Citipati

dinosaur · eggs · parenting · Asia

Sat on eggs. Citipati fossils have been found in brooding positions on top of nests, just like birds do today. This shows that non-avian dinosaurs were caring parents who watched over their eggs.

Small and lightweight. Citipati was about the size of a chicken, making it one of the smaller dinosaurs. Despite being tiny compared to T-rex, it was still an impressive predator for its time.

Asian desert dweller. This dinosaur lived in what is now Mongolia, in an area called the Djadochta Formation. Paleontologists found many of its well-preserved skeletons in the 1990s at a place called Ukhaa Tolgod.

Link to modern birds. Citipati's fossils have helped scientists understand that dinosaurs and birds are closely related. The way it cared for its eggs shows that dinosaurs had bird-like behaviors long before birds existed.

Named after a deity. The dinosaur was officially named in 2001 and called Citipati osmolskae. The name comes from a Buddhist and Hindu guardian deity, honoring the religious traditions of Mongolia.