Ornithomimosaurs

@techreport{osborn1916skeletal8,
    author = "Osborn, H. F",
    title = "Skeletal adaptations of Ornitholestes, Struthiomimus, Tyrannosaurus",
    year = "1916",
    howpublished = "Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, v. 35, p. 733-771",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Osborn, H. F., 1916, Skeletal adaptations of Ornitholestes, Struthiomimus, Tyrannosaurus: Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, v. 35, p. 733-771.}"
}

@article{parks1926struthiomimus10,
    author = "Parks, W. A",
    title = "Struthiomimus brevitertius- a new species of dinosaur from the Edmonton Formation of Alberta",
    year = "1926",
    journal = "Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Series 3, v. 20, p. 65-70",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Parks, W. A., 1926, Struthiomimus brevitertius- a new species of dinosaur from the Edmonton Formation of Alberta: Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Series 3, v. 20, p. 65-70.}"
}

@book{parks1928struthiomimus11,
    author = "Parks, W. A",
    title = "Struthiomimus samueli, a new species of Ornithomimidae from the Belly River Formation of Alberta",
    year = "1928",
    publisher = "University of Toronto Studies, Geological Series, v. 26, p. 1-24",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Parks, W. A., 1928, Struthiomimus samueli, a new species of Ornithomimidae from the Belly River Formation of Alberta: University of Toronto Studies, Geological Series, v. 26, p. 1-24.}"
}

@misc{sternberg1933a14,
    author = "Sternberg, C. M",
    title = "A new Ornithomimus with complete abdominal curiass",
    year = "1933",
    howpublished = "Canadian Field-Naturalist, v. 47, p. 79-83",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Sternberg, C. M., 1933, A new Ornithomimus with complete abdominal curiass: Canadian Field-Naturalist, v. 47, p. 79-83.}"
}

@article{axelrod1968cretaceous,
    author = "Axelrod, Daniel I. and Bailey, Harry P.",
    title = "Cretaceous Dinosaur Extinction",
    year = "1968",
    journal = "Evolution",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.2307/2406883",
    doi = "10.2307/2406883",
    number = "3",
    pages = "595",
    volume = "22"
}

@misc{osmolska1972a9,
    author = "Osmolska, H. and Roniewicz, E. and Barsbold, R",
    title = "A new dinosaur, Gallimimus bullatus n. gen. n. sp. (Ornithomimidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia",
    year = "1972",
    howpublished = "Palaeont. Polonica, v. 27, p. 103-143",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Osmolska, H., Roniewicz, E., and Barsbold, R., 1972, A new dinosaur, Gallimimus bullatus n. gen. n. sp. (Ornithomimidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia: Palaeont. Polonica, v. 27, p. 103-143.}"
}

@article{russell1972ostrich13,
    author = "Russell, D. A",
    title = "Ostrich dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of western Canada",
    year = "1972",
    journal = "Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 9, p. 375-402",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Russell, D. A., 1972, Ostrich dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of western Canada: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 9, p. 375-402.}"
}

@misc{galton1982elaphrosaurus4,
    author = "Galton, P. M",
    title = "Elaphrosaurus, an ornithomimid dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic of North America and Africa",
    year = "1982",
    howpublished = "Palontologische Zeitschrift, v. 56, p. 265-275",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Galton, P. M., 1982, Elaphrosaurus, an ornithomimid dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic of North America and Africa: Palontologische Zeitschrift, v. 56, p. 265-275.}"
}

@article{barsbold1984the1,
    author = "Barsbold, R. and Perle, A",
    title = "The first record of a primitive ornithomimosaur from the Cretaceous of Mongolia",
    year = "1984",
    journal = "Palaeontological Journal, v. 2, p. 118-120",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Barsbold, R., and Perle, A., 1984, The first record of a primitive ornithomimosaur from the Cretaceous of Mongolia: Palaeontological Journal, v. 2, p. 118-120.}"
}

@article{brettsurman1985a2,
    author = "Brett-Surman, M. K. and Paul, G. S",
    title = "A new family of bird-like dinosaurs linking Laurasia and Gondwanaland",
    year = "1985",
    journal = "Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 5, p. 133-138",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Brett-Surman, M. K., and Paul, G. S., 1985, A new family of bird-like dinosaurs linking Laurasia and Gondwanaland: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 5, p. 133-138.}"
}

