The Oviraptorosaur Thread

Adam Khor

This find makes Nemegtomaia the fourth oviraptorid genus found on nest, and the first found with a preserved skull. It is also interesting because it shows extensive damage by scavenging beetles.
The article states that oviraptorids are the only dinosaurs found to date in the act of brooding but this may not be necessarily true (http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/e06-033). Nemegtomaia is also described as being "the longest-lived and most adaptable oviraptor".
Perhaps the most interesting part is that Nemegtomaia seems to have nested somewhat like modern day ostriches, with several females laying their eggs in the same nest and then several adults taking turns to brood the eggs.

Here's the article:

http://news.discovery.com/animals/fossilized-dinosaur-mom-found-120221.html

Adam Khor

More evidence that they were probably using their tails to seduce potential mates.

http://news.yahoo.com/shake-dinosaurs-waggled-flashy-tails-woo-mates-120434757.html

Galvasean

I was reading about this the other day. I was going to post it, but the temptation to post THAT Gigantoraptor video was too strong...

Adam Khor

Galvasean wrote: »

I was reading about this the other day. I was going to post it, but the temptation to post THAT Gigantoraptor video was too strong...

Did that one use its tail at all, tho? I remember it moving its arms and legs but not the tail...

Galvasean

I'd rather not remember TBH.

Rubecula

Everytime I read something about oviraptor I keep thinking to myself how like birds they actually were.

Galvasean

Some are of the belief that they are modified birds as opposed to 'traditional' dinosaurs.

Rubecula

Yes I have a slightly differing opinion though.

Perhaps the easiest way I can explain it it is by comparing to mammals.

Placental mammals are all over the world yet Marsupial mammals are not they are different in many ways yet they do resemble each other in many ways and have many species each. They are both mammals.

Birds and Oviraptors may have been similar in these respects, resembling each other and both are dinosaurs with many species each.

I am not sure I have worded that too well, but I hope you follow me. Anyway it is just a thought of my own with no bearing on science or truth.

Owryan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFcePQ6_uDk

:D

Shame, he could ve done with a shinier tail in his dance

Galvasean

Rubecula wrote: »

Yes I have a slightly differing opinion though.

Perhaps the easiest way I can explain it it is by comparing to mammals.

Placental mammals are all over the world yet Marsupial mammals are not they are different in many ways yet they do resemble each other in many ways and have many species each. They are both mammals.

Birds and Oviraptors may have been similar in these respects, resembling each other and both are dinosaurs with many species each.

I am not sure I have worded that too well, but I hope you follow me. Anyway it is just a thought of my own with no bearing on science or truth.

I get exactly what you mean and that's a very good analogy.

Adam Khor

Rubecula wrote: »

Yes I have a slightly differing opinion though.

Perhaps the easiest way I can explain it it is by comparing to mammals.

Placental mammals are all over the world yet Marsupial mammals are not they are different in many ways yet they do resemble each other in many ways and have many species each. They are both mammals.

Birds and Oviraptors may have been similar in these respects, resembling each other and both are dinosaurs with many species each.

I am not sure I have worded that too well, but I hope you follow me. Anyway it is just a thought of my own with no bearing on science or truth.

My thought process is something like this; if it has a long (ish) tail and hands with fingers and claws, then its not a bird. Birds are simply one of many groups of feathered, winged dinosaurs, and the only one that survived to our times; just the same way we are the only hominins left.

Of course, that means that to me, Archaeopteryx is NOT a bird. It really looks more like a small raptor or raptor-like creature to me regardless of what scientists may say. Again, they are the experts...:rolleyes:

Galvasean

To me dinosaurs have long(ish) tails, hands and teeth. Again though, by my reckoning that'd make Archaeopteryx a dinosaur as opposed to a bird.
Screw it, dino-birds for all!!

Adam Khor

Galvasean wrote: »

To me dinosaurs have long(ish) tails, hands and teeth.

But then some ornithomimosaurs and most oviraptorosaurs are not dinosaurs?

Galvasean

Dino-birds!!!!!

Rubecula

Avio-saurs?

Galvasean

Rubecula wrote: »

Avio-saurs?

If only dinosaurs andtheir link to birds had been common knowledge when we started naming things... We'd have gardens full of avio-dinosaurs.

Rubecula

Let us not forget Pete the Canary in Red Dwarf.

Adam Khor

A turkey-sized relative to Chirostenotes:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/05/05/yale-university-paleontologist-describes-new-feathered-dinosaur-species/oA4oOf5Ku2aLmegeYGbsTP/story.html

Linnaeus

This little dino didn't live very long. He probably died shortly after emerging from his egg; but he's a star today. Here's a link:

www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/science-nature/big-baby-dinosaur-finally-goes-home-180957349/

Adam Khor

It appears that said giant oviraptors were present in North America too, if remains found in the USA's Hell Creek Formation (home to T.rex and Triceratops) are any indication.

Still no word on whether they were herbivorous, carnivorous or a bit of both...

Linnaeus

We know now, for sure, that oviraptors were partially feathered. However, they were not direct ancestors of birds. Other "raptors" have that honour.

Adam Khor

There's birds, there's oviraptors, and then there's this:

Linnaeus

Looks almost like a flying Oviraptor. But it's mostly the curved beak which gives that impression.

Adam Khor

Formerly mistaken for an ornithomimid

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/04/14/university-of-alberta-researcher-solves-mistaken-identity-case-discovers-feathered-dinosaur

Rubecula

good find

Adam Khor

Said to be preserved in the act of struggling as it sank on a quagmire:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/science/dinosaur-mud-dragon.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FPaleontology&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection&_r=0

Adam Khor

"Baby Louie" classified as new giant oviraptor "Beibeilong"

Still, since no adults are known, I wonder why it couldn´t just be a baby Gigantoraptor. There does seem to be an age difference but not that great. Seeing as no Gigantoraptor embryos have been identified, and no adult Beibeilong are known...
https://phys.org/news/2017-05-baby-gigantic-oviraptor-like-dinosaur-species.html

Adam Khor

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/27/meet-corythoraptor-newly-found-dinosaur-sports-fancy-headgear/514191001/

Rubecula

good read.

Adam Khor

http://www.nature.com/news/dinosaur-trio-roosted-together-like-birds-1.22508

Adam Khor

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-23252-2

Adam Khor

http://www.wral.com/ncsu-scientist-finds-rare-dinosaur-eggs-in-utah/17452062/

Adam Khor

It was about chicken-sized but apparently very young at the moment of death. I am not really sure about all those different genera of oviraptorosaurs from the same time and place; all of them seem pretty similar to me.

https://media.eurekalert.org/multimedia_prod/pub/web/191595_web.jpg

Adam Khor

New fossils from Canada suggest Chirostenotes as a valid taxon after all, as well as a strange, short-tailed appearance:



https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2020.1726908?journalCode=ghbi20

The taxonomy of caenagnathids from the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, has remained problematic because of incomplete, partial skeletons that do not overlap anatomically. This is particularly problematic for referring mandibular remains, which are the most abundant caenagnathid fossils recovered, but cannot be confidently tied to taxa known from postcranial remains. A new, partial skeleton of Chirostenotes pergracilis preserves the mandibles, cervical and caudal vertebrae, and parts of the hindlimb. Importantly, this is the first specimen with associated mandibles and postcrania of a caenagnathid from the Dinosaur Park Formation, allowing for unambiguous referral of mandibles to this taxon. The mandibles are remarkably similar to those previously suggested to pertain to Chirostenotes pergracilis, and support its distinction from Caenagnathus collinsi. An unfused distal tarsal IV distinguishes the skeleton from Leptorhynchos elegans and supports the referral of small, upturned mandibles to this taxon. Osteohistological analysis indicates that the individual was approaching maximum body size, and provides information on the growth patterns and size of Chirostenotes pergracilis. Accordingly, this supports the division of Dinosaur Park Formation caenagnathids into three taxa of varying body sizes.

Adam Khor

Oksoko, a new oviraptorid from the Gobi desert, is unusual in that it has reduced forelimbs with only two digits, different from the long and three-fingered forelimbs of its relatives.

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.201184







It has long been believed that oviraptorids used their long forelimbs to procure food (famously, the original Oviraptor was accused of being an egg-robber, using its "hands" to snatch eggs from other dinosaurs' nests). However, the current consensus is that these dinosaurs were probably catching prey or foraging with their jaws, and that the clawed forelimbs were more akin to bird's wings, with the claws being used as weapons against same species rivals (not unlike the claws, spurs and clubs that "weaponize" the wings of some birds today).