T.Rex Facts & Worksheets

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Tyrannosaurus is a huge theropod dinosaur genus. Tyrannosaurus rex (rex means “king” in Latin), also known as T. rex, sometimes known as T-Rex, is one of the most well-known theropods. Tyrannosaurus wandered now western North America on what was formerly an island continent called Laramidia. Tyrannosaurus ranged significantly further than other tyrannosaurids. Fossils have been discovered in various rock formations dating from the Upper Cretaceous period’s Maastrichtian epoch, 68 to 66 million years ago. It was the last known tyrannosaur and one of the last dinosaurs that weren’t birds to live before the catastrophic Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.

See the fact file below for more information about T. Rex, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment.

Key Facts & Information

Overview

• Tyrannosaurus, like other tyrannosaurids, was a bipedal carnivore with a large skull balanced by a long, hefty tail. Tyrannosaurus’ forelimbs were small but extraordinarily robust for their size, with two clawed digits compared to its vast and powerful hind limbs.
• The most extensive complete specimen is as to 12.3-12.4 m (40.4-40.7 ft) long; nevertheless, most recent estimates place T. rex could reach lengths of over 12.4 m (40.7 ft), hip heights of 3.66-3.96 m (12-13 ft), and body mass of 8.87 metric tons (9.78 short tons).
• Tyrannosaurus rex was among the most extensively known land carnivores. It is thought to have had the tremendous biting force of any terrestrial animal, even though other theropods rivaled or outgrew it in size.
• Tyrannosaurus rex, the dominant carnivore in its ecosystem, was probably an apex predator, feeding on young armored herbivores like ceratopsians and ankylosaurs, as well as maybe sauropods. According to some researchers, the dinosaur was mainly a scavenger.
• One of the oldest arguments in paleontology is whether Tyrannosaurus was an apex predator or only a scavenger. Today’s majority of paleontologists concur that Tyrannosaurus was a skilled hunter and scavenger. Some Tyrannosaurus rex specimens have almost complete skeletons.
• At least one of these samples has been found to contain soft tissue and proteins. The amount of fossilized material has made it possible to conduct extensive studies on various biological topics, including life history and biomechanics. There is controversy on the physiology, dietary preferences, and probable speed of Tyrannosaurus rex.
• Its classification is also debatable since some experts believe the Asian Tarbosaurus bataar is a different species of Tyrannosaurus, while others insist Tarbosaurus is a distinct genus. Tyrannosaurus has also been used as a synonym for many additional North American tyrannosaurid taxa.
• Since the early 20th century, Tyrannosaurus has been one of the most well-known dinosaurs as the iconic theropod and has appeared in several media, including movies, advertisements, postage stamps, and other print forms.

History of Research

Earliest Finds

• In 1874, Arthur Lakes discovered teeth from a dinosaur that is now known as a Tyrannosaurus rex in Golden, Colorado. John Bell Hatcher gathered postcranial components in eastern Wyoming in the early 1890s.
• Previously thought to be from the massive species Ornithomimus grandis (now Deinodon), the fossils are now classified as T-Rex still lives. Edward Drinker Cope discovered two pieces of a vast dinosaur’s vertebra in 1892.
• Cope called the fragments Manospondylus gigas, which means “great porous vertebra,” in response to the many blood artery holes he saw in the bone. Cope thought the bones belonged to an “agathaumid” (ceratopsid) dinosaur.
• The M. Hatcher classified the Manospondylus gigas fossils in 1907 as belonging to a theropod rather than a ceratopsid. Henry Fairfield Osborn noted the similarities between Manospondylus gigas and T. rex as early as 1917 when the second vertebra was already disappeared.
• Osborn did not consider the two taxa synonyms because of the fragmented condition of the Manospondylus vertebrae; instead, he thought the earlier genus to be uncertain. At a location that may have been the original M, the Black Hills Institute discovered 10% of a Tyrannosaurus skeleton (BHI 6248) in June 2000. the gigas region.

