Name:
Linheraptor (Greek for "Linhe hunter"); pronounced LIN-heh-rap-tore
Habitat:
Plains of central Asia
Historical Period:
Late Cretaceous (85-75 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 6 feet long and 25 pounds
Diet:
Meat
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long legs and tail; probably feathers
About Linheraptor:
The amazingly well-preserved fossil of Linheraptor was discovered during an expedition to Mongolia in 2008, and two years of preparation have revealed a sleek, probably feathered raptor that prowled the plains and woodlands of late Cretaceous central Asia in search of food. Comparisons to another Mongolian dromaeosaur, Velociraptor, are inevitable, but one of the authors of the paper announcing Linheraptor says it's best compared to Tsaagan (yet another, similar raptor, Mahakala, has been found in these same fossil beds).
