Machairasaurus

Mak-air-ar-sor-us.
By Nisha Yadav
Published on

Nisha Yadav

Physicist

Nisha Yadav is a dedicated physicist whose work bridges the gap between physics and paleontology. With a deep interest in the processes that preserve ancient life, she explores how physical principles govern fossilization and the preservation of extinct species.

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Yadav, N. (2013, March 23). Machairasaurus. Prehistoric-wildlife. https://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/machairasaurus/

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Name

Machairasaurus ‭(‬short scimitar lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Mak-air-ar-sor-us.

Named By

N.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Longrich,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Currie‭ & ‬Z.-M.‭ ‬Dong‭ ‬-‭ ‬2010.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ ‬Maniraptora,‭ ‬Oviraptorosauria,‭ ‬Oviraptoridae,‭ ‬Ingeniinae.

Diet

Omnivore‭?

Species

M.‭ ‬leptonychus‭

Size

Roughly about ‭1 meter long.

Known locations

China‭ ‬-‭ ‬Bayan Mandahu Formation.

Time Period

Campanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial remains of a few individuals.

In Depth

       Machairasaurus is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in China during the late Cretaceous.‭ ‬Machairasaurus was so named from the claws on its fingers which are curved like scimitar swords.‭ ‬It is speculated that these claws may have allowed Machairasaurus to pull and manipulate plant branches or possibly even dig out roots.‭ ‬Machairasaurus has been considered to be a close relative to the genera Conchoraptor,‭ ‬Heyuannia,‭ ‬and Nemegtomaia.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A new oviraptorid‭ (‬Dinosauria:‭ ‬Theropoda‭) ‬from the Upper Cretaceous of Bayan Mandahu,‭ ‬Inner Mongolia.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Palaeontology‭ ‬53‭(‬5‭)‬:945-960.‭ ‬-‭ ‬N.‭ ‬R.‭ ‬Longrich,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Currie‭ & ‬Z.-M.‭ ‬Dong‭ ‬-‭ ‬2010.

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