The beaks of ostrich dinosaurs (original) (raw)

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• Published: 30 August 2001

Palaeontology

Nature volume 412, pages 873–874 (2001)Cite this article

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Abstract

Primitive ornithomimids, a ubiquitous group of specialized Cretaceous dinosaurs nested within a clade of predominantly carnivorous theropods, are known to have had teeth, whereas derived ornithomimids had an edentulous beak, which has prompted speculation about their dietary habits1. Here we describe two new ornithomimid specimens in which soft-tissue structures of the beak have been preserved. These creatures probably used their beaks to strain food sediment in an aqueous environment, rather than for predation on large animals.

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Figure 1: Two ornithomimid specimens, showing preservation of soft-tissue structures of the beak.

Figure 2

COURTESY OF MIKE SKREPNICK

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Authors and Affiliations

1. American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, 10024-5192, New York, USA
   Mark A. Norell & Peter J. Makovicky
2. Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, 60605-2496, Illinois, USA
   Peter J. Makovicky
3. Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, T0J 0Y0, Alberta, Canada
   Philip J. Currie

Authors

1. Mark A. Norell
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2. Peter J. Makovicky
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3. Philip J. Currie
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Correspondence toMark A. Norell.

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Norell, M., Makovicky, P. & Currie, P. The beaks of ostrich dinosaurs.Nature 412, 873–874 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35091139

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• Issue Date: 30 August 2001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35091139

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