Atrociraptor “giganteus” is a genetically-modified species of dromaeosaurid dinosaur in the subfamily Saurornitholestinae. It differs significantly from its ancestral form, the species Atrociraptor marshalli; to merit clear distinction, Jurassic-Pedia has given it an unofficial new species name which references its noticeably larger size. The genus name, Atrociraptor, means “savage thief.” This dinosaur originally lived during the Maastrichtian stage of the late Cretaceous period, about 68.5 million years ago, in North America. Fossilized remains have been found in the Canadian province of Alberta.
So far, only one partial specimen has been uncovered, the fossil of an adult discovered in 1995 near the town of Drumheller by Wayne Marshall. The fossil was located in an Albertosaurus bone bed in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. Only the upper and lower jaws were found, demonstrating an animal distinctly different than other Albertan dromaeosaurs due to its short, tall skull and raked rows of teeth. Other teeth bearing the unique appearance of Atrociraptor dentition have been discovered in the Horseshoe Canyon. The species was named in 2004 by paleontologists Philip J. Currie and David Varricchio: the specific name, marshalli, honors the man who discovered it. Originally it was assigned to the subfamily Velociraptorinae, but in 2009, Currie performed further research and discovered that it was more appropriately classified in the subfamily Saurornitholestinae.
Atrociraptor has been brought back from extinction using extensive genetic modification of ancient DNA discovered in Cretaceous-aged amber, though the individual or organization responsible for first creating and modifying these organisms remains unknown at this time. The Department of Prehistoric Wildlife hypothesizes they may have been genetically modified using genes sourced from InGen‘s Velociraptor “antirrhopus,” and like that species, it bears a large number of obvious phenotypic alterations from its original form. These are possibly genomic errors, but given that genetic research into theropods has gone on since the 1980s and these errors are well-known, they may instead have been intentional alterations on the part of its creators for aesthetic or functional purposes.
Initial reports from the DPW also indicate that these animals are believed to be genetically modified for speed, and have been trained to kill. These animals have only been documented in captivity in illegal dinosaur markets, and there are no known individuals in the wild at this time.
Description
In its wild-type ancestor, this animal grew to around 6.6 feet (2 meters) long and weighed up to 33 pounds (15 kilograms), assuming it had the proportions of a normal dromaeosaur. Thanks to genetic engineering, this species has—much like InGen’s Velociraptor—managed to achieve significantly larger sizes, with reports of specimens reaching 12.8 feet (3.9 meters) in length and 6.56 feet (2 meters) tall at the top of the head. These may weigh around 498.24 pounds (226 kilograms). This makes them slightly larger and heavier than Velociraptor “antirrhopus.” However, some exceptionally large Velociraptors have been reported, whereas the data pool for Atrociraptor is very limited at the moment. As more specimens are observed, new information may come to light about precisely what their size range is.
It is built similarly to its relatives, with a bipedal stance and head held high. A large brain permits it complex intelligence, although precisely how intelligent has yet to be publicly disclosed. It is at least smart enough to learn commands, recognize individuals, and develop strategies while on the hunt. As a pursuit predator, good depth perception helps it to gauge how far it is from its target, while a powerful sense of smell ensures that it can track over long distances. Atrociraptor‘s nose is acute enough to pick out a single person in a large crowd; it also has very good hearing, which further aids in making it an efficient predator. Both its nostrils and eyes face forward.
While it can be easily confused with similar animals, one sure way to tell it apart is its skull. At first glance, the head of this dinosaur has a boxier shape than relatives like Velociraptor, even with the latter’s skull being taller than its ancestor. The head of Atrociraptor, on the other hand, is less exaggerated in its genetically modified form; during the Cretaceous period it actually was unusually short and tall. In the resurrected version, the eyes are large with vertical slit pupils and yellow-orange sclerae, not unlike Velociraptor. Such eyes suit an ambush predator that lurks in tall grass or other vertically-oriented cover, helping it to judge distance and peer between concealing objects. So far, paleontologists have only found the jaw bones of this dinosaur, but they reveal another way to tell it apart from its relatives: its teeth. In Atrociraptor, the teeth are straight, but they emerge from their sockets at a strong angle compared to the jawline. This gives its teeth a backward-raked arrangement. While its teeth are different sizes, they are all the same shape, with characteristically large serrations lending their bites savage tearing power. Additionally, it has two fenestrae (holes in the bone) on either side of the skull: the maxillary fenestra is located directly above the promaxillary fenestra. While this cannot be observed in a live Atrociraptor, it is another unique feature that differs this animal from its relatives. Its tongue is long, triangular, pink, and flexible, possessing large spine-like lingual papillae similar to those on a cat‘s tongue. These increase the tongue’s surface area and friction with food in the mouth, which is useful because like all theropods it cannot chew.
Some features of its skull differ from its fossil ancestor, aside from just its size. Part of this is because all modern Atrociraptors are designer dinosaurs, genetically modified to their buyers’ specifications, including aesthetics. For example, in at least one specimen, the lower jaw can be seen to possess a subtympanic shield on either side, a large round scale commonly seen in iguanas. In iguanas, the subtympanic shield serves no obvious purpose, so its inclusion in some Atrociraptors is almost certainly a purely aesthetic choice. Other features include prominent ridges over the eyes and somewhat less prominent nasal ridges, which may be influenced by structural genes taken from InGen’s Velociraptors, which possess similar structures. However, with so little of the fossil Atrociraptor known for certain, it is difficult to tell the origins of some of its anatomical features.
A powerful neck connects the muscular jaws of Atrociraptor to its shoulders, and then to its sleek body. The arms of this animal are similar to other dromaeosaurs, being relatively long and ending with three functional fingers. Each finger is clawed, built for gripping prey or objects. As with many de-extinct theropods that came before it, cloned Atrociraptors have different wrist anatomy than their prehistoric ancestors, being able to rotate their hands to face palms down. Although this enhances their dexterity, they still primarily use their hands for gripping, rather than manipulating objects in complex ways.
Like with other deinonychosaurs, the Atrociraptor is truly notable for its legs, which can accelerate it to roughly 60 miles (96.56 kilometers) per hour within seconds. When given open space to accelerate further, it can even briefly exceed this; while its precise speed was not clocked, one specimen managed to catch up to a large aircraft which was reaching takeoff speed, meaning that the animal very likely exceeded 100 miles (160.93 kilometers) per hour. It achieved this speed during a jump, so it probably utilized a similar strategy to professional long jumpers, leaping into the air immediately before reaching its maximum running speed. By jumping before reaching the fastest possible speed, human athletes can use their existing momentum to continue accelerating at the same rate, and as a result their true maximum speed exceeds their maximum running speed. A strategic pounce from an Atrociraptor can take advantage of physics in the same way. Some experts believe that de-extinct Atrociraptors have been genetically modified specifically to enhance their speed. The engineered Atrociraptor is not only the fastest known biped, it has the fastest observed land speed of any animal. Cheetahs, the fastest naturally-occurring runners, can reach 75 miles (120.7 kilometers) per hour in a sprint, but cannot maintain this speed for very long. Atrociraptor “giganteus” has much better endurance as well as a faster top speed. And, of course, its legs are supported by four-toed feet, with one toe being a vestigial dewclaw and the innermost functional toe bearing a curved raptorial claw with a flesh-puncturing tip. This is used to pierce the hide of prey and hold fast, permitting the jaws to do their deadly work. The raptorial claw is proportionally smaller than that of Velociraptor, measuring around five inches. It is unknown whether this is a result of genetic engineering or the traits inherited from prehistoric Atrociraptors.
While it grows larger than the average InGen Velociraptor, its weight is about the same as a decently bulky Velociraptor and so by proportion is a little lighter despite its dense musculature. For such an efficient combination of speed and power, every aspect of the Atrociraptor‘s engineered anatomy must be fine-tuned to avoid sacrificing the strength of either trait for the other. The body of the resultant animal is less slender than Velociraptor and stockier, but with solid, high-density muscle and precisely-proportioned limbs. It orients itself into an aerodynamic shape when aiming for its top speed to reduce air resistance. The tail also plays a vital role in its speed, serving to counterbalance its body when running and allowing it to make quick turns before accelerating again. Its tail is otherwise unadorned, but is fairly long. It can be held stiff, but is flexible when relaxed, making it an adaptable appendage.
The ancestral form of Atrociraptor would have had plumage, like all maniraptorans and most other theropods. However, when its genome was reconstructed in the modern age, this feature was altered, either deliberately or unintentionally. The circumstances of its creation are shrouded in secrecy, but at the time Atrociraptor was cloned, the evolution of feathers in theropods was a well-known scientific fact. Because of this, the skin of cloned Atrociraptors being scaly would have been known to be an alteration immediately. Its creators may have intentionally chosen this type of skin for aesthetic purposes, or it may have been a consequence of genetic engineering which they had no motive to amend. In either case, the skin is similar in texture to Velociraptor “antirrhopus“, which may have been the source of some Atrociraptor “giganteus” genes; it has small round scales over most of its body and larger, slightly raised ones on its dorsal side. On the lower jaw, especially around the chin, it has small pyramidal scales which are unique to this species. They may resemble tiny stubble-like quills, but they are firm rather than flexible, and are a part of its skin rather than feather-like integument. Because of the extensive genetic modification performed on individual Atrociraptors, the natural coloration cannot be determined. Most have light orange base color and vertical striping, but even this may be a deliberate part of the animals’ design chosen by their creators. In Jurassic World: Evolution 2, the basic Atrociraptors have irregular horizontal patterning which is usually darker than their base color.
Growth
Hatchling and juvenile stages have yet to be observed, but are probably similar to related animals such as Velociraptor. The growth rates are, presumably, quite rapid, though it is unknown how much the use of growth enhancers accelerates their maturation.
Sexual Dimorphism
Because of the extensive genetic modification done to the Atrociraptor base genome as well as deliberate aesthetic augmentations to specific specimens, it is unknown whether they naturally exhibit noticeable sexual dimorphism. If they do express some genes that originate in Velociraptor “antirrhopus nublarensis,” as DPW officials have speculated, they may variably demonstrate some of the sexually dimorphic traits of this animal, such as differing sclera color and pupil shape, or more vibrant color on males. Alternatively, though, it would be fairly easy to splice male traits into a female animal, or vice versa. If sex-linked traits have been modified in these theropods, we may also expect heightened rates of intersexuality.
Habitat
Preferred Habitat
Atrociraptor fossils have been found in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation, whose rocks were once a part of floodplains, swamps, and estuaries along the coast. This suggests that Atrociraptor ancestrally favored wet environments where life was abundant, and therefore its food was plentiful. The original fossil jaw was discovered in an area that also contained an Albertosaurus bone bed, suggesting that it lived in the same environment as this tyrannosaur. Since being brought back from extinction, Atrociraptor has undergone extensive genetic modification to adapt it to a new kind of environment: the urban biome, where it must contend with constrained spaces, dense human populations, and threats that no natural animals are fully evolved to deal with. It lacks feathers, but it is warm-blooded, so temperature changes are not a major problem. As these animals are expected to be utilized around the world, an ability to adjust to differing climates is a must.
Muertes Archipelago
This species has never been reported in the Muertes Archipelago.
Isla Nublar
This species has never been reported on Isla Nublar.
Mantah Corp Island
This species has never been reported on Mantah Corp Island.
Biosyn Genetics Sanctuary
Although this animal has been confirmed in the modern world, and thus would be eligible for housing in Biosyn Genetics Sanctuary if captured by the proper authorities, none have yet been confirmed here. It is possible that four specimens which were discovered during a sting operation in Malta may have been transported to the sanctuary in 2022, but it is equally possible that one or more of them were recollected by the criminal underground or died during the incident.
Black market
The first Atrociraptor specimens were bred by an unknown party sometime after late 2018, when de-extinction technology and resources were sold on the black market. While the creator of today’s Atrociraptors has yet to be identified, four adult specimens were owned by the black market broker Soyona Santos as of the early 2020s. These animals are known by the names Ghost, Tiger, Red, and Panthera. The specimens were considered thoroughbreds, unaltered from the original strains first created by unknown scientists, benefiting from highly specialized training provided by Santos. At the moment they are the only four Atrociraptors which have been confirmed in the modern day, though their status as thoroughbreds means that there were others that preceded them. In early 2022, Santos was preparing to ship all four from Valletta, Malta to a buyer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The identity of this buyer has not been revealed. Others may sometimes be trafficked through the Amber Clave night market in Malta, though none have been confirmed yet.
All four were involved with an incident in Valletta in early 2022 during which Santos was arrested. The animals were deliberately released and sicced on American intelligence operatives, causing at least three fatalities. During the conflict, Red was captured by the authorities without injury while Ghost and Tiger sustained serious injuries while being subdued in the field. Panthera made it through the conflict with minor injuries. The status of the four raptors is currently unknown. It is most likely that Red was taken in by the authorities after being captured. Ghost and Tiger were last seen in the field after being injured (Tiger was clotheslined at high speed and left on a side street, while Ghost fell from an aircraft headfirst into the ocean) and may have either died of their injuries or been captured. Panthera, who was left alive and mildly injured on an airfield north of Valletta, was most likely captured by either the authorities or the underground.
Wild populations
During the late Cretaceous period, the ancestral species Atrociraptor marshalli evolved in North America, on the western island subcontinent of Laramidia. This, at the time, was a lush coastal environment near the Western Interior Seaway. While the species probably flourished in this ecosystem, little is known about how common it was; fossils are scarce, but it may just be that fairly few of these animals died in places where their bodies would become fossilized, or that rocks containing their fossils were destroyed by natural events over millions of years. All the same, Atrociraptor‘s fossil record has currently been dated to a limited range of time around 68.5 million years ago, after which point it became extinct. It is difficult to determine what caused the extinction of an organism that lived so far in the past, but changes in the local or global environment are often the cause.
Atrociraptor as it once was, for the time being, is gone. Instead, breakthroughs in genetic engineering have permitted scientists to reconstruct its genome, replacing damaged genes with the help of donor genomes. Notably, the species Velociraptor “antirrhopus“, an already-aberrant animal bioengineered by International Genetic Technologies in the 1990s, may have been used as a source for genes utilized in the creation of Atrociraptor. The resultant animal does not closely resemble its ancestor, much like Velociraptor, but is genetically similar. At this time, all cloned Atrociraptors are believed to live in captivity. The Department of Prehistoric Wildlife has not received reports of wild specimens. This means that, despite having been brought back from extinction in this new form, Atrociraptor remains extinct in the wild, at least for now.
Behavior and Ecology
Activity Patterns
The vertical pupils of the Atrociraptor suggest that it would be adept at hunting in low-light conditions, although not all animals with vertical pupils are nocturnal. Some are simply ambush hunters which prowl low to the ground. However, the natural behavioral patterns of Atrociraptor “giganteus” cannot be determined from current data, since all known specimens are held in captivity. Their behaviors and activity are all strongly affected by their captive conditions, especially as they are commonly trained as attack animals. Such a purpose means that their owners expect them to be able to respond to a threat at any time of day or night, so they must be adaptable and able to function efficiently around the clock. They appear to be bought and sold in groups, and while this satisfies their need for socialization, it probably also allows them to sleep in shifts to ensure at least one is always awake. However, this has not been confirmed, and remains speculative.
Diet and Feeding Behavior
Even before its extensive modifications, Atrociraptor was always a carnivore and an active predator. Like all deinonychosaurs, it is intelligent and speedy, allowing it to track, ambush, and chase down prey items. Though none are currently believed to live in the wild, experts from the Department of Prehistoric Wildlife believe that this animal normally feeds on small mammals and lizards. Captive specimens have been trained to hunt humans, though this does not necessarily mean the raptors always eat them. Many species of deinonychosaurs can coordinate their movements to corner and prey upon animals larger than themselves; this has not been observed in Atrociraptor, but as a highly intelligent animal, it could be capable of collaborative hunting. Fossil teeth have been found in abundance alongside baby hadrosaurs, suggesting that this dromaeosaur also feeds on dinosaur hatchlings.
Atrociraptor has acute senses that it uses to identify prey. Its eyesight is very good, keenly attuned for ambush attacks, but its most impressive sense is perhaps its sense of smell. A well-trained Atrociraptor can quickly memorize new scents, retaining an ability to recognize them even in crowded areas or unfamiliar environments with great accuracy. Once it has selected its prey, the raptor will waste no time in attacking as soon as the opportunity presents itself. It may immediately pounce and tackle its victim to the ground, or give chase if the prey tries to flee. Atrociraptor accelerates very quickly and hits hard when it makes contact, preferring a more direct and brutish approach to killing its prey than Velociraptor. Unless its prey has some serious advantages on its side, escape is largely impossible; because of the intense training they are put through, Atrociraptors are some of the most efficient hunters in the animal kingdom.
To kill, this animal uses its teeth and claws in combination with sheer brute force impact. The largest claws on its feet curve in characteristic dromaeosaur fashion, and though they are proportionally a little smaller than Velociraptor‘s, they are sharp enough to puncture flesh and hold fast. Once lodged in place, they are difficult to remove. The claws of the arms are also helpful in grappling. Clinging to the prey item, or otherwise pinning it down, the Atrociraptor will then bring its jaws into play. The teeth are raked backwards due to the angle at which they protrude, and they are used to make the kill in a matter of seconds. Blood loss, shock, organ damage, or simply a crushed neck will bring a swift end to the unfortunate animal that finds itself the target of a hungry Atrociraptor.
Social Behavior
Like many aspects of Atrociraptor biology, its social relations are obfuscated by the fact that none have been observed alive in the wild. All specimens in the modern day have been bred in captivity and trained by human owners. However, most raptor species are very social animals, and Atrociraptor is generally sold in packs rather than individually, suggesting that they do not flourish alone. Just like they identify prey items using their fine-tuned senses, they can probably recognize members of their own kind by sight, smell, and sound. It is not known how social dominance is achieved, but their keen senses may play a role. In the similar Velociraptor, animals with superior strength, experience, intelligence, and sociability are best suited for leadership, and Atrociraptor may also value these skills.
When on the hunt, Atrociraptor has been observed to mainly work alone, though it can cooperate to focus on a single target if instructed to do so. In this way, they behave somewhat like cats, being social animals yet engaging in mostly solitary hunting. In fact, when Atrociraptors have been observed hunting together, they sometimes get in one another’s way, impeding each other. They seem to be more successful when operating alone.
Efforts to establish humans within the pack structure of Velociraptor have been met with mostly failure. Even the best results have only had partial success. On the other hand, success has been had with Atrociraptor. Soyona Santos is perhaps the most well-known Atrociraptor trainer, having positioned herself as the alpha over four specimens. Part of her success is because, unlike the famously failed InGen raptor training programs, she did not force them to suppress their hunting instinct—instead, she focused that instinct. To succeed in training Atrociraptors, one must understand how they think, and so the right kind of personality is necessary to gain their respect and loyalty. Although the dynamic between human and animal may be different than the dynamic between conspecifics, Santos’s success at establishing authority with them may provide some valuable insight into the role a pack leader would play in nature. Among the trained animals, Santos is the one who chooses victims and commands specific raptors to attack, being the mastermind behind their hunts. Whether the raptors’ intended buyer in 2022 would have been equally successful will likely remain unknown.
In Jurassic World: Evolution 2, a social interaction between Atrociraptors involves a vocal greeting before one animal ducks beneath the tail of the other, appearing to sniff it briefly. This suggests that smell plays an important role in the social lives of Atrociraptors.
Reproduction
Although this species has not been observed breeding naturally, it has been bred in captivity, confirmed by the existence of thoroughbred animals. These are not genetically altered from their original stock (though the originals were themselves genetically engineered) through more than natural genetic drift, meaning that both males and females have been created. It is not known how they court, mate, and breed; courtship among most kinds of animals involves the demonstration of the traits that best suit them to their environment, though in more intelligent species such as theropods it may also have unique psychological components. With exceptional vision, smell, and other senses, the Atrociraptor can make full use of the ways it perceives the world in order to make itself appealing to a mate.
