Culture

New Dinosaur Looks Like Duck, Croc, Ostrich and Swan Put Together

The whole skeleton was found curled up in a sandstone rock.

December 7, 2017 10:37 am EST

This illustration provided by Lukas Panzarin, with Andrea Cau for scientific supervision, shows a Halszkaraptor escuilliei dinosaur. The creature, about 18 inches (45 centimeters) tall, had a bill like a duck but teeth like a croc’s, a swan-like neck and killer claws. (Lukas Panzarin via AP)

The full curled-up skeleton of a new dinosaur was found curled up in sandstone. It looks like a duck, croc, ostrich, and swan were all put together, even though it is only 18 inches tall. The creature, which roamed 75 million years ago in what is now Mongolia, had a bill like a duck, teeth like a croc, a swanlike neck, and sharp, pointy claws. It walked like an ostrich but had flippers like a penguin, and could swim. This is the first time that a two-legged, meat-eating dinosaur has shown swimming ability.

Meet your guide

Rebecca Gibian

COVERAGE

From literary events and music festivals, to the gallery scene and film screenings, Minh Tran sorts cultural signal from noise every Tuesday and Friday.