| Ancistronychus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Neodiapsida |
| Clade: | †Drepanosauromorpha |
| Genus: | †Ancistronychus Gonçalves & Sidor,2019 |
| Species: | †A. paradoxus |
| Binomial name | |
| †Ancistronychus paradoxus Gonçalves & Sidor, 2019 | |
Ancistronychus is anextinctgenus ofdrepanosauromorph from theLate TriassicPetrified Forest National Park in theChinle Formation ofArizona. Thetype and only known species isAncistronychus paradoxus, fromAncient Greek to mean "unexpected fishhook claw" due to its characteristic hooked shape.Ancistorhynchus is only known from a collection of isolated large claws from its second fingers, a distinctive trait of other derived drepanosaurs. Among drepanosauromorphs,Ancistorhynchus is distinguished by the strongly hooked shape of its claw, which is shorter in height and broader than those ofDrepanosaurus, and is flat at its tip.[1][2]
The claw ofAncistronychus is cleft at its tip, a trait found in living animals that use their claws for digging, such asmoles andpangolins, by providing a larger attachment area for the keratin sheath of the claw. Likewise, functional analyses of its claws compared to other drepanosaurs and various living animals indicate thatAncistronychus used its large claw for digging underground, perhaps even for burrowing.[2] The claws ofAncistronychus are most similar to those of the fellow drepanosauromorphFabanychus, also known the Chinle Formation.[3]
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