Skeleton Naming and Discovery

• American Museum of Natural History assistant curator Barnum Brown discovered the first piece of T-Rex’s incomplete skeleton in 1900 in eastern Wyoming. In Montana’s Hell Creek Formation, Brown found a second fragmentary skeleton in 1902 with around 34 petrified bones.
• The second skeleton was given the name Trex by Henry Fairfield Osborn, the American Museum of Natural History director. The Greek words “tyrannos,” which means “tyrant,” and “sauros,” which means “lizard,” are where the term “generic” originates. Osborn used the Latin word rex for the particular name, which means “king.” To emphasize the animal’s size and historical perception of superiority over other species, the full binomial translates to “tyrant lizard the king” or “King Tyrant Lizard.”
• In a 1905 article, Osborn gave the other species Dynamosaurus imperiosus. The two skeletons belonged to the same species, and Osborn chose Tyrannosaurus as the preferable name in 1906 after concluding that.
• The Natural History Museum in London is home to the original Dynamosaurus material. 1941 saw the T. A Tyrannosaurus rex specimen was purchased for $7,000 and given to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
• Dynamoterror dynasties, a new species of tyrannosaurid named after the 1905 moniker because it had been McDonald’s “childhood favorite,” was subsequently described in 2018 by Andrew McDonald and colleagues in homage to Dynamosaurus.
• The Great Depression and world wars prevented many paleontologists from working in the field at this time. Thus Barnum’s findings remained the only Tyrannosaurus specimen until the end of the 1950s.

Description

Size

• One of the giant land carnivores ever was Tyrannosaurus rex. One of the best-known and most complete specimens is Sue (FMNH PR2081), which may be found in the Field Museum of Natural History.
• Sue was 3.66-3.96 meters (12-13 ft) tall at the hips and measured 12.3-12.4 meters (40.4-40.7 ft). The most current research has calculated Sue’s maximum body mass to be around 8.4 metric tons using several approaches (9.3 short tons).
• The size of the collected adult Tyrannosaurus specimens varies. In the past, estimates of average adult mass have ranged considerably, from as low as 4.5 metric tons (5.0 short tons) to more than 7.2-kilogram tons (7.9 short tons), with the majority of current estimates falling between 5.4 metric tons (6.0 short tons) and 8.0 metric tons (8.8 short tons).

Skeleton

• The enormous known T-Rex skulls may reach 1.52 meters (5 ft). As with many carnivorous theropods, large fenestrae (openings) in the head helped to minimize weight. Other than this, Tyrannosaurus’s skull differed significantly from those of other giant theropod theropods.
• Its short nose and enormously broad back allowed for extraordinarily superb binocular eyesight. The nasal bones and certain other bones were fused, making it impossible for them to move independently. However, many of the skull bones were pneumatized, making them lighter since they included a “honeycomb” of microscopic air gaps.
• The tyrannosaurid’s tendency toward a more forceful bite, which considerably exceeds that of all non-tyrannosaurids, includes these and other traits that reinforce the skull. The U-shaped upper jaw tip (most nontyrannosauroid carnivores had V-shaped upper jaw tips) enhanced the quantity of bone and tissue a tyrannosaur could rip out in one bite, but it also puts more strain on the front teeth.
• The teeth of T-Rex had obvious heterodonty (differences in shape). The premaxillary teeth, four on each side at the front of the upper jaw, were densely packed, D-shaped in cross-section, with reinforcing ridges on the posterior surface, incisiform (had blade-like points), and curved rearward.
• The teeth were less likely to break when Tyrannosaurus bit and pulled thanks to their D-shaped cross-section, strengthening ridges, and reverse curvature. The remaining teeth were robust, more widely spread, and had strengthening ridges, more akin to “fatal bananas” than daggers.
• Twelve were found in the upper jaw, and except for the back, they were bigger than their counterparts in the lower jaw. The longest tooth of any carnivorous dinosaur discovered to date measures an estimated 30.5 centimeters (12 in) in length, including the root, while the animal was alive.
• T-rex’s bottom jaw was solid, the front dentary bone bore thirteen teeth, and the lower jaw got considerably taller behind the tooth row. Like many dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus’ upper and lower jaws were filled with foramina or tiny pores in the bone. These foramina have been given several roles, including indications of extra-oral structures like scales, lips, or a sensory system resembling a crocodile.

Strengths 

• Tyrannosaurus rex was designed to be in charge; its name translates to “lord of the tyrant lizards.” From snout to vital tail tip, this dinosaur’s lanky body extended up to 40 feet or nearly the length of a school bus.
• T-Rex weighs eight tons or more. On two powerful legs, the rex stamped through its domain headfirst. These dinosaurs probably preyed on living creatures, scavenged animal corpses, and occasionally consumed one another.
• The T-Rex’s head was the stuff of nightmares in real life. With a rigid skull that allowed it to concentrate all of its muscular power into a single bite and apply up to six tons of pressure, this ferocious predator was designed explicitly for crushing through its prey.
• This dinosaur’s 60-long, serrated teeth were employed to puncture and grab flesh, flinging its target into the air before devouring it whole. The gigantic monster possessed vents in its skull to keep its brain cool, similar to those found in alligators, to prevent itself from overheating while crushing food with its powerful jaws.
• The acute sense of smell of Tyrannosaurus rex helped it locate prey as well. While studies have recently shown that T-Rex used a significant percentage of its brain to analyze scent, scientists have long known that this dinosaur did so. Rex had about the same number of genes that today’s house cats possess for olfactory receptors. T-Rex was probably also aided by its strong snout. Rex locates partners and recognizes other predators.

