Oviraptor
|
|
Oviraptor philoceratops was a small Mongolian theropod dinosaur named by H. F. Osborn in 1924. Its name is Latin for "egg thief," as it was fossilized on a pile of presumed Protoceratops eggs. However, it is now believed that the eggs belonged to this genus itself, and that it was actually brooding its eggs.
Oviraptor may have eaten eggs, however the strength of its beak seems to suggest that it could have also broken bones. The jaws were thick and curved, so that very hard substances could be crushed. The beak had two teeth at the front, and may have been covered by a hardened sheath, much like modern bird beaks.
Oviraptor also had very large claws on each of its three strong fingers, which may have been useful in holding things in place.
Oviraptor lived in the late Cretaceous period, 80 to 70 million years ago. Relatives of Oviraptor include Ingenia and Chirostenotes.