The world of dinosaurs continues to keep many unknowns and unsolved mysteries. While it is true that technological and scientific progress is helping a lot to find out more about these impressive extinct animals, paleontologists still have many unanswered questions. Due to the lack of fossil material of many species, some of them are based mainly on speculations and comparisons carried out with other related species. This is the case of Therizinosaurus, a theropod that to this day continues to be a puzzle for experts.
Although most of what we currently know about this dinosaur is only speculation, these are meticulously studied and thought by experts from all over the world. That is why we are going to explain in this article what the Therizinosaurus, what his physical appearance might have been like, and what the researchers think his diet was.
What is the Therizinosaurus?
El Therizinosaurus, whose name means "scythe lizard", is a genus of coelurosaurian thericinosaurid dinosaur that includes a single species. This lived about 70 to 65 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous, during the Maastrichtian, in what we know today as Asia. It is nothing more and nothing less than one of the largest and most representative specimens of the Therizinosauria group. The fossil of this extinct animal was discovered in Mongolia. At first, experts believed that it was the skeleton of some kind of turtle. For this reason the species received the name Therizinosaurus cheloniformis.
Unfortunately, only a few bones have been found. including huge claws belonging to the hands of this dinosaur, which gave the animal its name. These claws were the first specimens to be found during the joint Soviet-Mongolian expedition in 1948. A few years later, in 1957, 1959 and 1960, the same expedition headed for other places in Mongolia, including the Gobi desert. They discovered some fossils associated with this animal, such as some incomplete legs and also a tooth.
Although the material referring to the Therizinosaurus is incomplete, the experts have been able to draw some conclusions about what this animal might have looked like, especially when comparing it with other thericinosaurids that are related to it. Speculations by scientists indicate that the Therizinosaurus It could measure between eight and twelve meters long and reach a height of more than five meters. As for the weight, they have calculated that it could weigh up to six tons.
Description
As we have already mentioned, the lack of fossil material from the Therizinosaurus it left experts no choice but to speculate through comparisons with species closely related to this dinosaur. It turns out that the bones of this theropod are very similar to those of other enigmatic dinosaurs: El Erlikosaurus and the Segnosaurus.
Thanks to the discovery of the bones of the Therizinosaurus, the researchers were able to clarify the relationships between these three dinosaur species. These three species in particular appear to be closely related to each other. So much so that a very well preserved skull belonging to a specimen of Erlikosaurus has helped to find out what kind of life the man may have led Therizinosaurus.
The deductions that the experts could draw, comparing the Therizinosaurus with other members of his family, there are several, trying to complete his entire physical structure. They speculate that her head was relatively small, especially in comparison to her long neck. Besides, they assume that it walked bipedally and that its legs supported a deep and heavy body. They reached this conclusion because of the width of the pelvis that other thericinosaurids possessed. In addition, a single Therizinosaurus pelvis was found that had a width of eight feet.
The upper limbs of this huge biped could reach up to eight feet in length, according to the researchers. They were probably very muscular and massive arms with three fingers on the hands. The single claw on each hand measured two feet on its outer curve. If the external cornea that surrounded it is also included, it could measure up to a meter long. This length is equivalent to that of a scythe to cut the grass when it is very high. The only difference is that this dinosaur's claw is heavier. There are theories that say that it used its claws to hold the branches of trees while it fed.
Regarding the posterior members, these ended in four fingers that supported the total weight of the animal. In this respect it differs from other groups of theropods, for in them, the first toe was basically a vestigial toe.
What does the Therizinosaurus dinosaur eat?
Because cranial material has never been found to indicate the type of diet that the Therizinosaurus, their eating habits are completely unknown. However, many experts speculate that, like the Erlikosaurus, Therizinosaurus it was most likely herbivorous. The enormous claws were surely used to hold the branches and take them to its mouth, where it tore up the plant material. They also believe that, very sporadically, it may have hunted small mammals or lizards. Despite the fact that it is the most accepted theory, it should be noted that it is very rare to find herbivores among theropods, since they usually feed on meat.
Although the claws of this dinosaur could have been used to feed, they could have fulfilled other functions as well. It probably used its gigantic claws to defend itself against predators back then, such as the tarbosaurus. In the same way he could have used his imposing claws in intraspecific fights, that is, against animals of his own species. These situations can occur when there is rivalry for territory or mating.
El Therizinosaurus It is, without a doubt, an extinct animal that leaves many unknowns to be resolved. Perhaps, with any luck, paleontologists will eventually find more remains of this dinosaur that will help them find answers about the appearance, behavior and eating habits of this mysterious theropod.
