Albinykus
Name: Albinykus.
Phonetic: Al-bin-e-kus.
Named By: Sterling J. Nesbitt, Julia A.
Clarke, Alan H. Turner and Mark A. Norell - 2011.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Saurischia, Theropoda, Maniraptora, Alvarezsauridae,
Parvicursorinae, Ceratonykini.
Species: A. baatar (type).
Diet: Insectivore?
Size: Uncertain due to lack of remains, but
estimated to be about 1kg in weight.
Known locations: Mongolia - Javkhlant Formation.
Time period: Santonian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Pelvis and hind limbs (IGM
100/3004).
A
small alvarezsaur,
one of the notable things about Albinykus is that
even though it is only known by its hind quarters, these were found
in a crouching position. Oviraptosaurs
and troodonts
are also known
to have crouched, so the discovery that alvarezsaurs like Albinykus
could also enter this position indicates that crouching in at least
some theropod (mostly maniraptorian) dinosaurs was fairly common.
Unfortunately
the lack of further skeletal and cranial remains means that there is
still much we don’t know about this genus, but as an alvarezsaur,
Albinykus would be expected to have very short
stubby arms, possibly
ending in just a single claw, while possibly being insectivorous
in its dietary habits. While the exact size of Albinykus
is unknown,
the remains of the holotype indicate that this was one of the smallest
alvaresaurs so far discovered.
Further reading
- A small alvarezsaurid from the eastern Gobi Desert offers insight
into evolutionary patterns in the Alvarezsauroidea, Sterling J.
Nesbitt, Julia A. Clarke, Alan H. Turner and Mark A. Norell
- 2011.
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