Incisivosaurus

Incisivosaurus; Temporal range: Early Cretaceous PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Suborder:	Theropoda
Genus:	†Incisivosaurus; Xu et al. 2002
Type species
	Incisivosaurus gauthieri; Xu et al. 2002

Incisivosaurus ("incisor lizard") was a genus of small basal Oviraptorosaur theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, in what is now China. It had feathers, a beak, and two enlarged incisors, and was probably either herbivorous or omnivorous.

Description[]

The skull of Incisivosaurus, which measures approximately 10 cm (3.9 in) long, preserves the most complete dentition of any oviraptorosaurian.

Classification[]

Incisivosaurus lies at the base of the oviraptorosaurian group, and is more primitive than Caudipteryx and the oviraptorids. It resembles Protarchaeopteryx, its potential synonym and sister taxon. Protarchaeopteryx was found to be the most primitive oviraptorosaurian, with Incisivosaurus as the next most basal.

Paleobiology[]

A 2022 study of the bite force of Incisivosaurus, and comparisons with other oviraptorosaurs such as Citipati, Khaan, and Conchoraptor suggests that Incisivosaurus had a very strong bite force similar to ornithomimosaurs 33 times its weight.

The moderate jaw gape seen in oviraptorosaurs indicates herbivory, but this study made it clear that they were probably feeding on much tougher vegetation than some other herbivorous theropods in their environment, such as ornithomimosaurs and therizinosaurs. The examinations suggest oviraptorosaurs may have been powerful-biting generalists or specialists that partook of niche partitioning both in body size and jaw function.