Saurornithoides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaurornithoidesTemporal range: Upper Cretaceous
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Saurornithoides
Osborn, 1924
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Saurornithoides was a quick dinosaur that lived about 79 million years ago. It was a type of theropod, which means it walked on two legs. This dinosaur was a close relative of another dinosaur called Troodon.
Scientists have found Saurornithoides fossils in places like Mongolia and China. These discoveries help us learn about what Earth was like long ago.
About Saurornithoides
Saurornithoides was a very smart hunter, much like its cousin Troodon. It had big eyes that gave it excellent vision. This helped it spot prey even in dim light.
How It Hunted
Each of its feet had a special, curved claw on the second toe. This claw could be pulled back, like a cat's claw. Saurornithoides used this sharp, sickle-shaped claw to attack and catch its food.
It likely ate small animals. These included lizards, frogs, insects, and tiny mammals. Some scientists think Saurornithoides might have hunted in groups. Hunting together would have allowed them to take down bigger dinosaurs.
Where It Was Found
Saurornithoides was first discovered in the Gobi Desert. This happened during a big expedition in the 1920s. Many other famous dinosaurs were also found there. These include Velociraptor, Protoceratops, and Oviraptor.
Images for kids
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Left foot of the type specimen as seen from the inside
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A restoration of Saurornithoides mongoliensis
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A comparison between a Saurornithoides mongoliensis specimen and an average human male
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Cast of the skull shown from the right
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Maxillary teeth
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Holotype skull seen from the right, below, and above
See also
In Spanish: Saurornithoides mongoliensis para niños
