Conchoraptor

Conchoraptor gracilis, drawing head study

• Mongolia ( Barun Goyot Formation)

• Conchoraptor gracilis

Conchoraptor is a theropod dinosaur from the group of Oviraptorosauria from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. The only type ( type species ) this genus is Conchoraptor gracilis.

Within the Oviraptorosauria Conchoraptor is classified as Oviraptoridae. Of this genus numerous finds are known which make it one of the most complete surviving Oviraptoriden. Like other Oviraptorosauria Conchoraptor was a two-legged, probably feathered animal that had a toothless beak and probably malnourished plant or omnivorous.

Fund and naming

The holotype material (catalog number IGM 100/20 ), has been described on the basis of Conchoraptor, was discovered in 1971 in the red beds of Khermeen Tsav in Ömnö Gobi Aimag, a Aimag of Mongolia. The Fund is a partial skeleton with a 99 mm long skull. Stratigraphic Khermeen Tsav belongs to Barun Goyot lineup and is dated to the Late Cretaceous (Middle Campanian ).

Initially, the Fossil Oviraptor was attributed to only 1986, Rinchen bars Bold based on this fossil the new genus Conchoraptor on. Since the initial description Conchoraptor were attributed to four other partial skull and numerous other skull and Postkranialmaterial.

The name derives from the ancient Greek Conchoraptor kogkhe - " shellfish, clam " and the Latin raptor, " robber " from and refers to the presumption of bars Bold, the animal could have fed on mollusks.

Features

Conchoraptor was about 1.3 meters long and was similar in size to Ajancingenia, who hails from the same rock strata. Unlike Ajancingenia but the skeleton of Conchoraptor was slimmer. Conchoraptor lacked a head crest, which is found in some other Oviraptorosauria - so the top of the lacrimal bone ( lacrimal ) was almost horizontal. The hand was thin and showed thin, slightly curved claws. The sacrum was long and included 7-8 vertebrae with long and thin vortex centers. The long and thin iliac bone ( ilium ) was similar to that of Ingenia.