• Subscribe To DinoPit Weekly
  • Contact DinoPit
  • Shop
  • Jurassic Cart

DinoPit

Dinosaurs Online

  • Dinosaur Profiles
  • Science
    • Paleontology
    • Dinosaur Books
    • Dinosaur Exhibits
  • Fun Dino Things
    • DinoCrafts
    • Dinosaur in Entertainment
    • Dinosaur Jokes
    • Gifts for Dinosaur Lovers
    • PaleoArt
  • Latest News
  • The DinoPit Podcast

Martharaptor Discovered in Utah

Utah Yields Martharaptor Remains

Martharaptor Remains
Image Copyright to Realclearscience.com

Hayden-Corbett Quarry of Cedar Mountain formation, Utah, yields another preserved prehistoric dinosaur, Martharaptor. 

A Utah researcher and volunteer who serves the Utah Friends of Paleontology and works for the Utah Geological Survey is the recent namesake of Martharaptor, one of Utah’s most recent prehistoric fossil finds.  Evaluated by scientists from Fayetteville State University and Utah Geological Survey, Martharaptor has been designated a particular Theropod, and officially named Martharaptor greenriverensis.

Martharaptor Found in the Cedar Mountain Formation

Martharaptor is a new addition to the variety of dinosaur fossils preserved at their location about eight miles northwest of Greenville, Utah at the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation.  This area is named for its area north of Arches national Park, near the Yellow Cat mining area.  The sediment area is made of mudstone that was deposited onto flood plains during the Mid-Late Cretaceous Period, 98-127 million years ago.  These sediments are non-marine sediments, consisting of river, lake and floodplain materials.   Dinosaurs are found throughout the entire formation and are distinctively different (mostly determined by the found manual and pedal morphological studies) depending on whether found in the upper part or the lower part of the formation, showing evidence of the eventual replacement of European dinosaurs with Asian dinosaurs as continental drift occurred and the North American continental Plate drifted to the west.

Few Martharaptor Remains Have Been Recovered to Date

Recovery of Martharaptor is sparse, with only parts of the skeleton remaining.  These include the forelimbs, hind limbs, parts of a hip, a scapula, vertebral fragments, several hand claws and other fragments.   The particular sparseness of recovery for this type species so far means that no height or mass can correctly be attributed to it.  So far, paleontological and other scientific analysis places M. greenriverensis within Therizinosauroidea as a sister taxon to Alxasaurus and Therisinosauridae.  It is not impossible to presume that this classification could change, as more parts of Martharaptor are discovered and analyzed.

Therizinosauroidea are known for their long necks, wide torsos, and hind feet with four toes used in walking, which resembled prosauropod dinosaurs.   Their enormous claws are a trademark characteristic, so much so to be of the most likely parts to withstand their place in the soil and preserve so well.  Some Therizinosaur claws are known to have been three feet in length.  Therizinosauroida were both omnivorous and herbivorous, evolved from a carnivorous ancestor.  The hips of Therizinosauroidea are ornithischian (bird-like).

Martharaptor Was Likely a Coelurosaur

Scientists are fairly certain—at this point in discovery— to be sure that Martharaptor belonged to the Coelurosaur branch of the Theropod family.  Coelurosia is the family clade containing all the theropods that are more closely related to birds than to carnosaurs (meat-eating lizards).  Coelurosaur characteristics include elongated forelimbs and stoutly developed hinge type ankle joints.  This characteristic indicated greater capability of speed due to reduced rotation in the ankle.  It remains to be learned whether Martharaptor would have had this type of ankle or if this feature was lost or evolved over time.  It is yet unknown whether Martharaptor possessed a skin similar to previous Therizinosauroidea, a coat of primitive down-like feathers.  It could be that Martharaptor was similar in appearance and action to prehistoric ground sloths, being primarily herbivorous and using its long forelimbs and claws to pull and scrape long leafy branches.

Every year there are additional discoveries from Cedar Mountain Formation.  The area is only recently beginning to be a hearty exposition and resource of information regarding Utah’s Early Cretaceous prehistoric dinosaurs.   The entire state of Utah has been a rich source of information leading to greater understanding of not only prehistoric dinosaurs like Martharaptor, but also life for all animals during the prehistoric era of continental drift.

Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: Dinosaur News, New Dinosaur Discovery

Learn More About Dinosaurs

Torosaurus

Just How Big Was Torosaurus?

Torosaurus, a Large Ceratopsian Torosaurus walked the Earth during the late Cretaceous period. For a while this large frilled ceratopsian was believed to be a species of its own, then a mature Triceratops and once again, a species of its own. With a frilled skull that could reach up to 8.5 feet long, this herbivore […]

More Science Posts

Fun With Dinos

Dinosaur necklace

5 More Great Dinosaur Pinterest Finds

Dinosaur Pinterest Pins Back in June I shared five dinosaur Pinterest pins that I ran across when surfing my way through Pinterest. I had way too much fun with that post and decided to go on another Pinterest hunt today to see what dinosaur goodies I could find. Dinosaur Pinterest Find #1 This Sauropod necklace […]

More Dinosaur Fun

Latest Podcast Episode

Dromaeosaurs (Or What Jurassic Park Got Wrong, and Right, About Raptors)

https://media.transistor.fm/702f9565.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:20 — 11.3MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Dromaeosaurs, from Microraptor to Utahraptor, are amongst the most iconic and fascinating families of dinosaurs. Bolstered by both Jurassic Park and endless scientific studies linking them directly to birds, it’s almost impossible to not love them.

Resources:

  • Quill knobs in bones
  • Utahraptor death trap
  • The Climbing Claw

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS

T-Shirts: Dino-Style

  • Triceratops Skull T-Shirt $25.00
  • Pachycephalosaurus Skull T-Shirt $25.00

Topics

Carnivorous Dinosaurs Ceratopsia Ceratopsidae Chasmosaurinae Cretaceous Period Dinosaurs Dinosaur Art Dinosaur Cakes Dinosaur Clothing Dinosaur Craft Ideas Dinosaur Crafts Dinosaur Cupcakes Dinosaur Exhibits Dinosaur Extinction Dinosaur Facts Dinosaur Games Dinosaur Gifts Dinosaur Movies Dinosaur News Dinosaur Research Dinosaur T-Shirt Dinosaur Toys Dinosaur TV Dinosaur Videos Diplodocidae Dromaeosauridae Eudromaeosauria Feathered Dinosaurs Hadrosauridae Herbivorous Dinosaurs Jurassic Period Dinosaurs Make a Dinosaur Monday Omnivorous Dinosaurs Ornithischia Ornithopoda Saurischia Saurolophinae Sauropoda Sauropodomorpha Seismosaurus Theropoda Triassic Period Dinosaurs Triceratops Troodon Tyrannosaurus Rex Velociraptor
Shopping Links
  • Main Shop Page
  • Your Cart

Main Categories

  • Dinosaur Profiles
  • Science
    • Paleontology
    • Dinosaur Books
    • Dinosaur Exhibits
  • Fun Dino Things
    • DinoCrafts
    • Dinosaur in Entertainment
    • Dinosaur Jokes
    • Gifts for Dinosaur Lovers
    • PaleoArt
  • Latest News
  • The DinoPit Podcast

Recent Posts

  • Largest, Oldest Titanosaur Coexisted With Many
  • ‘Dinosaur Planet’ – The Nostalgia Nobody Got To Experience
  • Pryroraptor
  • A Toothsome Spinosaurus Bed Keeps The Charismatic Theropod Plunged In The River
  • Danger Ahead For Original Jurassic Park Trio

Scott Kraus · © Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved