Claw Gallery

Foot of a chameleon

Foot of a chameleon. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the foot of a chameleon. Chameleons are the only lizards with zygodactyle feet, or with toes in a pincer arrangement. This gives them a strong grasp for climbing. On the front limb, the foot has two toes on the outside and three on the inside; on the hind limb this is reversed. Chameleons are found mainly in Africa and Madagascar, though some species also inhabit southern Europe and Asia

© STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Therizinosaurus dinosaur

Therizinosaurus dinosaur. Artwork of the theropod Therizinosaurus dinosaur, thought to have reached 10 metres in length. It lived from 85 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period. It is known from fossil remains of claws and forelimbs found in Mongolia and Kazahkstan. Some theories suggest that, like the extinct giant ground sloth, it used its claws to obtain leaves. Others say it used them to open termite mounds

© JOE TUCCIARONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

South Island Giant Moa (Dinornis robustus) Right Leg, Castle Hill Station, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand

This extinct, flightless bird lived in New Zealand. The largest of the species reached 3.6 meters and its only predator was the Haast eagle, until the first Polynesian settlers arrived in the 1200s. Moas were soon driven to extinction through hunting and loss of habitat. This bone was excavated from Pleistocene deposits by Cornishman, John D. Enys, whilst he was living in New Zealand. He sent many of these bones back to Cornwall and the museum have several in their collection

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle