Rapator

Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Rapator

Temporal range: Middle Cenomanian, 100.2–96.6 Ma

PreꞒ

Holotype metacarpal
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Reptilia
Clade:  | Dinosauria
Clade:  | Saurischia
Clade:  | Theropoda
Clade:  | †Megaraptora
Genus:  | †Rapator
von Huene, 1932
Type species
†Rapator ornitholestoides

von Huene, 1932

Synonyms

* Walgettosuchus? von Huene, 1932

Rapator is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Griman Creek Formation of New South Wales, Australia, dating to the Cenomanian age[1] of the Cretaceous period.[2] It contains only the type species, Rapator ornitholestoides, which was originally named by Friedrich von Huene in 1932.[3]

## Discovery

[edit]

Skeletal diagram showing holotype hand bone in place

The holotype and only known specimen, BMNH R3718, consists of a single left hand bone, discovered around 1905 near Wollaston, on Lightning Ridge.[4] The fossil has been opalised.[4] The meaning of the generic name is problematic. Von Huene gave no etymology.[3] "Rapator" does not exist in Classical Latin and occurs only very rarely in Mediaeval Latin with the meaning "violator".[5] One possible explanation is that von Huene, having been influenced by Latin raptare, "to plunder",[6] mistakenly thought such a word actually existed with the meaning of "plunderer".[7] It has also been considered a simple misspelling of, or confusion with, raptor, "seizer" or "thief".[4] The specific name means "resembling Ornitholestes". Remains of a megaraptorid, nicknamed "Lightning Claw," were discovered in opal fields southwest of Lightning Ridge, Australia, may well represent more material of Rapator.[8]

## Description

[edit]

Illustration of holotype manual bone

The only known bone has a length of 7 centimetres (2.8 in).[3] This manual element shows a prominent dorsomedial process, a feature shared with the much smaller Ornitholestes which occasioned the specific name.[4] The process with Ornitholestes is much less distinctive though.[4] On its upper end there is only one cotyle, from which von Huene deduced it must have been a metacarpal.[3] However, several coelurosaurian groups also lack a second cotyle on the first phalanx. If Rapator had a build like Australovenator, it would have attained a considerable size: a body length of 9 metres (30 ft) has been estimated.[4]

## Classification

[edit]

Hypothetical life restoration as a megaraptoran

The type specimen of Rapator was originally described as a metacarpal I, a bone from the upper part of a theropod's hand.[3] It was later noted that the bone is similar to a finger bone, the first phalanx of the first finger, of an alvarezsaur[9] or of a primitive coelurosaurian similar to Nqwebasaurus.[10] With the discovery of Australovenator, which had a similar metacarpal, Rapator was recognized as a probable megaraptoran. In fact, Australovenator and Rapator differ only in some small details of the bone and may be synonyms, though Agnolin and colleagues in 2010 considered Rapator a dubious genus (nomen dubium) due to its fragmentary nature.[11] However, White et al. found differences between the hand bone of Rapator and the equivalent bone of Australovenator, supporting the distinction between the two. They also noted that the two genera come from formations separated chronologically by at least 10 million years, making them unlikely to be synonymous.[2]

