What is Ornithomimidae?
Q: What is Ornithomimidae?
A: Ornithomimidae is a group of theropod dinosaurs which bore a superficial resemblance to modern ostriches.
Q: Where were they found?
A: They were found in the Upper Cretaceous of Laurasia, which is now Asia and North America.
Q: What did their skulls look like?
A: Their skulls were small, with large eyes, above relatively long and slender necks. All had toothless beaks.
Q: What did their forelimbs look like?
A: The fore limbs ('arms') were long and slender and bore powerful claws.
Q: How did Henry Fairfield Osborn suggest that ornithomimids may have fed?
A: Henry Fairfield Osborn suggested that the long, sloth-like 'arms' of ornithomimids may have been used to pull down branches on which to feed.
Q: Were ornithomimids herbivores or carnivores?
A: Many ornithomimosaurs, including primitive species, have been found with numerous gastroliths in their stomachs, characteristic of herbivores; however they may have also been omnivores that ate both plants and small animal prey.
