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Parvicursor

Karhu & Rautian, 1996 PAR-vi-KUHR-sor

From Latin parvus (small) and cursor (runner); meaning "small runner".

83.6–66.0 million years ago Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Parvicursor is a genus of very small alvarezsaurid maniraptoran dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period of Mongolia. It had long, slender legs adapted for fast running.

Diagnosis

  1. Sub-triangular articular surfaces of the dorsal vertebral centra
  2. Sharp ventral ridge on the posterior dorsal vertebrae
  3. Horizontal supraacetabular crest of the ilium, its anterior end placed ahead of the most ventrally prominent point of the pubic peduncle
  4. Femur lacking a fourth trochanter but bearing a distinct entocondylar tuber directed posterolaterally
  5. Popliteal fossa of the femur open distally
  6. Metatarsals II and IV not co-ossified

Species

Parvicursor remotus Karhu & Rautian, 1996

Type species

From Latin 'remotus' meaning 'remote', 'deviating', or 'far from', likely referring to the phylogenetic distance of P. remotus from other Alvarezsauridae or its unique, specialized, or 'deviating' features that set it apart from other small dinosaurs found in the same region.

Holotype
PIN 4487/25 , Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences
Material
Fragmentary juvenile skeleton comprising parts of the vertebral column, the pelvic girdle, and a nearly complete right hind limb.
Horizon
Baruungoyot Formation, Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–66.0 million years ago
Locality
Khulsan, Ömnögovi, Mongolia

References

  1. Napoli, J. G.; Ruebenstahl, A. A.; Bhullar, B. A. S.; Turner, A. H.; Norell, M. A. (2021). A New Dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Coelurosauria) from Khulsan, Central Mongolia. American Museum Novitates 2021(3982). American Museum of Natural History (BioOne sponsored). doi:10.1206/3982.1

    Dates the Barun Goyot strata at Khulsan "Campanian to Maastrichtian".

    napoli2021a
  2. Karhu, A. A.; Rautian, A. S. (1996). A new family of Maniraptora (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontological Journal 30(5): 583-592. karhu1996a
  3. Averianov, A. O.; Lopatin, A. V. (2021). A re-appraisal of Parvicursor remotus from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia: implications for the phylogeny and taxonomy of alvarezsaurid theropod dinosaurs. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 19(16): 1097-1128. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/14772019.2021.2013965 averianov2021d