AGE:
Late Cretaceous (Campanian), Djadokhta Formation, 75 million years ago

SIZE:
Up to 1.5 metres long

MEANING OF NAME:
'Bird mimic'

PRONUNCIATION:
A-vee-MIME-us

CLASSIFICATION:
THEROPODA: relationships uncertain

Small carnivorous dinosaurs or theropods are thought to have given rise to the birds. The translation of Avimimus, 'Bird mimic' reflects the uncertainty of its relationship to birds. It was interpreted by its discoverer, Dr Sergi Kurzanov, as a dinosaur that had features in parallel with birds, perhaps even feathers. The animal possibly had short, wide wings of limited use for flight and may even have been warm blooded. The foot of Avimimus is compared with that of the large carnivorous dinosaur, Tarbosaurus and the similarities are clear. The middle metatarsal bone is very reduced in both.