Tyrannosaurus rex - the largest predatory dinosaur: description with photo and video. The most terrible predators of the Earth: Tyrannosaurus There was a tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaur Cretaceous Dinosaur. Tyrannosaur- a representative of theropod lizard dinosaurs, the infraorder of tyrannosaurids. Tyrannosaur was one of the largest land predatory lizards that ever existed on our planet. Tyrannosaur is a member of the tyrannosaurid family. Among the predators of its time, the tyrannosaurus was the largest. calling card tyrannosaurus rex is the power of his jaws. Tyrannosaur was not the largest of the theropods of the Mesozoic era, but it had no equal in bite force.
Thanks to numerous films, tyrannosaur gained wide popularity. Maybe, tyrannosaur the most famous of the dinosaurs. His image can be seen on the advertisements of some companies or products.
Limbs and body structure of a tyrannosaurus rex:
Spine tyrannosaurus rex consists of 10 cervical, 12 thoracic, five sacral and about 40 tail vertebrae. The tail of a dinosaur is thick and heavy. With his help tyrannosaur keep balance while running. Also, the tail helped during the turn. Some of the bones of the skeleton were hollow inside, which made it possible to slightly reduce body weight without reducing the strength of the skeleton as a whole.
| Tyrannosaur moved on powerful hind legs. Paws had 4 fingers with sharp claws. Three fingers were facing forward and one back. They were fastened together for stability. The fourth toe was on the back of the paw and never touched the ground. Perhaps he served to rip open the victim's flesh or to hold it. Paws tyrannosaurus rex were well developed and held the entire weight of a multi-ton predator. Until now, there are disputes about the speed with which he moved tyrannosaur. According to one version tyrannosaur could not reach speeds of more than 5-7 km / h. According to another version, tyrannosaur could reach speeds of up to 40 km / h, but could not sharply change direction. Same way tyrannosaurus rex although he moved at a decent speed, but because of his size, he probably could not run for a long time. |
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tyrannosaurus rex paw |
tyrannosaurus rex structure
Tyrannosaurus rex nutrition:
tyrannosaurus rex was a carnivorous predatory dinosaur, but the study of its fossilized remains does not give a clear answer about the method of obtaining food. Despite the frightening appearance, the version that tyrannosaur was a ruthless killer overtaking anything and everything. As already mentioned, his main weapon was a powerful jaw studded with large and razor-sharp teeth. But at the same time, his forelimbs were extremely poorly developed, and his body was very massive.
Version 1 - scavenger:
There is an assumption that tyrannosaur- any character of fans of films about dinosaurs and the embodiment of uncontrollable rage, not only did not disdain the carcasses of dead dinosaurs, but also ate mainly them. This assumption is based on studies of fossilized remains. tyrannosaurus rex. American scientists who examined the remains came to the conclusion that a massive, multi-ton body hardly allowed tyrannosaurus to chase quickly fleeing prey like the lighter Allosaurus, and even more so Deinonychus and Utahraptor.Conclusions that tyrannosaur was more of a corpse eater than a hunter based on CT scan results. Research, recovered brain tyrannosaurus rex, more precisely, its forms make it possible to learn more about its functionality and about the structural features of the "inner ear", which is responsible not only for the auditory function. Inner ear research tyrannosaurus rex showed that its structure differed from the structure of a similar organ of "dexterous hunters".
The next argument in favor of tyrannosaur was a scavenger are the results of studies of the vertebrae of the pangolin. The conclusion states that tyrannosaur had restrictions in movement and for various maneuvers and sharp turns his body was not adapted. Also large dagger-shaped teeth tyrannosaurus rex more suitable for leisurely grinding bones. Such teeth are hardly necessary for a "cold-blooded killer" who eats fresh meat and goes on, leaving the carcass for a feast of carrion-eaters.
Modern and most likely prehistoric animals of large sizes are extremely slow. Wherein tyrannosaur due to its weight, it could severely damage or even break ribs and legs when falling. Small front paws with two fingers could hardly help in hunting. Therefore, it is very likely that the main food of the tyrannosaurus was the fallen dinosaurs.
Version 2 - hunter:
Despite the fact that the "scavenger" version has a fairly good justification, the "hunter" version is no less popular among paleontologists and is very "hyped" by the creators of films about dinosaurs. And don't forget that tyrannosaur the owner of the most powerful bite among land animals of all time. Not a single bone could withstand the bite of this giant.
Main prey tyrannosaurus rex were herbivorous torosaurs ,
triceratops ,anatotitans and other dinosaurs. Considering the dimensions, it can be assumed that tyrannosaur could not follow fleeing dinosaurs for long, and he had to catch up with prey in one rush. It is known that tyrannosaur possessed binocular vision and could accurately estimate and calculate the distance to the victim. More likely, tyrannosaur attacked a potential victim from an ambush. At the same time, most likely, he attacked cubs or old and weakened dinosaurs more often than adults and full of strength. After all, some herbivorous dinosaurs, such as Triceratops or ankylosaurus, could not only run away, but give a serious rebuff. Groups of dinosaurs were especially good at defending themselves. A modern confirmation of this opinion is a herd of buffaloes. Even formidable lions do not always attack such large and powerful herbivores.
tyrannosaurs were loners and hunted each in their own territory, which was measured in hundreds of square kilometers. Periodically, skirmishes arose between the lizards for the territory, in which one of them possibly died. At such a moment, the lizards did not disdain the meat of their relatives.
More likely tyrannosaur, all the same, he was a hunter, but he could also eat a dead dinosaur. Also, given its size and power, tyrannosaur could take prey from other predators.
Reproduction of Tyrannosaurus Rex:
tyrannosaurs were loners, at least adults. Their hunting territories were measured in hundreds of square kilometres. The female, with a characteristic roar, called the wandering male. The process of courting a female, for a male, is not an easy task. females tyrannosaurs larger and more aggressive than males. Therefore, it took a lot of effort for the male to win her over. The best remedy for this was the carcass of some kind of dinosaur as a treat. The mating process is not long. After that, the male leaves in search of food and other females, and the female prepares to become a mother and builds a nest in which she will lay her eggs.