The possible synonymy of Rapator with Walgettosuchus, a theropod found in the same formation, has been suggested.[12] As the latter is only known from a caudal vertebra, which cannot be diagnosed beyond Theropoda,[1] the identity cannot be proven.[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Poropat, Stephen F.; Bell, Phil R.; Hart, Lachlan J.; Salisbury, Steven W.; Kear, Benjamin P. (2023-04-03). "An annotated checklist of Australian Mesozoic tetrapods". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 47 (2): 129–205\. Bibcode:2023Alch...47..129P. doi:10.1080/03115518.2023.2228367. hdl:20.500.11937/96166. ISSN 0311-5518.
2. ^ a b White, M. A.; Falkingham, P. L.; Cook, A. G.; Hocknull, S. A.; Elliott, D. A. (2013). "Morphological comparisons of metacarpal I forAustralovenator wintonensisandRapator ornitholestoides: Implications for their taxonomic relationships". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 37 (4): 435–441\. Bibcode:2013Alch...37..435W. doi:10.1080/03115518.2013.770221. S2CID 82672110.
3. ^ a b c d e Huene, F. von. (1932). Die fossile Reptil-Ordnung Saurischia, ihre Entwicklung und Geschichte. Monogr. Geol. Pal. 4 (1) pts. 1 and 2, viii + 361 pp.
4. ^ a b c d e f Long, J.A. (1998). Dinosaurs of Australia and New Zealand and Other Animals of the Mesozoic Era, Harvard University Press, p. 104
5. ^ Tombeur, Paul. (1998) Thesaurus formarum totius Latinitatis a Plauto usque ad saeculum XXum : TF. CETEDOC, Universitas Catholica Lovaniensis, Lovanii Novi
6. ^ Creisler, Ben (2003). "Dinosauria Translation and Pronunciation Guide R". Dinosauria On-Line. Archived from the original on 2010-09-20.
7. ^ Lambert, D. (1991) The Dinosaur Data Book: the definitive illustrated encyclopedia of dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles. Gramercy Books. p. 89
8. ^ Bell, P. R., Cau, A., Fanti, F., & Smith, E. (2015). A large-clawed theropod (Dinosauria: Tetanurae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Australia and the Gondwanan origin of megaraptorid theropods. Gondwana Research.
9. ^ Holtz, Molnar, and Currie (2004). "Basal Tetanurae." In Weishampel, Dodson and Osmolska (eds.), The Dinosauria Second Edition. University of California Press. 861 pp.
10. ^ Salisbury, Agnolin, Ezcurra, and Pias (2007). "A critical reassessment of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaur faunas of Australia and New Zealand." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 27(3): 138A.
11. ^ Agnolin, Federico L.; Ezcurra, Martín D.; Pais, Diego F.; Salisbury, Steven W. (2010). "A reappraisal of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaur faunas from Australia and New Zealand: Evidence for their Gondwanan affinities" (PDF). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 8 (2): 257–300\. doi:10.1080/14772011003594870.
12. ^ Steel, R. (1970) Handbuch der Paläoherpetologie/Encyclopedia of Paleoherpetology. Part 14. Saurischia. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1-87
13. ^ "Walgettosuchus woodwardi". Australian Age of Dinosaurs.

* Dinosaurs portal

## External links

[edit]

* Rapator in The Theropod Database
* Rapator

* v
* t
* e

Theropoda

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Sauropsida
* Clade: Avemetatarsalia
* Clade: Dinosauria

| Avemetatarsalia|

*     * see Avemetatarsalia

Theropoda|

*     * see below↓

Theropoda

Theropoda

* Chindesaurus?
* Daemonosaurus?
* Eodromaeus?
* Erythrovenator
* Guaibasaurus?
* Nhandumirim?
* Tawa?
* Herrerasauria?

Neotheropoda

* Dilophosaurus
* Dolichosuchus?
* Dracovenator
* Gojirasaurus
* Lepidus
* Liliensternus
* Lophostropheus
* Notatesseraeraptor
* Sarcosaurus
* Shuangbaisaurus
* Sinosaurus
* Tachiraptor
* Velocipes?
* Zupaysaurus

Coelophysoidea|

* Dracoraptor?
* Panguraptor
* Pendraig
* Podokesaurus
* Powellvenator

Coelophysidae|

* Camposaurus
* Coelophysis
* Lucianovenator
* Megapnosaurus?
* Panguraptor?
* Procompsognathus
* Pterospondylus?
* Segisaurus

Averostra|

*     * see below↓

Dubious neotheropods|

* Teinurosaurus
* Halticosaurus

Averostra

Averostra

* Dornraptor
* Lophostropheus?

Ceratosauria

* Berberosaurus
* Camarillasaurus?
* Dandakosaurus?
* Fosterovenator
* Ostafrikasaurus?
* Saltriovenator
* Sarcosaurus?
* Spinostropheus?

