Buitreraptor gonzalezorum

† Buitreraptor gonzalezorum was a small dromaeosaurid theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina. Estimated at roughly 1.5 m in length, it possessed an elongated, narrow snout with small teeth, suggesting a diet of lizards, small mammals, or other diminutive prey. Its discovery provided important evidence for the early diversification of dromaeosaurids in Gondwana, challenging models of exclusively Laurasian origin for this group.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Buitreraptor gonzalezorum was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Cretaceous Late Mesozoic Era

Buitreraptor gonzalezorum lived during the Cretaceous Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 100.5 to 66.0 million years ago.

The final age of dinosaurs, featuring iconic species like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor. Dinosaurs reached their peak diversity before the catastrophic asteroid impact at the Chicxulub crater ended the Mesozoic Era.