Kinnareemimus
Name:
Kinnareemimus
(Kinnaree mimic).
Phonetic: Kin-na-ree-mime-us.
Named By: Eric Buffetaut, Varavudh Suteethorn
& Haiyan Tong - 2009.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Saurischia, Theropoda, Maniraptoriformes, Ornithomimosauria.
Species: K. khonkaenensis (type).
Diet: Unknown.
Size: Uncertain due to incomplete remains.
Known locations: Thailand, Khon Kaen Province -
Sao Khua Formation.
Time period: Valanginian to Hauterivian of the
Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Vertebrae, metatarsals and
partial pubis and fibula.
As
of the
time of writing dinosaur genera are not particularly well known from
Thailand, even though there does seem to be substantial fossil
deposits in certain areas of the country. From here we have the
discovery of Kinnareemimus, significant in that
it may be one of and
possibly the oldest ornithomimosaur
discovered. With a date
attributed to the Valangian and Hauteriverian stages of the Early
Cretaceous this is many millions of years before the previous oldest
known ornithomimosaur Pelecanimimus
which is dated from the slightly
older Barremian Period.
Unfortunately
very little of
the original skeleton of Kinnareemimus has
survived. Also missing is
the skull which is of particular importance as this could reveal
important clues for the early evolution of the ornithomimosaurs.
Later forms for example had toothless keratinous beaks, whereas
primitive forms like the previously mentioned Pelecanimimus
had over
two hundred small teeth, more than any other currently known
theropod. It is also unknown if Kinnareemimus had
a throat pouch like
its slightly later relative, or even it had a more specialised diet
rather than the general omnivory usually attributed to much later and
more advance descendants. Another key area of comparison which so far
remains impossible would be the forearms and their proportions to other
ornithomimosaur forms.
Kinnareemimus
is named after
the Kinnaree (a Thai version of Kinnara) which are spirits in the
form of a beautiful woman above the waist, with the legs and feet of
a bird below. The species name of K. khonkaenensis
is a little more
mundane and simply means ‘from Khon Kaen’, the province where the
remains were found.
Further reading
- An early 'ostrich dinosaur' (Theropoda: Ornithomimosauria) from the
Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of NE Thailand. Late Palaeozoic and
Mesozoic Ecosystems in SE Asia. - The Geological Society of London,
Special Publication 315:229-243. - E. Buffetaut, V. Suteethorn
& H. Tong - 2009.
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