Utahraptor Size report
Utahraptor(Utah's hunter), the largest species of dromaeosaurids, lived in the Upper Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous, about 126 million years ago. The Utahraptor was the most giant and most dangerous bird of prey ever. Relatives like Deinonychus and Velociraptors look like medium-sized animals by comparison.
Utahraptor fossils were found in the western state of Utah, hence the name Utahraptor. Utahraptor is the largest member of the Dromaeosauridae. Their brains were swelled to a greater degree, suggesting that Utahraptor had a relatively developed brain structure and was probably more intelligent than most dinosaurs.
The fossil discovery not only adds a new member to the dinosaur family in Utah but more importantly, scientists have learned about the evolutionary history of the dromaeosaur bone structure. The following article introduces more interesting facts about utahraptor.
Utahraptor Size Guide
Utahraptor's claim to fame is that it is by far the largest bird of prey to walk on Earth. An adult Utahraptor is about 25 feet long from head to tail and weighs about 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, compared with 200 pounds for more typical raptors such as Deinonychus and Velociraptor. The surprising fact is that Utahraptor lived about 125 million years ago, in the early Cretaceous period. Most of the world's famous birds of prey flourished in the middle and end of the Cretaceous period.
- Species: U. ostrommaysi.
- Type: Carnivore.
- Known locations: USA, Utah.
- Period: Barremian of the Cretaceous.
- Fossil representation: Numerous specimens of fragmentary remains.
Physical Characteristic
The hind legs of the Utahraptor were very strong and well suited for running. Paleontologists speculate that the Utahraptor ran at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour. When the Utahraptor found its prey, it jumped directly on the prey and launched an attack. Utahraptor has huge, hooked claws on its hind legs, which are shaped like a sickle and can reach a length of 28 to 40 cm. When the Utahraptor was hunting, its hook claws could pierce the body of its prey and cause fatal damage.
The visual system of the Utahraptor was very complex. Based on this, paleontologists speculate that Utahraptor's vision may have been very keen, and they could accurately locate their prey in the process of fast running. In addition, the Utahraptor was very responsive and could even change direction when jumping. During the early evolution of dromaeosaurs, their tails gradually increased because more giant tails had apparent advantages in maintaining body balance and increasing running speed.
Average Size
Utahraptor was the weirdest Dromeaosaur as well as the longest. It weighs up to 1700 pounds (772 kilograms) and is 25 feet long (7 meters). It is 6 (around 2 meters) feet tall at the hips and, if it held its neck in a recurved position, was probably around 8 feet tall (about 2.8 meters).
Average Weight | Average Length | Average Height | Hooked Claw Length |
---|---|---|---|
1700 pounds (772 kg) | 25 feet (7 m) | 6-8 feet (2-2.8m) | 28 to 40 cm |
Utahraptor was a medium-sized bipedal carnivorous dinosaur that lived in the early Cretaceous period. Judging from the large claws, the Utahraptor is the largest member of the dromaeosaur family. They probably hunted in packs on the vast plains and were one of the most intelligent and dangerous dinosaur species.