| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Scientific classification | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: Allosauridae Subfamily: Allosaurinae Genus: Allosaurus Species: Allosaurus fragilis | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Family: Tyrannosauridae Subfamily: Tyrannosaurinae Genus: Tyrannosaurus Species: Tyrannosaurus rex |
| Size | Height: 4-5 meters (13-16.4 feet) Length: 9.7 meters (32 feet) Weight:1.7-2.7 metric tons (1.9-2.5 short tons) | Height: 3 to 4 meters (12 – 13 feet) Length: 12 to 15 meters (40 – 50 feet) Weight: 5 to 8 metric tons (11,000 – 17,600 pounds) |
| Appearance and Physical Features | -agile and bipedal -reduced forearms -small, three-fingered hands -slender yet muscular hindlimbs -large, narrow skill -dozens of sharp teeth for slicing -thick tail | -strongest and most agile -robust skeletal structure -bipedal -three-toed feet with giant claws -massive skull -powerful jaws and muscles |
| Distribution | North America and Europe | North America (Western Region), United States (Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming) |
| Speed, Movement and Agility | Average Speed: 4-5 meters (13-16.4 feet) Top Speed: 34 miles per hour | Running Speed: 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) Top Speed: 45 miles per hour |
| Weapons | -narrow jaws combined with several sharp, serrated teeth -bite force of 805 to 8,724 Newtons -long and functional forearms -sharp claws used for grasping and slashing | -U-shaped jaws with strong muscles -lightweight jawbones -jaws were lined with numerous dagger-like teeth -massive bite force of up to 35,000 to 57,000 Newtons |
| Sensory Capabilities | -skull shape limits its potential range of vision -brain power compared to modern crocodiles | -bigger brain, senses are better developed -binocular range -bigger brain-to-body ratio which makes it smarter -with heightened sense |
| Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques | -striking opponents repeatedle -weaken opponents due to blood loss -slashing prey to inflict damage | -skilled at tackling and taking down large prey -delivering a powerful bone-crushing bite -aims at vulnerable areas such as necks or flanks |
Long before the Tyrannosaurus rose to become the apex predator in the North American ecosystem, carnivores like the Allosaurus were the top dogs on the continent and other parts of the world.
The Allosaurus walked the earth more than 70 million years before the T-rex first appeared, meaning both dinosaurs were not contemporaries and didn’t get to interact at all.
So, while they must have had their individual enemies when they were alive, Allosaurus and the T-rex didn’t have to face off against each other in real life.
But what if they did?
Suppose we could build a time machine to transport the Allosaurus from its Jurassic home to western North America sometime towards the end of the Cretaceous Period; how exactly would these two dinosaurs interact?
If it were a popularity contest, then the T-rex would probably get all the votes.
However, dinosaur combat is less about who’s more recognizable and more about the weapons in each individual’s arsenal.
Anyone with the slightest idea of the differences in size and physical attributes between the T-rex and the Allosaurus might lean more towards the bigger and somewhat sophisticated Tyrannosaurus.
It was an efficient killing machine produced by several million years of evolution and adaptation that made it superior to pretty much any other carnivore in its ecosystem.
However, the Allosaurus is no push-over.
This primitive carnivore might also be able to pull some tricks out of the bag.
So, who would win in a battle?
In this article, we’ll do a comprehensive analysis of what could happen in a potential showdown between the iconic T-rex and the Allosaurus, comparing them based on their size, agility, weapons, and combat skills.
Comparing Tyrannosaurus and Allosaurus
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Scientific classification | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: Allosauridae Subfamily: Allosaurinae Genus: Allosaurus Species: Allosaurus fragilis | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: Tyrannosauridae Subfamily: Tyrannosaurinae Genus: Tyrannosaurus Species: Tyrannosaurus rex |
| Distribution | North America and Europe | North America (Western Region), United States (Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming) |
The Allosaurus was a bipedal carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic Period, about 145 million years ago.
It was larger than other predators of its time, making it one of the top dogs of the Jurassic.
Allosaurus was at the top of the food chain, and it preyed on large dinosaurs like the sauropods and even the armored stegosaurs.
