Caenagnathasia martinsoni

Martinson's Asian-Caenagnathus

Caenagnathasia martinsoni
(Currie, Godfrey & Nessov, 1995)

The oviraptorosaurs are a highly derived group of toothless coelurosaurs, are closely related to the therizinosaurs (see T. Mike Keesey's cladogram of Dinosauria ). Caenagnathasia martinsoni is the earliest of these creatures and the most primitive. Its skull resembles both those of some primitive therizinosaurs and Microvenator (a genus considered the common ancestor of both groups).

This species's serrated beak and scoop-shaped jaw indicates a fish-eating, wading-bird type of existence (Headden). Its large, brightly colored bill is a visual signal that is carried to an extreme in the more derived oviraptors such as Oviraptor .

Thanks to T. Michael Keesey for his co-authorship of this painting, and Ray Stanford, of cource.

Other sites containing pertinent information:

T. Mike Keesey's Caenagnathasia (good information and pictures)
Jaime A. Headden's C. martinsoni page (wounderful, well-written, well-illustraited and thorough information).
John R. Hutchinson's oviraptorosaur page
DinoData's Caenagnathasia page
�yvind M. Padron's Caenagnathasia

� Daniel Bensen 2000
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This image modified by Adobe Photoshop.
This species is included in a larger painting.