About Deinocheirus
| Scientific Name (Genus) | Deinocheirus |
| Meaning of Name |
Terrible hand
deinos (terrible) [Greek] - cheir (hand) [Greek] |
| Classification | Saurischia, Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria |
| Total Length | Approx. 11m |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous (approx. 70 million years ago) |
| Subclassification / Species Name | Deinocheirus mirificus |
| Year of Paper Publication | 1970 |
| Genus Name Publication | Osmólska, H. & Roniewicz, E. (1970). Deinocheiridae, a new family of theropod dinosaurs. Palaeontologia Polonica 21. |
The Identity of the "Terrible Hand" that Solved a Half-Century Mystery
Deinocheirus was a very bizarre-looking dinosaur that lived in modern-day Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous period. It was a large ornithomimosaur, estimated to be about 11 meters long and weighing over 6 tons, making it one of the largest of its kind.
Its most distinctive features are its massive 2.4-meter-long arms and sharp claws, which gave it its name. When these arm fossils were first discovered in 1965, their immense size led everyone to imagine a ferocious carnivorous dinosaur. However, for nearly 50 years, no other parts of the skeleton were found, and Deinocheirus remained a "mystery dinosaur," one of paleontology's greatest enigmas.
In 2014, the research findings on the head and torso parts of two individuals discovered in 2006 and 2009 were published, revealing its astonishing full appearance. Deinocheirus was entirely different from carnivores like Tyrannosaurus; it had a tall sail on its back, like a camel's hump, and a head with a toothless, duck-like beak, giving it a very unique look.
Fossilized stomach contents revealed fish bones and scales, as well as plant seeds, indicating that Deinocheirus was an omnivore with a varied diet. It is believed that its giant claws were not used for capturing prey, but rather for pulling down plants or digging in the ground.
History of Discovery and Research
In 1965, a Polish-Mongolian expedition discovered a pair of giant arms in the Nemegt Formation of the Gobi Desert. This discovery shocked the world, and in 1970, Halszka Osmólska and Ewa Roniewicz named it Deinocheirus mirificus (meaning "unusual, terrible hand").
However, for a long time, no additional fossils were found. In 2006 and 2009, a Korean-Mongolian expedition discovered two partial skeletons, but unfortunately, the skulls and limbs of these specimens had been poached and were missing.
A breakthrough came in 2011. Fossils owned by a private collector in Europe were identified as the poached skull and feet of Deinocheirus. Through the efforts of researchers, the specimen was returned to Mongolia and combined with the previously discovered torso, finally allowing for the reconstruction of the entire body of Deinocheirus. This series of events is known as a dramatic episode that highlights the problems of fossil poaching and the importance of international cooperation.