A few months later, the female tyrannosaurus rex laid 10 - 15 eggs in a nest located directly on the ground. It was very risky. Small predators roamed everywhere, who were always willing to eat an egg tyrannosaurus rex. Therefore, after the eggs were laid, the female did not leave the nest. For two months, the female tirelessly guarded the nest with eggs. Tyrnosaurus nest attracts small egg hunters, such as drommeosaurus. Two months later, small ones are born. tyrannosaurs. From the entire brood, 3-4 cubs are born.
During the Late Cretaceous period, the atmosphere is filled with gases that have a devastating effect on developing embryos. This is due to the great volcanic activity on earth in the late Cretaceous period. Tyrannosaurs, despite their greatness and power, are doomed to death.
Detachment - lizards
Family - Tyrannosaurs
Genus/Species - Tyrannosaurus rex. tyrannosaurus rex
Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Height: 7.5 m
Length: 15.
Weight: 7 tons.
Skull length: 1.3 m
Teeth length: 30 cm
BREEDING
Mating period: not installed.
Number of eggs: probably 12 or more eggs per clutch.
Incubation period: duration unknown.
LIFESTYLE
Food: all other kinds of dinosaurs.
Dinosaur tyrannosaurus rex (see photo) is an amazing animal that lived on Earth 70 million years ago. From a height of 7.5 m, he looked predatory at other dinosaurs and confidently walked on powerful half-bent hind limbs. Tyrannosaurus was a carnivorous dinosaur.
PECULIARITIES
Our knowledge of dinosaurs is based on the conclusions obtained as a result of the study of the fossilized remains of large extinct animals: bones, tooth prints on the bones of other dinosaurs, fossilized eggs. They allow in general terms to restore the way of life of tyrannosaurs and their relatives. The first skeletons of Tyrannosaurus Rex were found at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. in the northwestern United States. From the bones found, an almost complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex was compiled - only the end of the tail and several ribs were missing. Later finds did not add much new material. And only in 1990 in the state of Montana, paleontologists found the most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex to date. Today, the famous skeleton belongs to the New York Museum of Natural History. The Tyrannosaurus rex had a terrifying appearance, if you do not take into account its comically small forelimbs, with which the dinosaur could not even reach its mouth. Indeed, the front limbs of the tyrannosaurus were hidden under the skin, only short outgrowths with two thin fingers protruded from the outside. Tyrannosaurus used its forelimbs for support when it wanted to stand up. Powerful hind limbs served as a support for the entire body. During movement, this dinosaur kept its tail parallel to the ground. The Tyrannosaurus Rex was so tall that it could have peered through the third floor window of a modern panel house. Troodon, pachycephalosaurs, and maiasaurs could have been prey for Tyrannosaurus.
BREEDING
Researchers do not have data on how tyrannosaurs reproduced. Based on the fact that birds are the closest relatives of dinosaurs, it can be assumed that the tyrannosaurus, like its herbivorous relatives, laid eggs. There is no evidence that these dinosaurs exhibited parental care.
FOOD
Despite the massive body, the weight of which reached almost seven tons, the tyrannosaurus rex was surprisingly fast in pursuing prey. He ran almost as fast as an ostrich. Tyrannosaurus footprints found indicate that it moved in long jumps.
Perhaps, chasing other large dinosaurs, he developed a speed of up to 55 km / h and at the same time showed a certain dexterity. Having caught up with the prey, the tyrannosaurus rex probably reveled in the victim with its teeth and plunged the claws of its forelimbs into its body. Then he rested on the animal with his foot and with a strong movement of his head tore off a piece of meat. Other types of dinosaurs became victims of the tyrannosaurus. The ruthless predator even attacked the Triceratops dinosaur armed with dangerous horns. Usually, the tyrannosaurus rex was not able to eat the huge prey completely, so other predators ate the rest. Tyrannosaurs lived alone or in small families, but not in herds. For several days, the Tyrannosaurus devoured an amount of meat equal to its own weight.
INTERESTING INFORMATION. DO YOU KNOW WHAT...
- An adult human would barely reach the knees of a Tyrannosaurus rex, between whose legs a passenger car would fit without any problems.
- Tyrannosaurus is a huge predatory lizard, a lizard-lord (“tyranos” means lord, master, and “rex” means king).
- The first people who found the remains of dinosaurs mistook them for the bones of giant people.
- Dinosaurs, which belong to the class of reptiles, were warm-blooded animals, like modern birds and mammals. Modern reptiles, unlike them, are cold-blooded.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE TYRANNOSAURA REX
Scull: tall and massive, but with a small brain box.
A characteristic feature of this dinosaur was an elongated dorsal spine, in connection with which a crest developed along the back of the animal. The dinosaur's large and flat pelvic bones contributed to the even distribution of Tyrannosaurus rex's body mass.
- Places where fossils were found
WHERE AND WHEN LIVED TYRANNOSAUR
The fossil remains of this dinosaur are found in North America and Asia, where tyrannosaurs appeared at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 140 million years ago. These dinosaurs became extinct 70 million years ago.
Engels, Planet of the Dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Tyrannosaurus. Video (00:01:11)
Exhibition of moving fossils "Planet of the Dinosaurs" in the local history museum in Engels. "Revived" tyrannosaurus rex.
