Pelecanimimus
A small, many-toothed ornithomimosaur from Early Cretaceous Spain.
Pelecanimimus, whose name means "pelican mimic," is a genus of early ornithomimosaurian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Spain. It stands out because it had more teeth than any other ornithomimosaur—or any other theropod, for that matter—while most members of its group were toothless.
The only known fossil is the articulated front half of a skeleton. It includes the skull, lower jaws, all neck and most back vertebrae, ribs, the sternum, the pectoral girdle, a complete right forelimb, and most of the left forelimb. Soft-tissue impressions are preserved behind the skull, around the neck, and near the forelimbs.
This dinosaur was small, measuring about 1.9–2.5 meters (6.2–8.2 ft) long and weighing 17–30 kg (37–66 lb). Its skull was unusually long and narrow, roughly 4.5 times longer than it was tall. It had around 220 very small teeth in total: seven in the premaxilla, about thirty in the maxilla, and seventy-five in the dentary. The teeth were heterodont, with two distinct shapes. Those at the front of the upper jaw were broad and D-shaped in cross-section, while those farther back were blade-like. Upper teeth were generally larger than lower ones. None of the teeth had serrations, and each had a constricted "waist" between the crown and root. There were no interdental plates.
Among ornithomimosaurs, only *Harpymimus* also had teeth, but it had far fewer—eleven total, and only in the lower jaw. The large number of teeth in *Pelecanimimus*, combined with the lack of space between them, was interpreted as an adaptation for cutting and ripping—functionally similar to the cutting edge of a beak—and as an exaptation that led to the toothless cutting edge seen in later ornithomimosaurs. Its arms and hands were more typical of the group: the ulna and radius were tightly bound together, and the hand was hook-like with fingers of equal length and fairly straight claws.
Soft-tissue remains, preserved by the exceptional conditions of the La Hoyas lagerstätte, show a small skin or keratin crest on the back of the head and a gular pouch, similar to the larger pouches of modern pelicans (which gave the dinosaur its name). *Pelecanimimus* may have behaved like a modern crane, wading in lakes or ponds to catch fish with its claws and teeth, storing them in its skin flap. Some impressions show wrinkled skin, interpreted as lacking scales or feathers. Filament-like str
- field
- Paleontology
- known_for
- Possessing about 220 teeth, the most of any ornithomimosaur or theropod
- time_period
- Early Cretaceous (Lower Barremian)
- location
- Las Hoyas, Cuenca Province, Spain
- size
- 1.9–2.5 m (6.2–8.2 ft) long
- mass
- 17–30 kg (37–66 lb)
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Pelecanimimus
- Species
- polyodon
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In July 1993 Armando Díaz Romeral discovered a theropod skeleton at the Las Hoyas Unit 3 site. In 1994 it was named and described by Bernardino Pérez Pérez-Moreno, José Luis Sanz, Angela Buscalioni, José Moratalla, Francisco Ortega and Diego Rasskin-Gutman as Pelecanimimus polyodon. The generic name derives from Latin pelecanus, 'pelican', and mimus, 'mimic', referring to the long snout and throat pouch; the specific name means 'many teeth' in Greek. The holotype specimen, LH 7777, is housed at the Museo de Cuenca, Spain, from the Calizas de La Huérguina Formation.
Pelecanimimus had an unusually long and narrow skull, about 4.5 times as long as high. It possessed about 220 very small teeth, with seven premaxillary, about thirty maxillary, and seventy-five in the dentary. The teeth were heterodont: front upper teeth broad and D-shaped, rear ones blade-like, all unserrated with a constricted 'waist' between crown and root. Soft-tissue remains revealed a small crest on the back of the head and a gular pouch similar to modern pelicans. Filament-like structures were preserved, some interpreted as integument, others as muscle fibers. It was the first ornithomimosaur discovered with a preserved hyoid apparatus.
Reader's Guide
Pelecanimimus is significant for its surprising role in understanding the evolution of toothlessness in Ornithomimosauria. While earlier hypotheses assumed a progressive reduction in tooth number, the phylogenetic analysis by Pérez-Moreno et al. suggested an alternative: increasing the number of teeth until they filled all interdental space created a functional cutting edge, acting as an exaptation that eventually led to the toothless beak of later ornithomimosaurs. This challenges the simple narrative of tooth loss and highlights how adaptation for cutting and ripping could become a slicing mechanism. Pelecanimimus also provides rare soft-tissue evidence, including a gular pouch and possible integument, offering insights into the appearance and ecology of early ornithomimosaurs. Its discovery at the Las Hoyas lagerstätte, alongside birds, pterosaurs, and other dinosaurs, underscores the exceptional preservation of this site. Gregory S. Paul speculated that Pelecanimimus might have been capable of flight or descended from a flying animal, based on large sternal plates and uncinate processes, though this remains speculative.
Did You Know?
- Pelecanimimus had about 220 teeth, more than any other ornithomimosaur or theropod.
- Its name means 'pelican mimic' because of its long snout and throat pouch.
- The only known specimen includes soft-tissue impressions showing a small crest and a gular pouch.
- It was the first ornithomimosaur discovered with a preserved hyoid apparatus (tongue bones).
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