Update On Dino Bones

I love a mystery and if you have not been following the mystery of the discovered bones, go to the right hand side where it lists popular posts - find the dino one near the bottom. It has links to all the posts about the subject previously.

I am now comparing these to theropods found in Northern America of an ostrich-type size.

Othnielia

It was relatively small for a dinosaur, at around 1.5 to 2 metres (4.9 to 6.6 ft) long, and 10 kilograms (22 lb) in weight, and an agile bipedal herbivore with proportionally small arms and long legs. Discovered in Colorado (western US was where this find came from).

This find might not be a match. Although they are both theropods, it would appear by the synsacrum (that shield in the lower back where the tail attaches) they are shaped differently. In fact, I'm having trouble finding a synsacrum that looks so tapered at the end.

Patagopteryx

Now, we're talking better as far as more tapered synsacrum, but the leg attachment is too far back, more bird-like. 

Oryctodromeus 

These were small ornithipods 95 million years ago in this particular region where the bones were found.  Tended to be fast runners and diggers too. Perhaps too small and also the synsacrum is not that long as the one in the find.

 Oviraptorid

These fellas were a transition toward bird supposedly, liked to it atop of others nests. They were around 75 million years ago in Mongolia and China.

Synsacrum is similar shape, but it sits on the ribs/spine differently and the ribs on this find are much thicker.

In fact, the more I look at this dang thing, the more I start to imagine a gargoyle or a reptoid. He is definitely a hind leg walker with small upper arms, but his ribs are substantial compared to most theropods. It's getting more and more interesting as I begin to exclude Western US dino finds. 

 

Allosaurus

These fellas were tremendously large, but imagine a baby one. We haven't determined if this find was a young one or not.The very curving shape of the leg bones, however, don't match, though these dinos were found in North America.

Deinonychus

These fellas were found in the US. They could grow 11 feet long and were carnivorous.  They were raptors from which it is believed future birds would come from. His synsacrum looks good, hip joint. Pelvis is wrong - see how long it is underneath sticking out the back? And, once again, the ribs are too delicate.

Very close, but no match.

The most vexing thing at this point is that the rib bones are not so thinly delicately tapered as they appear on most dinosaurs above. This guy definitely walked on his hind legs, given where they are jointed at the top of the synsacrum with powerful hips, and he had what appears to be small front arms like a theropod. 

I will continue to try to match this up with something and please feel free to try and find a match too. You'd probably be looking for a North American theropod that has been found in the Western US. If we can't make a match, it's going to get real interesting.

I will, of course, keep you updated on the find and if it will be uncovered in the future. 

Want to see what he would look like erect?

Here's a resource - 

Top 10 dinosaurs in North America