0.9" Dromaeosaurus Raptor Fossil Toe Bone Cretaceous Dinosaur Hell Creek MT COA

Location: Hell Creek Formation, Montana (Private Land Origin)

Weight: 0.3 Ounces

Dimensions: 0.9 Inches Long, 0.8 Inches Wide, 0.6 Inches Thick

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The item pictured is the one you will receive.

This is a real fossil.

Name: "Swift Running Lizard"

Lived: Late Cretaceous, 75 million years old

Length: 6 Feet

Weight: 33 Pounds

Diet: Carnivore 

Dromaeosaurus was the original raptor. It was a small, vicious hunter that had a mouth full of serrated, razor-sharp teeth and a sharp, hooked claw on each foot that it used to clamp down on its victims. Its jaws were long and solidly built for its size, and its neck was curved and flexible. It may have been able to smell its prey, and it probably possessed a good sense of hearing. Its tail was sheathed in a lattice of bony rods but was flexible at the base, allowing it to be carried in a sharply upturned aerial-like position. Its remarkably large eyes gave it excellent vision. Its vicious claws, although shorter than those of other dromaeosaurs, still gave it a distinct advantage over most of its prey.

The first and only well-preserved remains of Dromaeosaurus were discovered by Barnum Brown in 1914 on the south bank of the Red Deer River in Alberta, Canada. It was later named by William Diller Matthew and Barnum Brown in 1922. Dromaeosaurus was the first known member of its group, and its name was eventually used to define the entire dromaeosaur family.

When it was first discovered, Dromaeosaurus was difficult to classify. Its unusually large foot bones led scientists to believe it belonged to a much larger dinosaur. It also had a relatively large brain, prominent eyes, and grasping hands, which initially caused researchers to overestimate its size—believing it was more than twice as large as it truly was. It took nearly 50 years after its discovery before it was properly placed into its own family, the Dromaeosauridae.

Later fossil finds revealed Dromaeosaurus teeth mixed among the bones of much larger dinosaurs. This led to speculation that dromaeosaurs might have attacked bigger prey, though scientists now think the teeth may have simply been carried into the site by water or erosion.

Dromaeosaurus differed from most other members of the Dromaeosauridae family by having a short, robust skull, a deep lower jaw, and large, straight teeth. In these features, it showed a resemblance to tyrannosaurs. A few known bones from its hind limbs suggest that Dromaeosaurus was a fairly sturdy and muscular dinosaur for its size.

Exactly how it lived and what it ate remains uncertain, but its teeth show heavy wear, indicating they were used more for crushing and tearing rather than slicing through flesh. This has led some scientists to believe that Dromaeosaurus may have been more of a scavenger than an active predator, unlike many other small theropods.