In Depth
Fukuiraptor is a dinosaur that really does not deserve the ‘raptor’ part of its name. This is because when it was discovered, one of the large hand claws was interpreted as being a ‘killing claw’ on the second toe, similar to other dromaeosaurids that have the epithet raptor. Later analysis resulted in a reconstruction that had the claw in its correct place, at the end of the fingers. Now Fukuiraptor is known to have been a carnosaur like Allosaurus.
Sizing Fukuiraptor has actually been quite difficult. Initially it was thought that the Fukuiraptor holotype was a juvenile, but other remains from other Fukuiraptor individuals indicate the juveniles were actually smaller. Either the Fukuiraptor holotype was actually an adult, in which case it would actually be quite small for a carnosaur, or Fukuiraptor had a growth curve similar to tyrannosaurids where they spent several years very small, until growing large over a small number of years. Only further remains will allow us to know for sure.
Further Reading
– A new carnosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Japan. – Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 37:1735-1753. – Y. Azuma & P. J. Currie – 2000. – New specimens, including a growth series, of Fukuiraptor (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous Kitadani Quarry of Japan. – Journal Paleontology Society Korea 22 (1): 173–193. – P. J. Currie & Y. Asuma – 2006.
