Key Information
Daspletosaurus
| Species | Daspletosaurus torosus, Daspletosaurus horneri, Daspletosaurus wilsoni |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Length | 28 to 30 ft |
| Height | 7.2 ft |
| Weight | 2.2 to 3.3 tonnes |
| Timescale | Late Cretaceous |
| Classification | Saurischia > Theropoda > Tyrannosauridae > Daspletosaurini |
| Similar Species | Thanatotheristes, Tarbosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, Zhuchengtyrannus |
Learning Point
- The Daspletosaurus was a massive, three-ton predator that lived in North America about 77 million years ago, acting as the older, terrifying cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex. Interestingly, evidence like bite marks on fossils shows that Daspletosaurus was highly aggressive and frequently fought other members of its own species, suggesting a tough and possibly social life among the reigning tyrants of the Late Cretaceous period.
Project
- Draw a picture of Daspletosaurus.
- Overview
- X-Ray
Location
| Confirmed | United States and Canada |
Fun Facts
- The name, Daspletosaurus means “frightful lizard” in Greek, which is a perfect name for this scary looking predator.
- It was a very similar to the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, but it lived about 10 million years earlier!
- Just like T. rex, it had very small arms with only two fingers on each hand, but its were longer than other tyrannosaurs.
- Fossil evidence shows that they would often bite each other on the face, suggesting they were aggressive and fought over food or territory!
Past Lessons
| 206 | September 29, 2025 | (North America) |