Itemirus medullaris, Kurzanov, 1976

Holtz, TR jr., 2004, Tyrannosauroidea, The Dinosauria, University of California Press, pp. 111-136 : 3

Itemirus medullaris ,

known only from an isolated braincase, comes from the upper Turonian Central Kyzlkuum Sands at Dzhara-Kuduk, Itemir, Uzbekistan (Kurzanov 1976b). This material is thought to come from an old individual, as almost all sutures are obliterated by fusion. Opening into the endocranial cavity from the region of the middle ear is an extensive chamber, the recessus interacusticus. Kurzanov (1976b) concluded that I. medullaris was the sole member of Itemiridae , related to both Tyrannosauridae and Dromaeosauridae (and more closely to the latter than the former).

The braincase shows none of the specializations of ornithomimosaurs, troodontids, oviraptorosaurs, or therizinosauroids. The basipterygoid processes are prominent and longer than the basal tubera but not to the extent found in, among others, carnosaurs or tyrannosaurids. The basipterygoid processes bear characteristic deep lateral excavations. These last features are also found in the braincase referred to Stokesosaurus clevelandi (Chure and Madsen 1998).