Condorraptor Facts
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Height | 2.5m |
| Length | 7m |
| Weight | 1.5 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Jurassic |
| Period | Early Jurassic |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | Argentina |

| Diet | Carnivore |
| Height | 2.5m |
| Length | 7m |
| Weight | 1.5 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Jurassic |
| Period | Early Jurassic |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | Argentina |
Condorraptor was a formidable theropod dinosaur that prowled the landscapes of Early Jurassic Argentina around 180 million years ago. This predator represents one of the earliest large theropods known from South America, providing crucial insights into the evolution of these fearsome hunters during the Jurassic period. The dinosaur's name honours both its discovery location near Cerro Condor and Hipolito Currumil, the landowner who found the fossil site.
Measuring approximately 7 metres in length and standing about 2.5 metres tall at the hip, Condorraptor was a substantial predator built for hunting. Like other theropods, it walked on two powerful legs and possessed sharp teeth designed for slicing through meat. Its robust build suggests it was capable of taking down sizeable prey in the diverse ecosystems of Early Jurassic Patagonia.
As a carnivore, Condorraptor would have hunted other dinosaurs and reptiles of its time, using its speed, strength, and razor-sharp teeth to capture and kill prey. The discovery of Condorraptor has been particularly important for understanding theropod evolution in the Southern Hemisphere, as it filled a significant gap in our knowledge of Early Jurassic predators from South America.
Scientific analysis has revealed that Condorraptor belongs to a group called megalosauroids and is closely related to Piatnitzkysaurus, another Argentine theropod. This relationship has helped palaeontologists better understand how large predatory dinosaurs evolved and spread across the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.
Condorraptor was characterised by its robust build typical of megalosauroid theropods, with powerful leg bones including a distinctive tibia that formed the basis of its scientific description. It possessed the typical theropod features of sharp, serrated teeth and strong claws for hunting prey.
As a large predator, Condorraptor likely hunted actively during the day, pursuing other dinosaurs and large reptiles across the Early Jurassic landscape. It probably used ambush tactics combined with pursuit hunting, relying on its powerful legs to chase down prey.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Saurischia |
| Family | Piatnitzkysauridae |
| Genus | Condorraptor |
Condorraptor was first described by Oliver Rauhut in 2005. The original fossils were discovered at Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina.