Shri (genus)

The holotype specimen of Shri devi, the type species of the genus Shri, is IGM 100/980. This specimen was discovered on 5 July 1991 by Mark Norell. It was nicknamed "Ichabodcraniosaurus" by Norell, as mentioned by Novacek (1996), It consists of a partially articulated individual that preserves the right hindlimb, the left tibiotarsus, as well as the pelvis and a series of cervical, dorsal, sacral and caudal vertebrae. It was recovered from the Khulsan locality of the Barun Goyot Formation in 1970 during the Polish-Mongolian Paleontological Expeditions and initially assigned to Velociraptor. Further examinations by Czepiński concluded it to represent an additional specimen of Shri based on pes (foot) morphology. ==Description==

Shri was mostly similar to Velociraptor mongoliensis in having a weak fourth trochanter, this is however, also shared with all other dromaeosaurids, and deep anterior pedicular fossae in the cervical vertebrae. Another distinguishing trait of Shri is that its epipophyses in the last four cervicals are not raised but instead are represented by rugose circular scars. == Classification ==

In their 2021 description of Shri devi, Turner and colleagues scored it in the "Theropod Working Group matrix" to test its phylogenetic relationships within the Dromaeosauridae. It was found to be the sister taxon to Velociraptor mongoliensis based on the presence of a distinct ambiens tubercle that is located proximally on the anterior face of the pubis, a well-developed anterior tuberosity located high on the ischium, as well as a rounded ischial ridge that runs lengthwise. who contributed to the description of S. rapax. A cladogram based on these results is displayed below: == Paleobiology ==

In their 2025 description of Shri rapax, Moutrille et al. proposed that this taxon had a stronger bite force than Velociraptor based on the proportionally stouter and shorter snout, more caudally extended tooth row, and interdigitated jugal-maxillary suture. The hands of this species also bore a proportionally larger pollex ungual (claw on the first digit of the hand) than in other velociraptorines. These factors suggest niche partitioning between closely related dromaeosaurids in the Djadokhta Formation. == References ==