Saurornithoides

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Learn more about the Saurornithoides

Quick Facts
Name	Saurornithoides
Diet	Carnivore
Weight	30 kg
Length	3 meters
Height	0.7 meters
Period	Late Cretaceous

Saurornithoides was a genus of troodontid maniraptoran dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous period. Fossils were found in Mongolia and China. It was closely related to the troodontid. It was a fast-growing dinosaur about 79 million years ago. The name means "bird-faced saurian" in reference to its bird-like skull. In the 1920s, it was discovered in the Gobi Desert which was led by Roy Chapman Andrews.

It was a member of a group of small, graceful, bird-like maniraptorans. It was a carnivorous dinosaur about 2 to 3 meters long and weighed between 23 and 54 kilograms. It had a large eye socket that allowed them to have good vision in the light and excellent night vision. It had a long, low head with a relatively large brain that made it fast and intelligent. It hunted small mammals using its long arms and hands to catch live prey, which would have consisted of small animals. It had a large claw on the second toe of each foot.

Saurornithoides is estimated to be 2.3 meters long and weigh between 23 and 54 kilograms.

What does Saurornithoides mean?

The name Saurornithoides means "bird-faced saurian" in reference to its bird-like skull.

What did Saurornithoides eat?

It was a carnivorous dinosaur that hunted small reptiles during its time.

Where did they live?

When did they live?

What was your diet?

Who discovered them?

What kind of dinosaurs are they?

What type of species are they?

How are they classified?

References

Junchang Lü; Li Xu; Yongqing Liu; Xingliao Zhang; Songhai Jia; Qiang Ji (2010). "A new troodontid (Theropoda: Troodontidae) from the Late Cretaceous of central China, and the radiation of Asian troodontids.". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 55 (3): 381-388. doi:10.4202/app.2009.0047.
The type specimen has a skull length of about 189 millimeters, compared to the 272 millimeters of the skull of Zanabazar junior who had a total length estimated at 2.3 meters long; making a comparison, we can calculate the length of Saurornithoides mongoliensis.
Norell, Mark A.; Makovicky, Peter J.; Bever, Gabe S.; Balanoff, Amy M.; Clark, James M.; Barsbold, Rinchen and Rowe, Timothy (2009). "A Review of the Mongolian Cretaceous Dinosaur. Saurornithoides (Troodontidae: Theropoda)." American Museum Novitates 3654: 63.
Osborn, H.F. (1924). "Three New Theropoda, Protoceratops Zone, Central Mongolia." American Museum Novitates, November 7, 1924 (144): 12pp.

Fun Facts

Saurornithoides was a genus of troodontid maniraptoran dinosaur.
The fossils were found in Mongolia and China.
The name means "bird-faced saurian" in reference to its bird-like skull.
It was a member of a group of small, graceful, bird-like maniraptors.
It was a bipedal dinosaur.