Shishugounykus

Shishugou claw

• Shishugou · Chinese (place name) · the Shishugou Formation, Xinjiang, China
• onykus · Greek · claw

The name combines Shishugou, the geological formation in Xinjiang, China, where the fossil was found, with a Greek word for "claw". The "-onykus" ending follows Mononykus and other alvarezsauroid names. The type species is S. inexpectatus, "unexpected", because an alvarezsauroid this early and this basal was a surprise.

Named by

Qin et al.

Year named

2019

Period

Late Jurassic

Stage

Oxfordian

Found in

Shishugou Formation, Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China

A small theropod dinosaur and early member of the Alvarezsauroidea. It is one of the oldest known alvarezsauroids. The type species is Shishugounykus inexpectatus.