Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis

Length: 15 feet
Height: 5 feet
Weight: 150 pounds

**Coloration:**

*Male –* A dark but faded red with crimson to black blotches along the body, with a white underbelly.

*Female –* Like the male, except more orange than red and with more faded black markings.

*Juvenile (both sexes) –* Completely yellow. Markings appear with age.

**Diet:**

 Mainly baby dinosaurs, tree-dwelling animals such as birds, monkeys, sloths and ocelots; eggs and carrion.

**Preferred Habitat:**

 Dense Jungle and Forest.

**Social Structure:**

 Usually in male/ female pairs, occasionally small groups.

**Description:**

 Small bipedal carnivore. Herrerasaurus is among
the most ancient of Sorna's dinosaur species, but it is still
surprisingly advanced. It has a flexible, hinged joint in its lower jaw
 which allows it to get a good grip on its struggling prey. Its most
primitive feature is its hands. Each hand has five fingers instead of
the usual three seen in other, more advanced theropods. The first two
fingers and the thumb possess curved, sharp claws for grasping prey and
 clinging to branches. Its fourth and fifth digits are small stubs
without claws. Like a clouded leopard, Herrerasaurus’ ankles can rotate a
 full 180 degrees. It has a flexible tail that helps maintain its
balance. Like its tail, Herrerasaurus' entire body is much more flexible
 than any other dinosaurs' to suit its tree-dwelling lifestyle.

**Behaviors:**

An arboreal animal, Herrerasaurus is as much at home
 in the trees as Velociraptor is on the ground. While it will venture
onto the ground when tempted by food or to travel across more open
terrain, the number of predatory dinosaur species on Sorna means the
Herrerasaurus prefers to stick to the safety of the canopy, where
competition is less extreme. Using its tail for balance and its powerful
 hind limbs to leap, Herrerasaurus can spring through the jungle canopy
 nearly as fast as the raptors can run along the forest floor. Its
flexible body allows it to take up residence in the densest of thickets,
 slip through the smallest gaps in branches, and even turn around at
pursuing predators for a quick defensive snap. Its tree-dwelling habits
 also allow it to consume its kills high off the ground, where no other
 predator can reach.

Herrerasaurus bites are surprisingly strong for the animal's size.
Small prey items are snatched in the dinosaur's grasping clawed hands,
and killed with a shattering bite to the skull. Herrerasaurus stalks its
 prey slowly and silently, leaping upon its victim at the last minute.
 Being arboreal, Herrerasaurus' eyesight is exremely keen and it can see
 in the dark of night just as well in the light of day. Groups of
Herrerasaurus sometimes become attached to solitary Ceratosaurus or
small groups of Metriacanthosaurus, following the larger carnivores from
 the safety of the trees and cleaning up the remains of kills,
preventing them from becoming rotten. The larger carnivores tend to
accept the presence of Herrerasaurus because not only do they remove
unwanted waste, they also provide an elevated vantage point to spot
oncoming dangers. In return, the larger carnivores protect the
Herrerasaurus from smaller threats such as Velociraptor.

Herrerasaurus’ cackling call is unique among theropods, sounding like a
 sharper version of the hyena's laugh. Herrerasaurus males locate and
single out prospective mates with the use of long-distance, whooping
calls which can carry for many miles. Fights between males over females
 involve tooth and claw, with either male trying to force his rival
out of the tree. Rather than laying eggs in a nest on the forest
floor, Herrerasaurus nest in the highest tops of trees on the
farthest, thinnest branches they can reach; far away from any would-be
 egg thieves. Both parents take turns guarding the nests and hunting
for food. Once the young are old enough to fend for themselves, the
parents will go their separate ways, while the young remain with the
mother for a while longer. Males and females typically do not mate for
life, and take different partners with each breeding season.