WASHINGTON – Fossils of a carnivorous dinosaur unearthed in Argentina are shedding new light on an intriguing group of predators that apparently were just as happy to slash victims to death with sickle-shaped hand claws as to chomp them into an early grave.
Scientists said on Wednesday the creature, called Murusraptor barrosaensis, lived about 80 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, measured about 21 feet (6.5 metres) long and was a pursuit hunter more lightly built than some other predatory dinosaurs.
Murusraptor was a member of a group of meat-eaters called megaraptors, meaning “giant thieves”.