Oviraptor

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Learn more about Oviraptor

Quick Facts
Name	Oviraptor
Diet	Omnivore
Weight	36 kg
Length	2 meters
Height	0.91 meters
Period	Late Cretaceous

Oviraptor was a small bird dinosaur or categorized as Ornithischian. It lived during the Late Cretaceous period about 75 million years ago and inhabited Asia. Oviraptor was an omnivore, meaning it ate both plants and meat. "Oviraptor" means "egg snatcher," chosen by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924 because it was an egg thief. Oviraptor was discovered on a pile of what was believed to be Protoceratops eggs. Oviraptor lived in Mongolia, and possibly China.

It possessed bird-like characteristics and resembled a modern ostrich today. It had two long limbs, with three claws each to pluck and tear at its prey. It had a powerful jaw and sharp, tooth-like spines to catch and devour its food. Sounds like a pretty deadly combo!

Oviraptor was a member of a group of related bipedal dinosaurs; it walked on two legs. Oviraptor's main food source was eggs and it ate oysters, lizards, vegetables and smaller dinos as dietary options.

It was about 6 m long, weighed 32 kg, and moved on two legs. According to researcher Scott Persons of the University of Alberta, it reproduced by laying eggs.

What is an Oviraptor doing on the Ark?

The Oviraptor's main food source was eggs, so it will secretly steal other eggs on your behalf without attracting unwanted attention.

What does an Oviraptor master?

Oviraptors' weakness was eggs; for effective domestication, the use of large eggs will get their attention. Although small and medium sized ones were also good.

Do Oviraptors eat meat?

Yes! Oviraptors were omnivores; they ate meat, especially when they were domesticated to do so.

How big is an Oviraptor?

Oviraptors grow up to 1.5 m in length, 91 - 150 cm in height and 25 - 36 kg.

Is Oviraptor a Raptor?

Technically it's not a real raptor! Dinosaurs ending in "raptor" were considered raptors, but not this Oviraptor. Although it is quite confusing to say, it can be misleading because of its "raptor" suffix. Velociraptor was classified as a dromaeosaur while Oviraptor belonged to a related group called Oviraptorosaurus.

What does the name Oviraptor mean?

Oviraptor's name means "egg taker" or "egg snatcher" because of its egg-stealing characteristics with the eggs of other dinosaurs.

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

Paul, G.S. (2002). Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Clark, J.M., Norell, M.A., & Barsbold, R. (2001). "Two new oviraptorids (Theropoda:Oviraptorosauria), upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation, Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 21(2):209-213, June 2001.
Osborn, H.F. (1924). "Three new Theropoda, Protoceratops zone, central Mongolia." American Museum Novitates, 144: 12 pp., 8 figs.; (American Museum of Natural History) New York. (11.7.1924).
Dong and Currie, P. (1996). "On the discovery of an oviraptorid skeleton on a nest of eggs at Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 33: 631-636.
Barsbold, R. (1976). "A new Late Cretaceous family of small theropods (Oviraptoridae n. fam.) in Mongolia." Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR, 226(3): 685-688.
Barsbold, R. (1986). "Raubdinosaurier Oviraptoren" [in Russian]. In: O.I. Vorob'eva (ed.), Gerpetologičeskie issledovaniâ v Mongol'skoj Narod-noj Respublike, 210-223. Institut èvolûcionnoj morfologii i èkologii životnyh im. A.N. Severcova, Akademiâ nauk SSSR, Moscow.
Barsbold, R. (1981). "Toothless dinosaurs of Mongolia." Joint Soviet-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition Transactions, 15: 28-39. [in Russian]
Barsbold, R., Maryanska, T., and Osmolska, H. (1990). "Oviraptorosauria," in Weishampel, D.B., Dodson, P., and Osmolska, H. (eds.). The Dinosauria. Berkeley: University of California Presspp. 249-258.

Fun Facts

Hi kids! Here are some fun and exciting facts about the Allosaurus.

Oviraptor was known to steal eggs.
Oviraptor lived around the same time as Velociraptor during the Late Cretaceous period, about 75 million years ago.
Oviraptor discovered with the remains of eggs thought to belong to Protoceratops.
The Oviraptor was covered with feathers.
Oviraptor was not technically a true raptor.