Bannykus

Bannykus is an extinct genus of alvarezsauroid from the Early Cretaceous Bayin-Gobi Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. It includes one species, Bannykus wulatensis.

==Discovery== thumb|left|Scaled reconstruction The holotype of Bannykus wulatensis is IVPP V25026, a partially-articulated incomplete skeleton of an 8 year old subadult. The holotype comes from the Bayin-Gobi Formation in Chaoge, Wulatehouqi, Inner Mongolia, China. It was discovered in 2009 and in 2012, its remains were displayed in Japan under the unofficial name "Wulatesaurus". It was given the binomial name Bannykus wulatensis in 2018; its generic name comes from the Mandarin word Ban (), meaning half, and the Greek word , meaning claw. This refers to the transitional characteristics seen in this theropod. The specific name refers to Wulatehouqi (Wulate Rear Banner), the county that the holotype was found in.