Papiliovenator

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Papiliovenator
Temporal range: 83.6–72.1  Ma
Papiliovenator skull.png
Holotype skull diagram
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Family: Troodontidae
Genus: Papiliovenator
Pei et al., 2021
Species:
P. neimengguensis
Binomial name
Papiliovenator neimengguensis
Pei et al., 2021

Papiliovenator (meaning "butterfly hunter", after a butterfly-shaped feature on its first two dorsal vertebrae) is a genus of troodontid theropod dinosaur from the Bayan Mandahu Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. The type and only species is Papiliovenator neimengguensis. [1]

Contents

Description

Life restoration Papiliovenator Life Restoration.png
Life restoration

The holotype, BNMNH-PV030, is a partial, semi-articulated subadult skeleton consisting of a nearly complete cranium and other postcranial bones. Uniquely, its snout was short and subtriangular, more similar to that of Early Cretaceous troodontids such as Mei long than the long, low snouts of Late Cretaceous troodontids. This and other unique traits of its skeleton suggest a high diversity of troodontid morphotypes in the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert. [1]

Classification

Pei et al. recover Papiliovenator as the earliest-diverging member of a clade consisting of all Late Cretaceous troodontids except for Almas ukhaa . [1]

Dromaeosauridae

Troodontidae

Sinovenator

Mei

Jinfengopteryx

Sinusonasus

Jianianhualong

Sinornithoides

EK Troodontid

Almas

Papiliovenator

Xixiasaurus

Gobivenator

Byronosaurus

Zanabazar

Linhevenator

Saurornithoides

Latenivenatrix

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Pei, R.; Qin, Yuying; Wen, Aishu; Zhao, Q.; Wang, Z.; Liu, Z.; Guo, W.; Liu, P.; Ye, W.; Wang, L.; Yin, Z.; Dai, R.; Xu, X. (2022). "A New Troodontid from the Upper Cretaceous Gobi Basin of Inner Mongolia, China". Cretaceous Research. 130: Article 105052. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105052.