Tyrannosaurus vs Carnotaurus. Video (00:02:01)
City of dinosaurs. Tyrannosaurus Rex. Video (00:01:18)
Tyrannosaurus (lat. Tyrannosaurus - "tyrant lizard", from other Greek "tyrant" and "lizard, lizard") - a genus of carnivorous dinosaurs from the group of coelurosaurs, theropod suborder, including a single species - Tyrannosaurus rex (lat. rex " tsar"). It lived in the western part of North America, which at that time was the island of Laramidia, and was the most common of the tyrannosaurids. Tyrannosaur fossils have been found in various geological formations dating back to the Maastrichtian Stage of the Late Cretaceous, about 67–65.5 million years ago. It was one of the last lizard dinosaurs that existed before the cataclysm that ended the era of dinosaurs (the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction).
Like other members of its family, Tyrannosaurus was a bipedal predator with a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail. Compared to the large and powerful hind limbs of this lizard, its front paws were quite small, but unusually powerful for its size, and had two clawed fingers. It is the largest species of its family, one of the largest representatives of theropods and one of the largest land predators in the history of the Earth.
(Wikipedia)
Tyrannosaurus)
During its habitat - in the Cretaceous period, Tyrannosaurus - "Tyrant Lizard" - was the largest terrestrial carnivore.
If we compare all known to science, then the Tyrannosaurus is the fourth longest among carnivorous dinosaurs, second only to the predatory dinosaurs of the middle Cretaceous period - Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus.
More than 30 finds of tyrannosaurs have been described, all of them belong to formations approximately 68-65 million years old.
Paleontologist Robert T. Bakker of the Wyoming Museum called Tyrannosaurus Rex "the 10,000-foot marathon runner from hell," in tribute to its size, ferocity, and power.
The teeth of the monster are of particular admiration for scientists: some researchers compare them to railway crutches, and Kevin Padian from the University of California figuratively called these sharp 18-centimeter daggers "deadly bananas."
In fact, in their shape and size, Tyrannosaurus rex teeth resemble very large bananas.
But despite such a powerful "armament" of the lizard, many scientists believed that the Tyrannosaurus was not a predator, but an ordinary scavenger. As early as 1917, Canadian paleontologist Lawrence Lamb suggested that these were a kind of land vultures.
Supporters of the scavenger lizard appealed to the "weak teeth theory", which was based on the fact that the elongated teeth of the Tyrannosaurus rex could not withstand blows against the bones of the victims and were adapted only for snatching huge pieces of half-decomposed meat.
In addition, they also argued that the dinosaur's small arms were not conducive to its lethal attacks, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex was rather slow to chase prey.
Supporters of the fact that the Tyrannosaurus was a carnivorous predator claimed that the lizard's teeth were strong enough, and its "little hands" could lift about 180 kg.
Some scientists even claim that there was not and there is not a single animal that can be compared with the tyrannosaurus in strength ...
As for the speed of movement of the lizard, there is an opinion that, according to the data based on the proportions of the limbs of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, it could reach 47 km per hour (some scientists claim that even 72 km/h or more)!
(discussion of Tyrannosaurus speed abilities...)
Now most scientists are sure that the Tyrannosaurus was still a predator and enough evidence has been found for this.
Firstly, a large number of Tyrannosaurus tooth marks found on the bones of herbivorous dinosaurs, and secondly, paleontologists found crushed bones of the same harmless lizards in the famous Tyrannosaurus coprolite specimen - a fossilized feces of a monster measuring 44 by 16 by 13 cm.
The remains of the world's largest Tyrannosaurus rex were discovered in August 1990 on the territory of the Maurice Williams ranch in South Dakota (USA). 
Sue, as the dinosaur was named after the paleontologist Sue Hendrickson, who discovered it, reached a height of 4 meters, a length of 12 meters, and weighed almost 8 tons!
And the length of the toothy skull of a giant lizard was 1.5 meters.
But Tyrannosaurus Sue became famous not only for its size, but for the almost detective story associated with its remains...
The head of a group of paleontologists from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, which included Sue Hendrickson, Peter Larson, for excavations at the Williams ranch and the fossils found there, wrote the farmer a check for 5 thousand dollars.
After that, the found remains of Tyrannosaurus were sent to the institute, where Larson intended to dissect them, study and mount a skeleton from them. Simultaneously with the study of the remains of the Tyrannosaurus, Larson began to give public lectures and write popular articles about Sue.
In the literal sense of the word, crowds of tourists began to arrive at the institute to look at the already famous lizard.
With all this, very specific visitors began to visit the institute - agents of the FBI and national law enforcement agencies. The remains of Tyrannosaurus Sue and other fossils were confiscated, as were photographs, records and commercial documentation. 
The thing is that it turned out that the land where Sue was found was under the jurisdiction of the government, so the deal with the farmer was illegal ...
In 1993, a U.S. grand jury indicted Larson and five of his colleagues on 39 counts, including stealing fossils from public lands. It turned out that Larson did not have the right to excavate and buy fossils without permission from the US Department.
A counterclaim by the Black Hills Institute for the return of Sue's Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton was dismissed...
The story ended with Sue's remains being sold at Sotheby's in 1997. Bidding began at $500,000 and by the end of the auction, the price had risen to $8.36 million.
The dinosaur was bought by a museum in Chicago, which was helped to collect such an astronomical amount by numerous sponsors. Many paleontologists are concerned about this precedent of selling a fossil at auction, because it was possible that Sue would have been bought by some rich exotic lover and the famous lizard would have disappeared from the field of view of scientists for a long time, if not forever.
Tyrannosaurus was originally thought to be a lone ruthless predator, but evidence has accumulated over time that these dinosaurs hunted in packs.
The thing is that the remains of Tyrannosaurus rex are often found together: such a mass death of animals is possible if they hunt in a flock and the animals one by one fall into a trap (bog bog, mud spring, quicksand) in pursuit of prey. 
For example, in Alberta (Canada) in 1910, 9 Tyrannosaurs were discovered at once in one place. The lizards in this dead flock were from 4 to 9 meters in length, which indicates a different age of the animals.
Another interesting feature of Tyrannosaurus is that, judging by the structure of the pelvic bones and the number of tail chevrons, the females were larger than the males, like in crocodiles or some birds of prey.
