Elbretornis bonapartei

† Elbretornis bonapartei is the type species of Elbretornis, a Late Cretaceous enantiornithine bird from the Allen or Anacleto Formations of Neuquén Province, Argentina. Named in honour of palaeontologist José Bonaparte, one of the founding fathers of South American palaeontology, it was a small toothed avian carnivore of the Patagonian Late Cretaceous ecosystem. Its presence alongside diverse non-avian dinosaurs reflects the terminal Cretaceous diversity of Gondwanan avifaunas.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Elbretornis bonapartei 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

Elbretornis bonapartei 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.