Fukuisaurus (Fukui lizard)
Foo-kwee-sore-us
Kobayashi & Azuma - 2003
Herbivore
Estimated 4.5-6 meters long
Euornithopod
F. tetoriensis (type)
Japan, Honshu Island, Fukui Prefecture, Kitadani Formation
Late Cretaceous, 80 million years ago
Fukuisaurus Facts
Fukuiraptor was a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 80 million years ago. It was named after the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Japan where the first fossils were discovered. Fukuiraptor was a medium-sized theropod that measured around 4-5 meters in length and weighed about 200-300 kilograms. Its most distinctive feature was its slender snout, which suggests that it had a specialized diet.
Fukuiraptor is classified as a member of the family Megaraptoridae, which includes other large, predatory theropods such as Megaraptor and Australovenator. Like other megaraptorids, Fukuiraptor had long arms with large, curved claws that may have been used for hunting or for defense.
Fossils of Fukuiraptor have been found in the Kitadani Formation in Japan, along with other dinosaurs such as the hadrosaurid Kamuysaurus and the ankylosaurid Fukuisaurus. The discovery of Fukuiraptor has provided valuable insights into the diversity of theropod dinosaurs in the Late Cretaceous of Asia.