Most dinosaurs have a cloaca which houses the reproductive openings, and the eggs are laid from here. All dinosaurs are oviparous, laying eggs to reproduce. Theropod eggs are usually ovoid. In Velociraptor, eggs are typically laid in clutches of ten or more, deposited in roughly circular formation in open-air ground nests built in sheltered spaces. A lack of incubating cover suggests that they brood the eggs when the temperature drops. Guarding nesting sites is a communal activity, though in some raptor subspecies there may be a specific individual who specializes in caring for the nests. While breeding has not been observed directly in Atrociraptor, they probably show reproductive behaviors akin to those of their relatives. Dinosaurs of this size commonly incubate for three to six months.
Juvenile raptors are able to walk almost as soon as they hatch, and with the Atrociraptor specifically modified to enhance its speed and power, they are probably independent at an extremely young age. Slightly less aberrant raptor species may be able to hunt for themselves at around eight weeks of age, although parental care is still provided, and young raptors may continue to live with their parents. Growth is rapid, and in other raptor species, full maturity is reached in as little as one or two years. Both skeletal and sexual maturity are achieved at around the same time.
Communication
The vocalizations made by Atrociraptor are gruffer and lower in pitch than those of Velociraptor, but otherwise sound somewhat similar and serve comparable purposes. A range of grunts, snarls, yowls, barks, and hisses have been observed. It is not yet known whether their communication is equally complex (some scientists consider Velociraptor “antirrhopus” to have a functional language). Many Velociraptor vocalizations are used to coordinate during hunts, and since Atrociraptor generally hunts similarly-sized prey and so does not need the aid of its fellows, it probably does not use as many coordination calls. Instead, most of its calls are probably social in nature.
Unfortunately, since virtually all modern Atrociraptors are in possession of criminals and not available for scientific study, the full range of their communication methods is difficult to discern. Most of the known sounds they make are used to express aggression, since they are commonly trained as attack animals. Harsh snarls and hisses can be used to intimidate an enemy, or may simply be a way for the raptor to express enjoyment of the chase. They are known to revel in their own predatory intent, so some of their hunting sounds seem to be savage emotional exclamations. When alarmed or injured, they may howl or yelp, expressing surprise or pain. During more intense parts of their pursuit hunting they are likely to remain silent, though, their only noises being pants and grunts emitted from sheer physical exertion.
Sadly little is known about how they communicate outside of the work they are bred for. Like other raptors they most likely bark to get each other’s attention, and have vocalizations that relay information about the surrounding environment such as the presence of food or danger. Atrociraptor has good hearing, but its senses of smell and vision are also highly acute, so it may use these to communicate just as much as or even more than vocalizing. Many animals use body language to convey information, which has been observed in Velociraptor when keeping quiet is necessary. Since they favor smell when identifying things in their surroundings, Atrociraptor is likely also attuned to pheromones produced by its own kind.
Ecological Interactions
In its original form during the Cretaceous period, Atrociraptor inhabited wetland and coastal environments where it hunted small animals such as reptiles and primitive mammals. The first known fossil was found in an area that contained a bonebed consisting of Albertosaurus fossils, so Atrociraptor lived alongside this tyrannosaur; the relationship they had in prehistory is unknown. Its teeth have been found in unusually high abundance near the fossils of baby hadrosaurs, which were probably its prey. In the modern day, however, none are known to live in the wild. All modern Atrociraptors so far have been raised in captivity and most are trained specifically as attack animals—rather than hunting and killing as their instincts direct, their behavior is reliant upon commands issued by human owners. Because of the purpose for which they are commonly trained, most of their prey is also human.
Still, there are some basic assumptions about this animal that can be made with relative confidence. It is a carnivore and an active hunter, so it acts as a regulator on the populations of prey items in its environment. Since it mostly hunts alone, it puts pressure on the smaller animal species of its ecosystem; in the modern day these would include creatures such as lizards and rodents, but it can certainly prey on creatures near to its own size. If a few were to cooperate, they could probably manage to kill a larger animal by overwhelming it. The establishment of a population of Atrociraptors in an area would also act as deterrent toward other predators; these hunters are astonishingly fast and efficient, so even if they are not large enough to directly fight a rival, they can certainly get to any food source first.
Although they do not have any symbiotic relationships with the larger animals in their environments (barring cases where they are owned by humans), they are just as closely linked to the tiny species around them as any animal is. In the ancient past, they were sometimes bitten by blood-drinking arthropods such as mosquitoes. It is from sources such as these that genetic engineers were able to obtain samples of Atrociraptor DNA and rebuild the creature, though the results are also heavily modified. Modern mosquitoes and other such pests may still be a problem for Atrociraptors, as are modern diseases that their prehistoric immune systems are not adapted for. Their creators have the ability to engineer them for better immunity, but disease-causing microorganisms evolve at a breakneck pace compared to macroscopic life, so the struggle against illness is one that modern Atrociraptors cannot completely escape.
