The word "dinosaur" translates to " terrifyingly large lizard", however, science has shown that not all of these reptiles They were huge and were actually distant relatives of modern lizards, so their descent is not so direct. What is indisputable is that they were truly amazing animals, which are still being studied today to continue finding out more about their behavior, diet and lifestyle.
In this article on our site we are going to focus on carnivorous dinosaurs, the most feared reptiles in history due to the fame that movies have given them. However, we will see how not all were equally fearsome or fed in the same way. Keep reading and discover all the characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs, their names and curiosities.
What are carnivorous dinosaurs?
Carnivorous dinosaurs, belonging to the theropod group, were the largest predators on the planet Characterized by their sharp teeth, penetrating gaze and fearsome claws, some hunted alone while others hunted in packs. Likewise, within the large group of carnivorous dinosaurs, there was a natural scale that ranked the fiercest predators at the top, which could even feed on other smaller carnivores, and left the lower positions for carnivores that fed on other smaller dinosaurs (mainly herbivorous dinosaurs), insects or fish.
Although there are many dinosaurs that existed, in this article we will delve into the following examples of carnivorous dinosaurs:
- Tyrannosaurus rex
- Velociraptor
- Allosaurus
- Compsognathus
- Gallimimus
- Albertosaurus
Characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs
First of all, it should be noted that not all carnivorous dinosaurs were huge and fearsome, since archeology has shown that smaller predators also existed. Of course, they all had something in common: They were agile and very fast Even the largest predators in the world at that time were also very fast dinosaurs, capable to reach their prey and overwhelm them in a matter of seconds. In addition, carnivorous dinosaurs had powerful jaws, which allowed them to tear their prey without any problem, sharp, curved and aligned teeth, as if it were a saw.
As for the characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs regarding their physical appearance, all of them were bipedal, that is, they walked on two strong and muscular hind legs, and they had much smaller front legs but with incredible claws. His hip was much more developed than his shoulders to offer predators that agility and speed that represented them so much and his tail was long to be able to maintain his balance correctly.
In general, and as is the case with today's predators, carnivorous dinosaurs had the frontal eyes instead of side to have a direct view of their victims, calculate the distance to them and attack with greater precision.
What did carnivorous dinosaurs eat?
As it happens with today's carnivorous animals, the dinosaurs belonging to the group of theropods fed on other dinosaurs, small animals, fish or insects. Some carnivorous dinosaurs were large land predators that fed only on what they hunted, others were fishermen, since they only ate aquatic animals, others were scavengers and others practiced cannibalism. Thus, not all carnivores obtained the same food or did it in the same way. These data have been obtained, mainly, thanks to the study of the fossilized feces of these large reptiles.
Mesozoic era or age of the dinosaurs
The age of the dinosaurs lasted more than 170 million years and spanned most of the Mesozoic, also known as the Secondary Age. During the Mesozoic, the Earth underwent a whole series of changes, ranging from the position of the continents to the appearance and extinction of species. This geological era is divided into three major periods:
Triassic (251-201 Ma)
The Triassic began 251 million years ago and ended 201 years ago, so it was a period that lasted around 50 million yearsIt was in this first period of the Mesozoic that the dinosaurs were born, and it was divided into three epochs or series: Lower, Middle and Upper Triassic, which are subdivided into seven ages or stratigraphic floors. The floors are the chronostrategic units used to represent a certain geological time; its duration is a few million years.
Jurassic (201-145 Ma)
The Jurassic is made up of three series: Lower, Middle and Upper Jurassic. In turn, the lower one is divided into three floors, the middle one into four and the upper one also into four. As a curious fact, we can say that this time is characterized by witnessing the birth of the first birds and lizards, as well as experiencing the diversification of many dinosaurs.
Cretaceous (145-66 Ma)
The Cretaceous corresponds to the period that saw the disappearance of the dinosaurs It marks the end of the Mesozoic era and gives rise to the Cenozoic. It lasted almost 80 million years and was divided into two series, upper and lower, the first having a total of six floors and the second five. Although there were many changes that occurred during this period, the fact that most characterizes it is the fall of the meteorite that caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.
Examples of carnivorous dinosaurs: Tyrannosaurus rex
The most famous of the dinosaurs lived during the last stage of the Cretaceous, about 66 million years ago, in what is now North America and existed for two million of yearsEtymologically, his name means "lizard king tyrant", since it derives from the Greek words "tyranno", which translates as "despot", and "saurus", which means nothing more than "lizard-like". "Rex", on the other hand, comes from Latin and means "king".
Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest and most voracious terrestrial dinosaurs that existed, measuring approximately 12-13 meters long, 4 meters high and an average weight of 7 tons. In addition to its enormous size, it is characterized by having a much larger head than the rest of the carnivorous dinosaurs. Due to this, and in order to maintain the balance of its entire body, its front legs are much shorter than usual, its tail is very long, and its hips are prominent. On the other hand, and despite the appearance provided by the movies, evidence has been found that the tyrannosaurus rex had part of its body covered with feathers.
