Therizinosaurus
Fact File
Name Of Dinosaur: Therizinosaurus cheloniformis
Pronounciation Of Name: Thare-ih-zin-oh-sore-us kell-oh-nih-form-iss
Meaning Of Name: Turtle-Form Scythe Lizard
Diet: Shrubs, foliage, tree bark, and other plant matter
Length: 39 feet long
Height: 20 feet tall
Weight: 5 tons
Time It Lived: Cretaceous Period, 80-70 million years ago
Fossils Found In: Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Information: One of my favorite dinosaurs, and one of the
most bizarre creatures of all time, Therizinosaurus pushes the very limits
of the term "weird dinosaur". With a long neck, pot belly, short tail, four-toed
feet, tiny head, beaky mouth, 39-inch claws, and possibly feathers, it
seems like a combination of half a dozen different dinosaur species. Even
its classification is odd. Despite its vague resemblance to the Prosauropods
(Proh-sore-oh-pawds) and Ornithopod(Ore-nih-thoh-pawd)-like head, it is
classified as a Theropod (Thare-oh-pawd), the dinosaur group that contains
meat-eaters such as Tyrannosaurus (Tye-ran-oh-sore-us) and Velociraptor
(Val-aw-sih-rap-tore). But despite its carnivoresque claws and probable frightening
appearance, Therizinosaurus was most likely a herbivore, using its lethal-looking
claws to pull down branches and strip tree bark. That's not to say it couldn't
be dangerous, though. As the largest of the Therizinosaurs (Thare-ih-zih-noh-sores),
and owner of the most enormous claws ever known, Therizinosaurus would have
been a risky target for any predator, even the 40-foot Tarbosaurus (Tar-boh-sore-us),
a relative of the famed Tyrannosaurus Rex that lived in Mongolia at the
same time as Therizinosaurus. Therizinosaurus was first discovered in 1954,
although, at that point, it was not even believed to be a dinosaur at all!
Therizinosaurus' remains, which were little more than a giant clawed hand
and arm, were at first thought to belong to a giant turtle, hence its species
name. When it was correctly determined to be a dinosaur, scientists believed
it to be an enormous meat-eater, similar to Velociraptor, but far bigger.
As other Therizinosaur species were unearthed, Therizinosaurus' true relations
were realized, but this was only the beginning of a massive period of cladistical
uncertainty. Over the next several years, Therizinosaurus was placed in
such groups as the Prosauropoda (Proh-sore-oh-poh-dah), Ornithischia (Ore-nih-thish-kee-ah),
Ornithomimosauria (Ore-nih-thoh-mye-moh-sore-ee-ah), and Deinonychosauria
(Dye-nawn-ick-oh-sore-ee-ah). Finally, the breakthrough came when the Segnosaurs
(Seg-noh-sores), strange, large-clawed, bipedal dinosaurs that had previously
been placed in a suborder of their own, the Segnosauria (Seg-noh-sore-ee-ah),
were realized to belong to the same dinosaur group as Therizinosaurus and
its relatives. Since the Therizinosauria (Thare-ih-zih-noh-sore-ee-ah)
clade had been named before the Segnosauria, the Segnosaurs were moved
into the Therizinosauria, and their former group name was dropped. Therizinosaurus
is now generally considered to be a Maniraptorid (Man-ih-rap-tore-id) dinosaur,
like Velociraptor, Incisivosaurus (In-siz-ee-voh-sore-us),
and Shuvuuia
(Shue-vue-ee-ah), and may share a common ancestor with the Oviraptorids (Oh-vih-rap-tore-ids).
It has also been noticed to share some remarkable similarities to the extinct
giant ground sloths, which roamed the Americas during the last Ice Age.
Like Therizinosaurus, these giant mammals had huge claws, stripped tree
bark, fed mainly on plants, were (at least partially) bipedal, grew to massive
sizes, and had a hairy body covering (although in Therizinosaurus, it was
actually primitive feathers, and is merely speculative).
For Further Information, E-Mail Bryan Or Visit…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dinosaurs/chronology/65/index_special.shtml
http://www.azhdarcho.com/Art/Paleoart/therizinosaurus2.htm
http://prehistoricsillustrated.com/files_therizinosaurus.html
http://dinosauricon.com/genera/therizinosaurus.html
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©2004 by Bryan Bongey