Cultural Significance
Symbolism
A lesser-known species compared to Velociraptor and Deinonychus, the Atrociraptor has an interesting place in popular culture because of the circumstances of its de-extinction. In the decades since the first deinonychosaurs were brought back from extinction, scientists have learned much about how they looked and lived during their native Cretaceous, discovering that the de-extinct specimens suffered from widespread genetic alterations which rendered them almost unrecognizable. As a result, species that were engineered from older DNA samples tended to be more heavily altered, whereas over time newer species were produced which more closely resembled their ancestors. By the time Atrociraptor was cloned, the issues with de-extinction accuracy had largely been solved. Atrociraptor was nevertheless engineered to be roughly twice its original size, possessing scaly skin instead of a plumage coat, and with miscellaneous other alterations.
The reason behind this is not fully known because Atrociraptor‘s creators are criminals who avoid the spotlight. Experts believe that they utilized InGen Velociraptor genes due to some of the similarities. InGen’s Velociraptors are widely known for the large number of phenotypic anomalies they demonstrate, which are replicated in Atrociraptor. Whether the anomalies were deliberately chosen or just ignored, they point to the fact that this dinosaur’s creator has little interest in recreating prehistoric life for scientific research purposes, an issue which many scientists have warned about since de-extinction became public knowledge. Atrociraptor was bred as an asset, not an animal, and its appearance reflects the way in which its engineers view it. They are symbolic of the way that some people believe these animals should look and act, even when it is widely known to be false. Many aspects of nature are treated this way, and now with the ability to manipulate nature on such a fundamental level, humanity has the power to bring those inaccurate views of nature to life.
Aside from their appearance and what that means for the culture around de-extinction, the fact that Atrociraptors were specifically engineered as attack animals has led to them symbolizing the black market for de-extinct life. They are emblematic of dinosaurs as a threat, as unnatural creatures, or even as monsters; it is easy to forget that they are still animals, and that the people who seek to manipulate genetics to violent ends are the real danger.
Behind the scenes, the Atrociraptors seem to serve a similar purpose, and have been interpreted and criticized for essentially the same reasons as described above. They are contrasted in Jurassic World: Dominion with the Pyroraptor, which is portrayed with a coat of feathers like it had in real life. Showing the two different kinds of raptors in the same film was meant to confirm, in spite of what some fans like to believe, that dinosaurs in the Jurassic film continuity did look more or less like their real-life equivalents and that the differences are due to genetic engineering. However, largely due to director Colin Trevorrow’s vocal objection to using accurate dinosaurs in 2015’s Jurassic World, some audiences instead interpreted the Atrociraptors as a kind of last stand on his part.
The scientific name of the fossil species, Atrociraptor marshalli, honors its discoverer Wayne Marshall.
In Captivity
So far, all Atrociraptors have been cloned or bred in captivity. They were created by an unknown underground party, either an independent team or a part of an organization, designed to be faster, stronger, and larger. Atrociraptor is valued as an attack animal and can be trained to respond to commands using sight and sound signals, permitting the owner to focus their hunting instincts on human enemies. In countries such as the United States, this qualifies as first-degree murder, and the animal involved could legally be euthanized. However, ownership of Atrociraptors is mostly confined to people who have large amounts of money and power, and thus are largely immune to legal consequences. Specific people who own Atrociraptors have not been identified, but the broker Soyona Santos was caught in 2022 attempting to sell four raptors to an unknown buyer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Atrociraptor is not large for a dinosaur, but it is still quite large for a pet animal, and the expense of upkeep for this energetic predator is likely extreme. Compounded with the fact that they are social animals and need to be kept in groups, it is a very pricey creature indeed, probably costing tens of thousands of dollars a year to house, feed, exercise, and keep healthy. The price Santos charged for selling her four animals in 2022 is not known, but she could comfortably afford to pay €50,000 to have them transported to their destination. This was twice her usual rate of pay, amounting to €12,500 per raptor (about USD $13,532.24 at that time), so she was clearly paid well for her sale. She had every reason to charge a high price: not only were the animals rare, they were trained to an unprecedented degree of loyalty. During the sting operation in 2022 during which the raptors were first seen by authorities, they not once questioned Santos’s commands and executed their targets without a moment’s hesitation. She utilized a handheld laser device to identify each raptor’s target, using a high-frequency electronic noise (and probably a subdermal implant, similar to the ones used at Jurassic World) to communicate the command to each specific raptor. The laser and noise communication system was based off of techniques pioneered by Eli Mills, the same man responsible for putting dinosaurs on the black market. Mills was killed due to his own poor planning; Santos has been far wiser about the techniques she uses.
At the moment it is unknown how many de-extinct Atrociraptors are in circulation. The four trained by Santos and involved with the 2022 Valletta incident are no longer in her possession, having either been captured or died of their injuries during the incident, but the person or people breeding these animals may still be at large. Captured animals may be moved to sanctuary for rehabilitation, but depending on precisely which authorities take them into custody, they may be legally required to be euthanized instead. At the moment, the efforts of any legal authorities to deal with caught Atrociraptors remains undisclosed.
