Mononykus

“one claw”

CLASSIFICATION

Mononykus  Perle, Norrell, Chiappe & Clark, 1993TYPE SPECIES: M. olecranus (Perle, Norrell, Chiappe & Clark, 1993) (originally “Mononychus“) “one claw with a large  olecranon process (elbow)”

Animalia Vertebrata Tetrapoda Sauropsida Archosauromorpha Ornithodira Dinosauria Theropoda Tetanurae Coelurosauria Alvarezsauria

see also: Genus Index, Classification

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MEASUREMENTS

LENGTH: 1 m

TIME

Late Cretaceous

see also: Ages of the Mesozoic

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PLACE

Mongolia

see also: Paleo-Maps

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REMAINS

partial skeletons

see also: Anatomy

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ESSAY

Characteristics of the odd, singly-digited forelimbs seem to indicate proficiency at digging. These include a large olecranon and possibly the keel on the sternum. A mole-like lifestyle has been proposed, but this does not agree with the long, cursorial hindlimbs. Instead, it is possible that Mononykus filled an ant-eating niche, similar to today’s numbats and aardvarks.

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