Fun Tratayenia Facts For Kids

The Tratayenia rosalesi is only known from fragmentary postcranial remains, primarily connected with the spine and hips, yet even these meager remnants have considerably advanced our understanding of the Cretaceous period South American dinosaurs.

Carcharodontosaurid Theropod dinosaurs were considered to be major predators in South America during the early Cretaceous period until Abelisaurid Theropod dinosaurs took over in the late Cretaceous period.

The Tratayenia rosalesi, on the other hand, belonged to neither of these two families; it was a Megaraptoran Theropod dinosaur.

Tratayenia rosalesi, the type and sole species, was described in March 2018. Juan D. Porfifi, R.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Juárez Valieric,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Santos‭ and ‬M.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Lamanna, paleontologists at the University of North Carolina, unearthed it.

For more relatable content, check out these Borogovia facts and Szechuanosaurus facts for kids.

Tratayenia Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Tratayenia'?

Tratayenia rosalesi is pronounced 'tra-ta-yen-nee-ah rose-ah-less-eye'. The carnivorous fossil was named by Juan D. Porfifi,‭ ‬R.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Juárez Valieric,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Santos‭ and ‬M.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Lamanna.

What type of dinosaur was a Tratayenia?

The Megaraptoran Theropod dinosaur has contentious relationships with other Theropods. The earliest widely accepted theory is that they were Carnosaurs, distantly related to the Allosaurus but closer to the Neovenator and Carcharodontosaurids.

The second common theory regards them as basic Tyrannosauroids, belonging to the coelurosaur lineage that includes crested Proceratosaurids as well as renowned Tyrannosaurids like Tyrannosaurus. A third theory regards them as Coelurosaurs as well.

In which geological period did the Tratayenia roam the Earth?

It was a late Cretaceous period carnivorous Megaraptoran Theropod dinosaur from Argentina. The late Cretaceous period is the younger of two geologic epochs that comprise the Cretaceous geological era. It spanned 79 million years, which is more time than has passed since the extinction of dinosaurs at the conclusion of the era.

When did the Tratayenia become extinct?

It belonged to the Megaraptorid family, which existed in the southern hemisphere between 105-85 million years ago. Only in the last few years have paleontologists recognized the group.

Where did a Tratayenia live?

The discovery of fossils of this Megaraptoran Theropod dinosaur was in Argentina in South America. Around 85 million years ago, a truck-sized dinosaur with claws the length of bowling pins tore through the South American terrain, frightening creatures it intended to devour.

What was a Tratayenia's habitat?

It is an extinct genus of Megaraptoran Theropod dinosaurs related to the discovery of bones in Argentina's Santonian-age upper Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa formation. It ruled as the top predator on a semiarid Patagonian terrain 85 million years ago, part of an enigmatic dinosaur lineage that menaced South America and Australia.

Who did a Tratayenia live with?

It lived in an environment with smaller carnivorous predators like the Viavenator, big herbivores like the Traukutitan, snakes like boas, crocs, turtles, and birds, according to Porfiri.

How long did a Tratayenia live?

The average dinosaur lifetime was estimated to be between 20-80 years. The lifetime of various predators differed.

How did they reproduce?

Details on mating rites have yet to be found. Dinosaurs built nests in burrows or bed scrapes.

They deposited massive eggs with a strong layered shell there. All eggs were amniotic in nature, which means that the embryo was protected by a membrane that also supplied oxygen and other nutrients to the fetus.

It has also been revealed that after laying eggs, female dinosaurs underwent a physiological transformation in which they developed an exterior bone that delivered the calcium needed to create robust eggshells.

Tratayenia Fun Facts

What did a Tratayenia look like?

The Megaraptor, the best-known member of Tratayenia's group, lived significantly earlier in Patagonia and had 16 in (40.6 cm) length claws. It was medium-sized with tall and narrow dorsal vertebrae and five sacral vertebrae. It may have been the geologically youngest Megaraptoran identified, according to evidence from the Baja de la Carpa.

*We've been unable to source an image of a Tratayenia rosalesi and have used an image of a Therizinosaurus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a Tratayenia, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

How many bones did a Tratayenia have?

