Epichirostenotes
"after Chirostenotes"
- Lived
- 84 to 72 million years ago, Late Cretaceous
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Group
- Theropods, Caenagnathidae
- Found in
- Canada
- Named by
- Sullivan et al. 2011
Where its fossils were found
The evidence
Today
80 million years ago
Habitat
A low coastal plain in what is now Alberta, Canada. Edmontosaurus, Albertosaurus and Atrociraptor lived in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation landscape.
Field notes
About Epichirostenotes
What it was like
Epichirostenotes was a caenagnathid, a toothless relative of Oviraptor that probably had feathers like its relatives. It is known from parts of the skull, backbone and pelvis.
Its world
It lived in the Late Cretaceous in what is now Alberta, Canada. Its bones come from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation, where it shared the land with the duckbill Edmontosaurus, the tyrannosaur Albertosaurus and the raptor Atrociraptor.
How it was found
Sullivan and colleagues named it in 2011. The name means it came after its relative Chirostenotes.
Field gallery
More views of Epichirostenotes
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 Epichirostenotes.
The evidence
The science behind Epichirostenotes
Which parts of the picture come from its own bones, and which come from its relatives.
From its own fossils
- A single partial skeleton, the type specimen, preserves parts of the skull including an upper jaw bone and the braincase, vertebrae from every part of the backbone, and the hips.
- Its braincase is deeper than it is long, and the vertebrae over the hips are fused together. A hip bone has a prominent hook-like projection, and the ischium is long and broad at the back.
- Its upper jaw bone is relatively longer than in oviraptorids such as Oviraptor.
Borrowed from relatives
- The toothless beak, lower jaw, top of the head and neck are restored by comparison with other caenagnathids, especially Anzu.
- Feathers follow other oviraptorosaurs such as Caudipteryx, which preserves them, and Apatoraptor, whose forearm bones have feather attachment bumps.
Still unknown
- The shape of its lower jaw and the top of its skull.
- What its hands and feet looked like.
- The length and color of its feathers, and exactly which foods it ate.
Discovery timeline
- 1997Full descriptionSues
- 2011Named itSullivan, Jasinski & Tomme
- 2014Close relativeLamanna et al.
- 2016Close relativeFunston & Currie
- 2026SkullBazzana‐Adams, Funston & Evans
Key papers
The research behind what we know of Epichirostenotes
Full description
Described the partial skeleton later named Epichirostenotes and used its anatomy to link caenagnathids with oviraptorosaurs.
OnChirostenotes, a Late Cretaceous oviraptorosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from western North America. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17: 698-716
Read the paper : OnChirostenotes, a Late Cretaceous oviraptorosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from western North America (opens in a new tab)Named it
Separated Epichirostenotes from Chirostenotes using differences in its braincase and hip bones.
A new caenagnathid Ojoraptorsaurus boerei, n. gen., n. sp. (Dinosauria, Oviraptorosauria), from the Upper Cretaceous Ojo Alamo Formation (Naashoibito Member), San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Fossil Record 3. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin.
No link available
Close relative
Named Anzu, a large caenagnathid from western North America, from partial skeletons that include its skull and neck.
A New Large-Bodied Oviraptorosaurian Theropod Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Western North America. PLoS ONE 9: e92022
Read the paper : A New Large-Bodied Oviraptorosaurian Theropod Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Western North America (opens in a new tab)Close relative
Described Apatoraptor, whose forearm has attachment bumps for long feathers, and compared relationships within the caenagnathid family.
A new caenagnathid (Dinosauria: Oviraptorosauria) from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta, Canada, and a reevaluation of the relationships of Caenagnathidae. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 36: e1160910
Read the paper : A new caenagnathid (Dinosauria: Oviraptorosauria) from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta, Canada, and a reevaluation of the relationships of Caenagnathidae (opens in a new tab)Skull
Studied the inner ears of caenagnathids from scans of their braincases, including the braincase of the Epichirostenotes skeleton.
Inner Ear Anatomy of Caenagnathidae (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria) Emphasizes Mosaic Evolution of the Avian Neurosensory System. Journal of Comparative Neurology 534
Read the paper : Inner Ear Anatomy of Caenagnathidae (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria) Emphasizes Mosaic Evolution of the Avian Neurosensory System (opens in a new tab)
Close relatives
Other members of Caenagnathidae
Sources: Wikidata