# Parvicursor

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Parvicursor
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Parvicursor.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvicursor
> Source revision: 1354641508
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Parvicursor Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 72 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N A reconstruction of Parvicursor sitting on a nest Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: †Alvarezsauridae Subfamily: †Parvicursorinae Genus: †Parvicursor Karhu & Rautian, 1996 Species: †P. remotus Binomial name †Parvicursor remotus Karhu & Rautian, 1996 Synonyms ?Ceratonykus oculatus Alfanov & Barsbold, 2009[1] ?Linhenykus monodactylus Xu et al., 2011[2]

***Parvicursor*** (meaning "small runner") is a [genus](/source/Genus) of very small [alvarezsaurid](/source/Alvarezsaurid) [maniraptoran](/source/Maniraptora) [dinosaur](/source/Dinosaur) that lived during the Late [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous) period of [Mongolia](/source/Mongolia). It had long, slender legs adapted for fast running.[3]

## Discovery and naming

The holotype **PIN no. 4487/25**, mostly consisting of vertebrae, the [pelvis](/source/Pelvis) and the right hindlimb, was discovered in 1992 and described in 1996.[4] It was discovered in [Barun Goyot Formation](/source/Barun_Goyot_Formation) of Khulsan, [Mongolia](/source/Mongolia), dated at approximately 72 million years old.[1]

## Description

At only about 39 centimetres (15 in; 1.28 ft) from snout to end of tail, and 162 g (5.7 oz) in weight, it was initially seen as one of [the smallest](/source/Dinosaur_size) non-avian dinosaurs known from an adult specimen.[5] However, in 2022 its [holotype](/source/Holotype) was concluded to represent a juvenile individual.[1]

Size of *P. remotus* (green) compared to other small alvarezsaurids

Like other members of the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Alvarezsauridae](/source/Alvarezsauridae), the forelimbs of *Parvicursor* were short and stubby, with hands all but completely reduced to a single large claw, possibly useful for opening tough [termite](/source/Termite) mounds or other types of digging. It is unlikely that the claw could have served much for defense, as it was short and not adapted for flexible movements — it is more likely it would do as the animal's name implies: *cursor* means *runner*.

Close relatives include *[Shuvuuia](/source/Shuvuuia)* and *[Mononykus](/source/Mononykus)*, and together with these it is classified in the alvarezsaurid subfamily [Parvicursorinae](/source/Parvicursorinae).

## Taxonomy

There may be a second, yet-unnamed, species of *Parvicursor*. Two specimens of tiny alvarezsaurids were described by Suzuki *et al.* in 2002. These authors considered the specimens to be juvenile *[Shuvuuia](/source/Shuvuuia)*, which lived in the same formation.[6] However, a study by Nick Longrich and [Phil Currie](/source/Phil_Currie) in 2009 suggested that several characters of the skeleton, including fused wrist and pelvic bones, indicated that these specimens were in fact adults of a tiny alvarezsaurid species. A [phylogenetic](/source/Phylogenetic) analysis found that they grouped together with *Parvicursor*, and the authors provisionally referred them to *Parvicursor sp.* pending further study.[7]

It has been suggested that *[Linhenykus](/source/Linhenykus)* and *[Ceratonykus](/source/Ceratonykus)* may be junior synonyms of *Parvicursor*.[2][1]

## Phylogeny

*Parvicursor* in a [cladogram](/source/Cladogram) after Fowler *et al*. (2020):[8]

Alvarezsauroidea Aorun Haplocheirus Tugulusaurus Xiyunykus Bannykus Bonapartenykus Patagonykus Achillesaurus Alvarezsauridae Alvarezsaurus Albertonykus Parvicursorinae Shuvuuia Ceratonykus Kol Linhenykus Mononykus Trierarchuncus Parvicursor Albinykus Xixianykus

