Unenlagia

half-bird

• unen · Mapuche · half
• lagia · Mapuche · bird

The name comes from the Mapuche language of southern South America, combining words for "half" and "bird". It was chosen because this feathered, raptor-like theropod showed some bird-like features, especially in the shoulder girdle and pelvis. The species name, comahuensis, refers to Comahue, the region of Argentina where it was found.

Named by

Novas and Puerta

Year named

1997

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stages

Turonian – Coniacian

Found in

Portezuelo Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina

A paravian theropod. It is the type genus of the Unenlagiinae, a group of Gondwanan dromaeosaurids or close relatives of them. The type species is Unenlagia comahuensis. A second species, U. paynemili, was described later but is now generally placed in its own genus, Neuquenraptor, or considered separate.