It hunted in packs and also fed on carrion, since, although we have pointed out that large dinosaurs were also fast, they were not as fast as others due to their size and, therefore, it is assumed that sometimes they preferred to take advantage of the work of another and feed on the remains of corpses. Likewise, it has been shown that, despite popular belief, the tyrannosaurus rex was one of the most intelligent.
How did the tyrannosaurus rex eat?
Two theories differ as to how the tyrannosaurus rex hunted. The first supports Spielberg's vision in his film Jurassic Park, which shows that it was a great predator, located at the top of the food chain and never passing up the opportunity to hunt new prey. With a clear preference for large herbivorous dinosaurs. The second defends that the tyrannosaurus rex was, above all, a scavenger. For this reason, we emphasize that it is a dinosaur that could have fed through hunting or the work of others.
Tyrannosaurus rex information
Studies carried out to date estimate that the longevity of T. rex ranged between 28-30 years. Thanks to the fossils found, it has been possible to determine that the young specimens, with approximately 14 years of age, did not weigh more than 1800 kg, and that from then on their size began to increase considerably until they were 18 years old, the age at which it is suspected that they were reached. the maximum.
Tyrannosaurus rex's short, slender arms have been the subject of ridicule forever, as their size is ridiculously small compared to their entire body. So much so, that they only measured one meter. According to their anatomy, everything seems to indicate that they developed in this way to balance the weight of their heads and to catch their prey.
Examples of carnivorous dinosaurs: Velociraptor
Etymologically, the name "velociraptor", coming from Latin, means "fast thief", and thanks to the fossils found it has been possible to determine that it was one of the most powerful and effective carnivorous dinosaurs of the history. With more than 50 sharp and serrated teeth, its jaw was one of the most powerful of the Cretaceous, since Velociraptor lived during the end of the period in what is now we know as Asia.
Velociraptor Characteristics
Despite what the famous movie Jurassic World shows, the Velociraptor was a fairly small dinosaur, with a maximum length of 2 meters, weighing 15 kg and half a meter tall at the hip. One of its main characteristics is the shape of its skull, elongated, narrow and flattened, as well as its three powerful claws on each extremity. Its morphology, in general, was very similar to that of modern birds.
On the other hand, another fact that doesn't appear in dinosaur movies is that Velociraptor had feathers all over its body, since Fossilized remains have been found to prove it. However, despite its bird-like appearance, this dinosaur could not fly, it ran on its two hind legs and reached great speeds. Studies indicate that he could run up to 60 kilometers per hour. It is suspected that the development of feathers was a mechanism of the body to regulate its temperature.
How did the Velociraptor hunt?
Velociraptor had a retractable claw that allowed it to grab and tear its prey without error. Thus, it is assumed that it caught its prey by the neck area with its claws and attacked with its jaw. It is assumed that it hunted in packs and is attributed the title of "excellent predator", although it has been shown that it could also feed on carrion.
Examples of carnivorous dinosaurs: Allosaurus
The name "allosaurus" translates to "different or strange lizard". This carnivorous dinosaur inhabited the planet more than 150 million years ago in what is now North America and Europe during the end of the Jurassic It is one of the most studied and known due to the number of fossils that have been found, which is why it is not surprising to see it present in exhibitions and movies.
Allosaurus Features
As with all other carnivorous dinosaurs, Allosaurus was bipedal, so it walked on its two powerful hind legs. Its tail was long and strong, used as a pendulum to maintain balance. Like Velociraptor, it had three claws on each limb that it used for hunting. His jaw was also powerful and had around 70 sharp teeth.
It is suspected that Allosaurus could have been 8 to 12 meters long, about 4 meters tall and weigh about 2 tons.
How did Allosaurus eat?
This carnivorous dinosaur fed mainly on herbivorous dinosaurs such as the Stegosaurus. Regarding the hunting method, due to the fossils found, some theories consider the hypothesis that Allosaurus hunted in a group while others suppose that it was a dinosaur that practiced cannibalism, that is, it fed on specimens of its own species.. It is also believed that they fed on carrion if they needed to.
Examples of carnivorous dinosaurs: Compsognathus
Like Allosaurus, Compsognathus inhabited Earth during the late Jurassic in what is now Europe. Its name translates to "delicate jaw" and it was one of the smallest carnivorous dinosaurs. Thanks to the magnificent state of the fossils found, it has been possible to study in depth their morphology and feeding.
Characteristics of Compsognathus
Although the maximum size that Compshognathus could reach is not known with certainty, the largest of the fossils found indicates that it could have been around one meter long, 40-50 cm high and 3 kg in weight. This small size allowed it to reach high speeds of more than 60 km/h.