Tyrannosaurs arranged fights with each other. Most likely, they fought for leadership in the pack or shared females and territory. Researchers have found traces of Tyrannosaurus teeth on the bones of their relatives, especially young ones.
One lizard even wore a “souvenir” tooth stuck in its jaw from its fellow.
It is possible that these dinosaurs even ate their relatives, but still their main prey was herbivorous dinosaurs.
Recent studies of proteins found in a fossil Tyrannosaurus femur have shown dinosaurs to be closely related to birds. Tyrannosaurus is descended from small carnivorous dinosaurs of the late Jurassic era, not from carnosaurs. The currently known small ancestors of Tyrannosaurus Rex (such as the dilong from the Early Cretaceous of China) were feathered with fine, hair-like feathers.
The Tyrannosaurus itself may not have had feathers (known impressions of the skin of the thigh of the Tyrannosaurus bear a pattern of polygonal scales typical of dinosaurs).
In 1988, the staff of the Botanical Institute. Komarov RAS, in Chukotka on the river. Kakanaut were found the remains of the bones of Tyrannosaurus. These are the first finds of dinosaurs located beyond the Arctic Circle.
Tyrannosaurus rex had a very keen sense of smell, sharper than that of a dog, and it could smell blood from several kilometers away.
The maximum opening of the powerful jaws of a tyrannosaurus reached 1.5 m.
Tyrannosaurus marked its territory in the same way as modern cats do and never left it.
Thanks to the pads in its paws, the tyrannosaurus felt the slightest vibration of the earth. Sound waves were transmitted through the pads to the paws, then up the skeleton and reached the inner ear.
Thus, the tyrannosaurus felt what was happening around.
Information sources:
1. Bailey J., Seddon T. "Prehistoric World"
2. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs"
3. Wikipedia site
Tyrannosaurus - this monster is called the brightest representative of the tyrannosauroid family. It disappeared from the face of our planet faster than most other dinosaurs, having lived for several million years at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Description of tyrannosaurus rex
The generic name Tyrannosaurus comes from the Greek roots τύραννος (tyrant) + σαῦρος (lizard). The Tyrannosaurus rex, which lived in the USA and Canada, belongs to the lizard-like order and represents the only species of Tyrannosaurus rex (from rex "king, king").
Appearance
Tyrannosaurus Rex is considered perhaps the largest predator during the existence of the Earth - it was almost twice as long and heavier.
Body and limbs
The complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex contains 299 bones, 58 of which are in the skull. Most of the bones of the skeleton were hollow, which had little effect on their strength, but reduced weight, compensating for the prohibitive bulkiness of the beast. The neck, like that of other theropods, was S-shaped, but was short and thick to support the massive head. The spine included:
- 10 cervical;
- a dozen breasts;
- five sacral;
- 4 dozen tail vertebrae.
Interesting! Tyrannosaurus rex had an elongated massive tail, which acted as a balancer, which had to balance the overweight body and heavy head.
The forelimbs, armed with a pair of clawed fingers, seemed underdeveloped and inferior in size to the hind limbs, which were unusually powerful and long. The hind limbs ended in three strong fingers, where strong curved claws grew.
Skull and teeth
One and a half meters, or rather 1.53 m - this is the length of the largest known complete skull of a tyrannosaurus rex that fell into the hands of paleontologists. The bone skeleton surprises not so much with its size as with its shape (different from other theropods) - it is widened at the back, but noticeably narrowed at the front. This means that the lizard's gaze was not directed to the side, but forward, which indicates its good binocular vision.
Another feature speaks of a developed sense of smell - large olfactory lobes of the nose, somewhat reminiscent of the structure of the nose in modern feathered scavengers, for example,.
The grip of a Tyrannosaurus rex, due to the U-shaped bend of the upper jaw, was more palpable than the bites of carnivorous dinosaurs (with a V-shaped bend), not included in the family of tyrannosaurids. The U-shape increased the pressure of the front teeth and made it possible to tear solid pieces of meat with bones from the carcass.
The teeth of the lizard had a different configuration and different functions, which in zoology is commonly called heterodontism. The teeth growing in the upper jaw were superior in height to the lower teeth, with the exception of those located in the back.
Fact! To date, the most gigantic tooth of a Tyrannosaurus rex is considered to be one found, whose length from root (inclusive) to tip is 12 inches (30.5 cm).
Teeth of the anterior side of the upper jaw:
- resembled daggers;
- closely intertwined;
- bent inward;
- had reinforcing ridges.
Thanks to these features, the teeth held tightly and rarely broke when the tyrannosaurus tore apart its prey. The rest of the banana-shaped teeth were even stronger and more massive. They were also equipped with reinforcing ridges, but differed from the chisel-shaped ones in a wider arrangement.
Lips
The hypothesis about the lips that carnivorous dinosaurs had was voiced by Robert Reisch. He suggested that the teeth of predators covered the lips, moisturizing and protecting the first from destruction. According to Reish, the Tyrannosaurus rex lived on land and could not do without lips, unlike crocodiles that live in water.
Reisch's theory was challenged by his US colleagues led by Thomas Carr, who published a description of Daspletosaurus horneri (a new tyrannosaurid species). The researchers emphasized that the lips do not fit at all with his muzzle, covered with flat scales up to the dentition.
Important! Daspletosaurus did without lips, in place of which there were large scales with sensitive receptors, like in the current crocodiles. The teeth of Daspletosaurus did not need lips, just like the teeth of other theropods, including Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Paleogeneticists are sure that the presence of lips would harm the tyrannosaurus rex more than the daspletosaurus - it would be an additional vulnerable zone in fights with rivals.
Plumage
The soft tissues of the Tyrannosaurus rex, poorly represented by the remains, have been studied (in comparison with its skeletons) clearly insufficiently. For this reason, scientists still doubt whether he had plumage, and if so, how dense and in what parts of the body.
