Paleontologists have identified a new species of raptor-like dinosaur that lived in southern Patagonia about 70 million years ago. animal named kank australiaIt appears to have been a fish hunter whose eating habits resembled those of modern herons.
The discovery is based on fossil remains that include teeth, vertebrae and leg bones. The researchers classified the dinosaur as an anlagiid, a group of small to medium-sized theropod dinosaurs known from Late Cretaceous rocks in South America, Antarctica, Australia and Madagascar.
By comparison with the fossils of Neuquenraptor argentinusAnother unidentified individual who lived in northern Patagonia about 90 million years ago, scientists estimate to be an adult kank australia Reaching a length of about 2.5 to 3 meters (8 to 10 ft).
The species is described in a study published by paleontologist Dr. Matías Motta of the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum in Buenos Aires (Museo Argentino de Ciências Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”) and colleagues. Vertebrate Paleontology Journal.
Life in ancient patagonian wetlands
According to Dr. Motta, Kank A landscape shaped by winding rivers, streams and seasonal ponds.
“The shark lived in a landscape of winding rivers and springs with seasonal ponds, where aquatic plants such as water lilies and animals including fish, insects and various mollusks lived,” says Dr Motta.
Evidence of ancient soils and fossilized plants suggests that the region looked very different from modern-day Patagonia.
Based on that evidence, Dr. Motta explains that “70 million years ago the climate was temperate and humid, with seasonal rainfall, very different from the current cold and relatively dry conditions.”
A dinosaur adapted for fishing
Fossil bones provide clues about how Kank Might have hunted.
Researchers found unusual features in the dinosaur’s neck vertebrae that served as attachment points for muscles and helped protect blood vessels. Similar adaptations are seen in modern birds that rely on precise and flexible neck movements.
“The cervical vertebrae of conures show specialized structures for muscle attachment and protection of neck blood vessels, which are especially important in modern birds with complex neck movements such as herons,” says Dr. Motta.
“This suggests that Kank may have been an active fisherman, which contrasts with the common portrayal of raptors in the Northern Hemisphere as agile terrestrial predators, such as Velociraptor.”
The discovery adds to growing evidence that ananalagids played distinct ecological roles from their more famous northern relatives.
Filling the fossil record gap
The discovery also helps scientists better understand the distribution of ananlagids throughout South America.
Seven species have previously been identified from northern Patagonia. In contrast, only scattered fossils were found in southern Patagonia that could not be confidently assigned to any specific species.
“Canc helps bridge the distributional gap for the Late Cretaceous of southern Patagonia, connects known records from northern Patagonia and Antarctica, and shows that this family was widespread across different latitudes of South America.”
The fossils were recovered from La Anita Farm near El Calafate in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
“Fields have been excavated there since 2018, revealing a wide variety of fossil animals and plants,” says Dr. Motta.
The first remains were discovered in 2018, but researchers did not initially have enough material to identify them as a new species.
He added, “The first remains of the kank were discovered in 2018, but were too fragmentary to be identified as a new species.” “Subsequent expeditions discovered additional material along with the discovery of Cervantes. [neck] The vertebrae will prove crucial in identifying it as a new unanalogine dinosaur in 2024.”
Distinctive features of Kank Australia
Like other unenlagiids, kank australia It has an enlarged claw on the toe of its second foot that is often associated with raptor dinosaurs.
“However,” explains Dr. Motta, “it differs in having teeth with sharp and pronounced longitudinal ridges and especially pneumatic cervical vertebrae (with internal air chambers).”
This species was smaller and more lightly built than some of its relatives.
“It is smaller and more slender than other ananlagids of the late Cretaceous, such as Austroraptor cabzai“A giant (about five meters long) unenlaginin from northern Patagonia.”
evidence of fish eating lifestyle
Scientists believe Kank Strengthens the case that many unenlagiids specialize in fishing.
“Their long snouts, numerous teeth and long, flexible necks suggest adaptations to fishing similar to those of modern herons,” explains Dr. Motta.
“In the case of Cancer, its remains were found along with fish fossils, lending credence to this idea.”
Although fish may have been an important food source, dinosaurs probably also hunted other animals. Its ecosystem included frogs, lizards, turtles and mammals such as patagorhynchus pascualiA semiaquatic monotreme related to the modern echidna and platypus.
Kank It also shared its environment with much larger predators.
“The Cancer Map co-existed with large carnivorous animals such as Macrothorax, a formidable megaraptorid dinosaur more than 10 meters long, which it may have been able to hunt,” says Dr Motta.
Inspired by indigenous patagonian mythology
The dinosaur’s name honors the traditions of the Aonicanque people, the southernmost group of the indigenous Tehuelche people of Patagonia.
“Kank refers to an old giant rhea [a large, flightless South American bird] Whose powerful running steps left the imprint of its toes in the sky, creating the constellation Choyoles,” explains Dr. Motta.
“In Latin, this constellation is called Crux, the Southern Cross, pointing to the southernmost region of the planet, where Conk was discovered.”
species name AustraliaMeaning “from the south”, also refers to the location where the dinosaur was found.
Explore further
Researchers plan to continue excavations in the Chorrillo Formation, where the fossils were discovered.
“The site where Kank was discovered has provided extensive information about the Late Cretaceous environment of southern Patagonia, so it is important to continue excavations there,” explains Dr. Motta.
“Finding more kank fossils will help us better understand its biology and ecological role.”
Additionally, the team is studying newly recovered fossils from four sites in northern Patagonia.
“These findings show that ananlagids were widely distributed during the Late Cretaceous,” says Dr. Motta.
He adds: “We are particularly interested in investigating the environments they colonized and particularly in ecosystems dominated by large apex predators such as abelisaurids and megaraptorans.”