Therizinosaurus

scythe lizard

• therizo · Greek · to reap, scythe
• sauros · Greek · lizard

The name means "scythe lizard" (or "reaping lizard"). It refers to the enormous, scythe-like claws on its hands, which were first thought to belong to a giant turtle-like animal. Maleev named it in 1954 from the first fragmentary remains, which included those long claws.

Named by

Maleev

Year named

1954

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Maastrichtian

Found in

Nemegt Formation, Mongolia

Type species Therizinosaurus cheloniformis ("turtle-shaped"). A large therizinosaurid theropod with the longest known claws of any animal, up to about 50 cm. The stage is usually given as Maastrichtian, though the Nemegt Formation's age is sometimes given as Campanian–Maastrichtian.