THERIZINOSAURIA
THERIZINOSAURIA
Therizinosaurs, that strange group of herbivorous maniraptors, diversified rapidly during the Cenozoic. Several new clades sprouted from the old, including dwarf forms, stocky, robust tundra-dwellers, carnivores, and insectivores as well as the standard long-necked forms. During the latest Ice Age, however, most therizinosaur clades (including all meat-and-insect-eating members of this clade) died out. After the Pleistocene, only very large, woolly therizinosaurs (which could withstand intense cold), and dwarf therizinosaurs (which could subsist on fewer resources) survived. In Eurasia, both groups dominate in arctic and alpine conditions, where their insulating coat of plumage gives them an advantage over scaly herbivores.
GLACIOTITANIDAE
The clade to which the massive Arctotitan, or woolly therizinosaur (unrelated to the North American woolly therizinosaur, which is actually a species of moora), once belonged, the robust and short-necked glaciotitanids are now in somewhat of a decline as the Ice Age has departed. Robust therizinosaurs are confined to Eurasia (although fossils indicate that they once inhabited North America, as well) and generally cryptic and specialized.
SAMPLE TAXA:Back to Spec
(Picture by Matti Aumala)Ceronychids (hornclaws) are the dominant herbivores of the boreal zone. They evolved from small cursorial forms long before the ice age, but couldn't compete with the massive arctotitanids. Though they've changed little since then they are now largest plant eaters of the taiga and the tundra. Like their name implies, male ceronychids have very long claws that are mainly used for one purpose: showing off. The claws grow slowly during their adult life, and old ceronychids can have quite impressive weapons on their hands. Ceronychids very rarely engage in serious combat, though, but the claws can be lethal when used against predators like sabre tyrants and veldraks.(Text by Matti Aumala)SAMPLE TAXA:Lemek (desert or camel dorsa) Dorsa Panha Moora