@article{decourten1985a3,
    author = "DeCourten, F. L. and Russell, D. A",
    title = "A specimen of Ornithomimus velox (Theropoda, Ornithomimidae) from the terminal Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of Southern Utah",
    year = "1985",
    journal = "Journal of Paleontology, v. 59, p. 1091-1099",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {DeCourten, F. L., and Russell, D. A., 1985, A specimen of Ornithomimus velox (Theropoda, Ornithomimidae) from the terminal Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of Southern Utah: Journal of Paleontology, v. 59, p. 1091-1099.}"
}

@misc{nicholls1985structure7,
    author = "Nicholls, E. L. and Russell, A. P",
    title = "Structure and function of the pectoral girdle and forelimb of Struthiomimus altus (Theropoda",
    year = "1985",
    howpublished = "Ornithomimidae): Palaeontology, v. 28, p. 643-677",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Nicholls, E. L., and Russell, A. P., 1985, Structure and function of the pectoral girdle and forelimb of Struthiomimus altus (Theropoda: Ornithomimidae): Palaeontology, v. 28, p. 643-677.}"
}

@misc{kitchner1987function5,
    author = "Kitchner, A",
    title = "Function of Claw's claws",
    year = "1987",
    howpublished = "Nature, v. 325, p. 114",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Kitchner, A., 1987, Function of Claw's claws: Nature, v. 325, p. 114.}"
}

@misc{milner1987claws6,
    author = "Milner, A. R. and Croucher, R",
    title = "Claws",
    year = "1987",
    howpublished = "British Museum (Natural History), London",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Milner, A. R., and Croucher, R., 1987, Claws. British Museum (Natural History), London.}"
}

@misc{reid1987claws12,
    author = "Reid, R. E. H",
    title = "Claws' claws",
    year = "1987",
    howpublished = "Nature, v. 325, p. 487",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Reid, R. E. H., 1987, Claws' claws: Nature, v. 325, p. 487.}"
}

Dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs possess a strongly recurved, hypertrophied and hyperextensible ungual claw on pedal digit II. This feature is usually suggested to have functioned as a device for disembowelling herbivorous dinosaurs during predation. However, modelling of dromaeosaurid hindlimb function using a robotic model and comparison of pedal ungual morphology with extant analogue taxa both indicate that this distinctive claw did not function as a slashing weapon, but may have acted as an aid to prey capture.

@article{manning2006dinosaur,
    author = "Manning, Phillip L and Payne, David and Pennicott, John and Barrett, Paul M and Ennos, Roland A",
    title = "Dinosaur killer claws or climbing crampons?",
    year = "2006",
    journal = "Biology Letters",
    abstract = "Dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs possess a strongly recurved, hypertrophied and hyperextensible ungual claw on pedal digit II. This feature is usually suggested to have functioned as a device for disembowelling herbivorous dinosaurs during predation. However, modelling of dromaeosaurid hindlimb function using a robotic model and comparison of pedal ungual morphology with extant analogue taxa both indicate that this distinctive claw did not function as a slashing weapon, but may have acted as an aid to prey capture.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2005.0395",
    doi = "10.1098/rsbl.2005.0395",
    number = "1",
    pages = "110-112",
    volume = "2"
}

@article{sues2016ornithomimidae,
    author = "Sues, Hans-Dieter and Averianov, Alexander",
    title = "Ornithomimidae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Bissekty Formation (Upper Cretaceous: Turonian) of Uzbekistan",
    year = "2016",
    journal = "Cretaceous Research",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2015.07.012",
    doi = "10.1016/j.cretres.2015.07.012",
    pages = "90-110",
    volume = "57"
}

@article{sereno2017early,
    author = "Sereno, Paul C.",
    title = "Early Cretaceous Ornithomimosaurs (Dinosauria: Coelurosauria) from Africa",
    year = "2017",
    journal = "Ameghiniana",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.5710/amgh.23.10.2017.3155",
    doi = "10.5710/amgh.23.10.2017.3155",
    number = "5",
    pages = "576-616",
    volume = "54"
}

