|
Name: Therizinosaurus
Pronunciation: THER-uh-ZEE-noh-SAW-rus Translation: Scythe-Lizard Diet: Unknown, presumed herbivorous Height: 14 to 16 feet (About 4.5 Meters) Length: 26 - 36 feet (About 8-11 Meters) Weight: 3-5 tons Location: Gobi Desert, Mongolia Time: Late Cretaceous period, 77 - 69 million years ago |
Therizinosaurus is a very mysterious dinosaur. When first discovered in 1954, paleontologists thought this animal's massive claws were ribs that belonged to a turtle-like aquatic reptile. It wasn't until 1970 that scientists understood the claws came from the hand of a dinosaur, and it took them until the mid 1990s to finally understand what this dinosaur looked like. However, Therizinosaurus still had more secrets to be discovered, as paleontologists were still unsure about many of its qualities, mainly its diet and the purpose of its massive claws. Bearing similarities to some meat-eating animals, many believed the giant claws were deadly weapons, used to tear apart its prey. This theory was put to rest when fossilized teeth from one of Therizinosaurus' close relatives indicated that this dinosaur was likely an herbivore, and may have used its scythe-like claws to rake the leaves off of branches and defend itself from predators. The claws, reaching 2-3 feet in length, are the longest claws of any animal to have ever lived. Most scientists also believe Therizinosaurus had feathers, though whether it was covered in feathers, or only had them in small areas is unknown at this time.