Ceratonykus

Say it: seh-rah-TOE-nih-kus

Name means: “horned claw”1

Ate: InsectsOdd feathered dinosLate Cretaceous

Ceratonykus was a tiny, bird-like dinosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous period. It was an alvarezsaur, a group of dinosaurs with strong, clawed hands and long legs. This little dinosaur probably used its sharp claws to dig for insects and other small prey.1 3

Lived

84 to 72 million years ago3

Late Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Mongolia, in the Barun Goyot Formation1 3

Food

Insects3 1

Length

0.6 to 0.75 m1

estimates vary

Weight

0.76 kg to 1 kg1

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

as long as 4 bananas end to endlighter than a house catas heavy as 8 bananas

How big was Ceratonykus compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

Ceratonykus had a very small brain, but scientists found that its brain was built like a reptile's, with no curves. Its optic lobes were pushed to the sides, like in birds.2

This dinosaur had excellent eyesight and hearing, which helped it hunt for food.2

The name Ceratonykus means 'horned claw', but it did not have a horn on its head. The name refers to a small horn-like bump on its claw bones.1

Ceratonykus was about the size of a chicken, measuring up to 75 centimetres (2.5 feet) long and weighing less than a kilogram (2.2 pounds).1

Its brain had a large cerebellum, which helped with balance and coordination. This suggests that its ancestors might have climbed trees.2

Some scientists think Ceratonykus might actually be the same dinosaur as Parvicursor, because they are so similar.1

AI-made picture of Ceratonykus — An AI-made picture of how Ceratonykus might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Ceratonykus

?How big was Ceratonykus?

Ceratonykus was tiny, about the size of a chicken. It measured up to 75 centimetres (2.5 feet) long and weighed around 760 grams (1.7 pounds).1

?What did Ceratonykus eat?

Ceratonykus probably used its sharp claws to dig for insects and other small prey.1

?Did Ceratonykus have feathers?

Yes, Ceratonykus was a feathered theropod dinosaur, like many of its relatives.1

?Is Ceratonykus a dinosaur?

Yes, Ceratonykus is a dinosaur. It was a small, bird-like alvarezsaurid theropod from the Late Cretaceous.1

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For dino experts

Scientific name: Ceratonykus
Named by: Alifanov and Barsbold 20093
Group: Odd feathered dinos
Family / clade: Alvarezsauridae3
Classification: Theropoda > Alvarezsauridae3
Age of the rocks: 84 to 72 million years (Campanian)3
Rock formations: Baruungoyot3
Countries: Mongolia3
Fossil records: 1 in the Paleobiology Database3
Discovery: Ceratonykus was discovered in 2003 in Mongolia by a fossil preparator named Otkhoon Zhargal. It was named and described in 2009 by Vladimir Alifanov and Rinchen Barsbold.1
Still debated: Scientists still debate whether Ceratonykus is its own species or just a younger version of another alvarezsaur called Parvicursor.1

Where the facts come from

Ceratonykus (en.wikipedia.org)
Brain structure and neurobiology of Alvarezsaurians (Dinosauria), exemplified by Ceratonykus oculatus (Parvicursoridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia | Paleontological Journal | Springer Nature Link (link.springer.com)
Ceratonykus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

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