Dinosaurs: Allosaurus
Allosaurus was the largest meat-eating dinosaur of the
late Jurrasic. It was the first of the really large meat-eaters growing up to 8
feet (12 m) in length and 16.5 feet (5 m) in height. Allosaurus weighed about 1400 kg and had a skull
approximately 3 feet in length (90 cm) with short ridges above each of its eyes.
It had large, powerful jaws with long, sharp, serrated teeth 2 to 4 inches (5 to
10 cm) in length and movable joints in its jaw to allow to bite huge chunks from
its prey.
Allosaurus walked on two powerful hind legs. Its arms
were short and had three-fingered hands with sharp claws that were up to 10
inches (25 cm) in length.
Allosaurus shared the planet with some of the largest
dinosaurs to ever walk the earth. Allosaurus probably preyed upon stegosaurs and
Iguanodonts but tooth marks found in an Apatosaurus vertebra suggest that
Allosaurus may of also preyed on smaller members of these large dinosaurs.
Allosaurus may have also been a scavenger.
Allosaurus belonged to a group of dinosaurs called the
Allosaurids. This family also included Giganotosaurus, Acrocanthosaurus and
Carcharodontosaurus. Allosaurus was also distantly related to the raptors and
tyrannosaurs of the late Cretaceous.
Footprint evidence suggests that Allosaurus may have
hunted in groups, possibly working as a team to ambush larger prey such as
Diplodocus and Apatosaurus. Evidence also suggest that Allosaurus may have cared
for its young in large nests.
Allosaurus (Different Lizard)
Pronounced: AL-oh-SAW-rus
Name Means: "Different
Lizard"
Length: 25 - 39 feet (7 - 12 m)
Height: 10 - 14 feet (3 - 4.5 m)
Weight: 1 - 5 tons(1,000 - 4,500 kg)
Diet: Carnivore (Meat)
Time: Late Jurassic - 150 million years ago
Habitat: Open
Countryside
Fossils Found: Australia, Western North America
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