Pronunciation: VEC-tee-RAP-tuh
Meaning: Isle of Wight thief
Author/s: Longrich et al. (2021)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Isle of Wight, UK
Acta Ordinal: #1074
Vectiraptor greeni
(Green's Isle of Wight Thief)Etymology
Vectiraptor is derived from "Vectis" (the Latin name for the Isle of Wight) and the Greek "raptor" (thief).
The species epithet, greeni, honours amatuer palaeontologist Mick Green of Brighstone, Isle of Wight, who discovered two-thirds of its remains.
Discovery
The first two fossils of Vectiraptor were discovered in the Wessex Formation at Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight, England, by Mick Green in 2004.
A third fossil was found by the late Nick Chase.
Because all elements were discovered within a few metres of each other over a short period of time, they are interpreted as belonging to a single individual. All were subsequently donated to the Isle of Wight County Museum.
The holotype (IWCMS 2021.31.1—3) is a couple of back vertebrae (IWCMS 2021.31.1 and IWCMS 2021.31.2) collected by Green, and a partial block of fused hip vertebrae (IWCMS 2021.31.3) collected by Chase.
Large dromaeosaurid teeth previously reported from Wight might belong to Vectiraptor.
Preparator
Mick Green.
