Tochisaurus
Tochisaurus, which means “Ostrich lizard,” is a type of dinosaur that lived around 69 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period. This dinosaur was a small member of a group called theropods, which are known for being bipedal, meaning they walked on two legs.
The only known species of Tochisaurus is called Tochisaurus nemegtensis.
In 1948, an expedition from the Soviet Union and Mongolia found some bones of this dinosaur in the Gobi Desert near a place called Nemegt. At first, some scientists thought these bones belonged to another dinosaur called Borogovia. Later on, scientist Halszka Osmólska realized that it was actually a new species. In 1991, scientists Kurzanov and Osmólska officially named it Tochisaurus nemegtensis.
The name “Tochisaurus” comes from the Mongolian word “toch’,” which means “ostrich.” This name refers to the structure of its foot, which has two main weight-bearing toes, similar to an ostrich.
The fossils of Tochisaurus were discovered in the Nemegt Formation, which is about 69 million years old. The main fossil found is a part of its foot called the metatarsus, which measures about 24 centimeters long. This particular dinosaur is considered to have been relatively large for its kind, although only partial fossils have been found.
Tochisaurus is believed to belong to the Troodontidae family, which includes other quick and agile dinosaurs. This dinosaur likely relied on speed and agility to thrive in its environment.
In summary, Tochisaurus is an interesting dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous that showcases how diverse and unique these creatures were millions of years ago!