Name/Title
Tyrannosaurus-Rex (vertebrae)Entry/Object ID
2012.2.6Description
Description: Phylum: Chordata
Family: Tyrannosauridae
Genus: Tyrannosaurus
Clade: Theropoda
Common Name: Tyrannosaurus Rex
Age: Cretaceous
Location: Hell Creek Formation, Buffalo, South Dakota
Description: This specimen is a single vertebrae probably from the upper thorasic region. It has not been preserved or examined as of yet.
Physical Characteristics:
Tyrannosaurus ( /t??ræn?'s?r?s/ or /ta??ræn?'s?r?s/; meaning "tyrant lizard", from Greek tyrannos (t??a????) meaning "tyrant," and sauros (sa????) meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex (rex meaning "king" in Latin), commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, at the time an island continent termed Laramidia, with a much wider range than other tyrannosaurids. Fossils are found in a variety of rock formations dating to the Maastrichtian age of the upper Cretaceous Period, 67 to 65.5 million years ago.[1] It was among the last non-avian dinosaurs to exist before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.
Like other tyrannosaurids, Tyrannosaurus was a bipedal carnivore with a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail. Relative to the large and powerful hindlimbs, Tyrannosaurus forelimbs were small, though unusually powerful for their size, and bore two clawed digits. Although other theropods rivaled or exceeded Tyrannosaurus rex in size, it was the largest known tyrannosaurid and one of the largest known land predators, the most complete specimen measuring up to 12.3 m (40 ft) in length,[2] up to 4 metres (13 ft) tall at the hips,[3] and up to 6.8 metric tons (7.5 short tons) in weight.[4] By far the largest carnivore in its environment, Tyrannosaurus rex may have been an apex predator, preying upon hadrosaurs and ceratopsians, although some experts have suggested it was primarily a scavenger. The debate over Tyrannosaurus as apex predator or scavenger is among the longest running in paleontology.
More than 30 specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex have been identified, some of which are nearly complete skeletons. Soft tissue and proteins have been reported in at least one of these specimens. The abundance of fossil material has allowed significant research into many aspects of its biology, including life history and biomechanics. The feeding habits, physiology and potential speed of Tyrannosaurus rex are a few subjects of debate. Its taxonomy is also controversial, with some scientists considering Tarbosaurus bataar from Asia to represent a second species of Tyrannosaurus and others maintaining Tarbosaurus as a separate genus. Several other genera of North American tyrannosaurids have also been synonymized with Tyrannosaurus.
Elements: Upper Thorasic Vertebrae?
Family: Tyrannosauridae
Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
Class: Theropoda
Phylum: Chordata
Sex of Specimen: UnknownCollection
Mike Hammer Fossil CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2012.2Source or Donor
Mike HammerAcquisition Method
Long-term LoanOther Names and Numbers
Other Number
Other Number: MKH-2Dimensions
Width
8-1/2 inDepth
7 inLength
11 inLocation
Location
Shelf
CS-B-6Room
Curation StorageBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
StorageMoved By
Jillian Mather KettleyDate
March 27, 2025
