Therizinosaurus
ther-ih-ZEEN-oh-SAWR-us
- featured
Therizinosaurus is a genus of herbivorous dinosaur from the therizinosaurid family that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period and can grow to a weight of more than 4,000kg. This genus' name translates to 'Scythe lizard', in reference to its large claws at over 50cm, Therizinosaurus is believed to have had the longest claws of any animal in existence.
Discovery
The first Therizinosaurus specimen was recovered in 1948 by the USSR Academy of Sciences, during an excavation of the Nemegt Formation in Mongolia. The find consisted of three claw bones larger than any that had been discovered previously, and the remains were formally described six years later by the Soviet palaeontologist Evgeny Maleev.
Palaeoecology
Analysis of Therizinosaurus fossils has led experts to believe the genus lived around 70 million years ago, roaming near rivers and forests in search of vegetation. Fossil data suggests that its diet consisted of vegetation such as tree branches and large shrubs, while it shared its environment with the apex predator Tarbosaurus.
Information
- Era
- Late Cretaceous
- Family
- Therizinosauridae
- Genus
- Therizinosaurus
- Height
- 5M
- Length
- 10M
- Weight
- 5T
- Diet
- Ground Palaeobotany
- Egg batch size
- 1 - 1
