# Therizinosaurus (*Therizinosaurus cheloniformis*)

Therizinosaurus was a prehistoric dinosaur known for its distinctive features. Scientists study its bones to learn about how dinosaurs lived.

- **Category:** [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/ancient)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mesozoic forests and floodplains
- **Also known as:** Scythe Lizard

![Therizinosaurus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Therizinosaurus_arms.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Yuya Tamai from Gifu, Japan, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Therizinosaurus_arms.jpg)

## Appearance

The Therizinosaurus has incredibly long, curving claws on its forelimbs, giving it a fearsome appearance. Its body was likely covered in primitive feathers, possibly a shaggy brown or grey, and it walked upright on two sturdy legs, resembling a giant, feathered sloth.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia

## Interesting facts

- It was a peaceful plant-eater, despite its scary look.
- Its arms were longer than a person is tall!
- Its name means 'scythe lizard' because of its giant claws!
- These claws could grow over half a meter long!

## Special abilities

- **Mega-Claw Reach:** Therizinosaurus has huge, curved claws that help them strip leaves from tall trees or defend against large predators.
- **Feathered Camouflage:** Therizinosaurus had a feathered body that helped them blend into dense forests and hide from lurking hunters.
- **Two-Legged Tower:** Therizinosaurus could stand tall on its strong legs, reaching high branches to feast on juicy leaves others couldn't.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 9-10 m
- **Weight:** 3000-5000 kg
- **Era:** Late Cretaceous
- **Extinct Millions Years Ago:** 66

## Diet & Feeding

A gentle giant that munched on leaves and branches from ancient plants and trees.

- **Primary Foods:** Leaves, Branches, Cycads, Conifers, Fruits
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Tarbosaurus (*Tarbosaurus bataar*) — A primary predator of large herbivores in its ecosystem.
- **Eats:** [Ginkgo](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ginkgo) (*Ginkgo biloba*) — A source of nutritious leaves and seeds in the Late Cretaceous.
- **Eats:** Ancient Sycamore (*Platanus nobilis*) — Provided abundant foliage for large herbivores to browse upon.
- **Symbiotic with:** Deinocheirus (*Deinocheirus mirificus*) — Competed for similar plant resources as another large herbivore.

## Traits

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient): Ancient refers to organisms, objects, or geological formations that have existed for an extremely long period.
- [Artifact](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/artifact): An artifact is an object made or modified by human culture, typically of historical or archaeological interest.
- [Armored](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/armored): Armored describes animals protected by a hard, external covering or shell for defense.
- [Fossil](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fossil): A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of an ancient organism embedded in rock or other geological deposits.
- [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.

## Collections

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/ancient)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

While extremely dangerous in their time, this creature is now extinct.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Therizinosaurus?

Compare skull shape, horns, plates, limbs, posture and tail. Museum models and toys can mix features or follow outdated reconstructions. Dinosaur Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Therizinosaurus?

9-10 m

### How much does Therizinosaurus weigh?

3000-5000 kg

### What does Therizinosaurus eat?

A gentle giant that munched on leaves and branches from ancient plants and trees.

### Where is Therizinosaurus usually found?

Mesozoic forests and floodplains

### How does Therizinosaurus hunt?

Foraging

### What geologic era did Therizinosaurus live in?

Late Cretaceous

### When did Therizinosaurus go extinct?

66

## More Ancient

- [Tyrannosaurus rex](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tyrannosaurus-rex) (*Tyrannosaurus rex*)
- [Triceratops](https://www.snappit.app/explore/triceratops) (*Triceratops horridus*)
- [Stegosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stegosaurus) (*Stegosaurus stenops*)
- [Brachiosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brachiosaurus) (*Brachiosaurus altithorax*)

---

Source: [Therizinosaurus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/therizinosaurus)