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Newly Discovered Dinosaur Duonychus tsogtbaatari Reveals Rare Two-Fingered Adaptation

Paleontologists discovered the fossilized remains of a previously unknown, medium-sized therizinosaur species, named Duonychus tsogtbaatari in honor of Mongolian paleontologist Khishigjav Tsogtbaatar, in Mongolia's Gobi Desert several years ago.
This find is significant because Duonychus tsogtbaatari, part of the theropod family that includes Tyrannosaurus rex, possessed unique two-fingered hands, setting it apart from other therizinosaurs that typically have three claws, and lived during the Late Cretaceous period between 100.5 to 66 million years ago.
The discovery included fossilized parts of the backbone, tail, hips, arms, and legs, revealing that Duonychus stood about 10 feet tall and weighed approximately 573 pounds , and it is the largest claw of its kind found fully preserved.
According to Zelenitsky, the dinosaur's hands were "awkward looking", "big and very sharp", and the best comparison for the distinctive digits among living animals would be the claws of a sloth, with Steve Brusatte noting that therizinosaurs have a reputation as "Edward Scissorhands dinosaurs."
Researchers suggest Duonychus tsogtbaatari, with its nearly one-foot-long claws covered in a keratin sheath similar to fingernails, likely used its unique two-fingered hands to grasp vegetation, potentially for display, defense, or other purposes, enhancing our understanding of dinosaur evolution and behavior.

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Digi 24

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