New oviraptorosaur species discovered in Mongolia
A new oviraptorosaur species from the Late Cretaceous was discovered in Mongolia, according to a study published in in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Yuong-Nam Lee from Seoul National University, South Korea, and colleagues.
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Gobiraptor reconstruction [Credit: Do Yoon Kim, 2019] |
The new species, named Gobiraptor minutus, can be distinguished from other oviraptorosaurs in having unusual thickened jaws. This unique morphology suggests that Gobiraptor used a crushing feeding strategy, supporting previous hypotheses that oviraptorosaurs probably fed on hard food items such as eggs, seeds or hard-shell mollusks. Histological analyses of the femur revealed that the specimen likely belonged to a very young individual.
Cranial elements of the holotype specimen (MPC-D 102/111) of Gobiraptor minutus gen. et sp. nov. [Credit: S. Lee et al. 2019] |
The authors add: "A new oviraptorid dinosaur Gobiraptor minutus gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Cretaceous Nemegt Formation is described here based on a single holotype specimen that includes incomplete cranial and postcranial elements. The unique morphology of the mandible and the accordingly inferred specialized diet of Gobiraptor also indicate that different dietary strategies may be one of important factors linked with the remarkably high diversity of oviraptorids in the Nemegt Basin."
Source: Public Library of Science [February 06, 2019]
It can be distinguished from other oviraptorosaurs in having unusual thickened jaws
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