#troodontidae

Color portrait of Anchiornis huxleyi, a paravian from the Upper Jurassic of China. Hundreds of specimens of this dinosaur have been found in the rocks of the Tiaojishan Formation. Some of these skeletons have preserved traces of soft tissues, including abundant plumage. Anchiornis was feathered from head to toes, it had long feathers on his wings and legs. However, it moved poorly through the air - the flight feathers were thin and symmetrical, fluffy feathers on the neck and body worsened aerodynamics. There was a crest of long feathers on his head. In some specimens, scales were found on the legs, coexisting with feathers. Examination of the preserved melanosomes revealed the presence of gray and black colors on the body and limbs. The flight feathers and wing coverts were white with black tips, and the crest was reddish. Judging by the faint curve of the claws of the legs, Anchiornis was a running animal. Some individuals still have pellets filled with lizard bones and fish scales.

(Type specimen and schematic skeletal of Hypnovenator matsubaraetoheorum, with preserved bones in red and yellow, from Kubota et al., 2024)

Meaning of name: Hypnovenator = sleep [in Greek] hunter [in Latin]; matsubaraetoheorum = for Kaoru Matsubara and Takaharu Ohe [discoverers of part of the original fossil]

Age: Early Cretaceous (Albian), between 106.4–112.1 million years ago

Where found: Ohyamashimo Formation, Hyōgo, Japan

How much is known: Partial skeleton of one individual, including limb bones, gastralia (belly ribs), and two tail vertebrae.

Notes: Hypnovenator was a troodontid, a group of relatively small, bird-like theropods. It is the first troodontid to be named from Japan. Unlike other Early Cretaceous troodontids, but similar to many Late Cretaceous ones, Hypnovenator had feet in which the outermost metatarsal (long bone of the foot) was substantially wider at its base than the second innermost metatarsal. In troodontids, the outer two metatarsals supported the main weight-bearing toes on each foot, whereas the second innermost toe was typically held off the ground. The relatively more robust outer metatarsal in Hypnovenator and later troodontids may therefore be a specialization towards greater running ability.

Several other troodontids, namely Sinornithoides, Mei, and Sinovenator, are known from one or more specimens that appear to have been preserved while they were sitting down (perhaps even sleeping). The folded posture of the limbs in the type specimen of Hypnovenator suggests that it may have died in a similar pose as well.

New game, new D&D character, you know the drill. This is Aaron and he’s an elderly Pluvenn stuck in community service for yet again disturbing the peace