| Name | Deltadromeus | Diet | Carnivorous |
| Name Meaning | “Delta runner” | Height | 2 meters (6.6 feet) |
| Pronunciation | Del-tah-droh-mey-us | Length | 8 meters (26.2 feet) |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Cretaceous | Weight | 1,050 kilograms (3,215 pounds) |
| Classification | Dinosauria, Saurischia & Theropoda | Location | Morocco (North Africa) |
Deltadromeus Pictures
The Deltadromeus
The Deltadromeus is one of those prehistoric creatures whose taxonomic classification is poorly known.
Although it was discovered more than two decades ago, scientists are still questioning its place in the Theropoda clade, which is why describing this creature is quite challenging.
Although we will provide you with essential details about the only species in the genus, Deltadromeus agilis, we must mention that much of what is known about this creature isn’t fully approved from a scientific point of view.
Moreover, since no Deltadromeus skulls were discovered, many confirmed details about other dinosaurs remain a mystery for the Deltadromeus.
After all, fossilized skulls carry many details about their owners’ lifestyles, feeding behavior, and appearance.
Still, we encourage you to keep reading, as you definitely don’t want to miss out on what we’ll share!
Even though the Deltadromeus is poorly known, we discovered some incredible facts about it!
Physical Characteristics
The approximate size of the Deltadromeus has been estimated based on one holotype specimen, and it is thought to have been roughly 8 meters (26.2 feet) long.
Another possible Deltadromeus specimen indicated a maximum length of 12.2 meters (40 feet) long.
Its femur was twice as long as that of the holotype, measuring 1.22 meters (4 feet).
However, the classification of these fossils has been long questioned, as scientists aren’t entirely sure they belong to the Deltadromeus.
Many of the characteristics they carry are different from the ones seen in the holotype specimen.
The weight of the holotype has been estimated at 1,050 kilograms (2,314 pounds), and the Deltadromeus was likely slightly over 2 meters (6.6 feet) tall at the hips.
Other dinosaurs in the Noasauridae family were much smaller than the Deltadromeus, reaching only 1.5 meters (5 feet) long.
Considering its size, scientists concluded that the Deltadromeus’ hind limbs were unusually long and slender, which may indicate its agility and speed.
The neck was possibly unusually long and curved, while the head was elongated.
However, no skull fossils were unearthed, and these assumptions are based on general noasaurid characteristics.
The arms were likely reduced and may have been equipped with claws, and like many theropods, the Deltadromeus had a relatively long and slender tail.
Habitat and Distribution
The Deltadromeus roamed Earth roughly 95 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous.
The most significant fossils were recovered from the Kem Kem Beds in eastern Morocco.
At that time, the world was warmer than it is today.
The region where Deltadromeus fossils were found likely had arid to semi-arid conditions and featured rapidly moving freshwater habitats.
North Africa was bordered by the Tethys Sea, further supporting the assumption that the ecosystem was predominantly covered in waterways.
Most fossils recovered from the Kem Kem Group had been deposited in sandstones.
The region featured fine and medium-grained sandstone, coarse-to-fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, and thin gypsiferous evaporites.
Behavior and Diet
The Deltadromeus was a bipedal theropod, and the size and form of its hindlimbs indicate it was quite a fast runner and, therefore, probably a skilled predator.
However, the type of prey it went for remains unknown because no skulls and teeth were discovered.
Some carnivore teeth were once labeled as belonging to the Deltadromeus, but scientists aren’t sure they did indeed belong to the delta runner.
However, it is generally believed that it preferred sauropods and may have even fed on sauropod carcasses.
Based on what we know about theropods, we may assume that the Deltadromeus had a sensitive snout, which may have been used for temperature and wave detection, as well as an aid during hunting and feeding.
Apart from this, very little is known about this creature’s behavior. Did it move in herds? How exactly did it hunt? Was it diurnal or nocturnal?
We can only hope that future research will reveal those details.
Life Cycle
All dinosaurs, including the Deltadromeus, reproduced by laying eggs.
Male theropods had a retractable penis and internal testes, while females had paired ovaries and oviducts.
Females also possessed a system of storing mature eggs ready to be fertilized, similar to those observed in crocodilians.
While modern birds lay only one egg at a time because they have only one functional oviduct, dinosaurs, including the Deltadromeus, probably laid eggs in pairs.
Although it is known that female dinosaurs laid their eggs in nests, it is unknown what kind of nest the Deltadromeus built, where it was located, and who was involved in building it.
Theropod eggs are generally believed to have been elongated, 2-4 times the width, and they were either smooth or textured, featuring depressions or bumps.
The incubation likely lasted between 60 to 90 days, and the hatchlings may have required adult help to escape the eggs.
Many dinosaur hatchlings were precocial, meaning they were born quite developed and could already care for themselves.
However, this does not mean the parents left them alone right after hatching.
They may have been around for some time, teaching the young how to obtain food and showing them the surroundings.
