Urbacodon

Urbacodon is a basal troodontid theropod discovered in the Kyzylkum Desert of Uzbekistan, dating from the Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous. It was a modest, turkey-sized dinosaur measuring roughly one to one and a half metres in total body length and weighing under ten kilograms. Urbacodon is known primarily from a well-preserved lower jaw and isolated teeth. Unlike the jagged serrations seen on the teeth of most troodontids, its dentition had smooth-edged carinae, suggesting an unusual diet that may have specialised in soft-bodied prey such as insects, amphibians, or fish. It ran bipedally and possessed long limbs built for pursuit. The generic name honours the international URBAC expedition team that uncovered it, combining the acronym of Uzbek, Russian, British, American, and Canadian scientists with the Greek word for tooth.

Its lower teeth entirely lacked the prominent serrations found in most other troodontids.

Where and when

Urbacodon lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 94 to 90 million years ago (Turonian age). Its remains come from Uzbekistan, in the Dzharakuduk Formation.

The numbers

Length 1.3 m (estimates run from 1 to 1.5 m). Mass about 7.1 kg. Hip height about 0.4 m. That is 0.8 human-lengths, or 0.12 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from fragmentary remains; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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