Mononykus

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Mononykus
Mononykus
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Superorder: Dinosauria Order: Saurischia Suborder: Theropoda Family: Alvarezsauridae Genus: Mononykus Species: M. olecranus
Binomial name
Mononykus olecranus Perle et al, 1993
Synonyms
Mononychus Perle et al, 1993 (non Schueppel, 1824: preoccupied)

Mononykus (pronounced /məˈnɒnɨkəs/ muh-NON-i-kus, sometimes MON-o-NYE-kus) (meaning "one claw") was a theropod dinosaur from late Cretaceous Mongolia (80-70 million years ago) with long, skinny legs. It moved about on two legs, was very nimble, and could run at high speeds, something that would have been useful in the open desert plains where it lived. It had a small skull, and its teeth were small and pointed, suggesting that it ate insects and small animals, such as lizards and mammals. Large eyes allowed Mononykus to hunt by night, when it was cooler and there would have been fewer predators (such as Velociraptor) about.

It was a member of the family Alvarezsauridae and, like its relatives, had very strange, stubby forearms with one large claw three inches long (hence its name). The other two claws have disappeared (however, a close relative of Mononykus, Shuvuuia, had two vestigial claws, alongside one large claw). The purpose of these highly specialized arms is still a mystery, but some scientists have suggested they were used to break open termite mounds (like modern anteaters), and therefore it is possible that they fed primarily on insects.^[1] Other characteristics include fused wrist bones similar to those of birds, a keeled breastbone, and a long tail resembling other dinosaurs. Mononykus lived 75 million years ago, at the same time and place as Velociraptor. It was a small dinosaur, only 3 feet (1 m) long.

Mononykus is usually reconstructed with a covering of feathers. In life these would have provided it with insulation during colder months. They could have also provided it with camouflage, or perhaps have been used as part of a colourful mating display.

[edit] In popular culture

Mononykus appears in the BBC series Chased by Dinosaurs special "The Giant Claw", where one specimen is captured by Nigel Marven during his journey in Cretaceous Mongolia to solve the mystery of the giant claw.

[edit] External links

• In chinese but with pictures and taxon in english

[edit] References

Haines, Tim and Paul Chambers. The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life. Pg. 125. Canada: Firefly Books Ltd., 2006.