Open Paleo

Natovenator

Lee et al., 2022 NAY-toe-VEN-uh-tuh

From Latin nato ('to swim') and venator ('hunter'), meaning 'swimming hunter', reflecting the proposed semi-aquatic lifestyle of this halszkaraptorine

85.7–66.0 million years ago Santonian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Natovenator is a genus of halszkaraptorine theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Baruungoyot Formation of Mongolia. The genus is known from a single species, N. polydontus. Natovenator is crucial to the understanding of halszkaraptorines due to it providing more support for the semi-aquatic lifestyle that has been proposed for this clade. This discovery is important as the semi-aquatic lifestyles of halszkaraptorines (mainly Halszkaraptor) was contested in early 2022.

Diagnosis

  1. Wide groove delimited by ridges on anterodorsal surface of premaxilla
  2. Premaxilla with elongated internarial process overlying nasal and extending posterior to external naris
  3. 13 premaxillary teeth with large incisiviform crowns
  4. First three anteriormost maxillary teeth greatly reduced and clustered together
  5. Anteroposteriorly long external naris (about 30% of preorbital skull length)
  6. Paroccipital process with anteroposteriorly broad dorsal surface
  7. Elongate maxillary process of palatine extending anteriorly beyond mid-antorbital fenestra
  8. Pterygoid with deep fossa on medial surface of quadrate ramus
  9. Posterolaterally oriented projection on lateral surface of atlas
  10. Absence of pleurocoels in cervical vertebrae
  11. Posterolaterally oriented and nearly horizontal proximal shafts in dorsal ribs
  12. Hourglass-shaped metacarpal II with distinctly concave medial and lateral surfaces

Species

Natovenator polydontus Lee et al., 2022

Type species

From Ancient Greek 'polys' meaning 'many' and 'odous' meaning 'tooth', referring to the animal's numerous teeth.

Holotype
MPC-D 102/114 , Paleontological Center, Mongolian Academy of Sciences
Material
Nearly complete skeleton
Horizon
Baruungoyot Formation, Santonian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 85.7–66.0 million years ago
Locality
Hermiin Tsav, Ömnögovi, Mongolia

References

  1. Lee, S.; Lee, Y. N.; Currie, P. J.; Sissons, R.; Park, J. Y.; Kim, S. H.; Barsbold, R.; Tsogtbaatar, K. (2022). A non-avian dinosaur with a streamlined body exhibits potential adaptations for swimming. Communications Biology 5(1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s42003-022-04119-9 lee2022a