Some paleogeneticists came to the conclusion that the tyrant lizard was covered with thread-like, akin to hair, feathers. This hairline was most likely in young/young animals, but fell out as they matured. Other scientists believe that the plumage of Tyrannosaurus rex was partial, with feathered areas interspersed with scaly ones. According to one version, feathers could be observed on the back.
Tyrannosaurus rex dimensions
Tyrannosaurus rex is recognized as one of the largest theropods, as well as the largest species in the tyrannosaurid family. Already the first fossils found (1905) suggested that Tyrannosaurus grew up to 8–11 m, surpassing Megalosaurus and Allosaurus, whose length did not exceed 9 meters. True, among the tyrannosauroids were dinosaurs and larger than Tyrannosaurus rex - such as Giganotosaurus and Spinosaurus.
Fact! In 1990, the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex was brought to light, after reconstruction it received the name Sue, with very impressive parameters: 4 m height to the hip with a total length of 12.3 m and a mass of about 9.5 tons. True, a little later, paleontologists found fragments of bones, which (judging by their size) could also belong to larger than Sue, tyrannosaurs.
So, in 2006, the University of Montana announced the possession of the most voluminous skull of a tyrannosaurus, found back in the 1960s. After the restoration of the destroyed skull, scientists stated that it is longer than Sue's skull by more than a decimeter (1.53 versus 1.41 m), and the maximum opening of the jaws is 1.5 m.
A couple more fossils have been described (a foot bone and anterior part of the upper jaw), which, according to calculations, could belong to two tyrannosaurs 14.5 and 15.3 m long, each of which weighed at least 14 tons. Further research by Phil Curry showed that the calculation of the length of the lizard cannot be done based on the size of scattered bones, since each individual has individual proportions.
Lifestyle, behavior
Tyrannosaurus walked with its body parallel to the ground, but with its tail slightly raised to balance its heavy head. Despite the developed leg muscles, the tyrant lizard could not run faster than 29 km / h. This speed was obtained from a computer simulation of the running of a Tyrannosaurus rex, conducted in 2007.
A more frisky run threatened the predator with falls, associated with tangible injuries, and sometimes even death. Even when pursuing prey, the tyrannosaurus kept reasonable caution, maneuvering between bumps and pits so as not to crash down from the height of its gigantic growth. Once on the ground, the Tyrannosaurus (not seriously injured) tried to rise, leaning on its front paws. At least, this is the role that Paul Newman assigned to the forelimbs of the lizard.
It is interesting! Tyrannosaurus was an extremely sensitive animal: in this he was helped by a sharper sense of smell than that of a dog (he felt the smell of blood for several kilometers).
The pads on the paws also helped to be always on the alert, taking the vibrations of the earth and broadcasting them up, along the skeleton to the inner ear. Tyrannosaurus had an individual territory, marking the boundaries, and did not go beyond it.
Tyrannosaurus rex, like many dinosaurs, was considered a cold-blooded animal for quite a long time, and they moved away from this hypothesis only in the late 1960s thanks to John Ostrom and Robert Bakker. Paleontologists have stated that Tyrannosaurus rex was active and warm-blooded.
This theory is confirmed, in particular, by its rapid growth rate, comparable to the growth dynamics of mammals/birds. The growth curve of tyrannosaurs has an S-shape, where a rapid increase in mass was noted at about 14 years of age (this age corresponds to a weight of 1.8 tons). In the accelerated phase of growth, the lizard added 600 kg annually for 4 years, slowing down weight gain upon reaching 18 years.
Some paleontologists still doubt that Tyrannosaurus Rex was fully warm-blooded, not denying its ability to maintain a constant body temperature. Scientists explain this thermoregulation of one of the forms of mesothermia that leatherback turtles exhibit.
Lifespan
From the point of view of paleontologist Gregory S. Paul, tyrannosaurs multiplied rapidly and died too early due to the fact that their life was full of dangers. Estimating the lifespan of tyrannosaurs and at the same time the rate of their growth, the researchers studied the remains of several individuals. The smallest specimen, named Jordanian theropod(with an estimated weight of 30 kg). An analysis of its bones showed that at the time of death, the tyrannosaurus was no more than 2 years old.
Fact! The biggest find, nicknamed Sue, looked like a real giant against his background, whose weight was approaching 9.5 tons, and his age was 28 years. This period was considered the maximum possible for the species Tyrannosaurus rex.
sexual dimorphism
Dealing with the difference between the sexes, paleogenetics paid attention to body types (morphs), highlighting two that are common to all types of theropods.
Body Types of Tyrannosaurus Rex:
- robust - massiveness, developed muscles, strong bones;
- gracile - thin bones, slenderness, less pronounced muscles.
Separate morphological differences between the types formed the basis for the division of tyrannosaurs according to sexual characteristics. Females were classified as robust, taking into account that the pelvis of robust animals was expanded, that is, they most likely laid eggs. It was believed that one of the main morphological features of robust pangolins is the loss/reduction of the chevron of the first tail vertebra (this was associated with the release of eggs from the reproductive canal).
In recent years, conclusions about the sexual dimorphism of Tyrannosaurus rex, which were based on the structure of the chevrons of the vertebrae, have been recognized as erroneous. Biologists have taken into account that the difference between the sexes, in particular, in crocodiles, does not affect the reduction of the chevron (2005 studies). In addition, a full-fledged chevron also showed off on the first tail vertebra, which belonged to a remarkably strong individual nicknamed Sue, which means that this feature is characteristic of both body types.
Important! Paleontologists decided that the differences in anatomy were caused by the habitat of a particular individual, since the remains were found from Saskatchewan to New Mexico, or age-related changes (old tyrannosaurs were presumably robust).
Having reached a dead end on the identification of male / female species of Tyrannosaurus rex, scientists with a high degree of probability found out the sex of a single skeleton named Bi-rex. In these remains, soft fragments were found that were identified as analogues of medullary tissue (supplying calcium for shell formation) in modern birds.
