Tyrannosaurus Rex

PALAEONTOLOGICAL RECORD

Tyrannosaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The type species Tyrannosaurus rex, often shortened to T. rex or colloquially t-rex, is one of the best represented theropods. It lived throughout what is now western North America, on what was then an island continent known as Laramidia. Tyrannosaurus had a much wider range than other tyrannosaurids. Fossils are found in a variety of geological formations which have been dated to the late Maastrichtian age of the late Cretaceous period, 69 to 66 million years ago, with isolated specimens possibly indicating an earlier origin in the middle Campanian age. It was one of the last known members of the tyrannosaurids and among the last non-avian dinosaurs to exist before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.

DISCOVERY

First discovered in 1902 by Barnum Brown in Hell Creek, Montana.

DIETARY PROFILE

Apex predator; primarily hunted hadrosaurs and ceratopsians.