Pronunciation: jak-yoo-lin-eye-kus
Meaning: Little Dragon Claw
Author/s: Kubo et al. (2023)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Ömnögovi, Mongolia
Discovery Chart Position: #1109
Jaculinykus yaruui
(Speedy Little Dragon Claw)Etymology
Jaculinykus is derived from "Jaculus" (a tiny dragon from Greek myth mythology, also known as "Javelin snakes" due to their habit of hiding in trees and launching themselves at victims) and the Latin "onykus" (claw). Coincidently, Jaculus is also a genus of hopping rodent native to Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, with hindlegs so long it looks like it's walking on stilts.The species epithet, yaruui, is derived from the Mongolian "yaruu" (speedy, hasty). ZooBank registry: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:97410fda-1381-4e69-ae69-95ee9b5316eb.
Discovery
The remains of Jaculinykus were discovered at the Nemegt locality of the Baruungoyot (or Barun Goyot) Formation, Ömnögovi (south Gobi) Aimag (Province), Mongolia, by Otgonbat (Oogii) Besudei during the Nemegt Educational Expedition of 2016.
The holotype (MPC-D 100/209), housed at the Institute of Paleontology of the Mongolian Academy of Science (IP-MAS), is a nearly complete skeleton with a skull.
Preparators
Otgonbat (Oogii) Besudei of IP-MAS.
