Today we will be uncovering an unpopular truth: The Tyrannosaurus Rex was NOT invincible.
As powerful as the T-rex was, there were a few dinosaurs that could have posed a serious
problem to the Rex if they ever ran into one. Today we will be revealing 5 of these potential
T-Rex assassins and their arsenal of brutal weapons. So sit back and stick with us to
the end as we uncover the identity of 5 ultimate T-Rex Killers.
As a juvenile, the Tyrannosaurus Rex would have faced many challenges during its journey
to become an apex predator. Living long enough to grow up to be 45 ft in length was not going
to be easy. Being smaller than its adult counterparts meant that it would’ve faced other meat
eaters that would want it dead before it reached its maximum size. But what would’ve happened
if for whatever reason, a juvenile T-Rex runs into one of these...
Number one: The Utahraptor
This list takes off with a type of dinosaur that was built to kill. Raptors have been
perhaps one of the most successful theropod dinosaurs of all time. Armed with a plethora
of sharp claws, talons and razor sharp teeth, any dinosaur that ran into a group of raptors
would’ve had a really bad time. While it is true that most raptors were lightweight
and fast, the Utahraptor is one exemption.
This raptor is one of the largest of its kind measuring up to 18-24 ft long. Being so large
in comparison to its other relatives meant that it did not move as fast or was as agile
as the other raptors.. This does not matter in this scenario since we will be squaring
up a Utahraptor against a Juvenile T-Rex. A study held by James Kirkland explains that
by observing its thick leg bone structure, we can assume that this raptor could’ve
exerted enough force to inflict powerful kicks without losing its balance. In this case,
these would’ve been the most fatal kicks this juvenile T-rex ever experienced. Not
to mention that they were armed with the raptor’s primary weapons: Two foot claws that could
each measure more than 9 inches long! These claws were more than enough to disembowel
the juvenile rex, causing it to rapidly bleed to death. The inexperienced juvenile wouldn't
have stood a clear chance against a fully grown Utahraptor, only relying on an opportunity
to deploy its strong bite.
Although it is true that the T-rex did not grow around the likes of a Utahraptor, a Juvenile
T-Rex would’ve still been on the lookout for larger and more powerful predators that
posed a threat. But getting killed by the next dinosaur on this list could only be blamed
on nothing else but its own carelessness.
Assuming that the T-Rex survived its adolescent state and made it into early adulthood, it
would’ve most likely faced larger and more dangerous herbivores. Unfortunately for the
Rex, there were many dinosaurs in this area that were especially equipped to severely
injure and even kill reckless theropods.
Number two: The Ankylosaurus
Meet the most heavily armoured dinosaur of all time.. This prehistoric tank’s most
outstanding and most lethal feature is that club at the end of its tail. Studies suggest
that this tail could move within a range of 100 degrees. Which is enough space to wind
up a blow strong enough to effectively crush an adult T-rex’s fibula. The vertical range
of the ankylosaur swing could’ve been limited to this height. In addition to a bony club,
The ankylosaurus was protected with a thick layer of hide and bony osteoderms that covered
its upper body. This complex arrangement of body armor went as far as protecting this
creature’s eyelids!
Now enter the T-rex. By knowing the capabilities of the club of an Ankylosaurus, it is very
possible that a well placed strike to the skull of a Tyrannosaurus rex could knock it
unconscious or even kill an average sized Rex. We could go as far as assuming that it
might take more than one strike to accomplish this, as the T-Rex’s head would first have
to be within striking range.
A rex getting killed by this dinosaur would have been the result of underestimating the
offensive capabilities of the ankylosaurus. Unlike this herbivorous dinosaur, the next
creature on this list would gladly make a meal from an unwary T-Rex.
T-Rex brain cavities show evidence that their large cerebrums could aid them in learning
from past experiences. This gigantic underwater creature uses stealth and the element of surprise
to override any experience-based advantages the rex may have.
43,000lbs of force
Number three: Purussaurus
The prehistoric world hosted the most terrifying crocodilians in earth’s history, but none
was as deadly as the Purussaurus. Even though the T-rex and the Purussaurus did not ever
encounter each other, the Rex did most likely run into other genus of giant crocodiles in
its area. But what if the Purussaurus DID have an encounter with the T-Rex?
The stark difference between Purussaurus and the other members of the mega-croc family
is the fact that its snout is much… much wider. This enlarged head means that the purussaurus
would've had to be equipped with even more adjacent neck muscles, thus adding to its
overall mass. A study held in 2015 suggested that this animal could have measured up to
41 ft long, weighed up to 9.3 tons, and could inflict a bite force of up to 15,512 pounds
per square inch.
The Purussaurus, unlike the other narrow snouted super crocs, could perform its signature move
known as the death roll, which allowed it to rip anything in its jaws to shreds once
it landed a good bite. What does this mean for the T-Rex? Assuming that this dinosaur
approached a nearby river to get a sip of water, This would make the rex fair game to
get brutally ambushed and clamped by the Purussaurus. The unsuspecting rex would most likely be
tipped off balance thanks to the weight of the Purussaurus chomping on its neck.
