Phorusrhacos longissimus

Note: A digitally colored version of the original, available here:
http://sounder1995.blogspot.com/2015/11/phorusrhacos-longissimus.html

Phorusrhacos longissimus (Ameghino, 1887)
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauria
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Theropoda
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria
Maniraptora
Paraves
Aves (Birds)
Neognathae
Cariamiformes
Phorusrhacidae (Terror Birds)

Miocene
Patagonia, Argentina

Height: 2.5 m

Originally thought to be a xenarthran mammal until 1891 (hence the grammatically incorrect Greek genus), this giant predatory bird hunted her prey with terrifying speed and rapid dorsal-ventral cuts from her beak and likely serrated mouth and tongue, similar to modern vultures, petrels, and her more famous dinosaurian antecedents such as Allosaurus fragilis.

Source: http://antediluviansalad.blogspot.com/2015/09/terror-birds-cometh-new-theory.html

Saturday, November 14th, 2015