"Acheroraptor (Hell's Plunderer) is a close relative of the famous Velociraptor. Despite their diminute size, Acheroraptor are agressive, often fighting and sometimes killing other members of their own species in conflict over territory or prey. They display a preference towards a more solitary lifestyle than the larger Dakotaraptor, preferring to tackle prey on their own. Acheroraptor are opportunistic, taking a mixture of small and large prey as well as carrion. These common predators are a scourge on young juvenile dinosaurs."
― Saurian encyclopedia
Acheroraptor is a velociraptorine dromaeosaurid from late Cretaceous Montana, North and South Dakota, USA. Acheroraptor is one of the two geologically youngest known species of dromaeosaurids, the other being Dakotaraptor, which is also known from Hell Creek.
The creature measured about 3 metres (10 ft) in length, 2.25 metres (7.3 ft) and weighed in at about 40 kg (88 lbs).
Acheroraptor is only known from a maxilla and dentary jaw with additional referred teeth, so the full body reconstruction is based on phylogenetics from its' closest cousin, the more famous Velociraptor.
Being a predator, it hunted lizards, amphibians like Habrosaurus, small mammals, juveniles of various larger dinosaurs, small dinosaurs like birds and alvarezsaurs. It is also possible it may have taken on slighly larger prey at times, like a sub-adult Leptoceratops or very young Tyrannosaurus that are alone. Eggs could have been eaten, if it managed to steal them from nests. Juvenile Acheroraptor would probably also eat more insects and small mammals/lizards than adults.
In Saurian
Acheroraptor is one of the carnivores currently in Saurian. It is portrayed as fully feathered. Its colors are blueish-black and white feathers to match its habitat with blue feet and snout scales and rusty red wings and tail fan for display.
Behind the scenes
Final concept art by RJ Palmer.
Before the discovery of Dakotaraptor, Acheroraptor was going to be the playable raptor as well as the first playable dinosaur released to the public.[1] However, the larger Dakotaraptor became the playable raptor, while Acheroraptor became a non-player character. The reasons behind this was because the team felt that Acheroraptor's gameplay was possible with the young Dakotaraptor and that Acheroraptor is dwarfed by the foliage of the Hell Creek, which would mean the team would have had to commit to creating highly detailed plant models and textures just to retain high-quality visuals for all the life cycles of all the playable animals, possibly resulting in high minimum system requirements for the game, which is something that the team does not want.[2]
Unused design of the Acheroraptor by RJ Palmer.
Unused male design by RJ Palmer.
Notes and references
- ↑ Parker, Tom. (April 8, 2015) 5000 milestone Acheroraptor reveal. Saurian Website. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ↑ Turinetti, Nick. (April 17, 2016) April 13th Livestream: The Aftermath. Saurian Website. Retrieved September 7, 2016.