11 Ferocious T-Rex Facts

The Tyrannosaurus Rex, also known as the T.Rex, is one of the most widely known dinosaurs. It’s name comes from Greek and Latin words meaning, “Tyrant Lizard King”.
A very accurate name for such a beast, even though dinosaurs are reptiles and not lizards, oops! Over the years, scientists have studied T.Rex bones and learned a lot from them, like what they ate, how long they lived, and even how it hunted!

Read below for more interesting T.Rex facts!

1. The Tyrannosaurus Rex lived about 65 million years ago.

They resided in a place called Laramidia, which is now known as western North America.

2. T-rex’s were carnivores (meat-eaters) and had the largest tooth of any carnivorous dinosaurs found to date!

They’re known for having “banana-sized teeth” that are 30 centimetres (12 inches) from the root.

3. The Tyrannosaurus Rex came from the Tyrannosauroidea family.

They were a family of bipedal carnivores, meaning they only used two legs to walk, and ate meat.

4. The T.Rex was almost named Manospondylus Gigax.

Palaeontologist Edward Drinker Cope was the first to excavate the first T-rex in 1892. It was given it’s official name, Tyrannosaurus Rex, meaning tyrant lizard king by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1905.

5. The fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs to ever live.

They measured 40 feet (12.3m) long, and up to 12 feet (3.6m) high. The largest carnivorous dinosaur is known as the Spinosaurus.

6. T.Rex’s are known for their small arms and two fingered hands.

Their arms are only 3 feet long! Scientists aren’t sure what their use is, but suggest that they were used to grasp struggling prey or slash them with their four inch long claws.

7. There are more than 50 Tyrannosaurus Rex specimens that have been found.

Some of these are near complete skeletons, and are displayed in museums around the world.

8. Sue, the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found is estimated to have weighed 9 tons (about 8,000 kilograms).

That’s twice the size of a Hippopotamus, which can weigh up to 4,500 kilograms.

The T-Rex (green) compared to other large carnivorous dinosaurs. The Spinosaurus (in red) is the largest known to date. via Wikimedia

9. Scientists believe that a Tyrannosaurus Rex bite could exert up to 7,800 pounds-force (34,522 newtons).

A bite that strong could effortlessly crush the bones of their prey.

10. The first tyrannosaurs, who originated about 170 million years ago, were quite different to the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

They were actually very small, only human to horse sized. Over about 90 million years later, the T.Rex evolved into huge beasts.

11. The Tyrannosaurus Rex wasn’t just big, it was very smart too.

They had an impressive brain and very keen senses.

Check out out our dinosaur facts page for more roarsome dinosaur facts!

Tyrannosaurus Rex Fact-File

TypeLarge Theropod
Length12 metres
Weight7000 kilograms
DietCarnivore (meat eater!)
Teeth60 Super sharp saw-like teeth with bone-crushing jaw strength
MovementBipedal (walked on two legs)
LivedLate Cretaceous period, around 68-66 million years ago
Found inUnited States of America & Canada

Tyrannosaurus Rex FAQs

What did the T-Rex eat?

the Tyrannosaurus Rex was a carnivorous, bipedal dinosaur. This means that it ate meat and walked on two legs. They primarily ate other herbivorous dinosaurs (dinosaurs that ate plants), such as the Triceratops. In fact, there’s a fossil called ‘Duelling Dinosaurs’ which shows a T-Rex and Triceratops entangled in fearsome battle, entombed in sandstone.

How fast was the T-Rex?

Despite how they are portrayed in films, scientists believe that the T-Rex could only run around 12 miles (19km) per hour. This means a competent runner could technical outrun a T-Rex, but we don’t know what kind of stamina the T-Rex had.

What animal kills T-Rex?

While the Tyrannosaurus Rex was an incredibly fearsome hunter, there are some carnivorous dinosaurs that are larger than it, such as the Spinosaurus. However, the T-Rex was stronger, smarter and with a more powerful biteforce, so it would have been a tough fight for a Spinosaurus, who would have had to catch the T-Rex off guard. Some herbivorous dinosaurs that the T-Rex fed on also had impressive defence, such as the Triceratops or Stegosaurus.

Why did the Tyrannosaurus Rex have tiny arms?

Scientists believe that the arms of a T-Rex did have some uses, because they had large muscles and sharp claws. It’s theorised that they were used during mating to hold on to their partner, or to help them stand up should they fall over. They could have also been used for slashing in close proximity to their prey.

Did the T-Rex walk upright?

There was a time where scientists believed that the Tyrannosaurus Rex stood upright, however this idea was abandoned long ago. It’s now very clear that the T-Rex adopted a bird-like stance, with their tail swinging behind them and their massive head leaning forward.

Sources