Neoceratosauria

| Ceratosauridae|

* Ceratosaurus
* Genyodectes

|

Abelisauroidea|

* Bahariasaurus?
* Betasuchus
* Dahalokely
* Deltadromeus?
* Eoabelisaurus?
* Genusaurus
* Gualicho?
* Ligabueino

Noasauridae|

* Afromimus?
* Austrocheirus?
* Berthasaura
* Compsosuchus?
* Dahalokely?
* Genusaurus?
* Kiyacursor
* Ligabueino
* Spinostropheus

Elaphrosaurinae|

* Elaphrosaurus
* Huinculsaurus
* Limusaurus

Noasaurinae|

* Laevisuchus
* Masiakasaurus
* Noasaurus
* Velocisaurus
* Vespersaurus

Abelisauridae|

* Chenanisaurus
* Dryptosauroides?
* Eoabelisaurus
* Indosuchus
* Kryptops
* Kurupi
* Rugops
* Spectrovenator
* Tarascosaurus
* Tralkasaurus
* Xenotarsosaurus

Majungasaurinae|

* Arcovenator
* Dahalokely?
* Genusaurus
* Indosaurus
* Majungasaurus
* Rahiolisaurus?
* Rajasaurus

Carnotaurinae|

* Majungasaurinae?

| Brachyrostra|

* Dahalokely?
* Ekrixinatosaurus
* Elemgasem
* Guemesia
* Ilokelesia
* Llukalkan
* Niebla
* Rahiolisaurus?
* Skorpiovenator
* Thanos

Furileusauria|

* Abelisaurus
* Aucasaurus
* Caletodraco
* Carnotaurus
* Elemgasem?
* Koleken
* Pycnonemosaurus
* Quilmesaurus
* Viavenator

| Tetanurae|

*     * see below↓

|

Tetanurae

Tetanurae

* Calamospondylus?
* Chienkosaurus?
* Chilesaurus?
* Chuandongocoelurus
* Cruxicheiros?
* Cryolophosaurus
* Kaijiangosaurus
* Kayentavenator
* Monolophosaurus
* Pandoravenator
* Sinosaurus?
* Szechuanosaurus
* Vectaerovenator

Orionides

Megalosauroidea

* Yunyangosaurus

Piatnitzkysauridae|

* Condorraptor
* Marshosaurus
* Piatnitzkysaurus
* Xuanhanosaurus?

Megalosauria

* Streptospondylus?

Megalosauridae|

* Eustreptospondylus

Megalosaurinae|

* Duriavenator
* Megalosaurus
* Torvosaurus
* Wiehenvenator

Afrovenatorinae|

* Afrovenator
* Dubreuillosaurus
* Leshansaurus
* Magnosaurus
* Piveteausaurus
* Poekilopleuron?

Spinosauridae

* Camarillasaurus?
* Cristatusaurus
* Iberospinus
* Ostafrikasaurus?

Baryonychinae|

* Baryonyx
* Protathlitis
* Riojavenatrix
* Suchosaurus?
* Vallibonavenatrix?

Ceratosuchopsini|

* Ceratosuchops
* Eocarcharia?
* Riparovenator
* Suchomimus

Spinosaurinae|

* Camarillasaurus?
* Ichthyovenator
* Irritator
* Oxalaia
* Siamosaurus

Spinosaurini|

* Sigilmassasaurus
* Spinosaurus

| Avetheropoda|

*     * see below↓

|

Avetheropoda

Avetheropoda

* Gasosaurus?
* Lourinhanosaurus?

Carnosauria

* Altispinax
* Monolophosaurus?
* Megalosauridae?
* Spinosauridae?

Allosauroidea

* Asfaltovenator
* Erectopus
* Xuanhanosaurus?
* Piatnitzkysauridae?

Metriacanthosauridae|

* Xuanhanosaurus?
* Yangchuanosaurus
* Yuanmouraptor

Metriacanthosaurinae|

* Alpkarakush
* Metriacanthosaurus
* Shidaisaurus
* Siamotyrannus
* Sinraptor

Allosauria

| Allosauridae|

* Allosaurus
* Antrodemus?
* Epanterias?
* Saurophaganax?

|

Carcharodontosauria|

* Datanglong
* Lusovenator
* Siamraptor
* Siats?
* Veterupristisaurus

Neovenatoridae|

* Chilantaisaurus?
* Gualicho?
* Neovenator
* Siats?
* Megaraptora?