The hind legs of Compshognathus were long, its tail was also elongated and used to maintain balance. The forelimbs were much smaller, with three fingers and claws. As for his head, it was narrow, elongated and pointed. In proportion to its general size, the teeth were also small but sharp and fully adapted to feeding. Overall, it was a slim and light dinosaur.
Feeding Compshognathus
The discovery of fossils has indicated that Compsognathus fed mainly on smaller animals, such as lizards, and insects In fact, one of the fossils had the skeleton of an entire lizard in its stomach, a fact that initially led to its being confused with a pregnant female. Thus, it is suspected that their prey could be treated whole.
Examples of carnivorous dinosaurs: Gallimimus
Etymologically, "gallimimus" means "that imitates a hen". This dinosaur lived during the end of the Cretaceous period in what is now Asia. Of course, don't let the translation of the name confuse us, because the Gallimimus was similar to an ostrich in terms of size and morphology, so that, although it was one of the lightest dinosaurs, it was much larger than the previous one, for example.
Characteristics of Gallimimus
The Gallimimus was one of the largest theropod dinosaurs belonging to the Ornithomimus genus, as it grew to between 4 and 6 meters long and weighed up to 440 kg. As we have said, its appearance was similar to that of the current ostrich, with a small head, a long neck, large eyes located on each side of the skull, long and strong hind limbs, short front legs and a long tail. Due to its physical characteristics, it is suspected that it was a fast dinosaur, capable of fleeing from larger predators, although it is not known exactly how fast it could reach.
Galimimus feeding
It is suspected that Gallimimus was more of an omnivorous dinosaur, since it is believed to have fed on plants and small animals, especially eggs. This last theory is supported due to the type of claws it had, perfect for digging in the ground and unearthing its "prey".
Examples of carnivorous dinosaurs: Albertosaurus
This tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur inhabited Earth during the late Cretaceous period in present-day North America. Its name translates to "Alberta lizard" and only one species, Albertosaurus sacrophagus, is known, so it is still unknown how many may have existed. Most of the specimens found lived in Alberta, a Canadian province, a factor that gave rise to its name.
Albertosaurus Features
Albertosaurus belongs to the same family as T. rex, so they are direct relatives, although the former was much smaller than the latter. It is suspected that it was one of the largest predators of the area in which it lived thanks, above all, to its powerful jaw with more than 70 curved teeth, a number quite high compared to other carnivorous dinosaurs.
It could reach a length of 10 meters and an average weight of 2 tons. Its front extremities were short, while the rear ones were long and strong, balanced by a long tail that, together, allowed Albertosaurus to reach an average speed of 40 km/h, which is not bad at all for its size. Its neck was short and its skull large, about a meter long.
How did Albertosaurus hunt?
Thanks to the discovery of several specimens together, it has been possible to deduce that Albertosaurus was a carnivorous dinosaur that hunted in groups of about 10-26 individualsWith this information, it is easy to understand why he was one of the greatest predators of the time, right? No prey could escape the lethal attack of 20 Albertosaurus… However, this theory is not fully corroborated, since there are other hypotheses about the group finding, such as competition between them for dead prey.
Carnivorous dinosaurs in Jurassic World
In the previous sections we have talked about the characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs in general and delved into the most popular ones, but what about those that appear in Jurassic World? Due to the popularity of this saga of films, it is not surprising that many people arouse some curiosity in these great reptiles. Well, then we name the carnivorous dinosaurs that appear in Jurassic World:
- Tyranosaurus rex (Late Cretaceous)
- Velociraptor (Late Cretaceous)
- Suchomimus (middle Cretaceous)
- Pteranodon (mid-late Cretaceous)
- Mosasaurus (late Cretaceous; not really a dinosaur)
- Metriacanthosaurus (Late Jurassic)
- Gallimimus (Late Cretaceous)
- Dimorphodon (early Jurassic)
- Baryonyx (mid-Cretaceous)
As we can see, most of the carnivorous dinosaurs in Jurassic World belonged to the Cretaceous period and not to the Jurassic, so they didn't even coexist in reality, this being one of the biggest mistakes in the movie. In addition, it is worth highlighting those already mentioned, such as the appearance of the Velociraptor, which has been shown to have feathers on its body.
If you love the world of dinosaurs as much as we do, don't miss these other articles:
- Types of marine dinosaurs
- Types of flying dinosaurs
- Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
List of carnivorous dinosaur names
Below is a list of more examples of carnivorous dinosaur genera, some with a single species and others with multiple, as well as the period to which they belonged:
- Dilophosaurus (Jurassic)
- Gigantosaurus (Cretaceous)
- Spinosaurus (Cretaceous)
- Torvosaurus (Jurassic)
- Tarbosaurus (Cretaceous)
- Carcharodontosaurus (Cretaceous)
Do you know any more? Leave your comment and we will add it to the list! And if you want to discover more about the age of the dinosaurs, don't miss our article with "The types of herbivorous dinosaurs".
