Here Are 6 Curiosities About Tyrannosaurus Rex
The Tyrannosaurus rex is the best known of all dinosaurs: in movies and books it is described as the largest and the fiercest of its kind.
However, in this article we will not only talk about its appearance and its size, but we invite you to know it a little better: here are 6 curiosities about the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Tyrannosaurus rex curiosity
This dinosaur became extinct about 65 million years ago: it was one of the last survivors before the Cretaceous-Paleocene Mass Extinction. It is considered that there were no subspecies and that the small fossils that were found were simply the bones of young specimens.
In life, this huge animal occupied a very large territory: it was found throughout North America. About 50 almost complete skeletons were found, so many aspects could be studied: movements, size, growth, diet, etc.
Although many specific things were known about the Tyrannosaurus rex, in the movies it was sometimes not depicted how he actually behaved. Here are some curiosities about this great dinosaur:
1. It is the largest terrestrial predator that has ever existed
Scientists cannot agree on the weight of an adult Tyrannosaurus rex, although its real size can be estimated from the bones: the results are surprising.
Also counting the tail, it is estimated that it measured about 12 meters in length and that it could reach 4 meters in height only up to the hips, which due to its bent posture could be the highest point of its body.
The mouth of the Tyrannosaurus rex could reach a meter in length: its teeth measured 30 cm.
2. It had over 60 teeth
The mouth of the Tyrannosaurus rex was not very complex but complete and effective: it had more than 60 teeth with different functions and shapes, placed in a row. Some were smooth and sharp, suitable for breaking flesh, while others had serrated sides to destroy bone.
3. He had better eyesight than the other dinosaurs
Thanks to the shape of his skull, it was possible to reconstruct and imagine how he saw this animal. The results are surprising: it is possible that he had better eyesight than his peers.
As with people and birds, Tyrannosaurus rex could see what was in front of it and also at the sides of its eyes – this is not common in land animals, as their field of vision is much more limited. These data allow us to imagine what his hunting techniques were like.
4. It wasn’t very fast
Although Tyrannosaurus rex is depicted in the movies chasing after cars, this dinosaur was not very fast.
It is estimated that it could reach a maximum of 40 km per hour. It was too heavy and too big to be fast.
For this reason, scientists assume that he was an opportunistic hunter: yes, he chased his prey, which were slower dinosaurs than him, but not for long distances. He waited for them to approach him so that he could jump on him.
5. Each paw had only two toes
The Tyrannosaurus rex was an imposing animal, with very strong hind legs, a huge tail that served as a counterweight and a powerful neck. However, it had two small front legs, disproportionate in relation to the rest of the body.
However, it is estimated that they were stronger than people think, as they could lift weights of 200 kilograms. Each foreleg had only two toes, and ended in claws.
The exact function of these small legs or their usefulness is not known, although the possibility of using them for hunting has been ruled out.
6. It was not carnivorous
The Tyrannosaurus rex was omnivorous: it was a large predator that fed on other large dinosaurs, almost its size, but not only on these. Scientists claim that he also ate plants.
Furthermore, there is an open debate as to whether he was a scavenger as well as a hunter. It seems that food did not abound in its habitat, so this opportunistic animal took advantage of all the food sources it could find: it ate few times but large quantities.
Thanks to the amount of fossils discovered, one can learn more about Tyrannosaurus rex than other dinosaurs.
While cinema sometimes distorts reality, it doesn’t stray far from what this dinosaur really was, the largest ever.
