Archaeornithoides

ancient bird-like form

• archaios · Greek · ancient
• ornis · Greek · bird
• -oides · Greek · resembling, form of

The name combines Greek words meaning "ancient", "bird" and "resembling". It was chosen because the small skull looked strikingly bird-like and was compared to that of Archaeopteryx. The type species, A. deinosauriscus, was named for its dinosaurian affinities.

Named by

Elzanowski and Wellnhofer

Year named

1992

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Campanian

Found in

Djadokhta Formation, Mongolia

A small theropod known from a single juvenile skull. Its relationships are uncertain: it has been interpreted as a troodontid or a close relative of birds, and some researchers suggest it may be a juvenile of a known dromaeosaurid or troodontid, so its validity is debated.