Dinosaur genus

Saurornithoides

Osborn 1924

Saurornithoides is a dinosaur genus known from bones, found in rocks 83.6–66 million years old, in 4 countries, most often Mongolia and China.

Confidence labels

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Confidence labels are switched off. Facts with low confidence, or where sources disagree, still carry a small dot: tap it for the reason.

At a glance

Data as of 11 October 2026

83.6–66 Ma

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114366

Solid: the ages of its dated fossils, 83.6–66 million years ago (Omnisaura's calculation). Pale: the published range, 100.5–66 million years ago, which also counts records Omnisaura leaves out.

The last non-bird dinosaurs died out 66 million years ago. That's as far from us as the end of this bar.

Named by: Osborn 1924
high
high: PBDB and Wikidata agree.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Described in: H. F. Osborn (1924). Three new Theropoda, Protoceratops zone, central Mongolia. American Museum Novitates 144: 1–12.
high
high: PBDB gives this publication for the name; its author and year match the naming authority (Osborn 1924), on which PBDB and Wikidata agree.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. The publication the Paleobiology Database gives as the authority for this genus name, usually the one that first named and described it.
Lived: Cenomanian to Maastrichtian, 100.5–66 million years ago
high
high: PBDB and NHM agree.
Omnisaura calculation83.6–66 million years ago, from its dated fossil records
medium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 3 confirmed PBDB records.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Fossils found in: Mongolia
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).
China
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
United States
disputed
low: NHM records it here but PBDB has no record in this country; awaiting an editor.
Uzbekistan
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).
Rock formations: Bayan Mandahu
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Djadokhta
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Khodzhakul
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Lance Formation
disputed
low: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Nemegt
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.
Family: Troodontidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Parent group: Saurornithoidini
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Species named in its records: Saurornithoides mongoliensis
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (the species its fossil records are identified as).
Diet: carnivore, omnivore (inferred for its group)
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this, and it infers it for the whole of Troodontidae, the group this genus belongs to, not from this genus's own fossils.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB, inferred from a group the genus belongs to.
Way of life: ground dwelling (inferred for its group)
low
low: PBDB infers this way of life for the whole of Troodontidae; behaviour is rarely known for one genus.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB, inferred from a group the genus belongs to.
Known from: Bones
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (what the name was based on).

Sources: Omnisaura editorial (Omnisaura editorial content (© Future Sailors, all rights reserved)), Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0), Natural History Museum Data Portal (CC0 1.0), Wikidata (CC0 1.0)Confidence levels and gaps are Omnisaura's own assessment.

Gaps are answers

What isn't known yet

Type species: no source we use gives it yet.
Order: no source we use gives it yet.
Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
Held back: 4 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf.", "?" or the name in quotation marks).
Resting on one source: 3 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): parent group (PBDB); family (PBDB); diet (PBDB).

Size and appearance aren't covered yet, and diet and way of life only as PBDB infers them for the wider group. Omnisaura leaves the rest out rather than guess.

Where sources disagree

2 open

Formations

records nothing herePBDB
Lance FormationNHM

One source names a formation the other does not. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Countries

CN, MN, UZPBDB
United StatesNHM

One source records a country the other does not. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Did it meet…?

Did Saurornithoides meet ?

Same time, different places. Their fossils overlap in age, 83.6 to 66 million years ago, but no rock formation holds both.

Going by the ages and rock formations of their dated fossils, as on the map. Compare their fossil sites on the map.

Connections

Genera linked to Saurornithoides by where and when their fossils were found, by classification and by who named them. Select a name to open its page.

Same rocks, same time 47

Genera found in the same rock units, from rocks of overlapping age, the most shared fossil sites first.

Tarbosaurus Saurolophus Gallimimus Protoceratops Velociraptor Pinacosaurus Elongatoolithus Avimimus Bagaceratops Macroolithus Protoceratopsidovum Coralloidoolithus Deinocheirus Mononykus Oksoko Ovaloolithusand 31 more

Same family: Troodontidae 16

Other genera in Troodontidae with a full profile.

Albertavenator Almas Anchiornis Archaeornithoides Borogovia Byronosaurus Daliansaurus Latenivenatrix Mei Pectinodon Sinornithoides Sinovenator Stenonychosaurus Troodon Urbacodon Xenovenator

Named by Osborn 8

Genera whose naming authority includes the same surname. The authority has no initials, so different people who share a surname can appear together.

Albertosaurus Ornitholestes Oviraptor Pentaceratops Psittacosaurus Struthiomimus Tyrannosaurus Velociraptor

Found in Mongolia 55

Other genera found in Mongolia, from rocks of overlapping age, the most fossil sites there first.

Tarbosaurus Saurolophus Gallimimus Protoceratops Velociraptor Bagaceratops Pinacosaurus Protoceratopsidovum Elongatoolithus Avimimus Coralloidoolithus Macroolithus Faveoloolithus Deinocheirus Dendroolithus Mononykusand 39 more

Where its fossils were found

3 fossil sites, with present-day and ancient positions

Open the map at this time

Cite this page

Omnisaura (2026). Saurornithoides. Future Sailors. https://www.omnisaura.com/genera/saurornithoides. Data as of 11 October 2026.

What's changed

11 Oct 2026
Added to Omnisaura.

Every change to Omnisaura

Use this data

Download this genus as JSON With every source and licence attached. Also recorded in: Paleobiology Database · Wikipedia (English) · GBIF · Wikidata Spotted a problem? Tell us

Pictures

3 openly licensed pictures of Saurornithoides on Wikimedia Commons and museum sites, each with its own author and licence.

Saurornithoides mongoliensis.jpg
Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0
Saurornithoides restoration.png
Audrey.m.horn, CC BY-SA 4.0
NHM-UK_P_DF118_03_24_0193
The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, CC BY 4.0

Credits

Where this page comes from

Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
Natural History Museum Data PortalCC0 1.0 · catalogued specimens
WikidataCC0 1.0 · names and identifiers
OmnisauraOmnisaura editorial · confidence levels and gaps
PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines (Kocsis and Scotese 2021)CC BY 4.0 · ancient coastlines on the small map
Natural EarthPublic domain · today's coastlines

Pictures linked from this page are credited beside each one, with their own licences; the full list is in the JSON download.