Macrophalangia Facts
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Height | 1.5m |
| Length | 2m |
| Weight | 25 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | North America |

| Diet | Omnivore |
| Height | 1.5m |
| Length | 2m |
| Weight | 25 kg |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | North America |
Macrophalangia was a mysterious theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, between 83.6 and 72.2 million years ago, in what is now Alberta, Canada. However, this dinosaur is known only from very fragmentary remains - specifically some hand bones - making it one of the more enigmatic creatures from this period. The limited fossil evidence has led many palaeontologists to consider it a nomen dubium, meaning the original material is insufficient to properly define the genus.
Based on comparisons with related theropods in the Caenagnathidae family, Macrophalangia was likely a relatively small, bipedal dinosaur that stood about 1.5 metres tall and measured roughly 2 metres in length. Like other members of its family, it probably had a toothless beak and long, powerful hands with elongated fingers - features that give this dinosaur its name, which means 'large finger'.
As an omnivorous theropod, Macrophalangia would have fed on a varied diet including small animals, eggs, and possibly plant matter. The elongated finger bones suggest it may have been well-adapted for grasping and manipulating food items, perhaps using its hands to crack open eggs or catch small prey.
The fragmentary nature of the fossil record means that much about Macrophalangia remains uncertain, and it's possible that these remains actually belong to another known species from the same time period.
Macrophalangia is characterised by its notably elongated finger bones, which gave the dinosaur its name meaning 'large finger'. The hand bones suggest it had long, grasping fingers that were likely well-suited for manipulation of food items.
Based on related species, Macrophalangia likely used its long fingers to manipulate food, possibly specialising in cracking eggs or grasping small prey. It may have lived in small groups and nested in colonies like some of its relatives.
Macrophalangia was first described by Charles Mortram Sternberg in 1924. The original fossils were discovered at Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada.