Balaur

Balaur was a dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous of Romania.

Description
Only partial skeletal material of Balaur has been discovered, but it is believed to have grown from 1.8 to 2.1 meters in length. Its most distinguishing feature is the presence of two retractable sickle claws on each foot instead of one as normal in other dromaeosaurids. Besides the feet, other recovered material includes vertebrae and the limbs.

Classification
Balaur was a dromaeosaurid. Phylogenetic analysis places it close to Velociraptor.

Discovery
Bones of Balaur were first collected in Romania as early as 1997, but they were misidentified as coming from some type of oviraptorosaur. A partial skeleton was later discovered in 2009, and was named Balaur bondoc after a dragon from Romanian folklore.

Paleobiology
Romania was an island during the Cretaceous period, which has been dubbed "Hațeg Island". Dinosaur fossils found in the region often exhibit dwarfism, which was likely due to the isolated nature of the island. Balaur was possibly the apex predator in the area, although it displays some unusual traits. The fossils of the animal show that, unlike other dromaeosaurids, it was built for strength rather than speed. Its hands were also atrophied, which meant they were probably not used in hunting. Balaur likely used its double sickle claws to slash at its prey, leading its discovers to describe it as "probably more of a kickboxer than a sprinter" compared to its close relative Velociraptor. The dinosaur's strange anatomical features have led some paleontologists to speculate that it was actually a herbivore.