Types of Dinosaurs.
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Harpymimus

Mounted Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton on display in a museum hall
Gary Todd, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Pronunciation
HAHR-pee-MYE-mus
Name means
Harpy (mythological bird) Mimic
Diet
Carnivore
Posture
Bipedal
Period
Early Cretaceous
Length
12 feet (3.6 meters)

Order: Saurischia · Suborder: Theropoda · Infraorder: Tetanurae · Family: Harpymimidae

Harpymimus is the earliest and most primitive ornithomimid, or ostrich-mimic. Because it possessed teeth, and later ornithomimidsdid not, Harpymimus represents an important bridge between earliertheropods and later ornithomimids.

Mounted Allosaurus skeleton, a large Jurassic predatory dinosaur
Photo: Jens Lallensack, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

More Cretaceous-period dinosaurs →

Reference background: Natural History Museum, London — Dinosaurs; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs; American Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs & Fossils. Figures are typical published ranges; taxonomy follows the source era and modern consensus is noted where it differs. See our sources & fact-check policy.

Frequently asked questions

What does Harpymimus mean?

The name Harpymimus means “Harpy (mythological bird) Mimic”. It is pronounced HAHR-pee-MYE-mus.

When did Harpymimus live?

Harpymimus lived during the Early Cretaceous.

Was Harpymimus a carnivore or a herbivore?

Harpymimus was a carnivore.

How big was Harpymimus?

Harpymimus was about 12 feet (3.6 meters) long.

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Other dinosaurs from the Harpymimidae family.

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