Open Paleo

Ondogurvel

Averianov & Lopatin, 2022

From Mongolian 'ondo' meaning 'egg' and 'gurvel' meaning 'lizard'; translates as 'egg lizard'.

83.6–72.2 million years ago Campanian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Ondogurvel is a genus of alvarezsaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Baruungoyot Formation in southern Mongolia. The type and only species is O. alifanovi, known from a partial skeleton consisting of fragments of two last dorsal vertebrae, three anterior sacral vertebrae, right ilium, left and right pubis and ischium, articulated right tibia, fibula, metatarsals II and IV, and phalanges IV-1 and IV-2, right carpometacarpus, left and right manual phalanx II-1, right femur, left pedal phalanx II-1, and fragments of unidentified phalanges.

Diagnosis

  1. Metatarsals II and IV completely fused along their contact area over two thirds of their length (autapomorphy)
  2. Carpometacarpus with round articular surfaces of metacarpals III and IV located along lateral margin
  3. Outgrowth of medial facet on extensor side of carpometacarpus almost perpendicular to metacarpal II
  4. Smaller proximocaudal process on manual phalanx II-1 compared with Mononykus
  5. Supraacetabular crest of ilium arcuate and convex dorsally, with anterior end placed more ventral than posterior end
  6. Vertical ridge on medial side of ischium distal to obturator foramen
  7. Lack of fourth trochanter on femur
  8. Tibia distal end much less expanded transversely relative to shaft
  9. Prominent flat platform ('step') on lateral side of distal lateral tibial condyle

Species

Ondogurvel alifanovi Averianov & Lopatin, 2022

Type species

Named for the late Russian paleontologist Vladimir Alifanov, who found the holotype specimen in 1999.

Holotype
PIN 5838/1 , Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences
Material
Partial skeleton including dorsal and sacral vertebrae, pelvic elements, tibia, fibula, metatarsals II and IV, carpometacarpus, manual and pedal phalanges
Horizon
Baruungoyot Formation, Campanian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–72.2 million years ago
Locality
Nemegt, Ömnögovi, Mongolia

References

  1. Averianov, A. O.; Lopatin, A. V. (2022). A new alvarezsaurid theropod dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Cretaceous Research 135. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105168 averianov2022a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length estimate.

    jones2026c