Finalising the Citipati Fact Sheet

In the new for 2019 Wild Safari Prehistoric World (Safari Ltd) model range, there is going to be a model of an oviraptorid – Citipati (C. osmolskae).  As a result, team members at Everything Dinosaur have been busy preparing for the arrival of these models by finalising the fact sheet that will accompany sales of this colourful dinosaur model.  The fact sheet has just about been completed, it needs only to have the scale drawing added to it.

Everything Dinosaur’s Scale Drawing of the Mongolian Oviraptorid Citipati osmolskae

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Citipati osmolskae – “Funeral Pyre Lord”

Our scale drawing is an approximation, the true size of this dinosaur is not known.  It may have measured more than three metres long, although a body length of 2.5 metres is also possible.  In the late spring (2018), a scientific paper was published that reported upon the finding of another oviraptorid specimen discovered in association with a nest.

This specimen has been assigned to the Citipati osmolskae taxon, after all, fossils of this dinosaur are relatively common in the Ukhaa Tolgod region of Mongolia, where this new specimen was discovered.  Intriguingly, a comparison of the upper arm bones indicates that this new example of dinosaur nesting behaviour represents an adult animal more than 10% bigger than the original Ukhaa Tolgod nesting Citipati osmolskae specimen (IGM 100/979).  Estimating size for this member of the Dinosauria is therefore somewhat difficult.

Although several examples of nesting/brooding behaviour have now been described (we think the total to date is five), no evidence for colonial breeding for these dinosaurs has ever been discovered.

An Example of a C. osmolskae Fossil Found in Association with a Nest

Picture credit: The American Museum of Natural History (New York)

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Citipati replica is one of several new models in this range. Everything Dinosaur is hoping to have the first of the new for 2019 introductions, including the colourful Citipati replica, in their warehouse and available to purchase in December (2018).

To view the range of Wild Safari Prehistoric World models and the last of the now retired and out of production, Carnegie Collectibles: Wild Safari Prehistoric World and Carnegie Collectibles.

The Wild Safari Prehistoric World Citipati (C. osmolskae) Model

Honouring the Polish Palaeontologist Halszka Osmólska

The genus name for this oviraptorid comes from the Sanskrit for “funeral pyre lord”, a reference to a story from Buddhist folklore about two monks that were beheaded by a thief.  These monks are frequently depicted as a pair of dancing skeletons surrounded by fire.  The beautifully preserved Citipati specimens excavated from the red sandstones of the Djadokhta Formation, reminded the research team responsible for their study (Clark, Norell et al), of the dancing monks. 

The species name honours the Polish palaeontologist Halszka Osmólska (1930 – 2008), who pioneered research into Mongolian dinosaurs and made a substantial contribution to our understanding of Theropoda from the Upper Cretaceous deposits of Mongolia.

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