Open Paleo

Overoraptor

Motta et al., 2020 oh-vehr-oh-RAP-tor /ˌʊuvərʊuˈræptər/

From Spanish 'overo' (piebald, a coat pattern with irregular patches), combined with Latin 'raptor' (thief); meaning 'piebald thief'.

100.5–89.8 million years ago Cenomanian–Turonian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Overoraptor is an extinct genus of paravian theropod of uncertain affinities from the Late Cretaceous Huincul Formation of Argentinian Patagonia. The genus contains a single species, O. chimentoi, known from several bones of the hands, feet, and hips alongside some vertebrae.

Under dispute

Overoraptor chimentoi was recovered by its describers as the sister taxon of Rahonavis, together just outside Avialae and explicitly separate from the unenlagiids (Motta and colleagues, 2020); other matrices place it in a basal maniraptoran or basal pennaraptoran polytomy, and a unenlagiid affinity is one of several competing hypotheses reviewed by Jones (2026) without endorsement. It is placed conservatively at Paraves incertae sedis.

Diagnosis

  1. Posterior caudal centra with complex system of lateral longitudinal ridges and concavities
  2. Scapula with medially deflected distal end
  3. Acromial process reduced and ridge-like
  4. Robust ulna with saddle-shaped and prominent radial cotyle
  5. Metacarpal I with extensive medioventral crest
  6. Metatarsal II with longitudinal lateroventral crest ending in posterior tubercle
  7. Metatarsal III distal end non-ginglymoidal
  8. Metatarsal III distal end dorsoventrally deeper than transversely wide
  9. Strongly dorsally displaced collateral pits on pedal phalanx II-2

Species

Overoraptor chimentoi Motta et al., 2020

Type species

Named for Roberto Nicolás Chimento, who initially discovered the remains.

Holotype
MPCA-PV 805 , Museo provincial de Cipolletti "Carlos Ameghino"
Material
Four caudal vertebrae, two hemal arches, right scapula, right ulna, right hand elements, ilium fragment, incomplete left pubis, right and left metatarsals II and III, and left foot elements
Horizon
Huincul Formation, Cenomanian–Turonian, Late Cretaceous , 100.5–89.8 million years ago
Locality
Pueblo Blanco Natural Reserve, Río Negro, Argentina

References

  1. Motta, M. J.; Agnolín, F. L.; Brissón Egli, F.; Novas, F. E. (2020). New theropod dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia sheds light on the paravian radiation in Gondwana. The Science of Nature 107(3). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1007/s00114-020-01682-1 motta2020a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate, and the appearance features.

    jones2026c