Deinocheirus mirificus is an exceptionally large ornithomimosaur from Asia. The largest theropod that isn't a strict carnivore, Deinocheirus is from the Late Cretaceous and is comparable in size to Tyrannosaurus.
In-Game[]
Description[]
An exceptionally bizarre animal, Deinocheirus is an extremely unique theropod with a body plan like no other. Often compared to a giant goose, Deinocheirus's skull is more comparable to its smaller relative Gallimimus than similar sized theropods. With its long arms and humpback, Deinocheirus appeared to have a sort of "potbelly", giving it a uniquely slouched appearance. It is covered from head to toe in a layer of shaggy feathers in two of its 3 skins. Deinocheirus's impressive size and unique adaptations has helped it stand out and become one of the most interesting dinosaurs ever known.
Management[]
Deinocheirus in-game is most content with the wetland and temperate biomes, similar to the environment seen in the Nemegt Formation, which feeds into to its popular association of being a giant duck.
In-Game Trivia[]
Nigel Marven
Now this is an interesting fellow. This dinosaur is called Deinocheirus, a name meaning “horrible hand”.
Nigel Marven
Its hands aren't actually horrible, mind you - calling dinosaurs things like “terrible” or “horrible” is a trend that goes all the way back to Sir Richard Owen, who first coined the term “dinosaur”! Which of course, means “terrible lizard”.
Nigel Marven
First discovered as a giant pair of arms, we now know that Deinocheirus resembled a huge, hump-backed goose roaming the marshy wetlands of prehistoric Mongolia.
Nigel Marven
Although it may look intimidating, this animal’s diet primarily consisted of fish and plants. A real connoisseur, don’t you think?
Paleontology[]
The original specimens of Deinocheirus were found in 1965 as part of a series of Polish-Mongolian collaborative fossil hunting expeditions in the Gobi Desert. This specimen consisted of 2 nearly complete arms with shoulder girdles, and a number of other various bones. Deinocheirus was named in 1970 by Halszka Osmólska and Ewa Roniewicz, and its name means "Horrible Hand" in reference to its immense arms, possibly the largest of any known theropod.
It was long debated what the life appearance of the animal may have looked like, originally believed to be a much more average theropod like Allosaurus or Tyrannosaurus and was reconstructed as one of the largest theropods ever. However, it was later realized that Deinocheirus was an ornithomimosaur like Gallimimus and presumed to be an average looking ornithomimosaur in all but its huge size, albeit smaller than originally depicted. Only in 2014 were newer specimens found leading to the humpbacked weirdo we know and love today.
Paleoecology[]
Deinocheirus was a massive ornithomimosaur, reaching up to 7 tonnes in weight. This puts it in a size category reached by few other theropods. This massive size, along with its huge arms, may have been Deinocheirus's main defense against predators like Tarbosaurus. Due to Deinocheirus's size, it could not run away quickly like other ornithomimosaurs.
Biomechanical studies on the skull of Deinocheirus found that it had a weak biteforce, leading paleontologists to believe that its diet many consisted of softer foods, or even things it could simply swallow whole. One of the Deinocheirus specimens that was found in 2014 even contained a fish within its chest cavity, potentially indicating that it may have eaten them from time to time, although it could have been bycatch while the animal was attempting to eat some water plants as well. It is also possible that the fish was caught in the fossilization process before or after the Deinocheirus had died.
The Nemegt formation is believed to have been a forested wetland environment, often compared to today's Okavango Delta in Africa in terms of its environment and surroundings. Unlike the Okavango, however, the Nemegt was a seasonal environment with cold winters and potential for snowfall. The Nemegt was a very wet region consisting of many braided rivers. It is believed that Deinocheirus may have spent a lot of its time in and around these areas.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- One of the four replacements to fill in for cut animals, Deinocheirus was first revealed in the Early Access Announcement trailer, along with Nasutoceratops.
- Deinocherius is one of the few orninthomimosaurs to appear in Prehistoric Kingdom, the only other one known is Gallimimus.
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