Albinykus is a small dinosaur that lived a long time ago during the Late Cretaceous period, about 85 to 85 million years ago.
The name “Albinykus” means “Albin claw.” This name comes from a term used by Mongolian shamans to describe light phenomena in the Gobi Desert.
The fossils of Albinykus were discovered in Mongolia, specifically in the Javkhlant Formation. The type species, Albinykus baatar, was identified by a group of scientists in 2011.
Albinykus was quite small, weighing less than 1 kilogram, which is about 2.2 pounds. It was one of the smallest dinosaurs that are not birds. The body size of this group, called alvarezsaurs, got smaller over time, and Albinykus is a great example of this trend.
One unique feature of Albinykus compared to other alvarezsaurs is how its leg bones are connected. The bones in its ankle were fused together, meaning the tarsals (the bones in the ankle) were joined with the leg bones. This is not something seen in other members of the alvarezsaurs family.
The skeleton of Albinykus that scientists study is called a holotype. This skeleton is posed in a sitting position with its feet tucked under its body, much like how birds sit. This position shows that non-bird dinosaurs like Albinykus are closely related to modern birds.
Although other dinosaurs like oviraptorids and troodontids have been found sitting in this way, Albinykus is the first alvarezsaurs known to have this pose.
How Albinykus ended up in this sitting position remains a mystery. Some scientists think it may have died in a way that caused it to be buried in sand and suffocate.
In summary, Albinykus is a tiny dinosaur with unique features, and its discovery helps us learn more about the connection between dinosaurs and modern birds.