Hagryphus
From Egyptian Ha (a god of the western desert) and Greek gryps/gryphon (griffin); meaning 'Ha's griffin'
Hagryphus is a monospecific genus of caenagnathid dinosaur from southern Utah that lived during the Late Cretaceous (upper Campanian stage, 75.95 Ma) in what is now the Kaiparowits Formation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The type and only species, Hagryphus giganteus, is known only from an incomplete but articulated left manus and the distal portion of the left radius. It was named in 2005 by Lindsay E. Zanno and Scott D. Sampson. Hagryphus has an estimated length of 2.4-3 meters (8-10 feet) and weight of 50 kilograms (110 lbs).
Diagnosis
- Hyper-robust phalanx of digit I, approximately 200% the breadth but not exceeding 140% the length, distinguishing it from Chirostenotes
- Robust shaft of metacarpal I with width-to-length ratio of approximately 20%, distinguishing it from Elmisaurus
- Interphalangeal joint of digit I extending just distal to the metacarpophalangeal joint of digit II, unique among North American oviraptorosaurs
- Lacking subequal metacarpals II and III and subequal digits II and III, distinguishing it from oviraptorids sensu Osm61ska and colleagues
- Lacking reduction and/or fusion of metacarpals and phalanges, distinguishing it from Avimimus and Caudipteryx
- 30-40% Larger than coeval Chirostenotes
- Third digit only 77% the length of second digit, in contrast to most Asian oviraptorosaurs with subequal digits II and III
Species
Hagryphus giganteus Zanno & Sampson, 2005
Type species
From Latin 'giganteus' meaning 'gigantic', referring to the notably large size of this oviraptorosaur relative to other North American members of its group.
- Holotype
- UMNH VP 12765 , Utah Museum of Natural History
- Material
- Incomplete but articulated left manus and distal portion of left radius; fragmentary foot elements
- Horizon
- Kaiparowits Formation, Campanian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–72.2 million years ago
- Locality
- The Blues, Utah, United States
References
- Zanno, L. E.; Sampson, S. D. (2005). A new Oviraptorosaur (Theropoda, Maniraptora) from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of Utah. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(4): 897-904. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0897:anotmf]2.0.co;2 zanno2005a
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Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.
Source of the hip height estimate.
jones2026c