With approximately 1,500 extant species, freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) are among the most diverse decapod crustaceans. Nevertheless, their fossil record is extremely limited: only Potamidae, Potamonautidae and Trichodactylidae are reported up to the Eocene of the Neotropics so far. This work documents unusually large decapod claws from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) continental deposits of Velaux and vicinity (southern France), in close association with large vertebrate remains. In addition to (1) the systematic assignment of these claws, the study addresses (2) the salinity trends in the deposit environment from its faunal assemblage and the elementary chemical patterns of fossils, and (3) the likely scenario for their auto/allochthony in the Velaux fluvial system. These claws belong to a new taxon, Dinocarcinus velauciensis n. gen. n. sp., referred to as Portunoidea sensu lato, a group of “true” crabs nowadays linked to marine systems. However, the faunal assemblage, the claw taphonomy and the carbonates Y/Ho signatures support their ancient freshwater/terrestrial ecology, making them the oldest reported continental brachyurans and extending the presence of crabs in freshwater environments by 40 Ma. Either as primary or as secondary freshwater crabs, the occurrence of these portunoids in Velaux is an evidence for the independent colonizations of continental environments by multiple brachyuran clades over time, as early as the Campanian.

@article{robin2019the,
    author = "Robin, Ninon and van Bakel, Barry W. M. and Hyžný, Matúš and Cincotta, Aude and Garcia, Géraldine and Charbonnier, Sylvain and Godefroit, Pascal and Valentin, Xavier",
    title = "The oldest freshwater crabs: claws on dinosaur bones",
    year = "2019",
    journal = "Scientific Reports",
    abstract = "With approximately 1,500 extant species, freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) are among the most diverse decapod crustaceans. Nevertheless, their fossil record is extremely limited: only Potamidae, Potamonautidae and Trichodactylidae are reported up to the Eocene of the Neotropics so far. This work documents unusually large decapod claws from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) continental deposits of Velaux and vicinity (southern France), in close association with large vertebrate remains. In addition to (1) the systematic assignment of these claws, the study addresses (2) the salinity trends in the deposit environment from its faunal assemblage and the elementary chemical patterns of fossils, and (3) the likely scenario for their auto/allochthony in the Velaux fluvial system. These claws belong to a new taxon, Dinocarcinus velauciensis n. gen. n. sp., referred to as Portunoidea sensu lato, a group of “true” crabs nowadays linked to marine systems. However, the faunal assemblage, the claw taphonomy and the carbonates Y/Ho signatures support their ancient freshwater/terrestrial ecology, making them the oldest reported continental brachyurans and extending the presence of crabs in freshwater environments by 40 Ma. Either as primary or as secondary freshwater crabs, the occurrence of these portunoids in Velaux is an evidence for the independent colonizations of continental environments by multiple brachyuran clades over time, as early as the Campanian.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56180-w",
    doi = "10.1038/s41598-019-56180-w",
    number = "1",
    volume = "9"
}

The record of therizinosaurs is rich in Asian countries such as Mongolia and China. Fragmentary therizinosaur specimens have been reported from the Lower and Upper Cretaceous deposits in Japan. One of these specimens, from the lower Campanian Osoushinai Formation in Nakagawa Town of Hokkaido Prefecture, was previously identified as a maniraptoran theropod dinosaur, possibly therizinosaur, but its taxonomic status remained unresolved. This study re-examines the specimen and provides a more detailed description and attempts to resolve its taxonomic status. Our study demonstrates that it is a new taxon, Paralitherizinosaurus japonicus gen. et sp. nov., because it shows a unique combination of characters in the metacarpal I and unguals. Our phylogenetic analysis places this new taxon within an unresolved clade of Therizinosauridae in the strict consensus tree. The 50% majority-rule consensus tree shows better resolution within Therizinosauridae, showing an unresolved monophyletic clade of Paralitherizinosaurus, Therizinosaurus, Suzhousaurus, and the Bissekty form. Geometric morphometric analysis suggests that Paralitherizinosaurus unguals most closely resemble Therizinosaurus unguals in being slender and has weak flexor tubercles. This study also shows an evolutionary trend in ungual shape, which associates a decrease in mechanical advantage, development of flexor tubercle, and hypothesized output (product of mechanical advantage and development of flexor tubercle) in derived therizinosaurs, supporting the hook-and-pull function of claws to bring vegetation to its mouth. Paralitherizinosaurus is the youngest therizinosaur from Japan and the first recovered from the marine deposits in Asia. This suggests a long temporal existence of therizinosaurs at the eastern edge of the Asian continent and adaptation of therizinosaurs to coastal environments.

