A new theropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Longjiang Formation of Inner Mongolia (China)

A new small-bodied theropod dinosaur, Migmanychion laiyang gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on appendicular skeletal material from the Lower Cretaceous of the Pigeon Hill locality, Inner Mongolia, China. This theropod shows a peculiar combination of features in the hand, in part shared with therizinosauroids, oviraptorosaurs and with the enigmatic Fukuivenator paradoxus from Japan. Phylogenetic analysis supports the closest affinity of Migmanychion with Fukuivenator, yet alternative placements among Oviraptorosauria or among the non-avialan paravians result suboptimal descriptions of the character distribution. Although this new taxon is confidently referred to Maniraptora, this result is based uniquely on derived features of the hand: only additional material could substantiate its precise placement among the bird-like theropods. Fragmentary appendicular material from the same locality cannot be unambiguously referred to Migmanychion. One specimen, including associated partial pelvis and hindlimbs, is tentatively referred to a paravian maniraptoran.