Meet Joaquinraptor, a newly discovered dino that once ruled Patagonia
Researchers just found a new dinosaur species, Joaquinraptor casali, in Patagonia.
This meat-eater roamed the Earth about 66-70 million years ago and was roughly 23 feet long.
Its skeleton is one of the most complete megaraptorid finds yet, with skull, limb, and tail bones all discovered together.
How it hunted and ate prey
Joaquinraptor had extra-strong, clawed limbs, a hallmark of megaraptorans.
Fossil clues show it probably hunted ancient crocodile relatives—scientists even found a croc bone stuck near its jaws!
These details help us picture what life (and lunch) was like on those prehistoric floodplains.
What the discovery means for us
This young adult dino (at least 19 years old) fills an important gap in what we know about megaraptor evolution in South America.
Named after one of the scientist's sons, Joaquinraptor gives us fresh insight into how these predators grew up and thrived at the end of the dinosaur age.