Santanaraptor placidus

† Santanaraptor placidus was an extinct parrot (Psittaciformes) from Brazil. A frugivorous and seed-eating bird of the Early Cretaceous, it inhabited the ecosystems of this region. Fossils contribute to understanding the paleontological diversity of this area and time period.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Santanaraptor placidus 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 Early Mesozoic Era

Santanaraptor placidus lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145.0 to 100.5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.