Carcharodontosauridae|

* Acrocanthosaurus
* Altispinax?
* Concavenator
* Eocarcharia?
* Kelmayisaurus
* Lajasvenator
* Sauroniops
* Shaochilong
* Tameryraptor
* Ulughbegsaurus
* Veterupristisaurus

Carcharodontosaurinae|

* Carcharodontosaurus

Giganotosaurini|

* Giganotosaurus
* Mapusaurus
* Meraxes
* Taurovenator
* Tyrannotitan

| Megaraptora?|

* Aoniraptor
* Bahariasaurus?
* Fukuiraptor
* Phuwiangvenator
* Rapator
* Siats?
* Chilantaisaurus?

Megaraptoridae|

* Aerosteon
* Australovenator
* Maip
* Megaraptor
* Murusraptor
* Orkoraptor
* Tratayenia

Coelurosauria|

*     * see below↓

Coelurosauria

Coelurosauria

* Aratasaurus
* Asiamericana
* Bicentenaria
* Chilantaisaurus?
* Gualicho?
* Richardoestesia
* Sciurumimus?
* Vayuraptor
* Xinjiangovenator
* Zuolong

Tyrannoraptora

Tyrannosauroidea

* Chingkankousaurus
* Labocania?

Coeluridae?|

* Coelurus
* Tanycolagreus?

Proceratosauridae|

* Guanlong
* Kileskus
* Proceratosaurus
* Sinotyrannus
* Yutyrannus

Pantyrannosauria

* Alectrosaurus
* Aviatyrannis
* Bagaraatan?
* Dilong
* Eotyrannus
* Jinbeisaurus
* Juratyrant
* Khankhuuluu
* Moros
* Santanaraptor
* Stokesosaurus
* Suskityrannus
* Timimus?
* Timurlengia
* Xiongguanlong
* Megaraptora?

Eutyrannosauria

* Appalachiosaurus
* Bistahieversor?
* Dryptosaurus

Tyrannosauridae

| Albertosaurinae|

* Albertosaurus
* Gorgosaurus

|

Tyrannosaurinae|

* Asiatyrannus
* Nanuqsaurus

Alioramini|

* Alioramus
* Qianzhousaurus

Daspletosaurini|

* Daspletosaurus
* Thanatotheristes

Teratophoneini|

* Bistahieversor?
* Dynamoterror
* Labocania?
* Lythronax
* Teratophoneus

Tyrannosaurini|

* Tarbosaurus
* Tyrannosaurus
* Zhuchengtyrannus

| Maniraptoromorpha|

*     * see below↓

|

| Dubious coelurosaurs|

* Iliosuchus
* Kakuru
* Phaedrolosaurus
* Shanyangosaurus

|

Maniraptoromorpha

Maniraptoromorpha

* Coelurus?
* Juravenator
* Ornitholestes

Neocoelurosauria

* Aniksosaurus

Compsognathidae|

* Aniksosaurus?
* Aristosuchus
* Beipiaognathus?
* Compsognathus
* Huaxiagnathus?
* Mirischia?
* Scipionyx?
* Sinocalliopteryx?
* Sinosauropteryx?
* Xunmenglong

Sinosauropterygidae?|

* Huadanosaurus
* Huaxiagnathus
* Mirischia
* Sinocalliopteryx
* Sinosauropteryx

* Compsognathidae?

Ornithomimosauria|

* Arkansaurus
* Aviatyrannis?
* Calamosaurus?
* Hexing
* Kinnareemimus
* Nedcolbertia
* Nqwebasaurus
* Thecocoelurus?
* Valdoraptor

Macrocheiriformes|

* Harpymimus
* Pelecanimimus
* Shenzhousaurus

Deinocheiridae|

* Beishanlong
* Deinocheirus
* Garudimimus
* Harpymimus?
* Paraxenisaurus?
* Tyrannomimus

Ornithomimidae|

* Aepyornithomimus
* Anserimimus
* Archaeornithomimus
* "Coelosaurus"
* Dromiceiomimus
* Dzharacursor
* Gallimimus
* Mexidracon
* Ornithomimus
* Qiupalong
* Rativates
* Sinornithomimus
* Struthiomimus
* Tototlmimus

Maniraptora|

*     * see Maniraptora
* includes birds

Taxon identifiers

Rapator|

* Wikidata: Q1577331
* Paleobiology Database: 38631

*[†]: Extinct
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