Megaraptorids possessed long, low heads filled with many small but sharp and serrated teeth, bones riddled with air holes, and strong forelimbs topped with incredibly massive, viciously hooked claws on the innermost two fingers. Researchers discovered Tratayenia's back vertebrae, all of its hip vertebrae, some ribs, and a good portion of the pelvis, but no head, limbs, or tail.

How did they communicate?

A dinosaur most likely communicated visually as well as verbally. Defensive posture, courting activity, and territorial conflicts were most likely accompanied by both verbal and visual displays.

Hoots and hollers, cracking noises, dancing and song, and even symbolic love cries performed with colorful plumage were probably part of such exchanges. Clues from the fossil record and contemporary species linked to these ancient creatures, such as birds and crocodiles, suggest how these ancient creatures may have communicated.

How big was a Tratayenia?

The Tratayenia size was that of a medium-sized Megaraptoran. The Tratayenia height was 26.2 ft (8 m) long. It was linked to the genera Megaraptor, Australovenator, and Murusraptor. It, like most other Megaraptorans, would have possessed enormous claws on its hands for hunting prey. It was also the carnivorous mammal with the greatest body size and length.

How fast could a Tratayenia move?

Its strong, powerful legs would have allowed it to run rapidly, although not as fast as current emus or ostriches. The Tratayenia rosalesi type locality was in a Santonian terrestrial horizon in the upper Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa formation of Argentina.

How much did a Tratayenia weigh?

The group was only recently recognized by paleontologists, and all of its members, including it, are known solely from partial skeletons. Megaraptorids, while still unknown, appear to have been a fairly tough set of predatory dinosaurs. It was the biggest known predator in Patagonia approximately 85 million years ago, and it may have been the last of its kind.

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no names that distinguish male and female dinosaurs based on sex. However, these creatures exhibited sexual dimorphism, which meant that males and females differed in shape, size, and color.

What would you call a baby Tratayenia?

Because dinosaurs hatched from eggs, we may apply the generic word that is used for all reptiles to the dinosaur as well. A hatchling or a nestling is a baby dinosaur.

What did they eat?

They caught and subdued prey, including other dinosaurs, with their huge hand claws.

How aggressive were they?

The Megaraptor, the best-known member of Tratayenia's group, lived significantly earlier in Patagonia and had big claws. Megaraptorids would have been terrible to come upon in real life.

They were big, heavily armed, and powerful, but likely lighter on their feet than truly massive meat-eaters like the Giganotosaurus or the T. rex. It was not the largest predator in South America, but it was large enough to pose a major threat to other dinosaurs of this southern continent.

Did you know...

Megaraptorid claws were the stuff of nightmares, with razor-sharp flesh hooks almost a foot long. X-Men's Wolverine has nothing on these guys! From about 95-85 million years ago, the dinosaur's massive size made it one of the largest and deadly predators in southern South America.

These Megaraptorids were differentiated from other Megaraptorids on the basis of their uniquely derived feature present on the front part of each dorsal vertebrae.

What fossils are the Tratayenia known from?

Paleontologists' discovery just recently recognized the group Megaraptorids, and all of its members, including the Tratayenia rosalesi, are known solely from the partial skeleton. Researchers discovered Tratayenia's back vertebrae, all of its hip vertebrae, some ribs, and a good portion of the pelvis, but no head, limbs, or tail.

Diego Rosales, a technician at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue, found this partial skeleton in 2006 at an upper Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa formation fossil site.

Juan D. Porfifi, a paleontologist at the University of North Carolina, unearthed it shortly after. Porfiri and his colleagues (Rubén D. Juárez Valieri) presented a preliminary report on the new dinosaur in a 2008 abstract, speculating that it was a cousin of Carcharodontosauridae.

In 2018, the new taxon was given the generic name, after the fossil location where it was discovered.

The specific name Tratayenia rosalesi commemorates Diego Rosales. It was named by J.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Porfiri,‭ ‬R.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Juárez Valieric,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Santos‭ and ‬M.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Lamanna.

What species of Tratayenia are there?

It is an extinct genus of carnivorous Megaraptoran Theropod dinosaurs known from bones discovered in Argentina's Santonian-age Bajo de la Carpa formation in South America. Tratayenia rosalesi, the type and sole species, was described in March 2018.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other dinosaurs from our Kelmayisaurus interesting facts and Xixianykus fun facts for kids pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Tratayenia coloring pages.

Main image by Mariolanzas.

Second image by Nobu Tamura.