2.7" Partial Ornithomimus Toe Bone - Judith River Formation

Partial Ornithomimus Toe Bone - Judith River Formation #200262

This is an exceptionally well preserved partial toe bone (distal end) from an ornithomimid (Ornithomimus sp.) dinosaur. It was collected from the Judith River Formation of Montana this summer. It would have been a proximal toe bone that articulated with a metatarsal.

The preservation is stunning, with most of the cortical bone still intact.

Ornithomimus was a swift bipedal theropod that slightly resembled an ostrich: fossil evidence suggests that it was covered in feathers. It had a small toothless beak and clawed front appendages, indicating an omnivorous diet that likely included leaves, insects, fruits, and small mammals or lizards. It is estimated that they could reach upwards of 30 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour).

An artist's rendering of Ornithomimus. Creative Commons License, By Tom Parker

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