Nothronychus was a large therizinosaur theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 92–89 million years ago. It was discovered in North America, with fossils found in New Mexico and Utah, United States.
Like other therizinosaurs, Nothronychus had a very unusual appearance compared with typical meat-eating theropods. It had a small head with a toothless beak, a long neck, a large barrel-shaped body, and powerful arms ending in long curved claws. These features suggest that it was primarily a herbivore, using its claws to pull branches and vegetation toward its mouth.
Nothronychus reached an estimated length of around 4.5–6 meters (15–20 feet) and weighed several hundred kilograms. It was likely covered in feathers, as shown by its close relationship to other feathered theropods.
Its discovery was important because it provided evidence that therizinosaurs migrated into North America from Asia during the Cretaceous. It lived in a diverse ecosystem alongside dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus relatives, ceratopsians, and hadrosaurs.
Nothronychus
Nothronychus was a large feathered therizinosaur dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous known for its long claws, bulky body, and plant-based diet.
