Diet Nemegtomaia

lower jaw of holotype specimen, beak on right

the diet of oviraptorids has been interpreted in various ways since time oviraptor wrongly thought have been predator of eggs. has been suggested oviraptorosaurs whole herbivores, supported gastroliths (stomach stones) found in caudipteryx, , wear facets in teeth of incisivosaurus. in 2010 longrich , colleagues found oviraptorid jaws had features similar seen in herbivorous tetrapods (four-limbed animals), of dicynodonts, extinct group of synapsid stem-mammals. oviraptorids , dicynodonts share features such short, deep, , toothless mandibles; elongated dentary symphyses; elongated mandibular fenestrae; , downwards-projecting bar in palate. modern animals jaws resemble of oviraptorids include parrots , tortoises; latter group has tooth-like projections on premaxillae. longrich , colleagues concluded due similarities between oviraptorids , herbivorous animals, bulk of diet have been formed plant matter. oviraptorids found @ high frequencies in formations known from, similar pattern seen in dinosaurs known herbivorous; these animals more abundant carnivorous dinosaurs, more energy available @ lower trophic level in food chain. jaws of oviraptorids may have been specialised processing food, such xerophytic vegetation (adapted environments little water), have grown in environment, not possible demonstrate, little known flora of area @ time. 2013 study lü , colleagues found oviraptorids appear have retained hind limb proportions throughout ontogeny (growth), pattern seen in herbivorous animals. in 2017, gregory f. funston , colleagues suggested parrot-like jaws of oviraptorids may indicate frugivorous diet incorporated nuts , seeds.

diagrams showing hands of specimen mpc-d 107/16

in 1977 barsbold suggested oviraptorids fed on molluscs, longrich , colleagues rejected idea practised shell-crushing altogether, since such animals tend have teeth broad crushing surfaces. instead, shape of dentary bones in lower jaws of oviraptorids suggests had sharp-edged beak used shearing tough food, not cracking hard food items such bivalves or eggs. symphyseal shelf @ front of dentary may have given ability crushing, relatively small area, not main function of jaws. fact oviraptorids have been found in sediments interpreted having been xeric , arid or semi-arid environments argues against them having been specialised eaters of shellfish , eggs, unlikely there have been enough of these items under such conditions support them.

longrich et al. pointed out robust forelimbs , enlargement of single finger in ingeniine oviraptorids similar seen in modern animals eat ants , termites, such anteaters , pangolins, morpholology of ingeniine jaws not support them being insectivorous. researchers found function of ingeniine forelimbs unclear, suggested have been used scratching, tearing, or digging, though not prey capture.

in 2004 lü , colleagues proposed articulation between quadrate , quadratojugal bones in skull of nemegtomaia suggested these bones movable in relation each other, have affected how jaws functioned. in 2015 christophe hendrickx , colleagues found unlikely nemegtomaia , other oviraptords had bird-like kinesis in skulls, due quadrate bone being immobile.