Saurornithoides

Saurornithoides
	Saurornithoides
Temporal occurrence
	Upper Cretaceous (middle to late Campanium )
	80.6 to 72 million years
Locations
	Mongolia , Tajikistan ;
Systematics
	Dinosaur (dinosauria)
	Lizard dinosaur (Saurischia)
	Theropoda
	Deinonychosauria
	Troodontidae
	Saurornithoides
Scientific name
	Saurornithoides
	Osborn , 1924

Saurornithoides was to Coelurosauriern belonging dinosaurs , which during the Upper Cretaceous (late middle to Campanium ). Fossil remains of this 2 to 3.5 m long and 35 to 45 kg heavy dinosaur have been found in Mongolia and Tajikistan . The name means "bird-like lizard". The closest relative of the saurornithoid was probably the North American genus Troodon .

With its slim build and oversized second claw, it also resembled a Velociraptor . His eyes were very enlarged, suggesting a nocturnal lifestyle. Saurornithoides could have hunted the small mammals of that time at dusk. Because of many bird characteristics, it is likely that the saurornithoides was covered by a plumage.

species

Saurornithoides mongoliensis Osborn, 1924
Saurornithoides junior Barsbold, 1974

Web links

Commons : Saurornithoides - collection of images, videos and audio files

Datasheet of Saurornithoides

Individual evidence

^ Alan H. Turner, Diego Pol, Julia A. Clarke, Gregory M. Erickson, Mark A. Norell : A Basal Dromaeosaurid and Size Evolution Preceding Avian Flight. In: Science . Vol. 317, No. 5843, 2007, pp. 1378-1381, doi : 10.1126 / science.1144066 , PMID 17823350 .

[1] Alan H. Turner, Diego Pol, Julia A. Clarke, Gregory M. Erickson, Mark A. Norell : A Basal Dromaeosaurid and Size Evolution Preceding Avian Flight. In: Science . Vol. 317, No. 5843, 2007, pp. 1378-1381, doi : 10.1126 / science.1144066 , PMID 17823350 .