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Name: Tyrannosaurus rex
Pronunciation: tie-RAN-o-Saw-rus Translation: Tyrant Lizard King Diet: Carnivore Height: 16 feet (5 meters) Length: 40 feet (13 meters) Weight: 9-15 tons (8,000 - 14,000 kilos) Location: Texas, Southwestern U.S, Asia, & Canada Time: Cretaceous Period (68 - 66 MYA) |
Tyrannosaurus rex is likely the most famous dinosaur to date, appearing in countless films, novels, television shows, video games, and more. While not the tallest or longest carnivorous dinosaur, T. rex was the bulkiest and most massive, meaning it was both the heaviest and strongest! This immense strength was no coincidence; T. rex had to be strong to survive. Most of this fearsome carnivore’s prey, like Triceratops and Ankylosaurus, were armor plated and deadly in their own right; even to a T. rex.
In order to hunt armored dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex had one of the deadliest natural weapons in history. T. rex had the biggest teeth of any dinosaur - about 60 of them - that were not only sharp and serrated for tearing flesh, but also thick and strong for crushing bones. These teeth were also backed up by the most powerful bite force of any animal ever to live, able to deliver 6,000 to 8,000 pounds of force to T. rex’s prey. Shockingly enough, these jaws were not just for offense, but defense as well, as there exists clear evidence that Tyrannosaurs fought each other, as specimens have been discovered with injuries clearly made by another T. rex.
Although the two-fingered arms of Tyrannosaurs seemed very small, they were in fact larger than an adult human’s, and were believed to have been at least three times as strong as human arms too. While too short to be used for combat or defense, these arms likely functioned as meat hooks, holding struggling prey in place while the jaws delivered a killing blow. However, the Tyrannosaurus rex didn’t need its armpower to make it a force to be reckoned with. On top of its tremendous jaws, T. rex had an amazing sense of smell, possibly the best of any animal, and recent discoveries indicate that T. rex’s intelligence may have rivaled dogs and primates!
In order to hunt armored dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex had one of the deadliest natural weapons in history. T. rex had the biggest teeth of any dinosaur - about 60 of them - that were not only sharp and serrated for tearing flesh, but also thick and strong for crushing bones. These teeth were also backed up by the most powerful bite force of any animal ever to live, able to deliver 6,000 to 8,000 pounds of force to T. rex’s prey. Shockingly enough, these jaws were not just for offense, but defense as well, as there exists clear evidence that Tyrannosaurs fought each other, as specimens have been discovered with injuries clearly made by another T. rex.
Although the two-fingered arms of Tyrannosaurs seemed very small, they were in fact larger than an adult human’s, and were believed to have been at least three times as strong as human arms too. While too short to be used for combat or defense, these arms likely functioned as meat hooks, holding struggling prey in place while the jaws delivered a killing blow. However, the Tyrannosaurus rex didn’t need its armpower to make it a force to be reckoned with. On top of its tremendous jaws, T. rex had an amazing sense of smell, possibly the best of any animal, and recent discoveries indicate that T. rex’s intelligence may have rivaled dogs and primates!