Baryonyx

heavy claw

• barys · Greek · heavy
• onyx · Greek · claw

The name combines the Greek words for "heavy" and "claw". It refers to the huge, curved thumb claw, about 31 cm long, found with the type skeleton. The species name walkeri honours amateur fossil collector William Walker, who discovered the specimen.

Named by

Charig and Milner

Year named

1986

Period

Early Cretaceous

Stage

Barremian

Found in

Weald Clay Formation, Surrey, England, UK

A spinosaurid theropod. The type species is Baryonyx walkeri. Fossils from the Iberian Peninsula have been referred to the genus, but their assignment is less certain.