Gigantic Megaraptor with ‘hedge trimmer’ claws found in Argentina, crocodile leg still in its jaws
A newly discovered dinosaur, Joaquinraptor casali, has been identified as the top predator of southern Patagonia during the late Cretaceous period. Measuring approximately 23 feet (7 meters) long, this fast-moving megaraptor had powerful arms and claws described as being “like hedge trimmers,” dwarfing the forelimbs of Tyrannosaurus rex.
The fossil, unearthed from the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation in Chubut Province, Argentina, was remarkably well-preserved, including much of the skull, ribs, vertebrae, and limbs, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Notably, the remains were found with the leg bone of an ancient crocodile relative still clamped in its jaws, providing insight into its diet as an apex predator, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Paleontologist Lucio Ibiricu of CONICET’s Patagonian Institute of Geology and Paleontology led the excavation, which began in 2019 and took three field seasons to complete. Histological analysis of a tibia and rib bone revealed that the specimen was sexually mature and at least 19 years old at death, weighing over 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds).
Megaraptors like Joaquinraptor, part of the Megaraptora clade, were carnivorous dinosaurs with elongated skulls, strong arms, and large claws, and they lived across South America, Asia, and Australia. “This discovery helps us better understand how these enigmatic predators lived and evolved,” said Darla Zelenitsky, a paleontologist at the University of Calgary not involved in the study.
The environment in which Joaquinraptor roamed was drastically different from today’s Patagonia. Sediment analysis suggests it was a warm, humid floodplain near the sea.
Experts note that Joaquinraptor’s hunting style differed significantly from T. rex. While T. rex relied on brute strength and bone-crushing bites, Joaquinraptor was slender, swift, and precise, using its massive claws to slash, grab, and manipulate prey.
“This is one of the most fascinating new dinosaur discoveries in recent memory,” said Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. “While T. rex dominated North America, Joaquinraptor ruled the southern food chain with speed and surgical precision.”
The discovery was detailed in a study published in Nature Communications on September 23, 2025.
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