While our Purussaurus holds on to the rex, let's zoom in and take a look at those serrated
teeth. By observing the orientation of the tooth arrangements, we see that they are pointing
inwards and backwards.. Telling us that this bite is exclusively purposed for smashing
and piercing large bodied vertebrates. It is now when the Purussaurus will attempt to
rip the flesh from the Rex using its deathroll maneuver. If executed successfully, the T-rex
would in this case, find itself without a chunk of flesh. In order for this to kill
the Rex, this maneuver would have to happen quickly and on an unwary and inexperienced
T-rex. But no amount of experience would make any large theropod completely safe from the
lethal weapons of this next T-rex killer.
Not all herbivorous dinosaurs were pushovers, in fact many of these creatures came with
offensive adaptations to effectively counter and kill any predators. But there was one
dinosaur in particular that stood head and shoulders above all offensively armed herbivorous
animals to ever exist.
Number 4: Triceratops
Meet the vegetarian king of offense. If there was one dinosaur whose mere existence scared
the T-Rex, it would’ve been a fully grown Bull Triceratops. Armed with horns that could
exceed 3ft in length, a bony frill, and a temperamental attitude, there were very few
- if ANY carnivores that could stand their ground in a 1 v 1 match against this ceratopsian.
In addition to its arsenal of weapons, this dinosaur’s own anatomy helped the trike
leverage its offensive capabilities to maximum effect. One example of this is the triceratops’
leg structure. While its rear legs were straight like a rhino’s, its front legs splayed out
allowing it to better support itself while pushing its center of gravity towards its
main weapon, its 1000 lb horned head. This anatomical structure made any attack from
a triceratops all the more fatal. But the real source of its offensive maneuverability
was something that is hidden within this dinosaur’s neck. This head was attached to the rest of
its body with a ball socket joint, allowing extremely fast movements in a 360 degree range
of motion. Meaning that the triceratops could place its main weapon between the rex and
the rest of its body at ALL times. Now to the business end of the trike’s offensive
power - the long deadly horns. Each of these weapons consisted of bone protrusions covered
in a thick layer of keratin making them the perfect tool to pierce through other dinosaurs
like hot knives through butter. Some scientists believe that these horns could withstand pressures
of up to a whopping 36,000 lbs of force!
A reckless Tyrannosaurus Rex would easily find itself impaled in many different locations
of its body. But the most fatal strike would have been in its torso. Apart from being the
most accessible area to strike, a single puncture of just one of the Trike’s horns would pierce
through the rib cage, lungs, and reach the heart of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, killing it
almost immediately. The only safer way a Tyrannosaurus could have taken down a triceratops would
be by ambush, or while attacking it with other pack members. So far we have covered dinosaurs
that have been smaller than the Tyrannosaurus, the next dinosaur however makes any land predator
look insignificant in comparison to its sheer size.
Traveling to the southernmost area inhabited by the Tyrannosaurus Rex, we find one of the
last remaining giant dinosaurs ever to live during this time period.
Number 5: The Alamosaurus
When this dinosaur was first discovered in 1922, paleontologists at the time first imagined
this animal to be a mediocre 60-65 ft in length. Which is not much larger than one of the longest
theropods to ever live, Spinosaurus. More recent discoveries revealed that this dinosaur
was in fact, much larger than originally theorized, with some studies claiming that it might have
measured close to 90+ ft in length and weighing up to 70 tons!
Because dinosaurs in this area were sharing grounds with the most dangerous theropods,
being big was only one of their defensive adaptations. In 2015, Michael Bretfrord confirmed
that this massive sauropod was most likely armored based on findings that showed evidence
of osteoderms. These Osteoderms are bony formations on a dinosaur’s skin that are usually accompanied
by very thick hides. Another factor that points to the success of this dinosaur is a study
that claimed that up 350,000 alamosaurus might have been inhabiting this area at any given
time!
While it is true that a younger Alamosaurus might have been an easier target for a T-rex,
a fully grown Alamosaurus against a single T-rex would’ve been a literal squash match.
The alamosaurus was equipped with a massive armored body along with a heavy tail that
could have been used for offense. A more effective maneuver against a T-Rex would have been something
a bit more devastating. We know that most large sauropods could very likely rear on
their hind legs as an offensive maneuver … and with their tremendous amount of forward momentum,
deliver the deadliest crushing power in the animal kingdom. A tyrannosaurus - or literally
any large theropod would have zero chances of surviving a crushing impact from a 70 ton
sauropod. Having said this, it would have been extremely difficult for a solitary T-Rex
to defeat any sauropod of similar proportions, making this entire group of dinosaurs capable
of probably killing a fully grown Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Would a T-rex really try to take on a Sauropod of this size by itself? Probably not, T-Rexes
were most likely intelligent enough to not put themselves into a suicidal situation.
Are there any other dinosaurs that you think should have been in this video? Do you agree
or disagree with this analysis? Let us know what you think in the comments! For more fun
information and cool dinosaur fights make sure you subscribe to our channel! Thank you
so much for watching! And like always, we’re excited to see you again in our next video!