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Troodon (Troödon in older sources) (Greek for "wounding tooth") is a dubious and former wastebasket taxon of relatively small avian-like dinosaurs known from the Campanian age of the Cretaceous period (about 77 MYA). It includes at least one species, Troodon formosus, is known from Alberta and Montana. Discovered in 1855, T. formosus was among the first dinosaurs found in North America, although it was thought to be a lizard until 1877. It is possible that Troodon and its close relative Stenonychosaurus (which has been considered a synonym of Troodon in the past) are synonymous, however due to the undiagnostic holotype of Troodon, this is impossible to prove.
The genus name is Greek for "wounding tooth", referring to the teeth, which were different from those of most other theropods known at the time of their discovery. The teeth bear prominent, apically oriented serrations. These "wounding" serrations, however, are morphometrically more similar to those of herbivorous reptiles, and suggest a possibly omnivorous diet.[1][2]
Remains from the Prince Creek Formation show that Troodon could have grown up to twice the size of its southern counterparts[3]. These fossils are no longer considered to be T.formosus and are now referred to as Troodon sp.
Troodon was about 2 meters (7 feet) tall and 40 kilograms (90 LB). It is expected to have been able to run at faster speeds with its light body-weight and powerful back legs. It had a long claw on the second toe and long clawed fingers, as suggested by other members in the family. This dinosaur was a relative of Saurornithoides, another type of Troodontid.
A species of Troodon is known from the Prince Creek Formation in Alaska. Although the species is known only from teeth and skull fragments, the size of these fossils show that the animal would grow up to be around 13 feet long and 6 feet tall, twice the size of T. formosus. The species has not received an official name and therefore is referred to as T. sp.
Unnamed Alaskan species restored fossil
Discovery[]
The Troodon holotype was originally classified as a "lacertilian" (lizard) by Leidy, but reassigned as a megalosaurid dinosaur by Nopcsa in 1901 (Megalosauridae having historically been a wastebasket taxon for most carnivorous dinosaurs). In 1924, Gilmore suggested that the tooth belonged to the herbivorous pachycephalosaurStegoceras, and that Stegoceras was in fact a junior synonym of Troodon (the similarity of troodontid teeth to those of herbivorous dinosaurs continues to lead many paleontologists to believe that these animals were omnivores). The classification of Troodon as a pachycephalosaur was followed for many years, during which the family Pachycephalosauridae was known as Troodontidae. In 1945, Charles Mortram Sternberg rejected the possibility that Troodon was a pachycephalosaur due to its stronger similarity to the teeth of other carnivorous dinosaurs. With Troodon now classified as a theropod, the family Troodontidae could no longer be used for the dome-headed dinosaurs, so Sternberg named a new family for them, Pachycephalosauridae.
Scientists at a British university later conducted a thought experiment related to the evolution of Troodon, had it not been so brutally wiped out by the cataclysmic meteorite impact of 66 million years ago. The scientists discovered that, as Troodon's eyes grew, its head would have to frequently bend upwards to gain a better view.
The only way to solve that problem was to change the angle at which the spine was to the ground, in other words, to become erect. With Troodon standing upright, there would be no need for a tail to act as a counterbalance, henceforth reducing the requirement for a tail.
Before having much of the material reassigned, Troodon was a wastebasket for most Troodontids. It was only around 2017 when material began to be considered distinguishable enough to be reassigned as other genus. In many older papers, books, and articles, Troodontids are referred to as Troodon due to such. After the reassigning, some scientists have suggested that Troodon should be regarded as a dubious genus due to the undiagnostic holotype .
In 2021, scientists concluded that T. sp and other dinosaurs from the Prince Creek Formation would have spent the entire year in the cold climates of northern Alaska and also would have laid their eggs there[4].
Habitats[]
Troodon lived in many different environments from woods, to forests, tundras, fields, meadows, grasslands, plains and lowlands. Like Coyotes, the Troodon was a likely very adaptable dinosaur that could survive in different habitats, as suggested by the remains of its relatives. This dinosaur has had presumed material found in Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, Texas, Alaska, and New Mexico, however, aside from fossils from the Judith River Formation and the Prince Creek Formation, scientists say that all of these fossils belonging to the Troodon genus is dubious.