@article{kobayashi2022new,
    author = "Kobayashi, Yoshitsugu and Takasaki, Ryuji and Fiorillo, Anthony R. and Chinzorig, Tsogtbaatar and Hikida, Yoshinori",
    title = "New therizinosaurid dinosaur from the marine Osoushinai Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Japan) provides insight for function and evolution of therizinosaur claws",
    year = "2022",
    journal = "Scientific Reports",
    abstract = "The record of therizinosaurs is rich in Asian countries such as Mongolia and China. Fragmentary therizinosaur specimens have been reported from the Lower and Upper Cretaceous deposits in Japan. One of these specimens, from the lower Campanian Osoushinai Formation in Nakagawa Town of Hokkaido Prefecture, was previously identified as a maniraptoran theropod dinosaur, possibly therizinosaur, but its taxonomic status remained unresolved. This study re-examines the specimen and provides a more detailed description and attempts to resolve its taxonomic status. Our study demonstrates that it is a new taxon, Paralitherizinosaurus japonicus gen. et sp. nov., because it shows a unique combination of characters in the metacarpal I and unguals. Our phylogenetic analysis places this new taxon within an unresolved clade of Therizinosauridae in the strict consensus tree. The 50\% majority-rule consensus tree shows better resolution within Therizinosauridae, showing an unresolved monophyletic clade of Paralitherizinosaurus, Therizinosaurus, Suzhousaurus, and the Bissekty form. Geometric morphometric analysis suggests that Paralitherizinosaurus unguals most closely resemble Therizinosaurus unguals in being slender and has weak flexor tubercles. This study also shows an evolutionary trend in ungual shape, which associates a decrease in mechanical advantage, development of flexor tubercle, and hypothesized output (product of mechanical advantage and development of flexor tubercle) in derived therizinosaurs, supporting the hook-and-pull function of claws to bring vegetation to its mouth. Paralitherizinosaurus is the youngest therizinosaur from Japan and the first recovered from the marine deposits in Asia. This suggests a long temporal existence of therizinosaurs at the eastern edge of the Asian continent and adaptation of therizinosaurs to coastal environments.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11063-5",
    doi = "10.1038/s41598-022-11063-5",
    number = "1",
    volume = "12"
}

Ornithomimosauria consists of the ostrich-mimic dinosaurs, most of which showing cursorial adaptations, that often exhibit features indicative of herbivory. Recent discoveries have greatly improved our knowledge of their evolutionary history, including the divergence into Ornithomimidae and Deinocheiridae in the Early Cretaceous, but the early part of their history remains obscured because their fossil remains are scarce in the Aptian–Albian sediments. In recent years, many isolated ornithomimosaur remains have been recovered from the Aptian Kitadani Formation of Fukui, central Japan. These remains represent multiple individuals that share some morphological features common to them but unknown in other ornithomimosaurs, suggesting a monospecific accumulation of a new taxon. As a result of the description and phylogenetic analysis, the Kitadani ornithomimosaur is recovered as a new genus and species Tyrannomimus fukuiensis, the earliest definitive deinocheirid that complements our knowledge to understand the early evolutionary history of Ornithomimosauria. Due to its osteological similarity to Tyrannomimus, a taxon previously considered an early tyrannosauroid based on fragmentary specimens, namely Aviatyrannis jurassica, may represent the earliest ornithomimosaur from the Upper Jurassic of Europe, significantly expanding the temporal and biogeographic range of Ornithomimosauria. This finding fills a 20-million-year ghost lineage of Ornithomimosauria implied by the presence of the oldest fossil record of Maniraptora from the Middle Jurassic and is consistent with the hypothesis that their biogeographic range was widespread before the Pangaean breakup in the Kimmeridgian.

