Baryonyx
Name	Baryonyx
Order	Saurischia
Suborder	Theropoda
Class	Reptilia
Name Translation	Heavy Claw
Period	Early Cretaceous
Location	Europe
Diet	Carnivore, probably piscivore or scavenger
Length	10-12 metres (33-40 ft) long, 2-3 tons

Baryonyx (Heavy Claw) is a large, carnivorous dinosaur discovered in clay pits just south of Dorking, England. It is known from a single specimen, and apparently ate fish because remains of its last meal were discovered fossilised in its ribcage. It lived in the Barremian period of Early Cretaceous, around 125 million years ago.

DescriptionEdit

Baryonyx was about 10 to 12 m long (33 to 40 ft), and around 5 m ( 16ft) tall. It probably weighed in the region of 2 tons, but analysis of the bones suggests that the one only known specimen was not yet fully grown.

Baryonyx is a very unusual tetanuran. The design of its hips and pelvis suggests that it was bipedal for the purposes of walking from place to place. However, its forelimbs were absurdly large for a theropod, suggesting that it also spent much of its time on all fours.

Like the dromaeosaurids, the creature had a long curved claw on the thumb of each hand, which measured at about 31 cm (12 in). However, instead of having them on the rear foot, it is believed that Baryonyx had them on the front feet.

The skeleton was not arranged exactly as it would have been in life (articulated), so the paleontologists reconstructing it placed them on the front feet because these legs were so powerful. The bone structure suggests a massive bulk of muscle ran down the sides of these front legs, and it therefore seems probable that the claws were placed here.

The long neck was fairly inflexible, and was not S-shaped as in many other theropods. The skull was set at an acute angle, not the 90° angle common in similar dinosaurs. The long jaw was distinctly crocodilian, and had 96 teeth, twice as many as its relatives. Sixty-four of the teeth were placed in the lower jaw (mandible), and 32 large ones in the upper (maxilla). The snout probably bore a small crest.

The crocodile-like jaws and large number of finely serated teeth suggested to scientists that Baryonyx was a fish-eater. As confirmation, a number of scales and bones from the fish Lepidotes were also discovered in the body cavity.

It is speculated that Baryonyx would sit on a riverbank, resting on its powerful front legs, and then sweep fish from the river with its powerful striking claw. This is similar to the modern grizzly bear. The long but low stance and angled head support this theory.

Until the discovery of the closely-related Suchomimus, Baryonyx was the only known piscivorous (fish-eating) dinosaur. On the other hand, bones of an Iguanodon were also found in association with the Baryonyx skeleton. Although not definitive proof, it seems possible that Baryonyx scavenged any extra meat it could find. Its competition was Neovenator, another large carnivore that was closely related to Allosaurus.

In the MediaEdit

Rudy, the primary antagonist in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is an albino Baryonyx.

Baryonyx makes a cameo appearance in the first episode of Planet Dinosaur, showing on how spinosaurids may have eaten other prey rather than fish, as showing part of a juvenile Iguanodon inside the ribcage of Baryonyx.

Baryonyx is mentioned in Jurassic Park 3 as the survivors of the plane crash (caused by a Spinosaurus) try to figure out what type of dinosaur that chased them was. Baryonyx was also meant to appear in the film.

Baryonyx makes a brief cameo in the third episode of Monsters Resurrected, considered a close relative of Spinosaurus.

Baryonyx was originally going to appear in Walking with Dinosaurs. It was replaced by Utahraptor.

Baryonyx also appears in Dino Stampede.