Atrociraptor marshalli. Original artwork from Feathered Dinosaurs.

2006.
Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper 427 x 635 mm, unframed, signed and dated by artist.

Atrociraptor marshalli. Original artwork from Feathered Dinosaurs. The cruel thief named after Mr Marshall.

This dinosaur is known from only one specimen comprising some parts of both jaws and teeth, found in the Drumheller region of Alberta, Canada. The jaws indicate that the skull was unusually deep with a short snout. The teeth of Atrociraptor are quite straight but emerge from the jaws angled backwards. They have large serrations along their cutting edges indicating that Atrociraptor liked to eat meat, sawing it off in large chunks. Despite its fearful appearance, Atrociraptor was a very small animal, reaching about 80 centimetres in length.

Artist's note: Atrociraptor was a most formidable predator. With a snout shorter and deeper than the other dromaeosaurs, it had jaws lined with a battery of strong, serrated teeth. The lack of feathering on the face and jaws is a common feature of flesh tearing, meat-eaters - evident in contemporary birds such as vultures. The targeted prey is the small hypsilophodont, Parksosaurus warreni.

Infraorder: Coelurosauria
Family: Dromaeosauridae
Age: Late Cretaceous
Locality: Drumheller, Alberta,
Canada (Horseshoe Canyon Formation).