Austroraptor

Filed under Cretaceous dinosaurs · Types of Dinosaurs editorial team

Order: Saurischia · Suborder: Theropoda · Infraorder: Dromaeosauridae · Family: Dromaeosauridae

Austroraptor was a large carnivorous dinosaur that inhabited what is now Argentina during the Late Cretaceous period. A member of the dromaeosaurid family—the group commonly known as "raptors"—Austroraptor ranks among the biggest known members of its family, measuring between five and six metres in length. Its name derives from the Latin for "southern thief," reflecting both its geographic range and its predatory lifestyle.

Unlike many of its raptor relatives, Austroraptor possessed several distinctive anatomical features. The dinosaur had relatively short arms compared to other dromaeosaurs and a long, narrow snout equipped with conical teeth. This unusual combination of traits has led paleontologists to propose that Austroraptor may have hunted fish alongside other prey, distinguishing its diet from that of many contemporary raptors. The discovery and study of Austroraptor's remains have provided valuable insight into the remarkable diversity of the raptor family as it evolved across the southern continents during the Cretaceous era.

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Reference background: Natural History Museum, London — Dinosaurs; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs; American Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs & Fossils. Figures are typical published ranges; taxonomy follows the source era and modern consensus is noted where it differs. See our sources & fact-check policy.

Related dinosaurs

Other dinosaurs from the Dromaeosauridae family.