New Species of Stocky Dinosaurs Linked to Velociraptor Unveiled

New species of Velociraptor – Similar to the dinosaurs found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, they boasted large claws and sturdy hands, enabling them to conquer larger prey.

The species is named Sri Lapax, inspired by the “intense characteristics we observe in our own hands,” explained Andrea Cow, a paleontologist from Italy.

Sri Lapax stretches approximately 2 meters in length and originates from the Judokta Formation, an expansive landscape of sand dunes and intermittent lakes dating back 75 million years.

Excavated in 2010, this fossil was illicitly transported into private collections in Japan and the UK before being returned to Mongolia. A collaborative study by CAU and colleagues uncovered bones that had been buried within rock layers, revealing remarkably preserved hands.

“The structure of the hand is notably robust, with particularly long and narrow claws,” remarked Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig from North Carolina State University. “This adaptation may have facilitated grasping and subduing relatively large prey.”

The primary claw measures 79.5 mm, nearly double the length of the corresponding claw in its closest relative, Velociraptor mongoliensis.

“When compared to Velociraptor – which is approximately the same size – the hands are 150% more robust, and the claws are elongated,” noted Cau. “[It] appears to have been adapted to pursue prey that was more formidable than what its relatives typically targeted.”

Despite the loss of the skull and some vertebrae prior to the repatriation, CAU and colleagues managed to reconstruct the missing parts digitally, utilizing CT scans of the fossils conducted in 2016. The findings suggest that the skull is likely short and robust, indicating a stronger bite compared to many of its contemporaries.

James Napoli from Stony Brook University in New York noted the significance of recovering the missing skull and vertebrae. “The skull is particularly crucial for understanding this animal’s lifestyle and its evolutionary significance among theropod dinosaurs,” he stated.