Allosaurus lived in North America, but fossils of this dinosaur have also turned up in parts of Europe, alluding to the widespread distribution of this dinosaur genus.
Allosaurus is one of the best-known carnivorous dinosaurs.
Numerous fossils of this dinosaur, including individuals at different stages of growth, have been discovered, providing a fairly accurate picture of its appearance and habits.
The T-rex needs no introduction.
It is the most iconic dinosaur ever discovered and one of the most fearsome predators to have ever walked the planet.
The Tyrannosaurus has a notorious reputation as the apex predator of Cretaceous North America.
It lived between 68 and 66 million years ago in parts of present-day United States & Canada.
Like the Allosaurus before it, the Tyrannosaurus rex was the top predator on the North American terrestrial landscape.
It was an aggressive carnivore that specialized in stealing prey from other predators and may have cannibalized members of its own species.
Although its range was probably not as widespread as that of the Allosaurus, millions (possibly billions) of T-rex individuals lived in North America at some point in history.
Tyrannosaurus was a stealth hunter that specialized in hunting ceratopsids and hadrosaurid dinosaurs that were abundant in its ecosystem.
Physical Features of Tyrannosaurus and Allosaurus
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Appearance and Physical Features | -agile and bipedal -reduced forearms -small, three-fingered hands -slender yet muscular hindlimbs -large, narrow skill -dozens of sharp teeth for slicing -thick tail | -strongest and most agile -robust skeletal structure -bipedal -three-toed feet with giant claws -massive skull -powerful jaws and muscles |
The Allosaurus was an agile bipedal carnivore.
It had reduced forearms with small, three-fingered hands.
The hindlimbs were slender but muscular enough to support the dinosaur’s weight.
Allosaurus had a large, narrow skull with dozens of sharp teeth designed for slicing through flesh.
On the other end of the dinosaur’s body was a thick tail that helped with balance and locomotion.
You wouldn’t be wrong to describe the T-rex as the scaled-up version of the Allosaurus.
Both dinosaurs share certain physical similarities, including highly reduced forearms, which gave them a bipedal stance.
However, the forearms of this theropod were even more reduced and less dextrous compared to that of the Allosaurus.
Tyrannosaurus also had a more muscular build, and its hind limbs were stockier than those of the Allosaurus.
T-rex also had a massive skull lined with numerous thick D-shaped teeth.
The robust skull of this dinosaur was built for crushing bones compared to the flesh-slicing limbs of the Allosaurus.
Another physical feature shared by both dinosaurs is their long, heavy tail, which helped to balance their heavy bodies during locomotion.
A Size Comparison
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Size | Height: 4-5 meters (13-16.4 feet) Length: 9.7 meters (32 feet) Weight:1.7-2.7 metric tons (1.9-2.5 short tons) | Height: 3 to 4 meters (12 – 13 feet) Length: 12 to 15 meters (40 – 50 feet) Weight: 5 to 8 metric tons (11,000 – 17,600 pounds) |
Allosaurus was a large theropod dinosaur.
In fact, it was arguably the largest carnivorous dinosaur of its day.
The largest Allosaurus fossil ever found was 9.7 meters (32 feet) long, but most individuals were about 8.5 meters (28 feet) long on average.
Allosaurus had long limbs, and the estimated height for this species may have been up to 15 feet (4.5 meters).
The average mass of this dinosaur is about 1.7 tons (3,700 pounds).
On the other hand, the Tyrannosaurus is considered one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs to have ever lived (outranked only by the Spinosaurus and Giganotosaurus).
This large theropod dinosaur was the biggest predator in North America during the Late Cretaceous Period.
The average body length for the Tyrannosaurus is between 12 and 13 meters (41 to 42 feet).
With an estimated weight of about ten tons, this dinosaur outweighs the Allosaurus.
However, it had relatively stocky limbs, so its hip height was slightly less than that of the Allosaurus.
The average hip height of the Tyrannosaurus is between 3.7 and 4 meters (12–13 feet).
The weight and length disparity between these two dinosaurs puts the T-rex ahead in a scuffle.
The T-rex simply had more reach and sheer power compared to the smaller Allosaurus.
The T-rex’s immense weight would make it challenging (virtually impossible) for the Allosaurus to knock it off its feet or overpower it.
However, being bulkier may also adversely affect the dinosaur’s overall speed and agility.
This might make it easier for the Allosaurus to avoid attacks or find ways to exploit the potential weaknesses of its opponent.
Speed, Movement, and Agility
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Speed, Movement and Agility | Average Speed: 4-5 meters (13-16.4 feet) Top Speed: 34 miles per hour | Running Speed: 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) Top Speed: 45 miles per hour |
Most running speed estimates for the Tyrannosaurus put it at about 10 to 25 miles per hour (16 to 40 kilometers per hour).
The Allosaurus isn’t far behind, with an average speed of about 19 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour).
Some estimates claim a top speed of 34 miles per hour for the Allosaurus, while that of the Tyrannosaurus may be as high as 45 miles per hour.
It is hard to imagine the giant T-rex reaching such high speeds or even going faster than the lightly-built Allosaurus.
Yet, the data seems to point in that direction.
The limbs of the allosaurids don’t seem to be built for speed like those of the tyrannosaurids.
However, the difference in top speed is insignificant and might not matter significantly in a matchup between these two dinosaurs.
What’s more important is their agility and reflexes, and the Allosaurus seems to win with this.
As a smaller dinosaur with a slender body, the Allosaurus had faster reflexes compared to the bulkier T-rex.
It’s like comparing a fox to a lion.
While the lion’s top speed is higher, the fox will have the upper hand in terms of sharper movements and overall agility.
Locked in battle, the Allosaurus could use its speed and agility to make strategic moves and evade attacks from the giant Tyrannosaurus.
It may also be able to strike at vulnerable areas faster, hitting the rear and flanks of the T-rex before the large predator’s formidable jaws can catch it.
Battle of the Weapons
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Weapons | -narrow jaws combined with several sharp, serrated teeth -bite force of 805 to 8,724 Newtons -long and functional forearms -sharp claws used for grasping and slashing | -U-shaped jaws with strong muscles -lightweight jawbones -jaws were lined with numerous dagger-like teeth -massive bite force of up to 35,000 to 57,000 Newtons |
As a hunter of large herbivores, the Allosaurus was a fairly well-equipped predator.
The narrow jaws of this dinosaur were lined with several sharp, serrated teeth.
There were between 14 and 17 teeth on each dentary, each one designed to slice through flesh effectively.
The T-rex killed prey by making precise bites at delicate body parts, causing its target to bleed to death.
It had a wide gape, which made it possible to bite into an opponent’s flesh effectively while pulling violently with an up-and-down motion of its head.
But the dinosaur had relatively weak jaw muscles that produced a bite force of about 805 to 8,724 Newtons on average.
Allosaurus also had relatively long and functional forearms.
The arms had three-fingered hands with sharp claws.
Against a smaller opponent, those hands were probably useful for grasping, slashing, and even down the prey to deliver a fatal bite.
But for a larger and more aggressive opponent like the T-rex, the forearms probably wouldn’t do much damage.
The T-rex’s massive skull was its most lethal weapon.
This dinosaur had massive, serrated teeth lining its U-shaped jaws.
Each tooth measured between eight and 12 inches and curved slightly to the back.
The robust, D-shaped profile made them very efficient weapons for tearing through flesh and crushing bones.
The muscles supporting the T-rex’s jaws were also quite powerful.
The dinosaur could snap its jaws shut to generate a bite force of up to 35,000 to 57,000 Newtons.
That’s the most powerful bite of any land animal, both living and extinct.
The T-rex could open its jaws wide as well and was capable of biting prey at different angles, pulling violently with side-to-side motion like crocodilians do.
Unfortunately, the T-rex’s small forearms were of no use in a battle like this.
Although scientists think they were very strong and may have played a role in stabilizing prey, they would not be very efficient in physical combat.
The powerful bite of the Tyrannosaurus was designed to incapacitate opponents that were even bigger than the Allosaurus.
Consequently, a battle between a T-rex and an Allosaurus could end with a single bone-crushing bite to the neck or any other delicate body parts.