Medullary tissue is usually present in the bones of females, but in rare cases it is also formed in males when they are injected with estrogens (female reproductive hormones). That is why Bi-rex was unequivocally recognized as a female who died during ovulation.
Discovery history
The first Tyrannosaurus rex fossils were found by an expedition of the Museum of Natural History (USA), led by Barnum Brown. This happened in 1900 in Wyoming, and a couple of years later a new partial skeleton was discovered in Montana, which took 3 years to process. In 1905, the finds received different specific names. The first is Dynamosaurus imperiosus and the second is Tyrannosaurus rex. True, the following year, the remains from Wyoming were also assigned to the species Tyrannosaurus rex.
Fact! In the winter of 1906, The New York Times informed readers of the discovery of the first Tyrannosaurus rex, whose partial skeleton (including the giant bones of the hind legs and pelvis) settled in the hall of the American Museum of Natural History. Between the limbs of the lizard, to enhance the impression, they placed the skeleton of a large bird.
The first complete skull of a tyrannosaurus rex was removed only in 1908, and its complete skeleton was mounted in 1915, all in the same Museum of Natural History. Paleontologists made a mistake by supplying the monster with the three-toed forepaws of an allosaurus, but corrected it after the appearance of an individual Wankel Rex. This 1/2 skeleton specimen (with skull and front legs intact) was excavated from the Hell Creek deposits in 1990. A specimen nicknamed Wankel Rex died at about 18 years old, and in its lifetime weighed about 6.3 tons with a length of 11.6 m. These were one of the few dinosaur remains where blood molecules were found.
This summer, and also in the Hell Creek Formation (South Dakota), not only the largest, but also the most complete (by 73%) Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton was found, named after paleontologist Sue Hendrickson. In 1997 the skeleton Sue, whose length was 12.3 m with a skull of 1.4 m, was sold for $7.6 million at auction. The skeleton was purchased by the Field Museum of Natural History, which opened it to the public in 2000 after cleaning and restoration, which took 2 years.
Scull MOR 008, found by W. McManis much earlier than Sue, namely in 1967, but finally restored only in 2006, is famous for its size (1.53 m). Sample MOR 008 (fragments of the skull and scattered bones of an adult tyrannosaurus rex) is on display at the Museum of the Rockies (Montana).
In 1980, they found the so-called black handsome ( black beauty), whose remains were blackened by exposure to minerals. The fossils of the pangolin were discovered by Jeff Baker, who saw a huge bone on the river bank while fishing. A year later, the excavations were completed, and Black Beauty moved to the Royal Tyrrell Museum (Canada).
Another tyrannosaurus, named Stan in honor of paleontology lover Stan Sacrison, found in South Dakota in the spring of 1987, but did not touch it, mistaking it for the remains of a Triceratops. The skeleton was removed only in 1992, having found many pathologies in it:
- broken ribs;
- fused cervical vertebrae (after a fracture);
- holes in the back of the skull from the teeth of a tyrannosaurus rex.
Z-REX are fossil bones found in 1987 by Michael Zimmershid in South Dakota. In the same area, however, already in 1992, an excellently preserved skull was discovered, which was excavated by Alan and Robert Dietrich.
Remains under the name Bucky, taken in 1998 from the Hell Creek area, are notable for the presence of fused forked clavicles, since the fork is called the link between birds and dinosaurs. T. rex fossils (along with remains of Edmontosaurus and Triceratops) have come to light in the lowlands of Bucky Derflinger's cowboy ranch.
One of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skulls ever recovered to the surface, the skull (94% integrity) belonging to the specimen is recognized Rees Rex. This skeleton was found in a deep gully in a grassy slope, also in the Hell Creek Geological Formation (northeast Montana).
Range, habitats
The fossils were found in deposits of the Maastrichtian, revealing that a Tyrannosaurus rex lived during the Late Cretaceous period from Canada to the United States (including the states of Texas and New Mexico). Curious specimens of the tyrant lizard were found in the northwestern United States in the Hell Creek Formation - during the Maastrichtian, there were subtropics here, with their excess heat and humidity, where coniferous trees (araucaria and metasequoia) were interspersed with flowering plants.
Important! Judging by the location of the remains, the tyrannosaurus rex lived in various biotopes - arid and semi-arid plains, swampy areas, as well as on land remote from the sea.
Tyrannosaurus rex coexisted with herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs such as:
- platypus edmontosaurus;
- torosaurus;
- ankylosaurus;
- thescelosaurus;
- pachycephalosaurus;
- ornithomimus and troodon.
Another famous deposit of Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons is a geological formation in Wyoming, which millions of years ago resembled an ecosystem like the modern Gulf of Mexico coast. The fauna of the formation practically repeated the fauna of Hell Creek, except that instead of ornithomimus, struthiomimus lived here, and even leptoceratops (a small representative of ceratopsians) was added.
In the southern sectors of its range, Tyrannosaurus rex shared territory with Quetzalcoatl (a huge pterosaur), Alamosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Torosaurus, and one of the ankylosaurs called Glyptodontopelta. In the south of the range, semi-arid plains dominated, which appeared here after the disappearance of the Western Inland Sea.
Tyrannosaurus Rex Diet
Tyrannosaurus rex was larger than most carnivorous dinosaurs in its native ecosystem, and therefore recognized as an apex predator. Each tyrannosaurus preferred to live and hunt alone, strictly in its own area, which was more than one hundred square kilometers.
From time to time, tyrant lizards wandered into the adjacent territory and began to assert their rights to it in violent skirmishes, often leading to the death of one of the combatants. With this outcome, the winner did not disdain the meat of a relative, but more often pursued other dinosaurs - ceratopsians (torosaurs and triceratops), hadrosaurs (including anatotitans) and even sauropods.