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Averianov_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Averianov_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Averianov_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Averianov_1-3) Averianov AO, Lopatin AV (2022). "A re-appraisal of *Parvicursor remotus* from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia: implications for the phylogeny and taxonomy of alvarezsaurid theropod dinosaurs". *Journal of Systematic Palaeontology*. **19** (16): 1097–1128. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/14772019.2021.2013965](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F14772019.2021.2013965). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [247222017](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:247222017).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-dyke2011_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-dyke2011_2-1) Dyke, G. J.; Naish, D. (2011). ["What about European alvarezsauroids?"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107280). *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*. **108** (22): E147. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2011PNAS..108E.147D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011PNAS..108E.147D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1073/pnas.1101602108](https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.1101602108). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [3107280](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107280). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [21540333](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21540333).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Parvicursor*](https://web.archive.org/web/20090707122027/http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/350Aves/350.250.html#Parvicursor) from Palaeos (technical)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Karhu, A.A. and Rautian, A.S. (1996). "A new family of Maniraptora (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia". *Paleontological Journal* *Russian Academy of Sciences* 30(5): 583-592.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-technosaurs_5-0)** [Which was the smallest dinosaur?](http://www.technosaurs.ca/tag/default.aspx?id=114) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110706204350/http://www.technosaurs.ca/tag/default.aspx?id=114) 2011-07-06 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Royal Tyrrell Museum. Last accessed 2008-05-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-suzukietal2002_6-0)** Suzuki, S.; Chiappe, L.M.; Dyke, G.J.; Watabe, M.; Barsbold, R.; Tsogtbaatar, K. (2002). "A new specimen of *Shuvuuia deserti* Chiappe, *et al.* 1998 from the Mongolian Late Cretaceous with a discussion of the relationships of alvarezsaurids to other theropod dinosaurs". *Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County*. **494**: 1–18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LC08_7-0)** Longrich, Nicholas R.; Currie, Philip J. (2009). "*Albertonykus borealis*, a new alvarezsaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Maastrichtian of Alberta, Canada: Implications for the systematics and ecology of the Alvarezsauridae". *Cretaceous Research*. **30** (1): 239–252. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2009CrRes..30..239L](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009CrRes..30..239L). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.cretres.2008.07.005](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.cretres.2008.07.005).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fowler2020_8-0)** Denver W. Fowler; John P. Wilson; Elizabeth A. Freedman Fowler; Christopher R. Noto; Daniel Anduza; John R. Horner (2020). ["*Trierarchuncus prairiensis* gen. et sp. nov., the last alvarezsaurid: Hell Creek Formation (uppermost Maastrichtian), Montana"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.cretres.2020.104560). *Cretaceous Research*. **116** 104560. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2020CrRes.11604560F](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020CrRes.11604560F). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104560](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.cretres.2020.104560). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [225630913](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:225630913).

- [Dinosaurs portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Dinosaurs)

