Creature feature - Tyrannosaurus rex
ROAR! Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs that ever lived, a real-life monster. Everything about this ferocious predator, from its thick, heavy skull to its 1.2-meter-long jaw, was designed for maximum bone-crushing action. Chomp!
Fossils show that the Tyrannosaurus was about 12 metres long and about 4 to 6 metres tall. Its strong thighs and long, powerful tail helped it move quickly, and its massive 1.5 metre-long skull could bore into prey. Check out how big they were compared to an average-sized man...
The T-rex's serrated, cone-shaped teeth were most likely used to pierce and grip flesh. Eww! Its two-fingered forearms look small but they could probably seize prey, however they were too short to reach its mouth!
These awesome animals lived in forested river valleys in North America during the late Cretaceous period. They eventually became extinct about 65 million years ago in the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction, an event which wiped out almost all of the dinosaurs. Many scientists believe this may have been caused by a giant asteroid's impact.
Scientists believe this powerful predator could eat up to 230 kilograms of meat in one bite. Fossils of T-rex prey, including Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, suggest T-rex crushed and broke bones as it ate, and bone fragments have been found in its dung. Munch-munch!
FAST FACTS
Type of dinosaur: Archosauria
Diet: Carnivore
Size: 12 m long, 4.6 to 6 m tall
Lived during the late Cretaceous period.
Tyrannosaurus means "tyrant lizard."
For more dino-mite adventures, check out
National Geographic Kids Dinopedia book,
available at Waterstone's and
other good book retailers now.
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