Struthiomimus Hand Claw | Judith River Formation | Montana
Specimen approx. size: 1.25"
This is a beautiful Struthiomimus hand claw from the Judith River Formation in Montana. The tip is missing and there is a crack on the convex side of the claw, although it appears to be superficial. The claw has been stabilized with glue to minimize any potential further damage.
Struthiomimus (meaning "ostrich mimic") is a genus of ornithomimid dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous of North America. Ornithomimids were long-legged, bipedal, theropod dinosaurs which bore somewhat of a resemblance to modern ostriches. They were probably among the fastest of all dinosaurs. Ornithomimids were herbivores or omnivores and had toothless beaks. Many species have been found with gastroliths in their stomachs, characteristic of herbivores. The sheer abundance of ornithomimids is also consistent with the idea that they were plant eaters, as herbivores usually outnumber carnivores in an ecosystem. However, they may have been omnivores that ate both plants and small animal prey.