v t e Maniraptora Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Theropoda Clade: Maniraptoriformes Avemetatarsalia see Avemetatarsalia Theropoda see Theropoda Maniraptora see below↓ Maniraptora Maniraptora †Elopteryx? †Fukuivenator? †Kakuru? †Migmanychion †Wyleyia? †Yaverlandia? †Alvarezsauroidea Achillesaurus Aorun? Bannykus Bonapartenykus Calamosaurus? Haplocheirus Patagonykus Shishugounykus Tugulusaurus? Xiyunykus Alvarezsauridae Achillesaurus? Alnashetri Alvarezsaurus Bonapartenykus? Bradycneme Heptasteornis Patagonykus? Parvicursorinae Dzharaonyx Jaculinykus Khulsanurus Kol? Manipulonyx Nemegtonykus Ondogurvel Parvicursor Qiupanykus Trierarchuncus Ceratonykini Albinykus Ceratonykus Xixianykus Mononykini Albertonykus Linhenykus Mononykus Shuvuuia †Therizinosauria Eshanosaurus? Falcarius Fukuivenator? Jianchangosaurus Lingyuanosaurus Therizinosauroidea Alxasaurus Beipiaosaurus Enigmosaurus Martharaptor Suzhousaurus Therizinosauridae Duonychus Erliansaurus Erlikosaurus Nanshiungosaurus Neimongosaurus Nothronychus Paralitherizinosaurus Segnosaurus Therizinosaurus Pennaraptora †Oviraptorosauria see Oviraptorosauria Paraves see below↓ Paraves Paraves †Changzhousaurus †Palaeopteryx? †Pneumatoraptor †Rahonavis †Scansoriopterygidae? Ambopteryx Epidexipteryx Scansoriopteryx Yi †Anchiornithidae Anchiornis Aurornis Caihong Eosinopteryx Fujianvenator Liaoningvenator? Ostromia Pedopenna Serikornis Xiaotingia Yixianosaurus †Archaeopterygidae Alcmonavis? Archaeopteryx Wellnhoferia Anchiornithidae? †Dromaeosauridae see Dromaeosauridae †Troodontidae see Troodontidae Avialae †Alcmonavis †Balaur? †Baminornis †Cretaaviculus? †Fukuipteryx †Overoraptor †Rahonavis? †Yandangornis †Zhongornis †Anchiornithidae? †Archaeopterygidae? †Scansoriopterygidae? †Jeholornithiformes Dalianraptor? Jeholornis Jixiangornis? Kompsornis Neimengornis Pygostylia †"Proornis" †Omnivoropterygidae? Omnivoropteryx Sapeornis †Confuciusornithidae Changchengornis Confuciusornis Eoconfuciusornis Yangavis †Jinguofortisidae Chongmingia Cratonavis Jinguofortis Ornithothoraces †Enantiornithes see Enantiornithes Euornithes see below↓ Euornithes Euornithes †Archaeorhynchus †Bellulornis †Brevidentavis †Changmaornis †Changzuiornis †Chaoyangia †Dingavis †Eogranivora †Gargantuavis? †Hollanda †Horezmavis †Jianchangornis †Jiuquanornis †Juehuaornis †Kaririavis †Kunpengornis †Meemannavis †Piscivoravis? †Platanavis †Vorona †Xinghaiornis †Yumenornis †Zhongjianornis †Schizoouridae Mengciusornis Schizooura †Patagopterygiformes Alamitornis Kuszholia? Patagopteryx †Ambiortiformes Ambiortus Apsaravis? Palintropus? †Hongshanornithidae Archaeornithura Hongshanornis Longicrusavis Parahongshanornis Tianyuornis †Songlingornithidae Hollanda? Songlingornis Yanornis? Yixianornis? †Yanornithidae Abitusavis Similiyanornis Yanornis †Gansuidae? Changzuiornis Gansus Hollanda? Iteravis Khinganornis Shuilingornis Ornithurae †Antarcticavis? †Apatornis †Cerebavis †Gallornis †Guildavis †Iaceornis †Kookne †Limenavis †Tingmiatornis †Ichthyornithes Ichthyornis Janavis †Hesperornithes Baptornis Brodavis Chupkaornis Enaliornis Judinornis Pasquiaornis Potamornis Hesperornithidae Asiahesperornis Canadaga Fumicollis Hesperornis Parahesperornis †Cimolopterygidae Ceramornis Cimolopteryx Lamarqueavis? Aves / Neornithes see below↓ Aves / Neornithes Palaeognathae see Palaeognathae Neognathae Neoaves Galloanserae Anserimorphae see Anserimorphae Pangalliformes see Pangalliformes Incertae sedis †Asteriornis †Perplexicervix †Qinornis? †Dromornithidae Barawertornis Dromornis Genyornis Ilbandornis †Gastornithiformes Brontornis? Gastornis Dromornithidae? †Pelagornithidae Aequornis Caspiodontornis Cyphornis Dasornis Gigantornis Laornis? Lutetodontopteris Macrodontopteryx Manu? Odontopteryx Osteodontornis Palaeochenoides Pelagornis Proceriavis? Protodontopteryx Protopelicanus? Pseudodontornis Tympanonesiotes See also: Archaeornithes Carinatae Deinonychosauria Odontognathae Odontornithes Sauriurae Unenlagiidae Category

Taxon identifiers Parvicursor Wikidata: Q383329 Wikispecies: Parvicursor EoL: 4433703 GBIF: 4822804 IRMNG: 1143053 Open Tree of Life: 4946629 Paleobiology Database: 68182

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Parvicursor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvicursor) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvicursor?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.