Fun Facts About Therizinosaurus
Imagine a swan the size of a bus with scissor-like hands, and that's what you get with Therizinosaurus! This dinosaur was a large theropod that lived 70 million years ago in the area that is now known as Mongolia. Here are some fun facts about Therizinosaurus:
- The first Therizinosaurus fossils were discovered in an expedition to the Gobi Desert in 1948. A famous Russian paleontologist initially thought they were the remains of a giant ancient sea turtle.
- Therizinosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous period, which means it shared the planet with Spinosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, and Velociraptor.
- Its name is Greek for ‘reaping lizard.’
- Therizinosaurus claws could be over 3 feet long, making them the longest claws of any animals yet identified.
- A 2023 study determined that their claws were too weak for combat. They were actually quite fragile and probably better suited for gathering vegetation than slashing. They might have been used to attract mates and groom each other.
- Scientists originally thought the claws belonged to a carnivore, but the long neck, small head, beaked mouth, leaf-shaped teeth, and weak claws suggest Therizinosaurus was actually a herbivore.
- Therizinosaurus was the largest dinosaur in its family. Upper estimates indicate it could have been 30 feet long, 15 feet tall, and weighed 5 tons.
- Many scientists believe Therizinosaurus had feathers.
- A close relative of Therizinosaurus may have lived in Arizona during the Late Cretaceous period!
Initial assumptions about Therizinosaurus may have been wrong, but new discoveries have led to a better understanding of this fascinating dinosaur. Our knowledge will continue to grow with additional studies and future findings.