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Achillobator

Say it: ə-KIL-ə-BAY-tor

Name means: “Achilles hero”1

Ate: MeatRaptorsLate Cretaceous

Achillobator was a huge, feathered raptor that lived in what is now Mongolia. It was one of the biggest dromaeosaurs, as long as a car and as heavy as a polar bear. It used a giant sickle claw on each foot to hunt large prey.1

Lived

100 to 84 million years ago3

Late Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Burkhant locality, Bayan Shireh Formation, Mongolia1 3

Food

Meat1 2

Length

4.5 to 5 m1 2

Weight

250 kg to 300 kg1

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

How long was it?

How heavy was it?

as heavy as 10 big dogs

as long as 5 dogs nose to tailas long as 28 bananas end to endas heavy as 60 watermelons

How big was Achillobator compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

Achillobator is named after the Greek hero Achilles, because of the large Achilles tendon that helped power its sickle claw.1

It was one of the largest dromaeosaurs, along with Utahraptor and Austroraptor, reaching about 5 metres (16 feet) long.1

Unlike many other raptors, Achillobator had a very robust, heavily built skeleton and short, stocky legs.1

Its legs were not built for high-speed running; instead, it was a powerful ambush predator that could leap onto prey.1

The first fossils were found in 1989 by a Mongolian-Russian expedition, but the dinosaur was not named until 1999.1

Achillobator lived in a warm, wet environment with rivers and lakes, about 96 to 89 million years ago.1

Scientists think Achillobator may have used its feathered arms to help balance while wrestling with prey.1

AI-made picture of Achillobator — An AI-made picture of how Achillobator might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Achillobator

?How big was Achillobator?

About 4.5 to 5 metres (15 to 16 feet) long and weighed 250 to 300 kilograms (550 to 660 pounds). That is as long as a car and as heavy as a polar bear.1 2

?Did Achillobator have feathers?

Yes, scientists are confident it had feathers. Although no feathers were found with its fossils, its close relatives had feathers, so Achillobator almost certainly did too.1

?What did Achillobator eat?

It was a carnivore that hunted large prey. It used its giant sickle claw on each foot to help it catch and hold onto animals.1

?How fast could Achillobator run?

Not very fast. Its short, stocky legs were built for power, not speed. It was an ambush predator that leaped onto prey rather than chasing it.1

?When did Achillobator live?

It lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 96 to 89 million years ago.1 2

?Where was Achillobator found?

Its fossils were discovered in the Bayan Shireh Formation of Mongolia, in the Gobi Desert.1

?Why is it called Achillobator?

Its name means 'Achilles hero' in Latin and Mongolian. It is named after the Greek hero Achilles because of the large Achilles tendon that helped power its sickle claw.1

?Was Achillobator bigger than Velociraptor?

Yes, much bigger. Achillobator was about 5 metres long, while Velociraptor was only about 2 metres long. Achillobator was one of the largest dromaeosaurs.1

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Myth buster

Myth: Some people think all raptors were fast runners.

Truth: Achillobator had short, stocky legs and was not built for speed. It was a powerful ambush predator that used strength and leaping to catch prey.1

For dino experts

Scientific name: Achillobator
Named by: Perle et al. 19993
Group: Raptors
Family / clade: Dromaeosauridae3
Classification: Theropoda > Dromaeosauridae3
Age of the rocks: 100 to 84 million years (Cenomanian / Santonian)3
Rock formations: Baynshire3
Countries: Mongolia3
Fossil records: 1 in the Paleobiology Database3
Discovery: The first partial skeleton of Achillobator was found in 1989 at the Burkhant locality in Mongolia. It was named in 1999 by paleontologists Altangerel Perle, Mark Norell, and James Clark.1
Still debated: Scientists are not sure whether giant dromaeosaurs like Achillobator used their sickle claws for climbing trees or for holding onto large prey.1

Where the facts come from

Achillobator (en.wikipedia.org)
Achillobator | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
Achillobator in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

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