The Hell Creek Formation (or Hell Creek), a geological division riddled with fossils and elements from the Upper Cretaceous, has been the site of the discovery of the largest fossil ever discovered of a Tyrannosaurus Rex ( Tyrannosaurus rex ).
The find has been made by a team of scientists from the University of Washington (USA) together with paleontologists from the Murke Museum of Natural History. Experts have identified the remains of a tyrannosaurus including a very complete skull weighing about 1,100 kilograms.
Tufts-Love Rex , as they have named the T. rex in honor of the discoverers of the first remains (Jason Love and Luke Tufts) that finally turned out to be those of a T. rex skull along with ribs, vertebrae, part of the Jaw and pelvis of one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs that walked the Earth 66-68 million years ago, would have lived at the end of the Cretaceous period , as its remains have been found at the bottom of a hill.
Fossil evidence suggests that this large-jawed, saw-toothed predator fed on other dinosaurs such as Triceratops and Edmontosaurus and that it lived in forest river valleys in western North America during the late Cretaceous period.
The skull in question measures 1.20 meters and weighs more than a ton, so paleontologists believe that this dinosaur must be around 85% larger than the T. rex found to date . For example, up to the hips, this T.rex would have been as tall and as long as a city bus. In addition, the researchers estimate that the dinosaur was about 15 years old when it died (adults had an average lifespan of up to 25-30 years).
“ After having seen the “ Tufts-Love Rex ” during its excavation, I can attest to the fact that it is undoubtedly one of the most significant specimens discovered and due to its size, it is certain that it will provide us with important information on growth and habits. feeding these magnificent animals, ”explains Jack Horner, current associate researcher at the Burke Museum.
The Burke Museum is scheduled to display this specimen of dinosaur to the public in 2019.
