Evolution of a Top Predator – T rex

Published: 15th Mar 2016

A new discovery of a dinosaur the size of a horse in northern Uzbekistan could revolutionise our understanding of the early development of T rex. The dinosaur has been named Timurlengia euotica and is an early form of a tyrannosaur from which T rex would have evolved. Dating from 90 million years ago it takes the history of T rex back another 20 million years or so.

The skull of Timurlengia show that its brain and senses were highly developed even at this early stage. It was only towards the end of their evolution T rex grew to its large size after it was already equipped with excellent senses and good intelligence for a dinosaur. This allowed T rex to be one of the top predators of its time.

Timurlengia weighed about 250kg and it had long legs and was a fast runner. Its skull had sharp teeth. It probably preyed on the various large plant-eaters, especially early duck-billed dinosaurs, which shared its world.

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