| Shuvuuia & Mononykus |
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| Shuvuuia deserti & Mononykus olecranus Two alike animals differing by the shape of its humerous, tibia, neck vertebrae, and skull. Both had one enlarged thumb claw (Shuvuuia had two other much smaller digits); possible uses include digging or tearing into bark, termite mounds, or insect nests in search of food. They belong to the group Alvarezsaur. Name(s) meaning: Shuvuuia = Shuvuu is Mongolian for bird Mononykus = mono "single/one" onykh (onyx) "claw" Pronounciation: Shuvuuia = shu-VOO-ee-a Mononykus = mo-NON-i-kus Size: about 1 meter (3 feet) about the size of a wild turkey. Feathers: Scanning with an electron microscope around the neck region and beta keratin tests revealed Shuvuuia had fiber-like "plumulaceous feathers", similar to the fiber-like feathers found on a modern Turkey Vulture's neck. It can be assumed Mononykus also had this trait. When: both were Late Cretaceous (85-75 million years ago) Found: Mongolia's Gobi Desert |
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| Mononykus |
| Shuvuuia (notice the two small hand digits) |