Oviraptor

The   History of the Oviraptor    The Oviraptor lived in the late Cretaceous period. The first skeleton was found in the Mongolian area. It's name is Latin for egg seizer. The name oviraptor is misleading to it's feeding habits. It was first thought to be a egg stealer because the first skeleton found was next to a nest of eggs.

Feeding habits.  The oviraptor was first thought to be an egg stealer because of the first skeleton found. After awhile scientists looked at better skeletons and found out the beak was strong enough to crack clam and mollusk shells. There were bone like platlets under the jaw that could make the jaw like a shell piercing tool.  Fossils.

 The first fossil found was a partial skeleton. It was poorly preserved and the skull was crushed. Skin and feather impressions were found in in the rock around the skeleton. In the rib cage you could see that it had birdlike bones. No scientist could classify it into a genus until a better skeleton was found. It is the most birdlike non-avien. Unlike all other dinosaurs is extended below the jaw line and would have pushed into the space between the toothless lower jaws. <span style="color: rgb(172,182,241); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(79,106,222);">  <span style="color: rgb(172,182,241); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(79,106,222);">    <span style="color: rgb(44,71,201); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">    <span style="color: rgb(172,182,241); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(79,106,222);">