The Allosaurus, on the other hand, would rely on its sharp teeth and ability to make targeted bites to the opponent’s body while slashing at the T-rex with its forearms.
Given the right circumstances, it might be able to wound and weaken the Tyrannosaurus enough to deliver a final, fatal bite.
Sensory Capabilities
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Sensory Capabilities | -skull shape limits its potential range of vision -brain power compared to modern crocodiles | -bigger brain, senses are better developed -binocular range -bigger brain-to-body ratio which makes it smarter -with heightened sense |
The T-rex is the ultimate predator as far as its sensory capabilities are concerned.
This giant carnivore relies on its excellent vision, well-developed sense of smell, and great hearing when hunting prey or facing off against predators.
The T-rex has the highest brain-to-body ratio of all the large theropods, which means its senses are likely sharper than that of the Allosaurus.
The shape of the Allosaurus’ skull limits its potential range of vision.
While the vision and brain power of the T-rex is often compared to that of raptorial birds like the eagle, the Allosaurus is on the same level as that of modern crocodilians.
This isn’t a significant disadvantage, but the Tyrannosaurus is clearly the better-adapted predator in a combat situation based on its more advanced sensory capabilities.
Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques
| Allosaurus (“Giant Southern Lizard”) | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques | -striking opponents repeatedle -weaken opponents due to blood loss -slashing prey to inflict damage | -skilled at tackling and taking down large prey -delivering a powerful bone-crushing bite -aims at vulnerable areas such as necks or flanks |
Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus are both highly skilled predators, effective at taking down some of the largest prey species in their respective periods.
The Allosaurus faced off against the massive sauropods of the Jurassic period, such as the Barosaurus.
They also faced off against stegosaurs known for their impressive body armor.
Tyrannosaurids were efficient hunters, too.
Their major prey included the ceratopsid dinosaurs, hadrosaurs, and ankylosaurs.
These were equally difficult prey species, and they needed advanced combat skills to take them down.
In a battle between these two top predators, their fighting strategy would be different.
The Allosaurus would likely use its teeth like a matchet, striking at the opponent repeatedly to leave a gaping wound and weaken the opponent due to blood loss.
The Tyrannosaurus, on the other hand, would aim to incapacitate prey with powerful bone-crushing bites.
The force of the dinosaur’s bite, combined with its serrated teeth, would inflict significant damage to an opponent.
While both strategies are effective, slashing at prey would likely take more time, especially against a bigger opponent like the T-rex.
The bigger size of the T-rex also means it could easily ram the Allosaurus with its big skull, stunning and immobilizing its opponent.
Of course, the bigger dinosaur would still have to be cautious of the speed and agility of its more nimble opponent because it could easily evade its attacks and exploit any missteps.
Who Would Reign Supreme?
Based on the analysis of their strengths and weaknesses, it’s clear that the Tyrannosaurus would most likely win in a fight against the Allosaurus.
The Allosaurus was one of the most powerful predators of the Jurassic Period.
As a skilled predator, it probably faced off against some of the biggest and most powerful herbivores of its time.
But a predator of the T-rex’s size would simply be overwhelming for the smaller predator because of its sheer power.
But it wouldn’t be an easy fight for the T-rex.
The Allosaurus had razor-sharp teeth, and its jaws were built to deliver potentially fatal bites to opponents.
It’s also quick on its feet and should be able to evade bulky opponents like the T-rex while looking for an opportunity to launch its own attack.
The T-rex would survive a few bites from the Allosaurus.
It’ll take more than a few gaping wounds to take down one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs that have ever lived.
If it does take enough damage, it may eventually succumb to the bleeding and trauma (a highly unlikely outcome!)
On the other hand, the T-rex could end the Allosaurus with just a single crushing bite to the jugular or any other delicate body part, and that’s what makes their matchup so precarious.
The survival of the Allosaurus would depend on how well it’s able to dodge the T-rex.
If it ever got caught in the tyrant king’s jaws, it’s game over for the Jurassic predator — an expected end to a thrilling matchup.
Sources:
- https://pediaa.com/what-is-the-difference-between-Allosaurus-and-tyrannosaurus/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrannosaurus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allosaurus#Feeding
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