Buitreraptor

Buitreraptor was a slender, long-snouted dromaeosaurid theropod that lived in northern Patagonia during the early Late Cretaceous epoch. Belonging to the enigmatic Gondwanan clade Unenlagiinae, it differed strikingly from northern hemisphere dromaeosaurs like Velociraptor. It measured about one and a half metres long and had very lightweight proportions, comparable in bulk to a modern hare or small rooster. Its most remarkable feature was an extraordinarily elongated, shallow skull packed with small, fluted teeth lacking serrations. This specialized dental equipment, combined with long legs and delicate grasping hands, suggests Buitreraptor hunted small, swift prey such as sphenodontians, snakes, and lizards, or possibly snatched small fish along waterways. Well-preserved articulated skeletons give palaeontologists a clear view of its delicate anatomy, confirming that dromaeosaurs evolved diverse body plans on southern continents.

Its exceptionally elongated snout contained numerous tiny, un-serrated, grooved teeth suited for snatching slippery prey.

Where and when

Buitreraptor lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 99 to 93 million years ago (Cenomanian-Turonian age). Its remains come from Argentina, in the Candeleros Formation.

The numbers

Length 1.4 m (estimates run from 1.3 to 1.5 m). Mass about 3.9 kg. Hip height about 0.4 m. That is 0.8 human-lengths, or 0.13 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from near-complete skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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