Nothronychus

sloth claw

• nothros · Greek · slothful, sluggish
• onychus · Greek · claw

The name combines the Greek words "nothros" (slothful or sluggish) and "onyx" (claw). It refers to the animal's relationship to the therizinosaurs, whose name means "scythe lizards" for their huge hand claws, and to its probable slow, lumbering habits. The type species, N. mckinleyi, was named for McKinley County, New Mexico, where it was found.

Named by

Kirkland and Wolfe

Year named

2001

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Turonian

Found in

Moreno Hill Formation, New Mexico, and Bahariya/Tropic Shale area, Utah, USA

A therizinosaur, a group of herbivorous theropods. Two species are recognised: N. mckinleyi (the type species, from New Mexico) and N. graffami (from Utah). It was one of the first therizinosaurs found in North America. The location and stage details are given with moderate certainty.