Overview

• Nature Communications publishes the formal description of Joaquinraptor casali, a newly identified megaraptoran from Patagonia dated to roughly 70–66 million years ago.
• The specimen from the Lago-Colhué-Huapi Formation in Chubut preserves parts of the skull, jaws, limbs, and tail, ranking among the most complete megaraptor finds.
• Researchers estimate the predator reached about seven meters in length, and bone histology suggests it died at around 19 years of age.
• A forelimb bone from a crocodylian relative lodged between the jaws points to possible crocodylian prey, though the authors caution the evidence is not definitive.
• The discovery refines anatomy and phylogeny for this poorly understood theropod group and indicates megaraptorans persisted close to the dinosaur extinction.