Therizinosaurus
Therizinosaurus cheloniformis • "Scythe Lizard"
Therizinosaurus was a large, plant-eating theropod from Late Cretaceous Mongolia. It had enormous hand claws, but the animal is known from limited fossils, so much of its body and behavior are reconstructed using related species.
- Length
- ≈10 m
- Weight
- ≈5.0 t
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Danger
- ★★★★★
Overview
The bizarre scythe master of the Cretaceous. Despite belonging to the theropod family, Therizinosaurus evolved into a giant herbivore sporting 3-foot-long curved claws used to strip vegetation and defend against giant predators like Tarbosaurus.
“When its giant claws were first discovered in 1948, Russian paleontologists mistakenly thought they belonged to a gigantic 15-meter sea turtle that used them to harvest seaweed.”
Key facts
Strengths
- Unmatched claw slashing reach (over 3 meters total arm span)
- Can disembowel apex predators with a single horizontal scythe swipe
- Tall bipedal browsing stature intimidating approaching carnivores
Weaknesses
- Herbivorous beak unsuitable for aggressive bite combat
- Slow sprint locomotion speed
Natural weapons
- 1.0-meter meter-long scythe-shaped hand claws (longest of any known animal)
- 2.5-meter long muscular forelimbs with enormous reach
- Heavy rotund body mass with thick feather insulation
Movies vs. science
Myth: Shown in Jurassic World Dominion as an aggressive blind stalker.
Reality: Had normal stereoscopic vision and was an herbivorous browser that only used its claws in self-defense.
Size & simulator stats
Estimated at about 10 m long. Its hand claws reached around 50 cm, but the body estimate is based on incomplete remains and relatives.
- Length
- 10 m
- Height
- 5 m
- Weight
- 5.0 t
Illustrative simulator values (not measured biology)
See how Therizinosaurus measures up in the sourced size comparison chart.
Habitat
Dense riverine forests and lush floodplains of Cretaceous Central Asia.
Mongolia, in Central Asia.
Diet
Herbivorous browser feeding on high tree foliage, bushes, and seeds using its long reach.
Herbivore. Fossils and its place among therizinosaurs support a plant-based diet; its claws may have helped pull vegetation within reach.
Fossils & discovery
First described from Mongolia in 1948 (Nemegt Formation (Gobi Desert)).When its giant claws were first discovered in 1948, Russian paleontologists mistakenly thought they belonged to a gigantic 15-meter sea turtle that used them to harvest seaweed.
Research sources
Sources checked on by the Dinosaurs Names Editorial Team. Editorial policy
Gallery
Related dinosaurs
Battle Arena
Can anything beat Therizinosaurus?
Send Therizinosaurus into an illustrative matchup against any other species and compare attack, defense, and bite force.
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