Euronychodon

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Euronychodon
Fossil range: Late Cretaceous
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Superorder: Dinosauria
Order: Saurischia
Suborder: Theropoda
Infraorder: Coelurosauria
Family: Troodontidae
Genus: Euronychodon
Species
  • E. portucalensis Antunes & Sigogneau-Russell, 1991 (type)
  • E. asiaticus Nessov, 1995

Euronychodon ("European claw tooth") is the name given to a genus of coelurosaur dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous, described by Miguel Telles Antunes and Denise Sigogneau-Russell in 1991. It is similar to another coelurosaur, Paronychodon.

Contents

[edit] Species of Euronychodon

Two probable species of Euronychodon have been found to date.

  • E. portucalensis (named for Portugal): the remains consist of three teeth, diagnostic enough for it to be considered a distinct genus and species. They were found at the locality of Taveiro, dated as Maastrichtian. As the type species of Euronychodon, it was described in 1991 by Antunes and Sigogneau-Russell.
  • E. asiaticus (named for Asia): consists of one sole tooth, found in Uzbekistan, and described by Nessov in 1995. It is usually considered a nomen dubium. It is much earlier than E. portucalensis, which means it could belong to a different animal.


[edit] Systematics

Being a tooth-taxon, the true affinities of Euronychodon are hard to determine. Originally described as a dromaeosaurid, it was later considered to be a member of Troodontidae, though it could also be another kind of coelurosaurian theropod.

[edit] Palaeobiology

The remains indicate a small animal, estimated at around 2 meters (6.6 feet).

The teeth indicate a carnivorous or insectivorous diet.

[edit] References

  • Antunes, M.T. & Mateus, O. (2003). Dinosaurs of Portugal. C. R. Palevol 2: 77-95.

[edit] Websites