An unusual oviraptorosaurian dinosaur from China

Nature. 2002 Sep 19;419(6904):291-3. doi: 10.1038/nature00966.

Abstract

Oviraptorosaurians are an unusual group of theropod dinosaurs, with highly specialized skulls. Here we report a new oviraptorosaurian, Incisivosaurus gauthieri, gen. et sp. nov., from the lowest part of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China. This oviraptorosaurian displays a number of characters closer to more typical theropods, such as a low skull and toothed jaws, thus greatly reducing the morphological gap between oviraptorosaurs and other theropods. Incisivosaurus has a pair of premaxillary teeth resembling rodent incisors and small, lanceolate cheek teeth with large wear facets. These dental features were previously unknown among theropods and suggest a herbivorous diet. The new discovery provides a case of convergent evolution and demonstrates that non-avian theropods were much more diverse ecologically than previously suspected.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • Dentition
  • Diet
  • Dinosaurs / anatomy & histology*
  • Dinosaurs / classification
  • Fossils*
  • Jaw / anatomy & histology
  • Phylogeny
  • Skull / anatomy & histology
  • Tooth / anatomy & histology