page_title: Timeline of therizinosaur research
section_title: 1970s
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of therizinosaur research / 20th century / 1970s
caption_attribution_description: English: Fig. 1. Segnosaurus galbinensis Perle, 1979; holotype (GIN 100/80); Amtgay, SE Mongolia, Bayan, Shireh svita, Upper Cretaceous: left lateral view of pelvis, right dorsal view of metatarsus; is ischium, pu pubis.
context_page_description: The timeline of therizinosaur research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on therizinosaurs. They were unusually long-necked, pot-bellied, and large-clawed herbivorous theropods most closely related to birds. The early history of therizinosaur research occurred in three phases. The first phase was the discovery of scanty and puzzling fossils in Asia by the Central Asiatic Expeditions of the 1920s and Soviet-backed research in the 1950s. This phase resulted in the discovery of the Therizinosaurus cheloniformis type specimen. Soviet paleontologist Evgeny Maleev interpreted these unusual remains as belonging to some kind of gigantic turtle.
  The second major phase of therizinosaur research followed the discovery of better preserved remains in the 1970s by collaborative research between the Soviets and Mongolians. These finds revealed the true nature of therizinosaurs as bizarre dinosaurs. However, the exact nature and classification of therizinosaurs within Dinosauria was controversial as was their paleobiology.
context_section_description: 1970
  Rozhdestventsky first proposed the idea that therizinosaurids were actually theropod dinosaurs. He thought they used their large claws to tear open termite mounds or collect fruit from trees.
  Osmolska and Roniewicz also interpreted Therizinosaurus as a carnosaur theropod.
  1976
  Barsbold proposed the Deinonychosauria and included Therizinosaurus as a member.
  In another paper during the same year, Barsbold referred a shoulder and forearm found in the same strata as the Therizinosaurus type specimen to that genus because of the resemblance between the specimens claws. He observed that the anatomy of the arm and shoulder remains suggested that it belonged to a theropod dinosaur. Barsbold also remarked on similarities it shared with Deinocheirus, another mysterious dinosaur from the same rock unit.
  1979
  Dong described the new genus and species Nanshiungosaurus brevispinus based on a vertebral column and pelvis. He interpreted Nanshiungosaurus as a new genus of dwarf sauropods. He also described the new species Chilantaisaurus zheziangensis but interpreted it as a carnosaur.
  Perle described the new genus and species Segnosaurus galbinensis based on mostly complete limbs and girdles. He erected a new family, the Segnosauridae, for this unusual dinosaur. He tentatively regarded it as a theropod.
caption: Segnosaurus holotype pelvis and metatarsus
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