Skip to Content

A new ornithomimosaur from the Early Cretaceous Trinity Group of Arkansas Project ID: 00000C362 Public
12 Media · 1 Specimen · Managed by: ReBecca Hunt-Foster

Whereas ornithomimosaurs (ostrich-mimic dinosaurs) are well known from Asia during in the Early Cretaceous, they are less well known from this time in North America. Represented by a single specimen consisting of pedal elements, a new North American taxon, Arkansaurus fridayi, gen. et sp. nov., consists of a nearly complete right foot, recovered from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian/Aptian) Trinity Group of Arkansas. Arkansaurus fridayi can be distinguished from other ornithomimosaurs based on differentiated pedal unguals, a laterally compressed third metatarsal that is ovoid in proximal view, and a distal ungual with a very weak flexor tubercle, lacking spurs. The condition of this third metatarsal suggest that Arkansaurus fridayi is more basal than other Asiatic ornithomimosaurs of similar age, but consistent with older North American forms. This specimen provides knowledge of a poorly understood radiation of ornithomimosaurs in Appalachia, and is the only known saurischian dinosaurian fossil from the state of Arkansas.

Filter works:
Media Type
Object
Organization
Publication Status
Taxonomy (Name)
Project
Data Manager
Data Uploader
View results as:
List Gallery
List of media items in this team
  ID Part Object Taxonomy Type Date Added Publication Status  
000029254 Metatarsal IV (distal) uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-20 Open Download  
000029251 Metatarsal IV (proximal) uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-20 Open Download  
000029250 Metatarsal III uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-20 Open Download  
000029247 Metatarsal II (distal) uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-20 Open Download  
000029230 Metatarsal II (proximal) uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-20 Open Download  
000029229 pedal phalanx IV-1 uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-19 Open Download  
000029228 pedal phalanx III-2 uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-19 Open Download  
000029227 pedal phalanx III-1 uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-19 Open Download  
000029226 distal ungual uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-19 Open Download  
000029225 pedal phalanx II-1 uam:74-16 Arkansaurus fridayi Mesh 2017-07-19 Open Download  
Number of results to display per page
Showing 1 - 10 of 12