Byronosaurus
"Byron's lizard"
- Lived
- 84 to 72 million years ago, Late Cretaceous
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Group
- Theropods, Troodontidae
- Found in
- Mongolia
- Named by
- Norell et al. 2000
Where its fossils were found
The evidence
Today
80 million years ago
Habitat
Sandy ground in the Djadokhta Formation of Mongolia. Protoceratops, Velociraptor and Citipati lived in the same region.
Field notes
About Byronosaurus
What it was like
Byronosaurus was a small feathered troodontid, known from skulls. Its long, narrow snout had many small, needle-like teeth without serrations, unlike those of most of its relatives.
Tiny skulls of babies found with oviraptor eggs may belong to Byronosaurus.
Its world
It lived in the Late Cretaceous in what is now Mongolia. Its bones come from the Djadokhta Formation, where it shared the land with Velociraptor, Protoceratops, Oviraptor and Citipati.
How it was found
Norell and colleagues named Byronosaurus in 2000. Three finds are known.
Field gallery
More views of Byronosaurus
Scenes reconstructed from the available fossil evidence.
1 of 3
Lived alongside
Found in the same rock formations
A rock formation can hold fossils laid down millions of years apart, so not every animal here met Byronosaurus.
The evidence
The science behind Byronosaurus
Which parts of the picture come from its own bones, and which come from its relatives.
From its own fossils
- Partial skulls show a long, low snout with many small teeth that lack serrated edges.
- The known skeleton also includes fragments of the backbone and hind limbs, including toe bones.
Borrowed from relatives
- Feathers on the body, arms and tail are inferred from feathered troodontids such as Jianianhualong.
- The missing skull roof and much of the body are restored by comparison with Jianianhualong and Saurornithoides.
Still unknown
- Its feather colors and patterns.
- Whether the tiny skulls assigned to it belong to the same genus.
- Which foods made up most of its diet.
Discovery timeline
- 2000Named itNorell, Makovicky & Clark
- 2003Full descriptionMAKOVICKY et al.
- 2009Growing upBever & Norell
- 2017Close relativeXu et al.
Key papers
The research behind what we know of Byronosaurus
Named it
Named a troodontid with a long snout and small teeth without serrations.
A new troodontid theropod from Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20: 7-11
Read the paper : A new troodontid theropod from Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia (opens in a new tab)Full description
Detailed the skull and fragmentary skeleton, distinguishing its smooth-edged teeth and unusual snout anatomy from other troodontids.
Osteology and Relationships of Byronosaurus jaffei (Theropoda: Troodontidae). American Museum Novitates 3402: 1-32
Read the paper : Osteology and Relationships of Byronosaurus jaffei (Theropoda: Troodontidae) (opens in a new tab)Growing up
Described tiny skulls near hatching age and proposed that they belonged to Byronosaurus.
The Perinate Skull of Byronosaurus (Troodontidae) with Observations on the Cranial Ontogeny of Paravian Theropods. American Museum Novitates 3657: 1-52
Read the paper : The Perinate Skull of Byronosaurus (Troodontidae) with Observations on the Cranial Ontogeny of Paravian Theropods (opens in a new tab)Close relative
Described Jianianhualong with feathers on its body, limbs and tail, supporting feathered restorations of other troodontids.
Mosaic evolution in an asymmetrically feathered troodontid dinosaur with transitional features. Nature Communications 8
Read the paper : Mosaic evolution in an asymmetrically feathered troodontid dinosaur with transitional features (opens in a new tab)
Close relatives
Other members of Troodontidae
Sources: Wikidata