Tyrannosaurus
| Tyrannosaurus Fossil range: Upper Cretaceous |
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| Skeleton at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. |
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Tyrannosaurus was a large predatory dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous, 68.5 to 65.5 million years ago. When adult, it was up to 42 feet (12–13 metres) long, with a weight of about six tons, even larger than Allosaurus. The teeth of the Tyrannosaurus were up to 16 cm long.
Tyrannosaurus ate meat. Some scientists discuss whether it was a hunter or a scavenger, but like most dominant meat-eaters of today, such as lions and hyenas, Tyrannosaurus might have been both. It had a very strong jaw, and its bite power could snap the bones of other dinosaurs.
For a long time, Tyrannosaurus was the largest known carnivorous dinosaur. Recently, skeletons of other, slightly larger, carnivores have been found, such as Giganotosaurus, Spinosaurus, and Carcharodontosaurus. Skeletons of Tyrannosaurus were found on the North American continent, but relatives, such as Tarbosaurus, have been found in Asia.
The earliest Tyrannosaurus skeletons were found in 1902 by Barnum Brown. Henry Fairfield Osborn, president of the American Museum of Natural History, named the species Tyrannosaurus rex (meaning "tyrant lizard king") in 1905. The most complete skeleton was found in 1990 in South Dakota and named "Sue" after its finder, Susan Hendrickson.
Tyrannosaurus has become well known. Many movies and television shows have featured it, such as Jurassic Park. Its skeletons are popular exhibits in many museums.
Tyrannosaurus became extinct in the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event, which wiped out half of all species on Earth.
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