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Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus rex
Explore Tyrannosaurus rex through its North American fossils, late Cretaceous history and meat-eating adaptations. Compare evidence with a familiar movie image.
Also known as t rex, t. rex, trex
- Featured region
- Hell Creek, Montana
- Time
- 68–66 million years ago
- Habitat
- Ancient river floodplains
- Diet
- Carnivore
Questions, adaptations and evidence
Explore Tyrannosaurus rex through its North American fossils, late Cretaceous history and meat-eating adaptations. Compare evidence with a familiar movie image.
Start with the questions below, follow the linked evidence, then try the discovery challenge with someone else.
Field observations
- T. rex lived near the end of the Cretaceous Period.
- Hell Creek rocks preserve evidence of ancient rivers and floodplains.
- Scientists reconstruct extinct animals from fossils and comparisons with living relatives.
Map points represent broad historical or habitat regions, not live sightings or exact dig locations.
Questions worth exploring
DodoHistory field notes · Sources checked
When and where did T. rex live?
The Natural History Museum dates Tyrannosaurus rex to about 68–66 million years ago and lists fossils from Canada and the United States. That places it near the end of the Cretaceous, rather than throughout the entire age of dinosaurs.
Natural History Museum · Tyrannosaurus facts and fossils ↗What did T. rex eat?
It ate other animals. Its teeth and jaws supported meat eating, but hunting and scavenging are not mutually exclusive ways of obtaining food. The museum describes both hunting live prey and locating carcasses.
Natural History Museum · Tyrannosaurus facts and fossils ↗How big was T. rex?
The museum gives a reference length of about 12 metres. Length includes the tail; it is not standing height. Individual fossils differ, so a reference measurement should not be treated as the exact size of every adult.
Natural History Museum · Tyrannosaurus facts and fossils ↗