Patch, the Troodon, from March of the Dinosaurs
In the Media[]
Troodon has become a fairly popular dinosaur in prehistoric media, it's featured in many movies & documentaries, such as:
Troodon first appeared in the Disney film Fantasia attacking an Archaeopteryx. While many viewers assume it was anOrnitholestes, the scripts confirm it's a Troodon. In the film, Troodon is depicted as having a domed head and horns, since at that time it was assumed to be a pachycephalosaur.
* Troodon made a some minor appearances in 2 episodes of the 4 part PBS documentary program The Dinosaurs! "Flesh on the Bones" & "The Nature of the Beast".
Troodon also appeared on The Magic School Bus "The Busasaurus" as a pack hunting carnivore.
The Troodon were seen from time to time on the 1st episode of the six part PBS NATURE program Triumph of Life "The Four Billion Year War". Especially hunting for turtle eggs at a beach.
The Troodon from Dinosaur Planet, "Little Das's Hunt" as The Coyotes of the Cretaceous/Predators of Orodromeus, who are the Roadrunners.
Prehistoric Park, "SuperCroc" where one is unknowingly brought back by Nigel Marvin as a stowaway, named Rascal.
Troodon has appeared on an animated PBS Jim Henson show Dinosaur Train. The supported known Troodon of the series is Mr. Conductor. Sometimes called Mr. The Conductor by Don Pteranodon.
Dinosaur Revolution, "End Game" where a mated pair are two of the main characters.
A pack of Troodon were featured on Planet Dinosaur, Episode 3, "Last Killers" as the large Alaskan species hunting some Edmontosaurus. The southern species was seen at the end eating a dead Centrosaurus & ran away as a Daspletosaurus approaches the carcass.
Troodon appears in two seasons of the Dino Dan TV show, Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures & Dino Dana.
Walking with Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie, as a feathered omnivore, where one captures one of the main characters, a baby Pachyrhinosaurus named Patchi, but is stopped by Patchi's father, Bulldust, and leaves a bitten-through hole in his frill.
PBS NOVA program Arctic Dinosaurs, as the large Alaskan species,
The large polar species of Troodon was seen in concept art for the video game Prehistoric Kingdom however it is unknown if it will actually appear.
Troodon is one of the available dinosaurs on the IOS application, Jurassic Park Builder. The Troodon uses the same animations of Compsognathus and Velociraptor.
Troodon was added to Jurassic World: The Game on January 4, 2016, but is a limited tournament dinosaur. It is a legendary carnivore. While it is accurately portrayed with a coat of feathers, it is shown inaccurately to be able to pronate it's hands.
A pack of Troodons can be seen in Jurassic Park: The Game at the beginning and in other parts of the game. They are said to be venomous in the game, which is very unlikely. It is important to note that the species of Troodon in the game is the fictional species "Troodon pectinodon" (the name is combined with the genus Pectinodon for the species name) and not an existing species. The Troodons in the game, even though claimed to be created only using Troodon DNA, but still have pronated wrists and minimal quill-like feathers.
Troodon was added to Jurassic World: Evolution on November 20 2018. It is inaccurately portrayed having a poisonous bite, much like Jurassic Park: The Game. It is also lacked the feathers which in real life they have and made sounds of Compsognathus.
It appears in ARK: Survival Evolved. It seemed to be very similar to the Jurassic Park: The Game, so any inaccuracies with the JP Troodon is the same as the ARK version.
Troodon also appeared in How the Littlest Stegosaurus Got His Plates-a new Disney film.
The Alaskan species appears in the web series Dinosauria where a mother fights off two Nanuqsaurus trying to eat her children.
↑Holtz, Thomas R., Brinkman, Daniel L., Chandler, Chistine L. (1998) Denticle Morphometrics and a Possibly Omnivorous Feeding Habit for the Theropod Dinosaur Troodon. Gaia number 15. December 1998. pp. 159-166.
