Megaraptoridae
| Megaraptorans Temporal range: Early Cretaceous - Late Cretaceous, 130–83 Ma |
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| Diagram showing the skull and skeleton of Murusraptor | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | Avetheropoda |
| Clade: |
†Megaraptora Benson, Carrano & Brusatte, 2010 |
| Subgroups | |
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Megaraptora is a group of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs with controversial relations to other theropods.
Megaraptorans are medium to large-sized theropods, ranging from about 4.2 meter (14 feet) long Fukuiraptor to the 9 meter (30 feet) long Aerosteon, and the 42 foot long Bahariasaurus, if it is a member. Most megaraptorans are known from very fragmentary remains, although certain characteristics can be identified in multiple members of the clade.
They likely had long and low snouts, with very long nares and flat nasals, as evidenced by the long anterodorsal process of Murusraptor's lacrimal as well as the remains a juvenile Megaraptor specimen. Their lower jaws were also long and graceful according to dentaries found in the holotype of Australovenator.
Megaraptoran teeth show much variety between genera, although they are generally small compared to the snout with minimal enamel ornamentation. Some megaraptorans, such as Orkoraptor and Megaraptor, had teeth which were 8-shaped in cross section and completely unserrated from the front (similar to dromaeosaurids and compsognathids) while Murusraptor had anterior serrations only at the tip of its teeth and Australovenator had extensive serrations on both sides.Fukuiraptor had very laterally compressed and blade-like teeth (similar to carcharodontosaurs) with both anterior and posterior serrations.
At least some megaraptorans, such as Murusraptor and Aerosteon, had extensively pneumatic bones (most noticeably the ilia and ribs), which likely housed sinuses connected to the lungs, similar to modern birds.
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