Byronosaurus
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 Byronosaurus skull.
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Extinct (fossil)
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| Byronosaurus jaffei Norell, Makovicky & Clark, 2000 |
Byronosaurus was a troodontid dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous Period. It was named for Byron Jaffe, "in recognition of his family's support for the Mongolian Academy of Sciences-American Museum of Natural History Paleontological Expeditions." The first example of Byronosaurus was discovered in 1993 at Ukhaa Tolgod, Gobi Desert, Mongolia; a second was found in 1996 at Bolor's Hill, about five miles away.
Byronosaurus was a small, agile dinosaur that was probably only five feet (1.5 meters) long and 17 inches (50 centimeters) high. It weighed only about 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Unike other troodontids, its teeth seem to lack serrations. They are instead needle-like, probably best suited for catching small birds, lizards and mammals. Specifically, they resemble those of Archeopteryx, the bird-like dinosaur.
The remains of two individuals have been found, including two skulls. One, measuring eight inches long (23 centimeters), is better preserved than any other troödontid skull found to date. It has a chamber in the snout where air enters from the nostrils before passing through to the mouth - another feature similar to that found in birds.
[edit] References
- Makovicky, P.J., Norell, M.A., Clark, J.M., and Rowe, T.E. (2003). Osteology and relationships of Byronosaurus jaffei (Theropoda: Troodontidae). American Museum Novitates 3402:1-32.
- Dinosauria.com
