DAKOTARAPTOR LIVES!

[suspsy]

https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/handle/1808/18764

It's big!

It's got feathers!

And it lived at the same time as Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, and Tyrannosaurus rex!

It needs a toy!!!

[Kovu]

Rock on! Seems there was at least something competing with Tyrannosaurus then. In some fashion at least.

[suspsy]

I have no doubt that the inevitable TV documentary will include a CGI battle between a pack of Dakotaraptors and a T. rex.

But like the adult brown bear against the wolf pack, T. rex still wins.

[Loxodon]

Considering that juvenile T. rexes were slim and gracile, and evidently lived independently of adults, I could easily see heavy competition occurring between adult Dakotaraptors and young tyrannosaurs.

[Kovu]

I have no doubt that the inevitable TV documentary will include a CGI battle between a pack of Dakotaraptors and a T. rex.

But like the adult brown bear against the wolf pack, T. rex still wins.

Oh, that goes without saying.
But of course Triceratops then trumps Rex 

[Gwangi]

Very fascinating, there is something new and exciting waiting to be found out there in the rocks. And it's about time something new like this was found for the Hell Creek formation which I think a lot of people thought was tapped out in regards to new genera.

[DinoLord]

So this is what Alan Grant dug up at the beginning of JP...

[suspsy]

I have no doubt that the inevitable TV documentary will include a CGI battle between a pack of Dakotaraptors and a T. rex.

But like the adult brown bear against the wolf pack, T. rex still wins.

Oh, that goes without saying.
But of course Triceratops then trumps Rex 

At what? A cabbage-eating contest?

Anyway, this is definitely one of the most exciting finds this year, although not exactly surprising. The vast majority of dinosaurs will never be discovered, sadly.

Also, we have this tendency to assume that raptors always hunted in packs, but it could well be that big ones like Dakotaraptor were solitary hunters just like tigers.

[Patrx]

Excellent news! Quill knobs and everything. And I am glad they got Emily Willoughby to do the first reconstruction, she is the go-to artist for dromaeosaurs.

[Kovu]

At what? A cabbage-eating contest?

It just needs one well aimed horn. 

You make a great point about the solitary hunting situation. With so many dromeosaur species, they were likely incredibly diverse in behavior. I can totally see Dakotaraptor as a solitary hunter, mostly avoiding each other like tigers, while Deinonychus lived in groups like lions and Velociraptor was like a bobcat - solitary but with overlapping ranges.

Sadly, phylogenetic bracketing can only get us so far when it comes to behavior.

[Gwangi]

I've never found the evidence for pack hunting dromaeosaurs in general very compelling.

[SBell]

I have no doubt that the inevitable TV documentary will include a CGI battle between a pack of Dakotaraptors and a T. rex.

But like the adult brown bear against the wolf pack, T. rex still wins.

So what would be the wolverine of the time, chasing both of those away?

[Loxodon]

Here is a scale diagram from Saurian showing exactly how large it is compared to other parts of the Hell Creek fauna:

[Patrx]

I wonder what sort of contrived storyline would place a group of dromaeosaurs into direct physical combat with an adult Tyrannosaurus? I find it much more believable to imagine dromaeosaurs competing with subadult tyrannosaurs. I believe that's what the team behind the "Saurian" game have in mind for their version of Hell Creek, though I've not had time to read their newest blog posts just now.

I've never found the evidence for pack hunting dromaeosaurs in general very compelling.

I can't say I have either. Is there something especially compelling about the idea that people are inclined to prefer it?

Sadly, phylogenetic bracketing can only get us so far when it comes to behavior.

Indeed, look at lions and tigers. Pack hunters and solitary hunters in the same genus! Athough if I remember right, lions operate more like solitary hunters that are kind of forced to cooperate by the environment and available prey.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

This looks cool  . I second the idea for a toy to be made.

[tyrantqueen]

That's a gorgeous piece of artwork.

I hope that people aren't going to use this new theropod as an argument for T. rex being an obligate scavenger.

[suspsy]

I wouldn't put it past Jack Horner to continue beating that long dead horse.

[Viking Spawn]

I think this is fascinating news!  I too, want to see a toy made!  I wonder which toy company will jump on this first?

[Balaur]

This is freaking awsome! Here's the concept art for it in Saurian:


And here's their post on it:
http://saurian.maxmediacorp.com/?p=771

[Patrx]

Here's the illustration from the paper:


The proportions are a little different from the Saurian version. According to the Saurian blog, theirs is "...based on an earlier revision of the publication and may be subject to change."