bajo de la Carpa Formation, Santonian), Northern Patagonia: Description of a brand-new types and extra megaraptorid stays. Palaeontologia Electronica 29 (3 ): a41; doi: 10.26879/ 1738