Weaknesses

• However, not all of Tyrannosaurus rex’s traits were aggressive. This dinosaur had relatively few arms, and experts disagreed over using these limbs.
• Some suggest that the animal’s arms performed non-predatory functions like assisting it in grasping a partner or were evolutionary leftovers, similar to the pelvic bones of a snake. Some claim that T. Given their capacity to cause severe wounds with four-inch claws, T-rex’s arms were modified for “vicious slashing” at close range.
• Furthermore, while having sturdy thighs, these dinosaurs were not swift. They could only move quickly at up to 12 miles per hour, which is probably not fast enough to pursue a jeep as in the scene from Jurassic Park.
• Scientists have hypothesized, using biomechanical models, that these giant creatures would have fractured the bones in their feet if they had traveled any quicker.

Growth Spurts and Extinction

1. An average Tyrannosaurus rex lived for roughly 28 years. Prior research has revealed that it experienced a growth surge in its adolescence. Still, until recently, scientists were mostly unaware of how it developed from a hatchling to a powerful predator.
2. A review of the remains of Nanotyrannus, a lesser tyrannosaur thought to have coexisted with T-Rex., was published in January 2020. rex— showed that the bones most likely came from a young T-Rex as opposed to another species.
3. If this is the case, the study contends that Tyrannosaurus rex had a variable growth rate as it aged and the capacity to slow down when food was in short supply.
4. Despite its benefits, the T-Rex 66 million years ago, a vast extinction catastrophe that killed 75 percent of all species on Earth, was no match for the Tyrannosaurus rex.
5. The Cretaceous epoch abruptly ended when a mountain-sized asteroid or comet collided with Earth, eradicating Tyrannosaurus rex and the rest of the nonavian dinosaurs.

Cultural Significance

• Since its initial mention in 1905, the T-Rex has been the most well-known dinosaur species in popular culture today.
• It is the only dinosaur whose, ultimately, the general population recognizes a scientific name (binomial name), and the letter T-Rex has also gained widespread acceptance. In The Dinosaur Heresies, Robert T. Bakker notices this and claims that “a name like ‘T-rex’ is just seductive to the tongue.”

T. Rex Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about T. rex across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use T. rex worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the T. Rex, which is one of the largest known carnivorous dinosaurs and a dinosaur that has arguably received the most media exposure. It had a starring role in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park movies and is part of a renowned exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

• Tyrannosaurus Facts
• Barnum Brown
• Dominant King
• Activity I. Lifecycle
• Activity II. Perfecting Data
• Activity III. Putting into Perspective
• Surviving the Cretaceous Period
• Activity I. Co-existing with…
• Activity II. Timeline
• Activity II. End of Age
• T. Rex Word Search
• Quick Review
• Tyrannosaurus Rex

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Tyrannosaurus?

Tyrannosaurus is a huge theropod dinosaur genus. Tyrannosaurus rex (rex means “king” in Latin), also known as T. rex, sometimes known as T-Rex, is one of the most well-known theropods. Tyrannosaurus wandered now western North America on what was formerly an island continent called Laramidia. Tyrannosaurus ranged significantly further than other tyrannosaurids. 

What does the name “Tyrannosaurus Rex” means?

The Greek words “tyrannos,” which means “tyrant,” and “sauros,” which means “lizard,” are where the term “generic” originates. Osborn used the Latin word rex for the particular name, which means “king.” To emphasize the animal’s size and historical perception of superiority over other species, the full binomial translates to “tyrant lizard the king” or “King Tyrant Lizard.”

Was the T-Rex the most significant land predator ever?

One of the giant land carnivores ever was Tyrannosaurus rex. One of the best-known and most complete specimens is Sue (FMNH PR2081), which may be found in the Field Museum of Natural History. Sue was 3.66-3.96 meters (12-13 ft) tall at the hips and measured 12.3-12.4 meters (40.4-40.7 ft). The most current research has calculated Sue’s maximum body mass to be around 8.4 metric tons using several approaches (9.3 short tons).

When and where did T-Rex live?

Fossils have been discovered in various rock formations dating from the Upper Cretaceous period’s Maastrichtian epoch, 68 to 66 million years ago. It was the last known tyrannosaur and one of the last dinosaurs that weren’t birds to live before the catastrophic Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.

How did T-Rex go extinct? 

The Cretaceous epoch abruptly ended when a mountain-sized asteroid or comet collided with Earth, eradicating Tyrannosaurus rex and the rest of the nonavian dinosaurs.

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