Attention! A protracted discussion about whether the Tyrannosaurus rex is a true apex predator or a scavenger led to the final conclusion - Tyrannosaurus rex was an opportunistic predator (hunted and ate carrion).
Predator
The following arguments support this thesis:
- the eye sockets are located so that the eyes are not directed to the side, but forward. Such binocular vision (with rare exceptions) is observed in predators, who are forced to accurately estimate the distance to the prey;
- tyrannosaurus tooth marks left on other dinosaurs and even representatives of their own species (for example, a healed bite on the nape of a Triceratops is known);
- large herbivorous dinosaurs that lived at the same time as tyrannosaurs had protective shields / plates on their backs. This indirectly indicates the threat of attack from giant predators such as Tyrannosaurus rex.
Paleontologists are sure that the lizard attacked the intended object from an ambush, overtaking it with one powerful jerk. Due to its considerable mass and low speed, it was unlikely that he was capable of a protracted pursuit.
The tyrannosaurus chose mostly weakened animals as victims - sick, elderly or very young. Most likely, he was afraid of adults, since individual herbivorous dinosaurs (ankylosaurus or triceratops) could stand up for themselves. Scientists admit that the tyrannosaurus, using its size and power, took prey from smaller predators.
scavenger
This version is based on other facts:
- the sharpened sense of smell of a tyrannosaurus rex, provided with many olfactory receptors, like in carrion birds;
- strong and long (20-30 cm) teeth, designed not so much to kill prey, but to crush bones and extract their contents, including bone marrow;
- the low speed of movement of the lizard: he did not run as much as he walked, which made the pursuit of more maneuverable animals meaningless. It was easier to find carrion.
Defending the hypothesis about the predominance of carrion in the lizard's diet, paleontologists from China examined the saurolophus humerus, which was gnawed by a representative of the tyrannosaurid family. After examining the damage to the bone tissue, scientists considered that they were inflicted when the carcass began to decompose.
bite force
It was thanks to her that the tyrannosaurus easily crushed the bones of large animals and tore apart their carcasses, getting to mineral salts, as well as bone marrow, which remained inaccessible to small carnivorous dinosaurs.
Interesting! The bite force of Tyrannosaurus rex far surpassed both extinct and living predators. This conclusion was made after a series of special experiments in 2012 by Peter Falkingham and Carl Bates.
Paleontologists examined the teeth marks on the bones of Triceratops and made a calculation showing that the back teeth of an adult tyrannosaurus rex closed with a force of 35-37 kilonewtons. This is 15 times greater than the maximum bite force of an African lion, 7 times greater than the possible bite force of an Allosaurus and 3.5 times greater than the bite force of the crowned record holder, the Australian combed crocodile.
Tyrannosaurus rex is the largest predator dinosaur that lived in North America at the end of the Cretaceous period (68-65 million years ago).
Appearance description
Tyrannosaurus fully corresponded to its characteristic - the largest one. The body length was almost 13 meters, the height could reach 3.5-4 m, and the weight was almost 8 tons.
The skeleton of a T-Rex consists of 299 bones, of which 58 are reserved for the skull. The spine contains 10 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 sacral, 40 tail vertebrae. The neck, like that of many other theropods, was S-shaped, but at the same time it was short and thick, which served as an adaptation for holding a large head. Another feature of tyrannosaurs was hollow bones, which contributed to a decrease in the total body weight without losing strength.
The shape of the skull was different from other theropods: it was wide at the back and narrowed at the front. Thanks to this, the dinosaur's eyes looked forward, and not to the side. Consequently, T. rexes had developed binocular vision.
The forelimbs are small, with 2 active fingers. Hindquarters - strong and powerful with 3 toes. The theropod tail was long and extremely heavy.
Due to the peculiarity of the structure of the skull, tyrannosaurs had a powerful bite. The teeth were different in shape. The D-shaped ones fit snugly together, were bent inward and had small notches, and this reduced the risk of tearing when biting and jerking.
The inner teeth were banana-shaped. Widely spaced, they increased the strength of the entire jaw.
The length of one tooth, together with the root, found among the rest of the remains, is approximately 31 cm.
The running speed of the Ti-rex still causes heated discussions, since the indicator of the mass that the hind limb could withstand remains unknown. Some experts believe that tyrannosaurs had the most developed and voluminous leg muscles.
But studies conducted in 2002 found that theropods could have traveled no more than 40 kilometers per hour. And studies in 2007 showed a figure of 29 km per hour.
Tyrannosaurus rex nutrition
It is believed that T. rex were carnivorous predators, but the studied remains do not allow us to give an exact answer how they got food. There is a theory that tyrannosaurs cannot be considered ruthless and cold-blooded killers, since their only weapon was a powerful jaw. Yes, and poorly developed forelimbs and a huge body did not allow him to destroy everyone and everything.
There are 2 versions that describe the methods and types of feeding of theropods.
scavenger
This version is based on studies of the found remains of tyrannosaurs: most likely, they not only did not disdain the carcasses of their dead brothers, but also ate them with great pleasure. There are several facts in favor of this theory:
- massive body, weighing more than one ton, did not allow the Ti-rex to engage in long pursuits and tracking down prey.
- CT scan. With the help of the study of the restored dinosaur brain, it was possible to study in more detail the functionality and structural features of the “inner ear”, which is responsible not only for hearing. Tyrannosaurus rex had an "inner ear" different in structure from other dinosaurs, which were considered dexterous hunters.
- Vertebral studies. The giant lizard had some limitations in movement: maneuverability and agility were not its strengths.
- Teeth. The structure of the T-rex's teeth suggests that they are adapted for crushing and grinding bones, extracting large amounts of food from the remains, including bone marrow. As a rule, the teeth of dinosaurs that ate fresh meat were more fragile: after all, they simply ate the body.
- slowness. The size of the tyrannosaurus harmed its owner: when falling, the lizard could damage or break the ribs or legs. Slow reaction and sluggishness, short forelimbs and two fingers did not help hunting.
