HYDERABAD: Fossils found near Annaram village in the Pranahita-Godavari Valley have led to the identification of a new dinosaur species, Maleriraptor kuttyi. The bipedal predator lived over 200 million years ago during the Norian stage of the Late Triassic period.
Originally excavated in the 1980s, the remains were analysed and recently described in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The study places Maleriraptor kuttyi within the early dinosaur group Herrerasauria, but outside the South American subgroup Herrerasauridae. It is the first confirmed evidence of a herrerasaurian dinosaur from Gondwana, which included present-day India. It expands the known range of this group beyond South America. All previously confirmed species were found in Argentina and Brazil.
The fossil is catalogued as ISIR 282. Notable features include a vertically oriented pubis and a distinct pelvic structure. Unlike other herrerasaurians, it lacks the broad “pubic boot”, suggesting a separate evolutionary path.
The species name honours the late Indian palaeontologist TS Kutty, who discovered the fossil. The genus name, Maleriraptor, refers to the Upper Maleri Formation, where it was found, and the Latin word for “thief”, indicating its carnivorous nature.
Godavari belt known for fossil record
Maleriraptor kuttyi is estimated to have ranged from 1.2 to 6 metres in length. Its identification offers further insight into the dispersal and adaptation of early dinosaurs, particularly during a time of ecological transition marked by the decline of herbivores such as rhynchosaurs.
Although other possible herrerasaurians have been reported from North America, their classification remains uncertain. This find confirms that herrerasaurians had dispersed across multiple continents earlier than previously recorded.
Palaeoclimate data suggests that India during the Late Triassic had environmental similarities to present-day southwestern North America, possibly contributing to parallel evolution across Pangaea. The absence of comparable fossils in contemporary South American sites indicates environmental factors may have influenced their distribution.
The Pranahita-Godavari Valley, located across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is known for its extensive fossil record. Notable finds include Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis, Barapasaurus tagorei, Dandakosaurus indicus, Alwalkeria maleriensis, and Jaklapallisaurus asymmetrica, representing various stages of the Triassic and Jurassic periods.