Pronunciation: huh-RAY-nuh-DRAH-ko
Meaning: Sand dragon
Author/s: Lee et al. (2024)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Hermiin Tsav, Mongolia
Discovery Chart Position: #1134
Harenadraco prima
Troodontids are a diverse group of theropod dinosaurs, generally characterized as large-eyed, bird-like, swift-running critters with long and slender hind limbs and an enlarged claw on their second toe. They are as common as anywhere else in two of the three Nemegt Basin Formations in Mongolia, with three (Borogovia, Tochisaurus, Zanabazar) from the youngest Nemegt and five (Almas, Archaeornithoides, Byronosaurus, Gobivenator, Saurornithoides) from the oldest Djadochta. But Harendraco is notable for a couple of reasons. Firstly, even by troodontid standards, its feet are extremely slender. Secondly, it's the first troodontid known from the otherwise fossil-rich Barun Goyot Formation, which lies smack bang between the Nemegt and Djadochta Formations in terms of age and environment, proving its kind hadn't taken a couple of million years hiatus from the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert after all.
(First Sand Dragon)Etymology
Harenadraco is derived from the Latin "harena" (sand), because of its discovery in the Gobi Desert, and "draco" (dragon).
The species epithet,
prima, means "first" in Latin, in reference to it being the first troodontid known from the Barun Goyot formation.
ZooBank registry: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E290FCB1-13FF-410D-A8EA-BEB6A707F561.
Discovery
The remains of Harenadraco were discovered in the Barun Goyot Formation at Hermiin Tsav, Ömnögovi (South Gobi) Province, Mongolia, by a crew of the Seoul National University (Republic of Korea) and the Institute of Paleontology (Mongolian Academy of Science)—aka SNU-IP expedition—in 2018.
The holotype (MPC-D 110/119) includes fragments of two hip bones, an incomplete left leg, a piece of right thigh, and unidentified bone fragments.