@article{hattori2023new,
    author = "Hattori, Soki and Shibata, Masateru and Kawabe, Soichiro and Imai, Takuya and Nishi, Hiroshi and Azuma, Yoichi",
    title = "New theropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Japan provides critical implications for the early evolution of ornithomimosaurs",
    year = "2023",
    journal = "Scientific Reports",
    abstract = "Ornithomimosauria consists of the ostrich-mimic dinosaurs, most of which showing cursorial adaptations, that often exhibit features indicative of herbivory. Recent discoveries have greatly improved our knowledge of their evolutionary history, including the divergence into Ornithomimidae and Deinocheiridae in the Early Cretaceous, but the early part of their history remains obscured because their fossil remains are scarce in the Aptian–Albian sediments. In recent years, many isolated ornithomimosaur remains have been recovered from the Aptian Kitadani Formation of Fukui, central Japan. These remains represent multiple individuals that share some morphological features common to them but unknown in other ornithomimosaurs, suggesting a monospecific accumulation of a new taxon. As a result of the description and phylogenetic analysis, the Kitadani ornithomimosaur is recovered as a new genus and species Tyrannomimus fukuiensis, the earliest definitive deinocheirid that complements our knowledge to understand the early evolutionary history of Ornithomimosauria. Due to its osteological similarity to Tyrannomimus, a taxon previously considered an early tyrannosauroid based on fragmentary specimens, namely Aviatyrannis jurassica, may represent the earliest ornithomimosaur from the Upper Jurassic of Europe, significantly expanding the temporal and biogeographic range of Ornithomimosauria. This finding fills a 20-million-year ghost lineage of Ornithomimosauria implied by the presence of the oldest fossil record of Maniraptora from the Middle Jurassic and is consistent with the hypothesis that their biogeographic range was widespread before the Pangaean breakup in the Kimmeridgian.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40804-3",
    doi = "10.1038/s41598-023-40804-3",
    number = "1",
    volume = "13"
}

@article{woodford2025twofingered,
    author = "Woodford, James",
    title = "Two-fingered dinosaur had massive claws",
    year = "2025",
    journal = "New Scientist",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1016/s0262-4079(25)00497-x",
    doi = "10.1016/s0262-4079(25)00497-x",
    number = "3536",
    pages = "16",
    volume = "265"
}

Dinosaur tracks, probably aged ~132 Ma, have been identified in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, where they occur within the Brenton Formation of the Cretaceous Uitenhage Group. At least one dinosaur bone has previously been identified from the Brenton Formation. Tracks are evident both in profile in low cliff exposures and as pedestalled surface tracks or penetrative undertracks on a mudstone/siltstone surface that is ephemerally exposed within an intertidal zone. The trackmaker assemblage is interpreted to include theropods, possibly ornithopods and possibly sauropods. These form the probable youngest reported dinosaur tracks in southern Africa, the second record of dinosaur tracks from the southern African Cretaceous, and the second record from the Western Cape Province. The first dinosaur tracks to be identified in the Western Cape Province were recently reported from Robberg Formation deposits (also from the Uitenhage Group) aged ~140 Ma.

@article{helm2026cretaceous,
    author = "Helm, Charles W. and Dixon, Mark G. and Stear, Willo M. and Van Berkel, Fred",
    title = "Cretaceous dinosaur tracks in the Brenton Formation, Western Cape",
    year = "2026",
    journal = "South African Journal of Science",
    abstract = "Dinosaur tracks, probably aged \textasciitilde 132 Ma, have been identified in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, where they occur within the Brenton Formation of the Cretaceous Uitenhage Group. At least one dinosaur bone has previously been identified from the Brenton Formation. Tracks are evident both in profile in low cliff exposures and as pedestalled surface tracks or penetrative undertracks on a mudstone/siltstone surface that is ephemerally exposed within an intertidal zone. The trackmaker assemblage is interpreted to include theropods, possibly ornithopods and possibly sauropods. These form the probable youngest reported dinosaur tracks in southern Africa, the second record of dinosaur tracks from the southern African Cretaceous, and the second record from the Western Cape Province. The first dinosaur tracks to be identified in the Western Cape Province were recently reported from Robberg Formation deposits (also from the Uitenhage Group) aged \textasciitilde 140 Ma.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2026/22809",
    doi = "10.17159/sajs.2026/22809",
    number = "1/2",
    volume = "122"
}