On the fourth foot claw, the boss that serves as an attachment for the tendon of the flexor muscle is reduced in size. Distinguishing traits Īpart from the large size, the description of 2015 indicated some additional distinguishing traits. Dakotaraptor however, does not have the proportions and adaptations of Utahraptor, but more closely resembles smaller dromaeosaurids like Deinonychus. This approaches the size of the largest known dromaeosaurid, Utahraptor.
![tyrannosaurus mesozoica tyrannosaurus mesozoica](https://media-temporary.preziusercontent.com/frames-public/1/9/2/9/a/d8f0aea48afa2673bc6d16fdbe4380.jpeg)
Description Size Ī restored replica of the Dakotaraptor holotype compared to silhouettes of Deinonychus, Velociraptor and a humanĭakotaraptor is exceptionally large for a dromaeosaurid it has an estimated adult length of 5.5 m (18 ft). Other referred fossils are KUVP 156045, an isolated tooth, and NCSM 13170, a third supposed furcula later identified as not belonging to Dakotaraptor. These fossils are part of the collection of The Palm Beach Museum of Natural History. These included the specimens PBMNH.P.10.115.T: a right shinbone PBMNH.P.10.118.T: a connected left astragalus and calcaneum and KUVP 152429: originally identified as a furcula, but now also excluded from the known remains of Dakotaraptor. Apart from the remains of the holotype, in the site bones were discovered that also belonged to Dakotaraptor but which represented a more gracile morph. An assigned furcula was later excluded from the specimen. It contains a piece of a back vertebra, ten tail vertebrae, both humeri, both ulnae, both radii, the first and second right metacarpals, three claws of the left hand, a right thighbone, both shinbones, a left astragalus bone, a left calcaneum, the left second, third and fourth metatarsal, the right fourth metatarsal, and the second and third claw of the right foot. It consists of a partial skeleton, lacking the skull, of an adult individual. The holotype, PBMNH.P.10.113.T, was found in a sandstone layer of the upper Hell Creek Formation, dating from the late Maastrichtian. Said furcula was later shown to be an element from a trionychid turtle. Proposed furcula compared with other theropod dinosaurs.