Facts About Baryonyx
The Baryonyx might not be a recognisable name, but it certainly had a recognisable appearance! It was quite a unique-looking dinosaur and we’re excited to delve into why, along with plenty of other fun facts about this Cretaceous creature. Get reading to explore what a fascinating dinosaur the Baryonyx was and become a dinosaur pro!
What did the Baryonyx look like?
Baryonyx was a theropod, a type of dinosaur that walked on two legs—that means it was bipedal! Other famous theropods include the Allosaurus, Giganotosaurus, and the mighty T. Rex, so it’s not surprising that “theropod” means “beast foot” in Greek! Like other theropods, the Baryonyx had sharp teeth along its jaw, although its jaw was slenderer than the strong, wide jaws of a T. Rex, for example.
The Baryonyx’s snout was like that of a modern crocodile. Its body was strong and muscular, built for both walking and swimming! Its long tail helped it balance, while its strong legs could propel it forward on land or in water. One of its most unique features as a theropod was a big, curved claw it had on each of its hands. Although scientists are still learning exactly what some dinosaurs might have looked like, check out the examples of a Baryonyx below!
Similar to how dinosaurs like the T. Rex might have used their arms to grab prey, these claws probably helped the Baryonyx catch and keep hold of its food. As you can see, its other claws were incredibly sharp, too! With its arms being much longer than many other theropods, the Baryonyx was quite a formidable predator.
As the exact appearance of dinosaurs remains uncertain, the images above are provided for illustrative purposes only and have been generated using AI technology.
How big was the Baryonyx?
The Baryonyx wasn’t as big as some of its relatives, like the Spinosaurus, but it was still a pretty huge dinosaur! It could be as tall as 3 metres and as long as 9 metres, making it similar to a school bus as tall as a two-storey house. Imagine that! The Baryonyx was quite a lean dinosaur though, weighing about 2400 pounds. Although that’s about as heavy as a small car, it’s pretty light for a theropod, especially one as muscular as the Baryonyx! Its lightweight body would have made it easier to run, making it a quick and agile predator.
What did the Baryonyx eat?
Given the Baryonyx is related to dinosaurs like the T. Rex, it’s no surprise that it was a carnivore. What is surprising is that the Baryonyx loved eating fish! Although some theropods like the Spinosaurus could swim and prey on animals in the water, it’s unusual for a carnivorous dinosaur to prefer fish to land creatures. The Baryonyx’s sharp row of teeth was perfect for catching and holding onto slippery fish, and its long snout helped it hunt fish in lakes, rivers, or streams.
Some scientists think the Baryonyx hunted like crocodiles, waiting in shallow water to ambush any passing creatures. Even without using its mouth, its long claw was perfect for quickly piercing and pulling fish out of the water. Although fish were its favourite meal, the Baryonyx hunted land creatures, too!
Baryonyx fossils have even been found with other dinosaur bones in its stomach, indicating they might have even hunted other dinosaurs on land. However, their teeth were more designed for catching and eating smaller creatures than ripping apart large prey, like the T. Rex’s teeth. This means the Baryonyx had to hunt a little differently from other theropods and was probably pretty sneaky about it!
Where did the Baryonyx live?
The Baryonyx lived around 130 million years ago in what we now know as Europe! Baryonyx fossils were originally found in the United Kingdom, although the environment was very different in the Baryonyx’s day. Back then, the Earth was much warmer and wetter—Covered in rivers, lakes, plains, and forests!
With plenty of water sources, the environment was perfect for the Baryonyx, who probably spent their time near water to hunt fish. Since it had a strong tail and legs, it was a great swimmer and had many advantages in catching fish, especially compared to non-aquatic dinosaurs that could only hunt on land. The Baryonyx also had lots of opportunities on land, especially being a fast runner! While they weren’t as fast as theropods like the Velociraptor, they could run up to around 20 miles per hour. It likely stalked its prey near water, waiting to ambush rather than chasing.
What killed the Baryonyx?
Like many other species of dinosaur, the Baryonyx went extinct 66 million years ago during a mass extinction event. You probably know that this is when a meteor struck the Earth, but it wasn’t the meteor itself that killed mighty dinosaurs like the Baryonyx. The meteor’s impact caused massive climate changes, changing the temperature rapidly and causing catastrophic events like wildfires. These changes made it difficult not just for the Baryonyx to survive but for smaller creatures and sea life as well. Even had the Baryonyx survived the changing atmosphere, it wouldn’t have had any food to hunt.
Baryonyx Facts
- Its name comes from Greek, meaning “heavy claw”, which refers to its large, curved claws.
- Although it has quite a crocodile-like appearance, the Baryonyx was more closely related to other theropods than modern aquatic creatures.
- While the Baryonyx’s long tail helped it balance for running, it was likely a powerful swimming tool as well!
- Baryonyx fossils have been found with fish bones and teeth, showing just how much it loved snacking on them.
- The Baryonyx had great eyesight, which would help it spot fish far away in the water or small animals far off on land!
Closing Summary:
It might not be the most famous dinosaur, but the Baryonyx was certainly an interesting one, and now you know why! This fishy fiend was quite unique, but we have lots of other interesting dinosaurs to learn all about, too. We’ve also got plenty of exciting activities for you to test your imagination—Since we still don’t know what lots of dinosaurs looked like exactly, there’s lots for you to create and think about. If you keep exploring and learning, maybe one day you’ll be finding fossils too!
Baryonyx Questions & Answers
Now that you’ve learned all about the fascinating Baryonyx, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! This dinosaur had some incredible features, from its long crocodile-like snout to its love for fish. Do you remember how fast it could run? Or what its name means?
Take this fun quiz and see how many answers you can get right! Don’t worry—if you get stuck, you can always go back and read the facts again. Once you’re done, check the answers on the next page and see if you’re a true Baryonyx expert. Good luck!
