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Gigantoraptor (name meaning "giant thief") is a genus of oviraptorosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period. It was the largest oviraptorosaurid dinosaur to ever live.
Description[]
Gigantoraptor is shown as having a short, simple covering of feathers on most of its body, but on its arms and tail are black and white (though this is not proven) feathers fanning out, which it used to attract a mate and threaten enemies and other Gigantoraptor. It is shown with long claws on its feet and has a large beaked head with a bony palate in its beak, which it used to attack its enemies and maybe crush eggs. Females are duller in colour than the males.
Diet[]
Gigantoraptor probably ate what most oviraptorosaurs consumed:
- Invertebrates
- Eggs of other dinosaurs
- Small dinosaurs like troodontids
- Small reptiles, like lizards
- Plant life and vegetation
- Carcasses of dead animals
- Young dinosaurs
Feathers of Gigantoraptor (The Great Survivors (Episode 1.6))
Feathers[]
As of 18th March 2012, there is no evidence of Gigantoraptor being adorned with feathers. They were too heavy to fly, but since their close relatives usually have feathers covering their bodies, and ornamental feathers on their arms and tails, it is safe to suggest Gigantoraptor had them too, and like its relatives and Epidexipteryx, it would have used its ornamental feathers to attract mates and to threaten aggressors.
In Planet Dinosaur[]
Episode 2: Feathered Dragons[]
Gigantoraptor appears in this episode, where an individual kills an adult female Saurornithoides. It wanders off to a flock of Gigantoraptor and competes with another Gigantoraptor over a mate. Eventually, one male fights off the other after a short duel.
Episode 6: The Great Survivors[]
Gigantoraptor reappears in this episode, where it wards off a pair of hungry Alectrosaurus and Oviraptors looking to steal its eggs. Later, a sandstorm kicked up and an avalanche of sand poured down from the sand dune behind it, causing it and its clutch of eggs to suffocate and die.
Gallery[]
- See also: Pictures of Gigantoraptor
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