Albinykus

Name: Albinykus.
Phonetic: Al-bin-e-kus.
Named By: Sterling J.‭ ‬Nesbitt,‭ ‬Julia A.‭ ‬Clarke,‭ ‬Alan H.‭ ‬Turner and Mark A.‭ ‬Norell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ ‬Maniraptora,‭ ‬Alvarezsauridae,‭ ‬Parvicursorinae,‭ ‬Ceratonykini.
Species: A.‭ ‬baatar‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Insectivore‭?
Size: Uncertain‭ ‬due to lack of remains,‭ ‬but estimated to be about‭ ‬1kg in weight.
Known locations: Mongolia‭ ‬-‭ ‬Javkhlant Formation.
Time period: Santonian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Pelvis and hind limbs‭ (‬IGM‭ ‬100/3004‭)‬.




       A small alvarezsaur,‭ ‬one of the notable things about Albinykus is that even though it is only known by its hind quarters,‭ ‬these were found in a crouching position.‭ ‬Oviraptosaurs and troodonts are also known to have crouched,‭ ‬so the discovery that alvarezsaurs like Albinykus could also enter this position indicates that crouching in at least some theropod‭ (‬mostly maniraptorian‭) ‬dinosaurs was fairly common.
       Unfortunately the lack of further skeletal and cranial remains means that there is still much we don‭’‬t know about this genus,‭ ‬but as an alvarezsaur,‭ ‬Albinykus would be expected to have very short stubby arms,‭ ‬possibly ending in just a single claw,‭ ‬while possibly‭ ‬being‭ ‬insectivorous in its dietary habits.‭ ‬While the exact size of Albinykus is unknown,‭ ‬the remains of the holotype indicate that this was one of the smallest alvaresaurs so far discovered.

Further reading
-‭ ‬A small alvarezsaurid from the eastern Gobi Desert offers insight into evolutionary patterns in the Alvarezsauroidea,‭ ‬Sterling J.‭ ‬Nesbitt,‭ ‬Julia A.‭ ‬Clarke,‭ ‬Alan H.‭ ‬Turner and Mark A.‭ ‬Norell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Random favourites