A Guide to
Therizinosauria:

Liandaolong (sickle-dragons)

    Identification:

                           I.  Beipiaosaurus inexpectus
                           II.  Enigmosaurus mongoliensis
                           III.  "Chilantaisaurus" zheziangensis (based on other  Therizinosauria)
                           IV. Alxasaurus elesitaiensis
                           V.  Erlikosaurus andrewsi
                           VI.  Segnosaurus galbinensis
                           VII.  Nanshiungosaurus brevispinus (based on other  Therizinosauria)
                           VIII.  Nanshiungosaurus bohlini (based on other  Therizinosauria)
                           IX.  Therizinosaurus cheloniformis


(sensu D. A. Russell, 1997)

    Like the oviraptorosaurs , therezinosaurs belong to an advanced group of coelurosaurs known as the maniraptors, and, also like the oviraptors, therezinosaurs have evolved along a very different path from their ancestors.  In the therezinosaurs, however, the divergence from the root stock is far more extreme then in the oviraptorosaurs, for while these dinosaurs remained carnivorous despite all other changes, the therezinosaurs have abandoned all of the tendencies that their ancestors have held for a hundred million years, and have become herbivores.

    Like all maniraptors, therezinosaurs are bipedal, with long tails, long necks, and three-fingered hands.  After these features, the resemblance to the root stock, fails, however, as therezinosaurs have developed many adaptations to aid them in their new lifestyles.  The hips of a therezinosaur are much wider then is normal for a maniraptor, and the pubis is swept backward in the manner of a bird or ornithischian dinosaur, to accommodate the large belly these dinosaurs need to digest plant matter.  Because of its tremendous gut, the center of balance of a therezinosaur is shifted backward along its spine, and these creatures squat like giant geese, with their torsos held further up then is normal for a maniraptor.  These strange, unwieldy creatures have been called "sumo dinosaurs", and with good reason, but a therezinosaur's powerful hand claws discourage any predator that attempts engage this dinosaur in combat.
 

Thanks to Mickey Mortimer for writing some details on...emails about some of the more enigmatic therezinosaurs.
Other websites pertinent to this article:

© Daniel Bensen 2000
Back to OPUS: Dinosaur
This image modified by Adobe Photoshop.