Gigantoraptor erlianensis

Although the name Gigantoraptor, literally meaning “GIANT RAPTOR!”, sounds like the title of a low budget horror movie with dubious CGI effects, scientists actually suspect this dinosaur from Inner Mongolia was mostly herbivorous.

The uncertainty arises from mixed characteristics found in the fossil record. Gigantoraptor was an oviraptorsaur, some of which are known to have been committed vegetarians. Its long neck and sheer size (at 8 metres long, it is by far the largest known oviraptorsaur) would certainly have helped with browsing high-growing foliage.

Yet Gigantoraptor also possessed sharp claws and powerful hind legs — traits more often associated with predatory dinosaurs. A possible explanation is that Gigantoraptor’s speed enabled it to cover vast stretches of desert in search of vegetation, and escape from large Cretaceous predators such as Tarbosaurus.

FUN FACT OF THE DAY: Scientists have estimated a fully grown Gigantoraptor could have weighed up to 2 tons.

FURTHER READING: Take a look at this Scientific American article, which has an interview with the dude who lead the team which discovered Gigantoraptor back in 2007.