Description

Acheroraptor temertyorum
Late Cretaceous
Hell Creek Formation
Harding County, South Dakota, USA

16mm dromaeosaur tooth. Very nice classic “raptor” dinosaur tooth

Acheroraptor is a genus of small, feathered dinosaur that belonged to the group known as dromaeosaurids, which also includes famous members like Velociraptor and Deinonychus. The name “Acheroraptor” comes from the Greek word “Acheron,” which refers to the River of Pain in the underworld of Greek mythology, and “raptor,” meaning thief or plunderer, which is a common suffix for dromaeosaurids.

Acheroraptor was first described in 2013 based on fossil remains found in the Hell Creek Formation, a famous geological formation in North America known for its rich dinosaur fossils. The fossils were discovered in South Dakota, United States. The current consensus is that all Hell Creek dromeosaurs belong to either Acheroraptor or Dakotaraptor so a number of former names such as Saurornitholestes are no longer used.