Unenlagia (meaning "half-bird" in Latinized Mapudungun) is an extinct genus of maniraptoran theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Coniacian stage of the Late Cretaceous.
Discovery and Naming[]
The holotype specimen of Unenlagia consisting of a partial skeleton was discovered in 1996 in the Neuquén province of Argentina, with it being described in 1997 by Fernando Emilio Novas and Pablo Puerta. The genus name was chosen because the describers considered the species to be a link between more basal theropods and birds. The specific name, comahuensis, is in reference to the Comahue region the specimen was found in. A second species, U. paynemili, was discovered in 2002 and named in 2004, with its specific name honoring Maximino Paynemil, the chief of the Paynemil community.
Description[]
The size of Unenlagia has been disputed due to the legs being the only part of the body that are well understood, and it being unclear if estimates should be extrapolated from Dromeosaurids or from basal birds, leading to a wide range of size estimates.[1] Length estimates vary from 2 m (6.6 ft) to 3.5 m (11 ft) and weight estimates vary from 9.1-22.7 kg (20-50 lbs) to 95 kg (209 lbs). Like its other close relatives in the subfamily Unenlagiinae it sported an elongated snout when compared to other dromeosaurids.
Classification[]
Unenlagia belongs to the family Dromeosauridae and the subfamily Unenlagiinae. Other members of Unenlagiinae include Austroraptor, Buitreraptor, Diuqin, Neuquenraptor, and Ypupiara.
In Popular Culture[]
In Fossil Fighters: Champions, the vivosaur Lagia is based on Unenlagia.
Gallery[]
