Alectrosaurus olseni. Original artwork from Feathered Dinosaurs.

2006.
Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper 400 x 650 mm, unframed, signed and dated by artist.

The unmarried or single lizard, in honour of George Olsen.

Alectrosaurus was originally named from just a hind limb skeleton found in Mongolia in 1923 on the American Museum's expeditions to central Asia. It was originally described by Charles Gilmore 10 years later, but further specimens including a skull and other bones were uncovered. Once thought to have long arms, this was disproven by more recent finds, showing it to be a more typical tyrannosaurid, albeit one that is poorly known. Alectrosaurus grew to around five metres, and possibly lived in a humid sandy environment characterised by wind-swept dunes, where it most likely hunted small ceratopsian dinosaurs such as Protoceratops.

Artist's note: The bold vertical barring of this Alectrosaurus, reminiscent of the stripes of the tiger, provides camouflage enabling it to stealthily approach its prey. An indication of feathered vestiges are apparent at the base of the forearms and upon the thighs.

Superfamily: Tyrannosauroidea?
Family: Tyrannosauridae?
Age: Late Cretaceous
Locality: Iren Dabasu Formation, China; Bayanshiree Svita (Omnogov), Mongolia.