The bizarre Halszkaraptor escuilliei

H. escuilliei MPC D-102/109. From Cau et al., 2017.

Maniraptoran lineages evolved novel ecomorphologies during the Cretaceous period, including active flight, gigantism, cursoriality and herbivory. This group share the following characteristics: large brain but a reduced skull in comparison to their body size, beaks, and smaller teeth. Now, a well-preserved maniraptoran from Mongolia, revealed a mosaic of features, most of them absent among non-avian maniraptorans but shared by reptilian and avian groups with aquatic or semiaquatic ecologies. This new theropod, Halszkaraptor escuilliei gen. et sp. nov., adds an amphibious ecomorphology to those evolved by maniraptorans.

The holotype, MPC (Institute of Paleontology and Geology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) D-102/109, is an articulated and almost complete skeleton preserved three-dimensionally. The generic name, honours Halszka Osmólska (1930–2008) for her contributions to theropod palaeontology. The species name, ‘escuilliei’ refers to François Escuillié, who returned the holotype to Mongolia.

Reconstruction of Halszkaraptor escuilliei. Photograph: Lukas Panzarin/Andrea Cau

Halszkaraptor is related to other enigmatic Late Cretaceous maniraptorans from Mongolia in a novel clade at the root of Dromaeosauridae. It was the size of a mallard. Originally poached from Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia, the fossil was in private collections in Japan and England for an unknown amount of time, and later it  was transferred to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS). Thanks to a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia, the Belgian Science Policy Office and the RBINS, the specimen returned to the Institute of Paleontology and Geology, Mongolian Academy of Science.

The skeleton is almost complete. The skull is lightly built, and is still articulated with the first cervical vertebra. The preorbital region forms 60% of basicranial length, and each premaxilla is elongate, bearing eleven teeth, the highest number among dinosaurs. The presacral vertebrae include 10 cervicals and 12 dorsals. The neck forms 50% of snout–sacrum length.

Skull of H. escuilliei. From Cau et al., 2017

The forelimb is relatively shorter than in most dromaeosaurids. The ulna is flattened and possesses an acute posterior margin. The hand has a morphology that is unique among theropods, with a progressive elongation of the lateral fingers, with the third being the longest and most robust. The 76 mm long femur has a robust greater trochanter. The metatarsus lacks cursorial adaptations and measures 80% of femoral length. The feet are complete and articulated, although some elements are poorly visible.

Based on the neck hyperelongation for food procurement, the forelimb proportions that may support a swimming function, and postural adaptations convergent with short-tailed birds, Halszkaraptor may represent the first case among non-avian dinosaurs of a double locomotory module.

References:

Cau, A.; Beyrand, V.; Voeten, D.; Fernandez, V.; Tafforeau, P.; Stein, K.; Barsbold, R.; Tsogtbaatar, K.; Currie, P.; Godrfroit, P.; “Synchrotron scanning reveals amphibious ecomorphology in a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs”. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature2467