| I was pretty relieved when I found out that the Gigantoraptor wasn't actually some kind of gigantic Velociraptor. That would have been a recipe for disaster. What we have here is actually more like an oversized Oviraptor. |
Gigantoraptor is a genus of oviraptorosaur dinosaur in the Jurassic World Evolution series. Originating from Late Cretaceous Asia, it is the largest member of the oviraptorosaur family.
Gigantoraptor was added to Evolution 2 as a part of the Cretaceous Predator Pack, and its fossils can be excavated from the Iren Dabasu Formation.
Characteristics[]
First discovered in Inner Mongolia in 2005, the fearsome Gigantoraptor is the largest known dinosaur of the oviraptorosaur family, growing to around 8 meters in length and weighing in at over 2 metric tons in body mass. Dating back around 70–65 million years during the Late Cretaceous period, Gigantoraptor's large stature can be quite intimidating, given its bizarre beak and sharp claws. Aside from its impressive size, Gigantoraptor boasts an impressive coat of feathers and is notable for its lack of teeth – although it has a strong jaw capable of shearing through large plants. The elongation of its large legs means it is adapted to run or maintain speed for an extensive amount of time as it chases down its prey, making it a dinosaur that could be difficult to flee from. Additionally, it possesses a devastating kick.
Behavior[]
Paleontology[]
The largest known oviraptorosaur, Gigantoraptor is one of the more recent dinosaur discoveries, unearthed in 2005 by Xu Xing, a Chinese paleontologist responsible for naming more dinosaurs than any other paleontologist alive today. The first specimen, a thigh bone, was excavated from the Iren Dabasu Formation in Inner Mongolia. Reaching 8 m (26 ft) in length and 2 t (4,409 lb) in body mass, its large size led to the genus' name, which translates to "Giant Thief".
Paleoecology[]
Living around 96 to 70 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period, this genus shared its habitat with a range of dinosaurs, including Bactrosaurus, Archaeornithomimus and its relative, Oviraptor. Like Oviraptor, Gigantoraptor is omnivorous, with a diet of fruit and nuts, eggs, and even small dinosaurs. Despite its large size, Gigantoraptor would have remained wary of carnivores such as the tyrannosaurid Alectrosaurus, the dromaeosaurid Achillobator, and the apex predator Tarbosaurus.
Gallery[]
References[]
External links[]
- Gigantoraptor on Wikipedia
