Baryonyx << bar ree ON ihks >> was a large dinosaur that may have eaten mostly fish. It measured over 30 feet (9 meters) long and weighed about 2 tons (1.8 metric tons). The dinosaur walked on two powerful hind legs, using its long tail for balance. Baryonyx‘s name means heavy claw or strong claw. This name describes large curved claws on the animal’s thumbs. The claws grew to a length of about 1 foot (0.3 meter).
The mouth of Baryonyx resembled that of a crocodile and contained numerous saw-edged teeth. When catching prey, the dinosaur may have crouched in shallow water and snatched passing fish with its mouth. Or it may have waded farther into the water to capture prey with its giant claws, much as a bear does. The animal’s nostrils were set back from the tip of its snout, enabling it to breathe even when the end of its snout was underwater. Baryonyx may also have scavenged for the meat of dead dinosaurs.
Baryonyx lived during the early part of the Cretaceous Period, about 125 million years ago. Scientists have discovered its remains in England. Fossils of Baryonyx claws were found detached from the dinosaur’s skeleton, and it took scientists many years to learn where these claws appeared on the animal’s body.
