Archaeornithomimus

ancient bird mimic

• archaios · Greek · ancient
• ornis · Greek · bird
• mimos · Greek · mimic

The name combines Greek words meaning "ancient", "bird" and "mimic". It means "ancient bird mimic". It was chosen because the animal resembled the earlier-named North American ornithomimid Ornithomimus, the "bird mimic", but was thought to be more primitive or older. The type species was first described as Ornithomimus asiaticus before being moved to its own genus.

Named by

Russell

Year named

1972

Period

Late Cretaceous

Found in

Iren Dabasu Formation, Inner Mongolia, China

A small, toothless ornithomimosaur theropod. The type species is A. asiaticus, originally named Ornithomimus asiaticus by Gilmore in 1933. The exact age of the Iren Dabasu Formation is debated. Other species once assigned to the genus are generally considered doubtful or belonging elsewhere.