OVIRAPTOR

genus of small, lightly built predaceous dinosaurs found as fossils in Late Cretaceous deposits (i.e., those 66.4 to 97.5 million years old) of eastern Asia. Oviraptor, about 1.3 m (4 feet) long, was a biped that walked on two long, well-developed hind limbs. The forelimbs were long and slender, with three long, clawed fingers clearly suited for grasping, ripping, and tearing. Oviraptor had a short skull, with very large eyes surrounded by a bony ring. It possibly was capable of stereoscopic vision and must have been able to judge distances quite well; it apparently was more dependent on sight than on smell for procuring food. The jaws lacked teeth but were probably sheathed with a horny, beaklike covering. The remains of Oviraptor have been found in association with the nests of other dinosaurs, and the likelihood that it ate dinosaur eggs led to its name (Latin ovum, egg; raptor, robber).