Duonychus tsogtbaatari

†Duonychus tsogtbaatari ('two-clawed lizard of Tsogtbaatar') is an extinct therizinosaur theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia, notable for having only two functional forelimb digits — unusual among therizinosaurids, which typically have three. This herbivore's reduced hand may represent an evolutionary transition or functional specialization in therizinosaur forelimb anatomy.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Duonychus tsogtbaatari was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Cretaceous Late Mesozoic Era

Duonychus tsogtbaatari lived during the Cretaceous Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 100.5 to 66.0 million years ago.

The final age of dinosaurs, featuring iconic species like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor. Dinosaurs reached their peak diversity before the catastrophic asteroid impact at the Chicxulub crater ended the Mesozoic Era.