Therizinosaurus
Therizinosaurus is a genus of large, plant-eating theropod dinosaurs from Late Cretaceous Mongolia, distinguished by forelimbs bearing enormous claws.
Therizinosauria: Therizinosauria is a group of mostly herbivorous theropod dinosaurs with elongated necks, broad bodies, and long claws. Therizinosaurus is the namesake genus and most extreme-clawed member of this group.
Claw: A claw is a curved, pointed keratinous covering over the terminal bone of a digit in many animals. Its hand claws were exceptionally long, though their precise function remains uncertain.
Mongolia: Mongolia is a country in East and Central Asia with extensive Cretaceous fossil deposits. Therizinosaurus fossils come from Late Cretaceous deposits in the Gobi region.
Beipiaosaurus: Beipiaosaurus is an early therizinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China, known from unusually complete fossils. Its smaller body and better-preserved anatomy contrast with the fragmentary giant from Mongolia.
Dinosaur classification: Dinosaur classification organizes dinosaur species into evolutionary groups based on shared anatomical evidence. Its early interpretation challenged the placement of dinosaurs with bizarre, isolated fossils.
Theropoda: Theropoda is the dinosaur group that includes birds and their extinct relatives, many of them bipedal. Despite its bulky, plant-eating body, Therizinosaurus belongs to this usually meat-eating dinosaur lineage.
Plant defense: Plant defense comprises traits that reduce damage from herbivores, including toxins, spines, and tough tissues. Plant defenses shaped the feeding challenges faced by large herbivores in its ecosystem.
Nemegt Formation: The Nemegt Formation is a Late Cretaceous geological formation in Mongolia known for dinosaur fossils. It preserves the principal remains attributed to Therizinosaurus.
Nothronychus: Nothronychus is a North American therizinosaur genus known from the Late Cretaceous. It shows that large therizinosaurs lived beyond Asia.
Convergent evolution: Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar traits in distinct evolutionary lineages. Its plant-eating adaptations evolved within a theropod lineage dominated by carnivorous forms.