Caudipteryx

• Skeletals of three species.
• Size of the species compared to Homo sapiens.
• C. zoui specimen, showing tail fan.
• C. zoui holotype, with both feathers and stomoch contents preserved.
• Skulls of basal oviraptorosaurs, Caudipteryx on right. Incivisaurus (Top), and Avimimus (Bottom) on left.

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{This page is under construction.}. Caudipteryx is a genus of basal oviraptorosaur which includes two species; C. zoui, and C. dongi (Note however that the two have been synonomised variously.). It is found in Liaoning provence, China; Yixian formation.

Diagnosis

"large premaxillary subnarial process; maxilla extended anteriorly with promaxillary fossa; external naris close to antorbital fenestra in length; jugal strongly concave posterodorsally; posterodorsal dentary process subequal in width to posteroventral process; posterodorsal dentary process longer than posteroventral process; no intramandibular joint; vomers do not extend past external nares?; ectopterygoid very thin and C-shaped; twelve cervical vertebrae?; ventral margin of coracoid irregular?; anterior margin of preacetabular process posteroventrally oriented.". (Quoted from ref).

Species and specimens

Caudipteryx has five specimens described, in two species: C. zoui - the type-, and C. dongi. C. dongi is known from solely IVPP V 12344, while C. zoui is known from NGMC 97-4-A, NGMC 97-9-A, and BPM 0001. The last specimen, IVPP V 12430, is simply refered to Caudipteryx species, meaning that species isn't known. It has been argued all specimens are referable to C. zoui, as there is an extent of crushing in BPM 0001, IVPP V 12344, and IVPP V 12430, if not all specimens.