Allosaurus

Allosaurus was the king of predators during the Jurassic Period. It lived about 155 million years ago. That was about 90 million years before T. Rex! Allosaurus was fast, strong, and had powerful jaws.

A Top Hunter

Allosaurus was about 32 feet long and weighed about 2 tons. It had sharp, serrated teeth like steak knives. Its arms were strong and had three sharp claws on each hand. It may have hunted large plant-eating dinosaurs like Stegosaurus and Apatosaurus.

Hunting Style

Scientists think Allosaurus could open its mouth very wide, like a snake. It may have used its upper jaw like a hatchet to slash prey. Some fossils show groups of Allosaurus together. This means they may have hunted in packs to take down bigger dinosaurs.

Fun Facts

• More Allosaurus fossils have been found than almost any other large meat-eating dinosaur.
• One site in Utah called the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry has over 40 Allosaurus skeletons.
• Allosaurus is the state fossil of Utah.

Did You Know?

Allosaurus could open its jaws to an angle of almost 80 degrees. That is much wider than any modern animal! Scientists think it attacked by slashing down with its upper jaw.