Citipati didn´t eat troodontids after all

Adam Khor

I guess you are all aware of the mysterious Citipati fossilized nest that was found with Byronosaurus skulls in it. Scientists had suggested two explanations for it; a) that Citipati caught little Byronosaurus to feed its own young or itself, or b) that Byronosaurus was a nest parasite, like modern day cuckoos and cowbirds, laying its eggs on Citipati nests and leaving the oviraptorid to care of its brood.

However, paleontologist Mark Norell now suggests that there may be a simpler explanation that doesn´t involve any kind of interaction between the two theropods; according to him, a Byronosaurus nest was found nearby, on higher ground than the Citipati's nest, and there was a drainage course going from the Byronosaurus' nest to the Citipati's, so it seems evident now that the material from the troodontid's nest tumbled down and ended up in the oviraptorid's nest.

Ironically, it was Norell himself who suggested the nest parasite idea to explain the presence of Byronosaurus remains in an oviraptorid's nest (he also suggested that the little troodontids could have been raiding the nest).

Yet another riddle solved- and the answer, as usual, is kinda boring.

Galvasean

Psst, don't suppose you could link to the sources of these news items?

Adam Khor

Galvasean wrote: »

Psst, don't suppose you could link to the sources of these news items?

And revealing my secret sources? >:D