Linhenykus

Linhenykus Temporal range: Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Skeletal restoration, showing known parts in white
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	Theropoda
Family:	†Alvarezsauridae
Tribe:	† Mononykini
Genus:	†Linhenykus Xu et al., 2011
Species:	†L. monodactylus
Binomial name
†Linhenykus monodactylus Xu et al., 2011

Linhenykus is an extinct

Linhenykus was a small dinosaur, measuring 50 cm (1.6 ft) long and weighing 500 g (18 oz).^[1] Its femur length is 7 centimetres (2.8 in).^[2]

Alvarezsauroids are known for their short forelimbs, each with a single greatly enlarged second digit. Although alvarezsaurids were once thought to have only a single digit on each forelimb, more recent evidence has shown that most species have reduced third and fourth digits. Linhenykus is the first known alvarezsaurid to have only a single, second digit.

Some scientists have suggested Linhenykus, like other alvarezsaurids, was insectivorous, using its claws to dig into ant and termite nests, similar to modern anteaters.^[4]

Discovery

The fossil of Linhenykus was collected by

It has been suggested that Linhenykus may be a junior synonym of Parvicursor,^[7] but this interpretation was rejected by the original authors ^[8] and has not been adopted in subsequent research on alvarezsauroids.^[9]

Classification

The cladogram below shows the phylogenetic position among alvarezsaurids following Makovicky, Apesteguía and Gianechini (2012).^[9]

References