Microvenator

small hunter

• mikros · Greek · small
• venator · Latin · hunter

The name combines the Greek "mikros" (small) with the Latin "venator" (hunter). It was chosen because this was a small, lightly built theropod that was presumed to be a predator. It was named as a counterpart to Ostrom's larger Deinonychus-era hunters from the same region, and the name stresses its small size.

Named by

Ostrom

Year named

1970

Period

Early Cretaceous

Stages

Aptian – Albian

Found in

Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA

A small oviraptorosaur (caenagnathid-related) theropod. The type species is Microvenator celer. It was originally described by Ostrom as a coelurosaur of uncertain affinities, and was later recognised as an oviraptorosaur. The holotype is probably a subadult. Parts of the etymology note about Deinonychus are not something I can confirm, so treat that comparison with caution.