Shuvuuia Fact Flile

Shuvuuia Fact File

Name Of Dinosaur: Shuvuuia deserti
Pronounciation Of Name: Shue-vue-ee-ah dez-ert-ee
Meaning Of Name: Desert Bird
Diet: Insects, eggs, and small animals
Length: 3 feet
Height: 1 foot 6 inches
Weight: 12 pounds
Time It Lived: Cretaceous Period, 80-70 million years ago
Fossils Found In: Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Information: Shuvuuia may be the best known member of the Alvarezsaur (Al-vah-rez-sore) group of dinosaurs, possibly because it is the only alvarezsaurid scientists currently have skull material from. Once considered primitive flightless birds, Shuvuuia and its kin are now considered to belong to a group of dinosaurs known as the Maniraptorids (Man-ih-rap-tore-ids), which includes Deinonychosaurs (Dye-nawn-ick-oh-sores), such as Velociraptor (Vel-aw-sih-rap-tore), Therizinosaurs (Thare-ih-zin-oh-sores), like Therizinosaurus (Thare-ih-zin-oh-sore-us), and Oviraptorids (Oh-vih-rap-tore-ids), like Incisivosaurus (In-siz-ee-voh-sore-us), as well as true birds, which are now considered to be specialized flying dinosaurs. Like an ostrich or emu, Shuvuuia’s forelimbs were too short for it to use for flying, but they were very strong, and at the end of each arm was a single large, hooked claw. What this claw was used for and how Shuvuuia used it in its daily lifestyle has been the subject of much debate, but it is most likely that Shuvuuia was an insectivore, and used its claws to tear open tree bark or termite mounds to find insects. (Note: Shuvuuia probably had a larger, longer head than shown in this picture. I couldn't change my drawing of it without making the head seem disproportionately large. Besides, I'm personally satisfied with my drawing as it is.)

For Further Information, E-Mail Bryan Or Visit…
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/dinosaurplanet/dinos/dinos_zoom4.html
http://www.jpinstitute.com/dinopedia/dino_card_az.jsp
http://www.luisrey.ndtilda.co.uk/html/shuvuu.htm
http://dinosauricon.com/genera/shuvuuia.html

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