Hulsanpes
Encyclopedia
Hulsanpes is the name given to a monotypic
genus
of theropods, sometimes considered a primitive bird
. First described as a dromaeosaur, it lived during the Late Cretaceous
. Its fossil
remains were found in the (probably) Campanian
(roughly 80-71 mya) Barun Goyot Formation
at Khulsan, Ömnögovi Province
, Mongolia
. The generic name means "foot from Khulsan", from the Latin
ized name of the type locality (Hulsan) + Latin pēs, "foot". The specific name honors Mongolian paleontologist Altangerel Perle
.
The type species
, Hulsanpes perlei, based on a partial foot skeleton
of an apparently immature individual, was described by Osmolska in 1982. Several features of the fossil are very primitive and dinosaur-like, but this might partly be due to the young age of the individual. Still, more material is needed before H. perlei can be assigned to any one lineage with certainty. Although usually considered an enantiornithine
or other primitive avian initially, it looks somewhat like a miniature Velociraptor mongoliensis. And though these traits are plesiomorphic, it might still belong to another, non-avian, maniraptora
n lineage altogether, perhaps being troodontid, perhaps dromaeosaurid. It has also been considered to be a velociraptorine
dromaeosaur. Pending a comparison with other more recently discovered taxa, all that can presently be said is that it is some sort of maniraptora
n.
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of theropods, sometimes considered a primitive bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
. First described as a dromaeosaur, it lived during the Late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
. Its fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
remains were found in the (probably) Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
(roughly 80-71 mya) Barun Goyot Formation
Barun Goyot Formation
The Barun Goyot Formation , dating from the Late Cretaceous Period, is located within and is widely represented in the Gobi Desert basin, in the Ömnögovi Province of Mongolia....
at Khulsan, Ömnögovi Province
Ömnögovi Province
Ömnögovi is an aimag of Mongolia, located in the south of the country, in the Gobi Desert. Ömnögovi is Mongolia's largest aimag. The capital is Dalanzadgad....
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. The generic name means "foot from Khulsan", from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
ized name of the type locality (Hulsan) + Latin pēs, "foot". The specific name honors Mongolian paleontologist Altangerel Perle
Altangerel Perle
Altangerel Perle is a Mongolian palaeontologist.He is employed at the National University of Mongolia. He has described species such as Goyocephale lattimorei, Achillobator giganticus and Erlikosaurus andrewsi. He has been honored by Polish palaeontologist Halszka Osmólska, who named the species...
.
The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
, Hulsanpes perlei, based on a partial foot skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
of an apparently immature individual, was described by Osmolska in 1982. Several features of the fossil are very primitive and dinosaur-like, but this might partly be due to the young age of the individual. Still, more material is needed before H. perlei can be assigned to any one lineage with certainty. Although usually considered an enantiornithine
Enantiornithes
Enantiornithes is an extinct group of primitive birds. They were the most abundant and diverse avialans of the Mesozoic. Almost all retained teeth and clawed fingers on each wing, but otherwise looked much like modern birds externally. Over 50 species of Enantiornithines have been named, but some...
or other primitive avian initially, it looks somewhat like a miniature Velociraptor mongoliensis. And though these traits are plesiomorphic, it might still belong to another, non-avian, maniraptora
Maniraptora
Maniraptora is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs which includes the birds and the dinosaurs that were more closely related to them than to Ornithomimus velox. It contains the major subgroups Avialae, Deinonychosauria, Oviraptorosauria and Therizinosauria. Ornitholestes and the Alvarezsauroidea...
n lineage altogether, perhaps being troodontid, perhaps dromaeosaurid. It has also been considered to be a velociraptorine
Velociraptorinae
Velociraptorinae is a subfamily of the theropod group Dromaeosauridae. Velociraptorine remains are found mostly in northern hemisphere. In Late Cretaceous, they are mostly present in Mongolia, Romania and China,and in early, in USA. The earliest velociraptorines are probably Nuthetes from the...
dromaeosaur. Pending a comparison with other more recently discovered taxa, all that can presently be said is that it is some sort of maniraptora
Maniraptora
Maniraptora is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs which includes the birds and the dinosaurs that were more closely related to them than to Ornithomimus velox. It contains the major subgroups Avialae, Deinonychosauria, Oviraptorosauria and Therizinosauria. Ornitholestes and the Alvarezsauroidea...
n.