Describer

Gilmore, 1924

Time

Cretaceous Late Campanian Maastrichtian

Classification

Saurischia Theropoda Tetanurae Coelurosauria Maniraptora Oviraptorosauria Caenagnathidae

Diet

Carnivore

Fossilsite

Judith River Group (Wedge), Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada

Fall Under

Chirostenotes

Length

2 meter

Info

Typespecies

Chirostenotes (Gilmore, 1924) > Chirostenotes pergracilis (Gilmore, 1924) >> Macrophalangia canadensis (Sternberg, 1932) |> Chirostenotes elegans (Sues, 1997) > Elmisaurus elegans (Parks, 1933) >> Ornithomimus elegans (Parks, 1933)

Partical skeleton, pes,2 manus,sacrum,isolated elements.

Epichirostenotes is known from an incomplete oviraptorosaurian skeleton found in 1923 at the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. ROM 43250, had in 1997 by Hans-Dieter Sues been assigned to Chirostenotes pergracilis; however Sullivan, Jasinski & Tomme, Van 2011 erected the new genus and species Epichirostenotes curriei for ROM 43250.

The holotype specimen of Epichirostenotes curriei (ROM 43250) differs morphologically from Chirostenotes pergracilis (sensu stricto), based on TMP 79.20.1, in features of the ischium. We note minor differences in the morphology of the left manus of the holotype of Chirostenotes pergracilis (CMN 2367) compared to TMP 79.20.1, suggesting that these two may not be conspecific. ROM 43250 is placed in a new genus and species, Epichirostenotes curriei, that is much younger than Chirostenotes pergracilis (sensu stricto), which may include the holotype of Macrophalangia canadensis (CMN 8538) and a referred specimen TMP 79.20.1, all of which are from the Dinosaur Park Formation and predate E. curriei by nearly 3 million years.