The T-Rex might be considered the king of the dinosaurs, but it seems like this gigantic beast’s court was home to a handful of jesters - here are a few of the weirdest dinosaurs to have walked on the planet.

For almost 180 million years, dinosaurs roamed every corner of our planet’s surface. During the Mesozoic period of natural history, these prehistoric titans evolved with time to adjust to every niche and habitat under the sun. The outcome was startling, giving rise to some of the most incredible creatures to ever live on the planet, with several unique body types and shapes that would never be seen again.

Suzhousaurus megatheriodes: Giant ground sloth

This bizarre creature had the appearance of a giant rat - six meters long, three meters tall, and weighed around 1,300kgs. The furry body of Suzhousaurus suggests that they were a distant ancestor of the present-day giant ground sloth.

Linhenykus: Tiny arms with one finger

Linhenykus monodactylus is a small dinosaur belonging to a group of species called alvarezsaurs, whose members are comprised of bipedal dinosaurs with absurdly tiny arms. This peculiar giant inhabited between 84 and 75 million years ago in the area, which later became Mongolia. Unlike other dinosaurs with multiple fingers, the linhenykus has just one heavily-clawed finger, making it the only known dinosaur to possess a single finger in each arm, a very unusual trait even to this day.

Epidendrosaurus ninchengensis: Feathered like a bird

The Epidendrosaurus ninchengensis is a tiny (12cm) feathered but flightless dinosaur with elongated forearms. The forearms are completely out of proportion to the rest of its body, and the third finger is very long, possibly for probing insects from the inside of trees.

Concavenator: Dinosaur with a bumpy back

This strange-looking theropod is a carnivorous dinosaur that inhabited Europe nearly 130 million years ago. The noticeable big hump on its back is unique for these dinosaurs and has left scientists baffled since its discovery in 2003. Researchers suggest that the hump was probably used for storing fat, mating, or maybe it was purely decorative. Another very odd feature of the concavenator is the bumpy protrusions on its arms.

Longisquama insignis: Strange fanned back

The Longisquama insignis had six to eight appendages fanned on its back which is speculated to be primitive feathers. This dinosaur was possibly a precursor to modern birds.

Gigantoraptor: Largest feathered-dinosaur

At nearly eight meters long and five meters tall, the Gigantoraptor was possibly the largest feathered bird or dinosaur in history and may have weighed up to 2,000kg. The creature did not have any teeth and had bizarre claws at the end of its wings.

The age-old image of dinosaurs as slow-witted and drab reptilians is gradually being overturned. Thanks to the findings of new fossils and advances in the technology used to examine them.