Open Paleo

Ornithomimidae

Marsh, 1890 Type genus Ornithomimus

Its genera lived 93.9–66.0 million years ago Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Ornithomimidae is a family of theropod dinosaurs that bore a superficial resemblance to modern ostriches, earning them the nickname "ostrich mimics." They were fleet-footed, likely omnivorous or herbivorous animals known mainly from the Late Cretaceous of Laurasia, in what is now Asia and North America, with a few reports from the Early Cretaceous of Australia. Members had small skulls with large eyes set atop long, slender necks, and all bore toothless, keratinous beaks. Their forelimbs were long and slender with powerful claws, while their long, muscular hindlimbs and elongate feet made them among the fastest of all dinosaurs, and like many coelurosaurs their bodies were feathered rather than scaly. The family includes Ornithomimus, Struthiomimus, Gallimimus, and numerous related genera, though beyond a reliably basal Archaeornithomimus its internal relationships remain largely unresolved.

Diagnosis

  1. Arctometatarsalian pes, with metatarsal III pinched between II and IV proximally
  2. Edentulous skull bearing a keratinous beak
  3. Elongate, gracile, cursorial hindlimbs
  4. Long neck formed of elongate cervical vertebrae

Genera placed directly in Ornithomimidae

  • Aepyornithomimus Chinzorig et al., 2017 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Mongolia
  • Anserimimus Barsbold, 1988 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)Mongolia
  • Archaeornithomimus Russell, 1972 Coniacian–Maastrichtian (89.8–66.0 Ma)China
  • Dromiceiomimus Russell, 1972 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)Canada
  • Dzharacursor Averianov & Sues, 2024 Turonian (93.9–89.8 Ma)Uzbekistan
  • Gallimimus Osmólska et al., 1972 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)Mongolia
  • Mexidracon Serrano-Brañas et al., 2025 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Mexico
  • Ornithomimus Marsh, 1890 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)United States
  • Qiupalong Xu et al., 2011 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)China
  • Rativates McFeeters et al., 2016 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Canada
  • Sinornithomimus Kobayashi & Lü, 2003 Turonian (93.9–89.8 Ma)China
  • Struthiomimus Osborn, 1917 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Canada
  • Tototlmimus Serrano-Brañas et al., 2016 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Mexico

References

  1. Marsh, O. C. (1890). Description of new dinosaurian reptiles. American Journal of Science s3-39(229): 81-86. American Journal of Science (AJS). doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-39.229.81

    Named Ornithomimus and erected the family Ornithomimidae.

    marsh1890b
  2. Sereno, P. C. (2017). Early Cretaceous Ornithomimosaurs (Dinosauria: Coelurosauria) from Africa. Ameghiniana 54(5): 576-616. Asociacion Paleontologica Argentina. doi:10.5710/amgh.23.10.2017.3155

    Printed Sereno's definition of Ornithomimidae: the most inclusive clade containing Ornithomimus edmontonicus but not Garudimimus, Harpymimus, Shenzhousaurus or Pelecanimimus.

    sereno2017a
  3. Kobayashi, Y.; Barsbold, R. (2005). Reexamination of a primitive ornithomimosaur, Garudimimus brevipes Barsbold, 1981 (Dinosauria: Theropoda), from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 42(9): 1501-1521. Canadian Science Publishing. doi:10.1139/e05-044

    Redescribed Garudimimus, recovered as the sister taxon of Ornithomimidae, and reported the arctometatarsalian pes as the family's single unambiguous synapomorphy.

    kobayashi2005a