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About Chirostenotes:
Like Frankenstein's monster, Chirostenotes has been assembled in parts, at least in terms of its nomenclature. Its long, narrow hands were discovered in 1924, prompting its current name; the feet were found a few years later, and assigned the genus Macrophalangia (Greek for "big toes"); and its jaw was unearthed a few years after that, and given the name Caenagnathus ("recent jaw"). Only afterwards was it recognized that all three parts belonged to the same dinosaur, hence the reversion to the original name.
In evolutionary terms, Chirostenotes was closely related to a similar Asian theropod, Oviraptor, showing that these dinosaurs were widespread in the late Cretaceous period. As with all tiny theropods, Chirostenotes is thought to have sported feathers, and it may have been an intermediate link between dinosaurs and birds.