Science
When it was first discovered in 1995, the only Atrociraptor fossil consisting of more than some dislodged teeth was thought to be a close relative of the Asian genus Velociraptor. It was named a new genus in 2004. However, with new research, it was determined that Atrociraptor was more closely related to Saurornitholestes, placing it in a slightly different branch of the dromaeosaur family tree. Furthermore, numerous teeth found in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation which had been assumed to be Saurornitholestes teeth were determined to actually come from Atrociraptor. This reexamination was performed in 2009 by Phillip Currie, one of the paleontologists who described the original fossil. More research performed by a team including Currie in 2022 further enlightened Atrociraptor‘s place in the evolutionary history of dromaeosaurs, showing it to be one of the most derived saurornitholestine dinosaurs alongside its relative Acheroraptor. Its fossil remains have provided information about the Horseshoe Canyon ecosystem, showing a mid-sized predator that lived in the shadows of the larger Albertosaurus and preyed on juvenile hadrosarus.
The de-extinction of Atrociraptor has been unusually distanced from paleontology and firmly in the field of genetic engineering. This is because it was not bred for edutainment as InGen had commonly done, nor was it cloned for scientific research as were most of Biosyn‘s animals, but instead recreated solely as a product to sell on the black market. As a result, it was aesthetically designed to appeal to its target audience. While details of its creation are a secret known only to the people involved and select clientele, some experts believe that the scientists behind this altered Atrociraptor utilized genes poached from InGen Velociraptor specimens to yield similar results with this animal. InGen’s Velociraptors are around twice as large as their ancestors, far more intelligent, faster, and lack plumage, instead having scaly skin over the full body. The scaly skin and lack of feathers is known to have been an unintended genetic error which InGen was never able to resolve once later research determined it was an anomaly, but some features, such as the larger size, are suspected to have been deliberate enhancements. All of the alterations to Atrociraptor are believed to have been deliberate, since it was cloned after decades of de-extinction research. Although it differs from its ancestors in many ways, it does serve as proof of just how far genetic engineering has come since the 1980s. Genetically engineered organisms can now be modified with unprecedented precision.
Atrociraptor has also been trained using methods based on years of research by InGen and other groups. The basic training regimens are strongly based on the behavioral research performed in InGen’s I.B.R.I.S. Project, which sought to better understand the cognition of Velociraptors in order to integrate them into a park environment and teach animal trainers how to communicate with them effectively. While I.B.R.I.S. was only partially successful, Atrociraptor trainers have built off of this initial research to achieve better results. In addition, the use of visual and auditory cues to designate targets when instructing Atrociraptors to attack, as practiced by Soyona Santos, is based on research performed in the later half of the 2010s by Eli Mills and Henry Wu with the prototype Indoraptor. This, too, was not completely successful, as the prototype was poorly adjusted and frequently attacked handlers. Santos, who is thus far the only confirmed Atrociraptor trainer, referenced the successful parts of both of these two attempts: she utilized the instruction methods Mills and Wu tried out, but rather than relying solely on genetic engineering to yield responsive and loyal animals, she utilized the I.B.R.I.S. methods favored by InGen trainers Owen Grady and Barry Sembène, which placed emphasis on nurturing the animals so that they would understand and trust humans. Combined, these references have allowed Santos to achieve unprecedented success at obtaining the animals’ unwavering loyalty.
Politics
Unfortunately, Atrociraptor finds itself in a sweet spot in terms of negative politics, managing to find a place into almost every controversy surrounding de-extinction. It was not bred for research or edutainment, as have historically been the goals of this scientific discipline. Instead, it was custom-built using handpicked genes in order to yield the most dangerous kind of animal for personal defense. It is, in a very real sense, designed to kill. With a large section of the public already viewing prehistoric life as inherently savage, Atrociraptor hardly comes across as sympathetic, even though most of them in circulation will have no choice but to face lifelong violence.
Atrociraptor is, therefore, in a position to be hit hardest by the debate surrounding whether or not de-extinct animals have rights. Even on the side which argues they should, some still suggest special exceptions should be made for carnivores, particularly those that could threaten human life and safety. The creation of this species was certainly unlicensed, with its creators being hidden from the public eye, but their existence also lends itself to the argument that far stricter regulations should be put on genetic engineering in general. Companies such as Biosyn Genetics are permitted to perform de-extinction, and regulating genetic engineering is a legally murky area, but the use of these sciences to deliberately harm people is a strong political motivator. Of course, when governments begin placing regulations on science, it tends to lead toward greater anti-intellectual sentiment and societal regression. All around, the creation of Atrociraptor and its near-universal implementation as an attack animal has been a net negative. It has harmed the public by giving criminals a new kind of weapon (and laying the groundwork to design more), harmed science through bad publicity, and harmed de-extinct animals by legitimizing a new way of exploiting them.
Resources
The genetically-modified Atrociraptor was cloned by an unknown organization for a singular purpose: to train for personal defense. Their modifications are believed to include features like enhanced speed and size, and they may have been modified using genes from InGen’s Velociraptors, which are themselves altered to be larger, stronger, and more intelligent than their ancestors. A well-trained Atrociraptor can be assigned a target with the use of a laser pointer device and memorize the target’s scent within seconds. Then, an acoustic signal issues the order to kill, which the animal can often accomplish just as rapidly. It is a more brutish hunter than Velociraptor, enjoying the chase more than the kill itself; its victims seldom live long once its teeth and claws find their mark. Only highly-experienced or very lucky targets have been known to escape. Atrociraptors are faster, stronger, and smarter than conventional attack animals (most people who want to see their enemies mauled will choose dogs), and so are preferred by those who can afford them.
