10 T-riffic dinosaurs you've likely never heard of
Therizinosaurus (thera-ZINA-SAW-russ)
Therizinosaurus, "scythe lizard", is quite possibly one of the strangest-looking dinosaurs to ever exist. Covered in vibrant feathers and standing at 10 metres tall, this unusal herbivore theropod had the largest claws ever known, growing up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) long! They may look like deadly Freddy Kruger hunting tools, but experts believe Therizinosaurus used these huge claws for ripping up plants and branches for food.
Cryolophosaurus (crya-LOW-foh-SAW-russ)
You might be surprised to find a 6.5 metre long dinosaur in Antarctica, but when Cryolophosaurus was alive 194 million years ago, the climate was very different to the icy poles we know now. In the Jurassic Period, Antarctica was found further north and was much warmer than today and covered in lush trees and shrubs. Cryolophosaurus was the only meat-eating dinosaur to have been found in Antarctica and fashioned a distinct yet peculiar crest that ran from its nose to its forehead.
Deinocheirus (DINO-ky-russ)
If kids were to design their own dinosaur, they'd likely imagine something that looked a lot like Deinocheirus - exceptionally long arms with banana sized claws; a toothless duck-billed mouth; a hump like a camel; vibrant peacock feathers; with a body bigger than the mighty T.rex. This truly bizarre looking dinosaur did indeed exist and roamed the Earth around 70 million years ago.
Psittacosaurus (si-tak-ah-SAW-russ)
Meaning "parrot lizard", Psittacosaurus was named after its big, birdlike beak which looks a bit like a, you guessed it, parrot. Psittacosaurus would have used their distinctive beak to gather and slice plants and seeds for food making it one of the most successful plant-eating dinosaurs of Early Cretaceous China. Psittacosaurus was covered in scales, had an unusual brush of quills at the top of its tail and was also the first know dinosaur with a fossil belly button!
Nigersaurus (nee-jur-SAW-russ)
Measuring at around 9 metres long, Nigersaurus would've been bigger than an elephant but stood next to its sauropod relatives it would've looked tiny in comparison. What this dinosaur lacked in size, it definitely made up for with its sheer amount of teeth. Nigersaurus’ unique wide, straight-edged muzzle boasted more than 500 teeth! With each one being replaced every two weeks or so.
Gigantspinosaurus (ji-GANT-SPY-noe-SAW-russ)
There’s a reason this dinosaur's name means “giant-spined lizard” – just look at those shoulder spines! But the Gigantspinosaurus was far from being gigantic, in fact it was unusually small for a stegosaur. But with its huge shoulder spines, rows of razor-sharp back plates and a strong, spikey tail, the small but mighty Gigantspinosaurus was more than able to defend itself against hungry predators.
Shunosaurus (SHOE-noe-SAW-russ)
Most sauropods relied on their huge size to stay safe from predators, but Shunosaurus had an extra special weapon that no other sauropods had: its tail had a bony club and sharp spikes that could deliver a deadly hit.
Caudipteryx (kor-DIP-ter-iks)
If Caudipteryx was still alive today, it might be mistaken for a strange bird but go back 125 million years ago it was actually one of the first-known feathered dinosaurs to ever exist. With its small head, long neck, compact body, and fan of flightless tail feathers, Caudipteryx was a primitive member of Oviraptorosauria, a group of feathered dinosaurs differed from a group of theropods. Thankfully a lot less threatening than its T-rex cousin!
Deinonychus (dye-no-NIGH-kuss)
A small but deadly meat-eater, Deinonychus was aptly name "terrible claw" after it's large, curved claw on each foot. When remains of this speedy, nimble hunter were found, it made scientists ask questions: were dinosaurs coldblooded, slow-moving reptiles, as they had thought, or were they fast, active, and warm-blooded?
Irritator (IH-ri-tay-tah)
Yes, this fearsome dinosaur was named after the irritation of paleontologists. That's because its only known fossil, a 80cm skull exposed in Brazil, had been artificially elongated by illegal fossil collectors in the hope of increasing its monetary value, and required a great deal of work to restore - hence the name.