Pelecanimimus (meaning "pelican mimic") is an extinct genus of basal ("primitive") ornithomimosaurian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Spain.

The generic name is derived from Latin pelecanus, "pelican", and mimus, "mimic", in reference to the long snout and throat pouch.

The specific name is a reference to the large number of teeth possessed by this theropod and is derived from Greek πολύς (polys), "many" and ὀδούς (odous) "tooth".

Pelecanimimus might have been much like a modern-day crane, wading out in lakes or ponds using its claws and teeth to capture fish and then storing them in its skin flap.

[8] A study by Kobayashi and Lü in 2003 indicated that these two species formed a basal arrangement of steps leading towards the more advanced ornithomimids (see cladogram below).

To quote Pérez-Moreno et al., "The phylogenetic hypothesis...supports an unexpected approach, involving exaptation, which might explain the evolutionary process towards the toothless condition in Ornithomimosauria.

The phylogenetic hypothesis suggests an alternative evolutionary process based on a functional analysis of increasing numbers of teeth.

"[1] Cladogram after Kobayashi and Lü, 2003:[9] Pelecanimimus Harpymimus Garudimimus Ornithomimidae The Las Hoyas lagerstätte has produced numerous other exquisitely preserved species, including the enantiornithine birds Iberomesornis, Concornis, and Eoalulavis, along with non-avian theropod teeth, Concavenator remains, and a few fragmentary sauropod bones.