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3-foot claws, tons of teeth: Scientists find ‘anatomically bizarre’ giant dinosaur
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- Paleontologists in China have identified a new dinosaur species, Kayrasaurus changliensis, described as "anatomically bizarre" even among the unusual Therizinosauria group, known for their large claws and plant-based diet.
- The nearly complete skeleton was found in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation, dating back about 125 million years, a site renowned for feathered dinosaur fossils.
- K. changliensis was notably large for its family, weighing between 250 and 600 pounds and measuring nearly 12 feet long, making it significantly bigger than other known Chinese therizinosaurs.
- This species exhibited a unique dental structure with a severe underbite, numerous small clustered teeth, and unexplained jaw openings, distinguishing it from other large therizinosaurs.
- Unlike smaller, agile relatives, K. changliensis was built for strength over speed, with herbivorous jaw and teeth features suggesting a primarily plant-based diet despite its fearsome claws.
