Open Paleo

Vayuraptor

Samathi et al., 2019 VAH-yoo-RAP-tor

Named for Vayu, the Hindu god of wind, combined with Latin 'raptor' meaning 'thief', chosen to reflect the animal's inferred speed and agility.

137.1–125.8 million years ago Valanginian–Hauterivian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Vayuraptor is a genus of basal coelurosaurian (possibly megaraptoran) theropod dinosaur that lived in the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Sao Khua Formation of Thailand. The genus contains a single species, V. nongbualamphuensis, known from a partial skeleton.

Diagnosis

  1. Astragalus has two short horizontal grooves and two foramina at base of ascending process
  2. Ascending process of astragalus is straight laterally and straight and parallel medially at base; medial rim slopes to tip laterally
  3. Vertical ridge on ascending process of astragalus from tip disappearing above middle of process
  4. Extremely high and narrow ascending process with ascending process height/width ratio of 1.66
  5. Tibia length more than 12 times anteroposterior width at mid-length (ratio of 13.9)

Species

Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis Samathi et al., 2019

Type species

Named for Nong Bua Lamphu Province, Thailand, where the fossils were discovered, with the suffix '-ensis' meaning 'from'.

Holotype
SM-NB A1-2 , Sirindhorn Museum
Material
Left tibia
Horizon
Sao Khua Formation, Valanginian–Hauterivian, Early Cretaceous , 137.1–125.8 million years ago
Locality
Phu Wat Site A1, Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand

References

  1. Samathi, A.; Chanthasit, P.; Sander, P. (2019). Two new basal coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of Thailand. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 64. Polska Akademia Nauk Instytut Paleobiologii (Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences). doi:10.4202/app.00540.2018 samathi2019a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the mass and hip height estimates.

    jones2026c