Based on all of the above facts, scientists have come to the conclusion that the tyrannosaurus was a scavenger.
Hunter
The previous version with the scavenger T-rex has a fairly strong justification, but some paleontologists tend to think that the giants were hunters. And the following facts speak in favor of this version:
- Powerful Bite. His strength allowed the T-rex to break any bones.
- herbivorous dinosaurs. It is possible that the main prey of theropods were torosaurs, triceratops, anatotitans and others. Due to its size, the giant lizard could not pursue its victims. With binocular vision, Tyrannosaurus could presumably be able to judge the distance between itself and its prey, attacking with a single dash from an ambush. But, most likely, the choice fell on cubs or old and weakened dinosaurs.
The theory stating that the theropod was a hunter has one caveat: the T-Rex still did not disdain the remains of dead dinosaurs.
It is known that tyrannosaurs were loners, hunting exclusively in their territory.
But, of course, skirmishes happened.
If one of them died, the giant ate the meat of the deceased relative.
It turns out that if the ti-rex was not a pure scavenger.
It can also be called a hunter with a stretch: he could still eat dead carcasses or take food from other dinosaurs.
Luckily the size allowed it.
Reproduction of t-rex
Adult theropods were solitary. The territories on which they could hunt were measured in hundreds of km2.
If mating is necessary, the female called the male with a characteristic roar. But even here it was not easy. The courtship process took time and effort.
The female tyrannosaurs were much larger and more aggressive than the males.
In order to gain favor, the males had to bring the carcass of some pangolin as a treat.
The mating process itself was short-lived. After him, the male ti-rex went in search of food or other females, and the fertilized female was preparing to become a mother: she built a nest for laying eggs.
A few months later, the female theropod laid about 10-15 eggs.
Fossilized tyrannosaurus eggs
But the nest was located directly on the ground, and this was extremely risky: after all, small predators could eat the postponed offspring.
For the purpose of protection and protection, the female did not leave the eggs for 2 months.
After a couple of months, offspring hatched from the laid and carefully guarded eggs.
As a rule, only 3-4 cubs appeared from the entire brood.
This is due to the fact that during the Late Cretaceous period, in which tyrannosaurs existed, the atmosphere was filled with gases due to volcanic activity.
They adversely affected the development of the embryo, destroying it from the inside. Thus, T-Rex were already doomed to death.
History of finds
Fossils were first found at Hell Creek, Montana in 1900. The expedition was organized by the American Museum of Natural History and led by B. Brown.
The remains obtained during this expedition were described by Henry Osborn in 1905. Then he attributed the tyrannosaurus rex to Dynamosaurus imperiosus.
Reconstructed specimen of a Tyrannosaurus rex obtained by B. Brown in 1902-1905.
1902: Fossil remains of a partial skeleton and an incomplete skull ( AMNH 973), the bones were extracted for three years.
Henry Osborn in 1905 described these fossils as Tyrannosaurus rex, and then the first remains were recognized Tyrannosaurus rex.
1906: The New York Times publishes an article about the first T-Rex.
A partial skeleton of huge bones from the hind limbs and pelvis has been installed in the American Museum.
1908: B. Brown discovered an almost complete specimen with a skull. G. Osborne described it in 1912.
1915: The first reconstruction of a complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton appears at the American Museum of Natural History, with one drawback: the T-rex's arms replaced the Allosaurus's three-toed limbs.
1967: W. McManis, archaeologist, University of Montana, discovered the skull. The instance was given a number MOR 008. Scattered bones of an adult lizard were also found.
1980: The "black beauty" is found. black beauty got its name from the dark color of the remains. J. Baker discovered a large bone on a river bank in Alberta. For a whole year, the excavations of the entire ti-rex lasted. The sample is displayed in Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.
1988: Cathy Wankel, a farmer, found bones sticking out of the ground in the sediments of Hell Creek (an island in the Montana National Wildlife Refuge).
The specimen was only recovered in 1990 by a team at the Museum of the Rockies led by Jack Horner.
It includes about half of the skeleton. It was here that the full forelimbs of theropods were first discovered.
This sample is called Wankel Rex (MOR 555). He was about 18 years old at the time of his death. An adult but undersized dinosaur. These are the first fossils to contain biological molecules in their bones.
1987: Tyrannosaurus, nicknamed Sten. Discovered by Stan Sacrison in Hardling County, South Dakota. The excavations were completed in 1992. The remains were originally thought to be those of a Triceratops.
In 1993 and 2003, additional "Wall" bones were found. The length of its body is 12 meters, the length of the skull is 1.3 m. Moreover, the Ti-rex had many pathologies: broken ribs, fused cervical vertebrae, holes in the back of the head from the teeth of relatives.
Real skull "Sue"
1990: Sue Hendrickson was lucky enough to discover the largest complete specimen of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The remains are 73% complete. The length is 12.5 meters, the skull is 1.5 m.
1998-99: preparation and thorough cleaning of the found remains.
2000: The skeleton is completely assembled and presented to the public.
The study of "Sue" showed that the individual was about 28 years old at the time of death. And it reached its maximum size by the age of 19.
1998: found t-rex " Bucky". It was found along with the bones of Edmontosaurus and Triceratops. Bucky is the first giant to have a "fork" in his bones - fused collarbones in the shape of a "fork".
Skeleton "Sue"
Its dimensions were: 29 cm wide and 14 cm high.
"Fork" is the link between dinosaurs and birds.
2010: Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton discovered Tristan Otto". Carter County, Montana.
The excavations were completed in 2012, after which the bones were cleaned and processed for 2 years.
49% were recovered with a complete skull.
The individual died at the age of 20. The body length was 12 m, height - 3.5 m, weight -7 tons.
2015: A copy of " Rees Rex". Hell Creek, northeastern Montana.
Recovered 30% of the skeleton and a well-preserved skull, which is considered the most complete T-rex skull ever recovered.