The Fish-Eating Dino with Giant Claws!
Meet Baryonyx, the incredible dinosaur with a knack for fishing and some of the largest claws around!
| Meaning | Heavy claw [Bary-onyx] |
| Pronunciation | bar-ee-ON-iks |
| When: | Early Cretaceous (about 130–125 million years ago) |
| Where: | Europe (found in England and parts of Iberia) |
| What: | Theropod (spinosaurid, possibly semiaquatic carnivorous dinosaur) |
| Weight: | Approximately 1.2–1.7 metric tons |
| Length: | About 7.5–10 meters (25–33 feet) |
| Diet: | Carnivorous (primarily piscivorous, feeding on fish, and possibly scavenged) |
| Discovered: | First described by Alan Charig and Angela Milner in 1986 |
Baryonyx lived about 125 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period and was famous for its long, crocodile-like snout filled with sharp teeth, perfect for catching fish.
Imagine a dinosaur as long as a bus, with a powerful body, long tail, and huge claws on its front hands – that’s Baryonyx!
These claws, which could be over a foot long, were great for grabbing slippery fish and tearing apart prey. Baryonyx could even wade through rivers and lakes, using its claws and teeth to scoop up fish just like a bear.
With its unique combination of claws, teeth, and snout, Baryonyx was a true fishing champion of the prehistoric world!