In Depth
Migmanychion was a small mysterious theropod dinosaur that lived about 121 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous of what is now Inner Mongolia, China.
Its name means “claw mixture,” a reference to the unusual differences in the shape of its hand claws.
The main specimen preserves parts of the ribs, a partial arm, and a complete hand. The claws were very different from each other in size and shape, which makes the animal stand out compared to most other maniraptorans.
Migmanychion was small and walked on two legs, with long arms and grasping hands.
Environment
Migmanychion lived in the ecosystems of the Longjiang Formation, sometimes called the “Moqi Fauna.”
This environment included rivers, forests, and wetlands, and it hosted a variety of other dinosaurs and early birds.
Among its neighbors were the dromaeosaurid Daurlong, early birds such as Beiguornis and Khinganornis, and other small feathered theropods.
Further Reading
A new theropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Longjiang Formation of Inner Mongolia (China). Wang, Xuri; Cau, Andrea; Wang, Zhengdong; Yu, Kaifeng; Wu, Wenhao; Wang, Yang; Liu, Yichuan (2023-06-05). Cretaceous Research. 151: 105605.
