Newer Dromaeosaurs

©Nobu Tamura

It has long been hypothesized that the origin of dromaeosaurs was likely to be found in Asia where preservation is fairly good and basal characteristics of dromaeosaurs are found in a number of fossils. Mongolia and Northern China are prominent sites of these fossils, so it was not much of a surprise when Turner, et al. announced the description of what was called one of the most basal dromaeosaurs discovered to date in 2007, Mahakala omnogovae. Its name directly references the Tibetan Buddhist protector deity Mahakala and the southern province of Ömnögovi in Mongolia. The type specimen is a small adult, approximately the size of Archaeopteryx, consisting of portions of the cranium, limbs, vertebrae, pelvic, and shoulder girdles. Distinctively, Mahakala possessed a second toe on the hindlimb that was expanded and highly recurved. The small size of the dromaeosaur makes it a little less frightening than its larger descendants and cousins, but fear is relative when you are small enough to be the prey of this early diminutive dromaeosaur.