Haplocheirus

simple hand

• haplous · Greek · simple
• cheir · Greek · hand

The name combines the Greek words for "simple" and "hand". It refers to the relatively simple structure of the hand, which is more primitive than those of later alvarezsauroids. Haplocheirus is a basal alvarezsauroid, and its long, three-fingered hand differs from the stubby single-clawed arms of later members of the group.

Named by

Choiniere et al.

Year named

2010

Period

Late Jurassic

Stage

Oxfordian

Found in

Shishugou Formation, Xinjiang, China

Type species Haplocheirus sollers. It is an early alvarezsauroid theropod, and it is about 63 million years older than other known alvarezsauroids.