New giant herbivore dinosaur found in China
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Paleontologists in China unearthed a new species of therizinosaur, naming it Kayrasaurus changliensis, from fossils discovered in the Jehol Biota of Liaoning Province.
This dinosaur lived approximately 125 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. Kayrasaurus was an unusual theropod, a group known for large hand claws and diets ranging from plants to meat.
The nearly complete skeleton, including a well-preserved skull, allowed researchers to determine that Kayrasaurus was the largest therizinosaurian found in the Jehol Biota, measuring over 3.6 meters long and weighing between 117 and 274 kilograms. Scientists believe the discovered individual was still growing, suggesting fully grown Kayrasaurus could have been even larger.
Kayrasaurus possessed a unique set of features including densely packed teeth, over 45 in its lower jaw, more than any other known therizinosaur, an elongated neck, and a distinctive upward curve on one of its hand claws. By comparing Kayrasaurus to other therizinosaurs from the same region, researchers propose that different species may have adapted to different ecological niches, with some built for powerful bites and others for speed, though further research is needed to confirm this idea.
