Conchoraptor

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Learn more about the Conchoraptor

Quick Facts
Name	Conchoraptor
Diet	Carnivore
Weight	10 kg
Length	1.5 meters
Height	0.5 meters
Period	Late Cretaceous

Conchoraptor was a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous period of what is now Asia. The name meaning "shell raider" derives from the Greek konkhè, meaning "mussel", and the Latin raptor, meaning "raider". It was first discovered in 1971 by a Polish-Mongolian expedition in the Hermiin Tsav red beds of the Nemegt Formation of Maastricht.

It was a small dinosaur that walked on two legs. It was much smaller than its relative Oviraptor. Unlike Oviraptor which has a bony crest on its head, Conchoraptor has no decoration. It has no teeth but has a strong beak that fed on mollusks by crushing their shells to obtain the soft meat inside.

Conchoraptor estimated only 1-2 meters in length and weighed 20 pounds.

What does Conchoraptor mean?

The name Conchoraptor means "shell raider" derived from the Greek konkhè, meaning "mussel", and the Latin raptor, meaning "raider".

When did the Conchoraptor live?

Conchoraptor was a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous period around 83.5 million years ago - 70.6 million years ago.

When did you find Conchoraptor?

It was first discovered in 1971 by a Polish-Mongolian expedition in the Hermiin Tsav red beds of the Nemegt Formation of Maastricht.

What did Conchoraptor eat?

Conchoraptor has no teeth but has a strong beak that fed on mollusks by crushing their shells to obtain the soft meat inside.

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

Conchoraptorbasic information in the Paleobiology Database
"Conchoraptor." In: Dodson, Peter & Britt, Brooks & Carpenter, Kenneth & Forster, Catherine A. & Gillette, David D. & Norell, Mark A. & Olshevsky, George & Parrish, J. Michael & Weishampel, David B. The Age of Dinosaurs. Publications International, LTD. p. 136. ISBN 0-7853-0443-6.
Kundrat, M. 2007, "Avian-like attributes of a virtual brain model of the oviraptorid theropod Conchoraptor gracilis", Naturwissenschaften 94: 499-504
Kundrat M. and Janacek, J., 2007, "Cranial pneumatization and auditory perceptions of the oviraptorid dinosaur. Conchoraptor gracilis (Theropoda, Maniraptora) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia", Naturwissenschaften 94:769-778
Rinchen Barsbold, 1986, "Raubdinosaurier Oviraptoren". In: Vorobyeva, E. I. (ed.), Herpetological investigations in the Mongolian Republic of Mongolia. Akademia Nauk SSSR. pp. 210-223.
Fanti F, Currie PJ, Badamgarav D (2012). "New Specimens of Nemegtomaia from the Baruungoyot and Nemegt Formations (Late Cretaceous) of Mongolia." PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31330. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031330
Gradstein, Felix M.; Ogg, James G.; Smith, Alan G. (2005). A Geologic Time Scale 2004. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-78142-8.
Jerzykiewicz, Tomasz; Russell, Dale A. (1991). "Late Mesozoic stratigraphy and vertebrates of the Gobi Basin". Cretaceous Research 12 (4): 345-377. doi:10.1016/0195-6671(91)90015-5.
Novacek, M. J., 1996. "Dinosaurs of the Flaming. Cliffs" Anchor/Doubleday. 367 p.

Fun Facts

The name Conchoraptor means "shell raider" derived from the Greek konkhè, meaning "mussel", and the Latin raptor, meaning "raider".
It was a small dinosaur that walked on two legs.
It was toothless with a strong beak.
It was much smaller than its relative Oviraptor.