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DVL-0142Specimen Record

T-Rex

Tyrannosaurus rex

tie-RAN-oh-SOR-us REX

AI Reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus rex, generated in 2026
  • Mega Skull: Over 1.5 metres long, this massive skull had large holes throughout that kept it light but strong — essential for handling a bite force of up to 57,000 newtons (enough to crush a car). Fossil skulls like the famous 'Sue' show textured surfaces on the snout, hinting that it may have been covered in tough, horn-like skin rather than bare bone.
  • Bone-Crushing Teeth: Instead of thin, blade-like teeth for slicing, these chunky teeth were D-shaped and built for crushing — powerful enough to splinter bone and get to the nutritious marrow inside. Bite marks matching these teeth have been found on Triceratops and Edmontosaurus bones, and some prey fossils even show healed wounds, proving this was a hunter, not just a scavenger.
  • Tiny Arms: Those famously small arms were actually surprisingly powerful, with two strong clawed fingers that could have gripped prey up close. A 2022 study suggested they may have shrunk on purpose over time — shorter arms meant less chance of getting them accidentally bitten off during group feeding!
  • Scales or Feathers?: Fossilised skin impressions show patches of small, pebbly scales on areas like the neck and tail. But here's the twist: a feathered relative called Yutyrannus weighed over a tonne and was covered in fluff, so young T-Rex or those living in colder climates might have had feathers too. Scientists are still debating this one!
  • Hunter's Eyes: Forward-facing eyes gave a binocular vision field of about 55 degrees — better than a hawk's — meaning excellent depth perception for judging exactly when to strike. Brain casts also reveal huge smell-processing areas, so this predator hunted with both super sharp eyesight and an incredible sense of smell.
●Late Cretaceous100.5–66 myaSaurischiaTyrannosaur🥩 Carnivore🦵 Biped

The most famous predator that ever walked the Earth — and one of the largest. T-Rex ruled the forests and floodplains of Late Cretaceous North America for the last two million years before the asteroid hit.

Did you know?
  • T-Rex could bite with a force of 35,000 to 57,000 newtons — enough to crush bone and extract the nutritious marrow inside

About

Few animals in the history of life have captured human imagination like Tyrannosaurus rex. With a skull over 1.5 meters long packed with banana-sized teeth, T-Rex was the of its world — and it knew it.

For decades, scientists debated whether T-Rex was an active hunter or a . The answer, it turns out, is both. Bite marks found on Triceratops bones show healed injuries — meaning the prey survived the attack — settling the question: T-Rex hunted live prey.

Its famous tiny arms weren't or useless. Recent research suggests they may have been used to grip struggling prey at close range, or during mating. Each arm could curl roughly 180 kilograms.

T-Rex almost certainly had some form of feathering, at least during early life stages — close relatives like Yutyrannus were fully feathered. Whether adults retained feathers or had scaly skin (like the impressions found with some specimens) is still debated.

The largest known individual, nicknamed 'Scotty,' lived in what is now Saskatchewan and is estimated to have weighed over 8,800 kg — making it the heaviest land predator on record.

Quick Facts

Scientific name
Tyrannosaurus rex
Also known as
T-Rex
Group
Tyrannosaur · Tyrannosauridae
Lived
Late Cretaceous, 72.2–66 million years ago
Diet
Carnivore
Movement
Walked on two legs
Fossils found in
Hell Creek Formation and Lance Formation (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, United States)
Discovery credited to
1902, Barnum Brown
Holotype
AMNH 973 · American Museum of Natural History, New York
DinoVault record
DVL-0142

Where fossils were found

Hell Creek Formation prehistoric landscape

Hell Creek Formation

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Modern location

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming · United States

When it lived

72.2–66 million years ago(6.2m year span)

Where T-Rex Roamed

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Triceratops
🥩 Prey

Triceratops

Triceratops horridus

Multiple Triceratops fossils from Hell Creek and Lance formations show T. rex bite marks on frill and horn cores.

Edmontosaurus
🥩 Prey

Edmontosaurus

Edmontosaurus regalis

Edmontosaurus tail vertebrae from the Hell Creek Formation show healed T. rex bite marks, demonstrating predation on living animals.

Giganotosaurus
🔀 Evolutionary echo

Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus carolinii

Both represent independent evolution of giant apex theropod predators — Giganotosaurus from Carcharodontosauridae in South America (Cenomanian, ~97 mya) and T. rex from Tyrannosauridae in North America (Maastrichtian, ~68 mya).

Nanuqsaurus
🧪 Close relative

Nanuqsaurus

Nanuqsaurus hoglundi

Same family: Tyrannosauridae

Gorgosaurus
🧪 Close relative

Gorgosaurus

Gorgosaurus libratus

Same family: Tyrannosauridae

Carcharodontosaurus
🔀 Evolutionary echo

Carcharodontosaurus

Carcharodontosaurus saharicus

Parallel evolution of giant theropod apex predators on different continents — Carcharodontosaurus in Africa and T. rex in North America.

Sources & Citation

Cite this record

Records are updated as research changes, so citations include the date you accessed this page.

Length estimates
Multiple specimens including Sue (FMNH PR 2081) and Scotty
Height estimates
Measured at hip from multiple specimens
Weight estimates
Estimates vary significantly by method; 8,400 kg (Hutchinson 2011) to 14,000 kg (Persons 2019)
Speed estimates
Biomechanical modeling; top speed disputed