Originally, the paleontologists thought the theropod died while scavenging the carcass of the titanosaur. But further analysis of the surrounding sediments, together with the well-preserved state of the fossils, suggested their association was accidental.

"We interpret that Neuquenraptor was not scavenging the [titanosaur] carcass but [that] both were transported by a river until their respective burial in sandstone," said Novas, whose research was supported in part by a grant from the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration.

In addition to Neuquenraptor, the Patagonia fossil site has yielded several other meat-eating dinosaur species new to science over the years. These include the ostrichlike Patagonykus puertai, the large and big-handed Megaraptor namunhuaiquii, and the birdlike Unenlagia comahuensis.