ðĶ ALLOSAURUS: JURASSIC PREDATOR
PAGE 1 OF 5 — JURASSIC APEX
TOP KILLER
KING BEFORE T. REX
Long before T. rex ruled, Allosaurus was the top predator in many Late Jurassic ecosystems. The best-known species, Allosaurus fragilis, lived about 155 to 145 million years ago in western North America. Fossils flood out of the Morrison Formation, a famous rock layer full of giants. Allosaurus walked on two powerful legs and used its long tail for balance. Adults typically reached about 8 to 10 metres long. It hunted plant-eating dinosaurs that shared its world, including sauropods and stegosaurs.
ð APEX
ðĶ Top Jurassic predator in North America
ð ~155â145 million years ago
ðĶī Morrison Formation = fossil hotspot
ð ~155â145 million years ago
ðĶī Morrison Formation = fossil hotspot
KING!
SIZE
ð A typical Allosaurus fragilis stretched about 8 to 10 metres long, taller than a giraffe at the hip.
ðĶ Larger Allosaurus species existed, but fragilis is the classic museum skeleton.
ðĶ Larger Allosaurus species existed, but fragilis is the classic museum skeleton.
FINGERS
â Allosaurus had three strong fingers on each hand with hooked claws for grabbing struggling prey.
ðĶī T. rex later reduced to two fingers, but Allosaurus kept the classic three-clawed theropod look.
ðĶī T. rex later reduced to two fingers, but Allosaurus kept the classic three-clawed theropod look.