Cranial Anatomy of Citipati osmolskae (Theropoda, Oviraptorosauria), and a Reinterpretation of the Holotype of Oviraptor philoceratops

By James M. Clark, M. Norell, Timothy Rowe. 2002

98 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract We describe the skull of the holotype of Citipati osmolskae, one of the best preserved oviraptorid skulls known. The skull preserves stapes and epipterygoids, and the mandible preserves a slender coronoid bone, none of which has been reported before in oviraptorids. The braincase is similar to that of other basal coelurosaurs but possesses extensive recesses presumably occupied by pneumatic diverticulae; the circumnarial region is highly pneumatized, and a large recess continues posteriorly from the narial region to invade the frontals and parietals dorsal to the braincase. Circum-otic pneumatic recesses include two dorsal recesses above the otic recess, a posterior recess on the anterior surface of the paroccipital process, and extensive cavities in the basisphenoid beneath the braincase. The more dorsal of the two dorsal tympanic recesses is very deep, and CT scans suggest that it connected medially across the midline dorsal to the otic region and anteriorly with the frontoparietal space. The otic recess is unusually shallow. Comparison of the new skull with the poorly preserved skull of the holotype of Oviraptor philoceratops demonstrates that the braincase and palate of the latter are similar to those of other oviraptorids. Its rostrum and dentary are more elongate than in other oviraptorids, however, a more plesiomorphic condition suggesting it may be the most basal oviraptorid. A well-preserved skeleton previously referred to O. philoceratops, IGM 100/42, does not belong to this genus or species, and its narial region is very similar to that of Citipati osmolskae.

Subfields: Global and Planetary Change, Nature and Landscape Conservation, Paleontology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/4ce36bcff2b8903b6f586d4a6d9d581cdb4abfd6

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Global and Planetary Change

In Nature and Landscape Conservation

In Paleontology

Citations in the corpus

Embryos of therizinosauroid theropods from the Upper Cretaceous of China: diagnosis and analysis of ossification patterns (2007, background): “Furthermore, the basipterygoid process in the therizinosauroid embryos recalls the more reduced conditions in oviraptorosaurs (Barsbold et al. 1990; Sues 1997; Clark et al. 2002; Xu et al. 2002b) than those in the ornithomimid Gallimimus (Osmólska et al.”
Osteology of Khaan mckennai (Oviraptorosauria: Theropoda) (2012, methodology): “The jugal process of the maxilla is thin and rod shaped as in Citipati osmolskae (Clark et al., 2002), but not Incisivosaurus gauthieri (Balanoff et al., 2009).”
Osteology and Relationships of Byronosaurus jaffei (Theropoda: Troodontidae) (2003, background): “This basisphenoid recess is widespread in coelurosaurs and is seen in ornithomimids (Osmólska et al., 1972), oviraptorids (Clark et al., 2002), and dromaeosaurids (e.g., Dromaeosaurus albertensis AMNH 5356).”
A revision of enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces) skull morphology (2011, background): “Shenqiornis ), as well as in non-avian theropods ( Ostrom 1969 ; Clarke et al.”