Large theropods are thought to have grown quite fast until becoming fully mature.
After this, the growth slowed down, with this trend being similar to the growth trend seen in modern African elephants.
Evolution and History
The classification of the Deltadromeus remains up for debate.
Although it has been a while since this creature’s discovery, scientists aren’t entirely sure about its location on the evolutionary tree.
At first, the dinosaur was described as a ceratosaur, meaning it was placed directly under the Ceratosauria.
In 2003, however, it was classified under the Noasauridae family alongside Afromimus, Laevisuchus, Limusaurus, and Elaphrosaurus.
It is still in this family, although its placement prompted many controversies, as the creature shares many characteristics with the Gualicho as well, which is classified under the Avetheropoda clade.
As such, if it were a relative of the Gualicho, it would be a close relative of megaraptorans (Megaraptora).
It has been suggested that the Deltadromeus, Bahariasaurus, and Aoniraptor should form a distinct family called the Bahariasauridae.
If the Gualicho was also a bahariasaurid, this could indicate that megaraptorans were much more diverse in terms of forelimb structure than previously thought.
This issue has been regarded as one of the most important in theropod systematics.
It is also widely believed that the Deltadromeus may be a junior synonym to the Bahariasaurus.
However, comparing them would be impossible since the Bahariasaurus holotype specimen was destroyed during World War II.
In short, there is a lot of mystery around the Deltadromeus genus, and further studies and paleontological discoveries are required to understand its taxonomic classification fully.
Interactions with Other Species
Since the Kem Kem Group featured many water sources, it was likely abundant in fish and other aquatic creatures.
However, the territory was also home to terrestrial animals, the Deltadromeus being one of them.
In fact, the Kem Kem Group is abundant in fossils, so the Deltadromeus probably crossed paths with other prehistoric creatures daily.
To help you understand their ecosystem better and envision a social perspective of the Deltadromeus, we’ve prepared a comprehensive list of prehistoric animals that probably lived in the same ecosystem:
- Cartilaginous fish
- Ray-finned fish
- Lobe-finned fish
- Amphibians like Cretadhefdaa and Oumtkoutia
- Lizards like Bicuspidon
- Snakes like Lapparentophis and Madtsoiidae
- Turtles like Galianemys
- Crocodylomorphs like Aegisuchus, Antaeusuchus, Elosuchus, Kemkemia, and Lavocatchmapsa
- Other theropod dinosaurs like Carcharodontosaurus, Sauroniops, and Spinosaurus
- Ankylosaurians
- Ornithopods
- Sauropods like Rebbachisaurus
- Pterosaurs like Afrotapejara, Anhanguera, Leptostomia, Apatorhamphus, and Alanqa
One of the most notable creatures contemporary to the Deltadromeus is the Carcharodontosaurus, a large carnivore reaching 12-12.5 meters (39-41 feet) long.
Scientists believe they did not compete for food.
Supposedly, they had different feeding and hunting adaptations that allowed them to coexist in the same habitat.
However, it is well-known that the Carcharodontosaurus was a ferocious theropod with a strong bite force, so if the Deltadromeus ever confronted one for food, it may not have won that battle.
The extent to which the Deltadromeus interacted with other creatures remains unknown.
It likely never crossed paths with the fish, though, as it was not aquatic!
Cultural Significance
Since the classification of Deltadromeus remains a mystery even to scientists, the genus has been and still is the subject of multiple studies trying to get to the bottom of its place in our world’s evolutionary history.
Moreover, because it remains a mystery genus and may even be synonymous with the Bahariasaurus, the Deltadromeus is poorly known regarding appearance, behavior, and diet.
These are some of the reasons why it is not as popular in the media as other prehistoric creatures.
However, the Deltadromeus does appear in a few Dinosaur King episodes, so if you want to check it out, you know where to find it!
Conclusion
The Deltadromeus was an African dinosaur that roamed the Moroccan Kem Kem Group during the Late Cretaceous.
Specifically, it was alive about 95 million years ago.
The delta runner was a bipedal carnivorous theropod with remarkably slender hind limbs and probably underdeveloped forelimbs.
It was relatively long, measuring roughly 8 meters (26 feet) and weighing one metric ton (1.1 short tons).
However, if estimates are correct, it may have grown even longer, reaching 12.2 meters (40 feet), roughly the size of a T-Rex.
FAQs
Did Deltadromeus have feathers?
Although many theropods had feathers, whether the Deltadromeus possessed any remains unknown.
Who Discovered Deltadromeus?
Gabrielle Lyon discovered the Deltadromeus in 1995.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deltadromeus
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7188693/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4943716/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667118300806?via%3Dihub
- https://paulsereno.uchicago.edu/discoveries/deltadromeus/
- http://www.arca.museus.ul.pt/ArcaSite/obj/gaia/MNHNL-0000797-MG-DOC-web.PDF
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