Troodon

Troodon Fossil range: Late Cretaceous
Restoration of Troodon preying on an insect.
Scientific classification
Class	Reptilia
Superorder	Dinosauria
Order	Saurischia
Suborder	Theropoda
Family	Troodontidae
Genus	Troodon Leidy, 1856
Species	T. formosus (type) Leidy, 1856
Synonyms	Pectinodon Carpenter, 1982 Polydontosaurus Gilmore, 1932 Stenonychosaurus Sternberg, 1932

Troodon (or Troödon in older sources) is a genus of relatively small, bird-like dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period (75-65 mya). Discovered in 1855, it was among the first dinosaurs found in North America.

The name Troodon is Greek for "wounding tooth", referring to the dinosaur's teeth, which are different from those of most other theropods. The teeth bear prominent, apically oriented serrations. These "wounding" serrations, however, are morphometrically more similar to those of herbivorous reptiles, and suggest a possibly omnivorous diet.^[1]

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ReferencesEdit

• Currie, P. J. (1987). "Bird-like characteristics of the jaws and teeth of troodontid theropods (Dinosauria, Saurischia)." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 7: 72-81.
• Currie, P. J. (2005). "Theropods including birds." In: Currie & Koppelhus, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Pp 367–397.
• Norman, D. B. (1985). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. Salamander Books, London.
• Russell, D. A. and Séguin, R. (1982). "Reconstruction of the small Cretaceous theropod Stenonychosaurus inequalis and a hypothetical dinosauroid." Syllogeus, 37, 1-43.
• Russell, D. A. (1987). "Models and paintings of North American dinosaurs." In: Czerkas, S. J. & Olson, E. C. (eds) Dinosaurs Past and Present, Volume I. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County/University of Washington Press (Seattle and Washington), pp. 114–131.

External links Edit

• Prehistoric Montana
• American Museum of Natural History
• Dinosauroid