Rahonavis

menace from the clouds bird

• rahon · Malagasy · menace (threat) from the clouds
• avis · Latin · bird

The name combines the Malagasy word "rahon", meaning a menace or threat from the clouds, with the Latin "avis", meaning bird. It refers to the animal's bird-like features and to the idea of a predator from the sky. The type species is Rahonavis ostromi, which honours John Ostrom.

Named by

Forster et al.

Year named

1998

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Maastrichtian

Found in

Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar

A small paravian theropod, usually classified as a dromaeosaurid (some analyses place it as an early bird). It has a bird-like body and a sickle-shaped claw on the foot.