Machairasaurus
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.
Species: M. leptonychus
(type).
Diet: Omnivore?
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.
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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