Paraxenisaurus
Type species Paraxenisaurus normalensis
- Lived
- 84 to 72 million years ago, Late Cretaceous
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Group
- Theropods, Deinocheiridae
- Found in
- Mexico
- Named by
- Serrano-Brañas et al. 2020
Where its fossils were found
The evidence
Today
80 million years ago
Habitat
A coastal landscape in what is now Mexico. The Cerro del Pueblo Formation also contains Velafrons, Tlatolophus and Mexidracon.
Field notes
About Paraxenisaurus
What it was like
Paraxenisaurus was an ostrich-like dinosaur from the same family as the giant Deinocheirus. It is known from a few bones of the tail, hips, hands and feet, so its size and shape are uncertain.
Its world
It lived in the Late Cretaceous in what is now Mexico. Its bones come from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation, a coastal land shared with the crested duckbills Velafrons and Tlatolophus.
How it was found
Serrano-Brañas and colleagues named it in 2020 from one find. The type species is Paraxenisaurus normalensis. It was the first member of its family found in North America.
Field gallery
More views of Paraxenisaurus
Scenes reconstructed from the available fossil evidence.
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 Paraxenisaurus.
The evidence
The science behind Paraxenisaurus
Which parts of the picture come from its own bones, and which come from its relatives.
From its own fossils
- Scattered bones preserve parts of the tail, hips, hands and feet.
- Its hand had a strongly curved thumb claw.
- Broad, downward-curving foot claws and an expanded central foot bone distinguish it from many other ostrich-like dinosaurs.
Borrowed from relatives
- The missing head, neck and much of the body are restored by comparison with ornithomimosaurs such as Deinocheirus and Garudimimus.
Still unknown
- Its skull shape and complete body proportions.
- Its skin covering and color.
- Exactly what it ate.
Discovery timeline
- 2014Close relativeLee et al.
- 2020Named itSerrano-Brañas et al.
- 2025Same rocksSerrano-Brañas et al.
Key papers
The research behind what we know of Paraxenisaurus
Close relative
New Deinocheirus skeletons revealed its deep jaw, broad foot claws and unusual body, establishing a comparison for other members of its family.
Resolving the long-standing enigmas of a giant ornithomimosaur Deinocheirus mirificus. Nature 515: 257-260
Read the paper : Resolving the long-standing enigmas of a giant ornithomimosaur Deinocheirus mirificus (opens in a new tab)Named it
Named an ostrich-like dinosaur from limb and tail bones, placing it in the family of Deinocheirus.
Paraxenisaurus normalensis, a large deinocheirid ornithomimosaur from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Coahuila, Mexico. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 101: 102610
Read the paper : Paraxenisaurus normalensis, a large deinocheirid ornithomimosaur from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Coahuila, Mexico (opens in a new tab)Same rocks
Named Mexidracon, an ostrich-like dinosaur with exceptionally long hand bones from the same formation, adding another branch of this group to the local fauna.
A long-handed new ornithomimid dinosaur from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico. Cretaceous Research 169: 106087
Read the paper : A long-handed new ornithomimid dinosaur from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico (opens in a new tab)
Close relatives
Other members of Deinocheiridae
Sources: Wikidata