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Showing results for tags 'utahraptor project'.
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Trapped in an 18,000-pound block of quicksand now turned to stone is a hidden treasure of well-preserved Utahraptor fossils. Utahraptor ostrommaysorum is a large (around five meters or 18 feet long), feathered, predatory theropod dinosaur from Utah’s early Cretaceous (~124 million years ago). Utahraptors sported huge sickle claws on their second toes, with the largest specimen measuring at 22 cm (8.7”) long. Utahraptor is a dromaeosaurid dinosaur — popularly called “raptors” based on the Jurassic Park movie franchise shorthand for it's sickle-clawed stars. The illustration below shows the suspected setting for the origin of this amazing fossil block. Bones of an iguanodontid dinosaur that was also believed to have gotten mired in quicksand. So far bones from perhaps six individual Utahraptors have been found and they think were attracted to the quicksand mire by the easy prey and we're trapped. This block could provide evidence for pack hunting behavior in Utahraptors Funding is required to keep the project moving The setting, Utahs badlands the Cedar Mountain Formation initial discovery Sickle Claw visible More initial discoveries Jaw fragment Dentary Utahraptor Project Link to learn much more about what is going on. http://utahraptors.utahpaleo.org/#gallery
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- cedar mountain formation
- early cretaceous
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