This practice is, as one might assume, highly contentious. While training animals to kill is illegal in most developed countries, and successfully doing so may result in murder charges, the law surrounding genetically-engineered and de-extinct creatures is not yet clear. There is still debate as to whether they can legally be considered animals or restricted by the same laws, or if new laws must instead be written up to regulate their exploitation. Most Atrociraptor owners are not overly concerned with the law, though, so for the most part this is irrelevant to anyone other than government officials.
While these dinosaurs have so far been used exclusively for violent ends by the rich and powerful, they do also have the potential for more. They are a highly refined example of genetic engineering, and the techniques used in designing them could one day be applied to projects that are more beneficial to society. The animals themselves could also yield never-before-seen biopharmaceuticals, which have been discovered in most de-extinct species. Since more success has been had in training them than any other dromaeosaur species, they could yield brand-new insights into how these animals think, and thereby improve human relationships with these theropods. Any paleontological value found in this genus, though, is limited to fossil specimens so far. Hopefully one day enough Atrociraptors will find their way out of the black market in order to exist for more than killing at the whims of their owners.
Safety
Experts believe that there are currently no Atrociraptors in the wild, so it is thankfully unlikely that you will randomly stumble across one on a hike or while camping. Instead, these animals are only found in captivity, chiefly in the black market where they were first bred. This does mean, however, that most Atrociraptors are kept in close proximity to inhabited areas, sometimes directly in cities where millions of people live. The owners of these trained animals use them for eliminating enemies, and if you are a random normal civilian, it is unlikely you will become a target. Instead, you are more likely to encounter these dromaeosaurs during some kind of conflict between different criminal factions, or between criminals and law enforcement.
Should you find yourself face-to-face with an Atrociraptor, it is important that you act non-threatening. It probably has a different target to focus on, but if it thinks you stand in its way, you might be added to the list. So face the animal to keep it in sight, but back away slowly, not making sudden movements. Absolutely do not run, since it can move with astonishing speed. If you trigger its chase instincts, it will be on you in seconds unless you can put some obstacles between yourself and it very, very quickly. Fighting back against it is also a bad move, since then it will definitely see you as a threat, so only engage it if your life is actively in danger. Its jaws are powerful even for a raptor and will take no time at all to crush and eviscerate whatever part of your body they land on.
These guidelines are all helpful if you are not involved with whatever conflict the Atrociraptor is a part of. If, on the other hand, you are actually the designated victim, things will be much more difficult. You may have a weapon on hand, but considering the speed these animal can move at, you will probably have an extremely limited window of time to use that weapon, so make it count. Strike for weak points such as the eyes or throat. Should you find yourself on the run, you will need to put any obstacles between yourself and the Atrociraptor that you can. Most simple obstacles will only net you a few seconds at best, so prepare to use multiple obstacles in sequence, and ones that are not easily predictable. Sturdy shelter such as a vehicle or building may get you some extra time, but do not wait around; the Atrociraptor will eventually find its way inside, so you should already be formulating your next move. If you can get into a moving vehicle, do this as soon as you can; this is probably the only way you can outrun the dinosaur for any amount of time.
There is, of course, one problem, and this is that the Atrociraptor‘s senses are naturally honed for hunting and have only been enhanced through genetic manipulation. It can learn and memorize new scents rapidly and track them over quite long distances. Even if you escape, all the animal needs in order to find you is time. You could try disguising your scent, but really, there are only three ways to survive permanently. The first is to neutralize the Atrociraptor, probably the most obvious solution. The drawback to this is that you may further anger its owner if you kill it, and then you may find yourself back at square one with a second raptor set upon you. The second method is to get somewhere that the raptor physically cannot go, such as crossing a large body of water (they are poor swimmers, and may lose your scent if you get far enough away). Escaping by air is effective, since your scent will no longer be traceable this way. This strategy is preferable so long as you never have any need of going back to the area where the attack occurred, since the raptor will likely remember you should a subsequent encounter occur. The third, and probably most difficult, method is to get the owner to call off the attack. Whatever you did to anger the owner, resolving your conflict is preferable to being ripped to shreds, so if the possibility exists, you should take it. Even then, you may want to spend at least a few years looking over your shoulder.
Behind the Scenes
According to production designer Kevin Jenkins, the role of the Atrociraptors in Jurassic World: Dominion was at one point around 2019 considered for Deinonychus. However, the final species to play this role was chosen by Colin Trevorrow during production, apparently because he wanted to feature a lesser-known animal.
Sound effects for the Atrociraptors largely come from the 2008 American television series Jurassic Fight Club.
Notable Individuals
Ghost – specimen formerly owned by Soyona Santos
Tiger – specimen formerly owned by Soyona Santos
Red – specimen formerly owned by Soyona Santos
Panthera – specimen formerly owned by Soyona Santos
Disambiguation Links
Atrociraptor “giganteus” (L/M)
