Citipati

Was the Real Identity of “Oviraptor” Actually Citipati?

Even if the name Citipati doesn’t ring a bell, you may have seen “a reconstruction of Oviraptor brooding eggs on a nest.”
In fact, the model for that famous reconstruction is actually Citipati.

Discovery and Misunderstanding in the 1990s

In the 1990s, fossils of an oviraptorosaur in a posture covering a nest were discovered in Mongolia.
Fossils of babies were also found inside the eggs, making it famous as a “gentle dinosaur that broods its eggs.”
At the time, this fossil was thought to be a “species of Oviraptor” and was widely introduced as such.

Reclassification in 2001

However, detailed research in 2001 gave this dinosaur the new scientific name “Citipati osmolskae.”
This revealed the following facts:

• The “nest-protecting individual” discovered in the 90s was Citipati.
• The “complete Oviraptor skeleton” reported in 1981 was also actually Citipati.

Many of the famous specimens once thought to be Oviraptor are now reclassified as Citipati.

The Name “Lord of the Funeral Pyre” and a Bird-like Appearance

Origin of the Name

The scientific name Citipati means “Lord of the Funeral Pyre” in Sanskrit.
Although it is a somewhat terrifying name, its appearance was very bird-like.

Features of the Beak and Crest

Belonging to the oviraptorosaurs, Citipati was one of the largest dinosaurs in the group until the discovery of Gigantoraptor.

Feathers

The body was covered in short, fibrous, primitive feathers that maintained body temperature.

Crest

The head had a crest similar to that of a hornbill or cassowary, and it is speculated that it was brightly colored in living individuals and used for display.

Beak

It had no teeth but possessed a sturdy, short beak.

It possessed a sturdy, short beak

“Brooding” Revealed by Fossils: Evidence of Evolution into Birds

Citipati’s greatest characteristic is its “brooding style.”
Fossils have been found sitting on top of their nests with their forelimbs and hindlimbs folded.

Wrapping Eggs with Wings

Of particular note is the “posture covering eggs with spread forelimbs.”
This suggests that they spread the long flight feathers on their arms to wrap around the eggs, protecting them from the elements and keeping them warm.
The behavior of spreading wings to warm eggs is a characteristic seen only in modern birds, serving as strong evidence that Citipati had behavioral patterns very close to birds.
*The eggs were large, with a major axis of about 18 cm.

Additionally, oviraptorosaur eggshell fossils have also been found in Tamba City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, indicating that this group was distributed over a wide area.

The Mystery of Diet and “Foreign Objects” in the Nest

Egg Thief? Or Omnivore?

There is no clear conclusion regarding Citipati’s diet.
Although they belong to a group named “egg thieves” (Oviraptoridae), there is no evidence that they regularly ate eggs.
They may have used their powerful beaks to crack eggs, or they may have been omnivores eating plants and small animals.

A Stranger’s Baby in the Nest…

Mysteriously, fossils of two “theropod babies that are not Citipati” were found in a Citipati nest in Mongolia.
There are two theories for this:

Food Theory

The parents brought them back as food to feed their own children.

Brood Parasitism Theory

Like a cuckoo, another dinosaur laid its eggs in the Citipati nest.

Contrary to the name “Lord of the Funeral Pyre,” Citipati gently embraced its eggs with wing-like arms, trying to sustain life in the harsh desert environment.
Its fossils tell the story of the evolution from dinosaurs to birds and the affection of ancient parents.