Murusraptor

Say it like this: “MOO-roos-RAP-tuhr”

Murusraptor barrosaensis

Murusraptor ate meat and walked on two legs. It lived in the Late Cretaceous. Bones have been found in Argentina.

Quiz me on Murusraptor

When: Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) · roughly 89.8 to 85.7 million years ago
Named in: 2016 · Coria, R. A.; Currie, P. J.
Hip height: 1.7 m · 6 ft
Length: 6.4 m · 21 ft
Weight: 1.3 tonnes
Found in: Argentina · Sierra Barrosa
Food and walking: Carnivore · Two legs
Kind: sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
Family branch: Megaraptoridae

The story in short

Murusraptor was formally named in 2016 by R. A. Coria and P. J. Currie. The name means “wall thief.”

Fossils referred to Murusraptor date to the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian), roughly 89.8 to 85.7 million years ago. Finds come from Argentina, including the Sierra Barrosa Formation. It was a carnivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Murusraptor at a length near 6.4 m, hips about 1.7 m high, and a body mass around 1.3 tonnes.

On the family tree it sits in Megaraptoridae, among the theropod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Aerosteon

Aerosteon riocoloradensis

Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago

Australovenator

Australovenator wintonensis

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) · roughly 100.5 to 93.9 million years ago

Joaquinraptor

Joaquinraptor casali

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) · roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago