| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Scientific classification | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: Carcharodontosauridae Tribe: Giganotosaurini Genus: Giganotosaurus Species: Giganotosaurus carolinii | Domain: Eukaryota Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: Tyrannosauridae Subfamily: Tyrannosaurinae Genus: Tyrannosaurus Species: Tyrannosaurus rex |
| Size | Height: 5 to 5.5 meters (16.6 to 18.3 ft.) Length: 13.7 meters (45 ft.) Weight:8 to 10 tons (8.8 to 11 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 | -slightly bigger than T-rex -robust build -thick neck with long muscular hindlimbs -short forelimbs and longer than T-rex’s -walked with a bipedal stance -arms had three fingers for functionality -short neural spines covering its back and tail | -strongest and most agile -robust skeletal structure -bipedal -three-toed feet with giant claws -massive skull -powerful jaws and muscles |
| Distribution | Argentina (South America) | North America (Western Region), United States (Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming) |
| Speed, Movement and Agility | Running Speed: 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) | Running Speed: 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) |
| Weapons | -sharp, blade-like teeth -massive bite force of about 18,000 Newtons | -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 | -wide range -smaller brain yet very agile -heightened senses | -bigger brain, senses are better developed -binocular range -bigger brain-to-body ratio which makes it smarter -with a heightened sense |
| Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques | -skilled at tackling and taking down large prey -delivering precise and deep wounds -targeting sensitive spots like the jugular -uses agility to strike | -skilled at tackling and taking down large prey -delivering a powerful bone-crushing bite -aims at vulnerable areas such as necks or flanks |
The Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the most iconic carnivorous dinosaurs to have ever lived.
Naturally, people assume that it was the biggest of the meat-eating dinosaurs.
But it really wasn’t.
The T-rex was outranked in size by the aptly named Giganotosaurus, an equally ferocious dinosaur that lived in South America.
Although the Giganotosaurus was slightly bigger than the T-rex, you might wonder what would happen if two of the biggest carnivorous dinosaurs ever faced off.
Interestingly, you won’t be the first to imagine this matchup happening.
The producers of the 2022 installment of the Jurassic Park movies (Jurassic World Dominion) set up a battle of these two giants on the big screen, and it was a delight to watch.
Of course, the winner of on-screen battles is always the one the producers want and not necessarily the strongest or most efficient fighter in real life.
But what about real life?
The truth is, a real-life showdown between these two dinosaurs would have never happened.
The T-rex was the apex predator in North America, while the Giganotosaurus was the king in South America.
It’s just a case of two kings in their separate kingdoms separated by a vast ocean and several miles of land.
Something else that separates these two dinosaurs is time!
Although they both lived during the Cretaceous Period, the T-rex lived between 68 and 66 million years ago, while the much older Giganotosaurus lived between 99.6 and 95 million years ago.
The Giganotosaurus was long gone before the T-rex evolved.
However, what if we could ignore all of these facts and set up a hypothetical battle between a Tyrannosaurus and a Giganotosaurus? How was it likely to play out?
In this article, we’ll explore what happens if two of the largest, most ferocious dinosaurs that have ever lived faced off against each other.
Comparing Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Scientific classification | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurischia Clade: Theropoda Family: Carcharodontosauridae Tribe: Giganotosaurini Genus: Giganotosaurus Species: Giganotosaurus carolinii | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Dinosauria Clade: Saurschia Clade: Theropoda Family: Tyrannosauridae Subfamily: Tyrannosaurinae Genus: Tyrannosaurus Species: Tyrannosaurus rex |
| Distribution | Argentina (South America) | North America (Western Region), United States (Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming) |
The Tyrannosaurus rex was a giant carnivorous dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous Period.
This was between 68 and 66 million years ago.
It is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs, famous for its towering size and massive, powerful jaws.
The name Tyrannosaurus rex translates as “king of tyrant lizard,” alluding to the massive size of this dinosaur and its status as the biggest dinosaur on the continent.
The T-rex was North America’s apex predator until the time of the dinosaurs ended about 66 million years ago.
The abundance of fossil materials belonging to this dinosaur suggests that they were quite abundant on the North American landscape.
The Giganotosaurus was North America’s version of the T-rex.
It was alive about 99 million years ago, which means it is older than the T-rex.
Giganotosaurus is one of the biggest terrestrial carnivores to have ever lived, outranked only by the Spinosaurus.
The name “Giganotosaurus” means “giant southern lizard,” which is fitting for its size and status as South America’s biggest carnivore.
Physical Features of Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Appearance and Physical Features | -slightly bigger than T-rex -robust build -thick neck with long muscular hindlimbs -short forelimbs and longer than T-rex’s -walked with a bipedal stance -arms had three fingers for functionality -short neural spines covering its back and tail | -strongest and most agile -robust skeletal structure -bipedal -three-toed feet with giant claws -massive skull -powerful jaws and muscles |
Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus were both giant predators adapted to killing very large prey.
In fact, there were numerous similarities in their physical features because they were both theropod dinosaurs, which means they were distantly related in some ways.
The T-rex was a large theropod dinosaur with a robust build.
It stood and walked with a bipedal stance, supported by long and muscular hindlimbs.
Tyrannosaurus also had a long and muscular tail, which helped to balance its weight during locomotion.
The forelimbs were extremely short but still relatively powerful for their size.
They ended in two clawed digits that could still hold and manipulate objects.
Giganotosaurus was an equally massive (slightly bigger) carnivore compared to the T-rex.
It also had a robust build, a thick neck, and long muscular hindlimbs.
Like other theropods, the Giganotosaurus also had relatively short forelimbs, but they were slightly longer than that of the T-rex.
They still weren’t useful for walking, so the Giganotosaurus walked with a bipedal stance, too.
The arms also had three fingers (compared to two for the T-rex), which means they were more functional.
The dinosaur probably used its forelimbs to grasp or manipulate prey and for other tasks as well.
The giganotosaurus also had short neural spines covering its back and tail.
A Size Comparison
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Size | Height: 5 to 5.5 meters (16.6 to 18.3 ft.) Length: 13.7 meters (45 ft.) Weight:8 to 10 tons (8.8 to 11 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) |
Size is one of the common talking points when comparing these two dinosaurs.
It is worth noting that several relatively complete Tyrannosaurus fossils have been found so far, so we have a fairly reliable idea of the dinosaur’s size.
The Giganotosaurus is known from relatively incomplete fossils, which has made it difficult to determine the exact size of this dinosaur.
Despite these difficulties, it is generally agreed that the Giganotosaurus was slightly bigger than the T-rex.
The biggest and most complete specimen of the Tyrannosaurus was about 12 to 13 meters (40–42 feet) long.
However, some individuals may have exceeded this size.
The dinosaur was about 3.7 to 4 meters (12–13 feet) tall at the hips, with an average mass of up to 10 tons.
The Giganotosaurus, on the other hand, had a maximum length estimate of about 13 meters (43 feet).
This means it exceeded the T-rex in length by a small margin.
It was roughly the same height as the Tyrannosaurus, but with an average weight of about eight tons, the Giganotosaurus was slightly lighter than its North American relative.
In a direct size comparison, it is clear these two dinosaurs were remarkably similar in terms of their dimensions.
They were imposing figures with similar lengths and heights.
The minor differences in their length and weight, with the T-rex being slightly heavier and the Giganotosaurus being slightly longer, probably wouldn’t matter much in a matchup between them.
Speed, Movement, and Agility
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Speed, Movement and Agility | Running Speed: 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) | Running Speed: 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) |
In the past, the long limbs of the Giganotosaurus were taken to mean that the dinosaur was built for speed.
However, more recent studies suggest that it probably didn’t run super fast.
In fact, both the Tyrannosaurus and its South American cousin weren’t speed devils.
The T-rex was the slower theropod, with an estimated running speed of about 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) compared to 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) for the Giganotosaurus.
But having a higher running speed wouldn’t give you a significant upper hand in a one-on-one battle.
The major quality to compare here is how agile these two dinosaurs were compared to each other.
While the Giganotosaurus could run faster, the Tyrannosaurus was probably more agile in a fight.
That’s because of how the dinosaur’s weight was distributed and some aspects of its skeletal structure.
The T. rex’s body weight was concentrated toward the middle of its body.
This would have given it a more stable base compared to the more slab-like body of the Giganotosaurus.
The articulation of the T.rex’s joints and muscles also allowed a higher range of motion, so the dinosaur could twist and turn better than the Giganotosaurus.
For instance, the Tyrannosaurus had pyramid-shaped ankle bones, which would have been more stable when turning compared to the boxy ankles of the Giganotosaurus.
In all, the Giganotosaurus’ ability to outpace the T-rex might give it some advantage in a matchup if one was trying to get away from the other.
But in a face-to-face battle, the T-rex’s ability to employ more nimble movements might give it an upper hand in the engagement.
Battle of the Weapons
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Weapons | -sharp, blade-like teeth -massive bite force of about 18,000 Newtons | -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 |
Both the T-rex and the Giganotosaurus can be considered efficient killing machines in their own unique way.
The giant lizard of the south had a skull length of about six feet, which isn’t significantly bigger than the T-rex’s five-foot-long skull.
But what really mattered in a battle wasn’t just the size of their skull but how much damage they could inflict with it.
When you compare the skull anatomy of both dinosaurs, the jaw power of the T-rex outclasses that of the Giganotosaurus by a significant margin.
The U-shaped jaws of the Tyrannosaurus were supported by strong muscles designed to deliver a powerful chump.
The T-rex’s mouth could open wide, and the jawbones were lightweight.
This made it possible for the dinosaur to bite down on prey without damaging its skull.
Add that to the fact that the dinosaur’s jaws were lined with numerous dagger-like teeth (each one the size of a banana), and you have a powerful, bone-crushing jaw.
The largest T-rex tooth found so far was up to 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) long.
The Tyrannosaurus could bite a massive force of up to 35,000 to 57,000 Newtons, enough to crush a car.
It had the most powerful bite of any land carnivore!
The Giganotosaurus had big teeth in its jaws as well, but they were built differently.
While the Tyrannosaurus teeth had a round and thick profile, meaning they were built for impact, the Giganotosaurus had sharp, blade-like teeth.
Its teeth were better at cutting and slicing through flesh but not very great at chomping down or crushing bone.
The estimated bite force of this dinosaur’s jaws is about 18,000 Newtons.
So, while the T-rex was a massive bone-crushing predator that could crush its opponent’s windpipe or break its vertebrae in a single blow, the Giganotosaurus could deliver a fatal bite to the jugular that would cause its adversary to bleed to death.
Both were fatal weapons in their own way.
Still, the T-rex’s would have been more efficient since it can cause significant damage to any part of the body it bites into, while that of the Giganotosaurus had to hit a vital organ to be effective.
Aside from their massive skull and jaws, these dinosaurs were almost equally matched on all other fronts.
They both had extremely short forelimbs.
Although the forelimbs of the Giganotosaurus were longer, they were probably not very useful for physical combat.
Assessing How They Would Sense Each Other in Battle
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Sensory Capabilities | -wide range -smaller brain yet very agile -highetened senses | -bigger brain, senses are better developed -binocular range -bigger brain to body ratio which makes it smarter -with hightened sense |
Giganotosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus were both adept predators.
Consequently, both dinosaurs were equipped with sensory capabilities such as great vision, a well-developed sense of smell, and excellent hearing ability.
Tyrannosaurus had a bigger brain than the Giganotosaurus, which means most of its senses were probably better developed.
It had a binocular range that was on par with that of many raptorial birds.
Experts also think the Tyrannosaurus sometimes doubled as a scavenger, which means its nose had to be extra strong for detecting carcasses.
Basically, the T-rex was smarter than the Giganotosaurus, as evidenced by its much bigger brain-to-body ratio.
It’s hard to tell how this would factor in during combat.
But heightened senses mean the Tyrannosaurus would have a better awareness of its environment than its opponent, which would inform how it would approach an attack or evade one.
Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques
| Giganotosaurus “Giant Southern Lizard” | T-Rex (“Tyrant Lizard”) | |
| Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques | -skilled at tackling and taking down large prey -delivering precise and deep wounds -targeting sensitive spots like the jugular -uses agility to strike | -skilled at tackling and taking down large prey -delivering a powerful bone-crushing bite -aims at vulnerable areas such as necks or flanks |
Both Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus are predators that evolved over millions of years to hunt prey of varying sizes.
As top dogs in their respective habitats, they were perfectly skilled at tackling and taking down large prey.
But how is this important during a battle between them?
An animal’s preferred prey can give you an idea of how efficient its combat skills are.
The Tyrannosaurus lived alongside some of the most heavily armored dinosaurs, which served as its prey.
This includes the frilled dinosaurs (ceratopsians) and the duck-billed dinosaurs (hadrosaurs).
These dinosaurs were not only heavily shielded, but they were also among the smartest herbivores on the planet at the time.
For instance, the duck-billed dinosaurs are reputed to possess the largest brain-to-body size ratios of any herbivorous dinosaur.
This means they would have been very difficult to hunt.
The T-rex had to take on prey like this fairly often in its typical habitat.
Having frequent practice with difficult prey allowed the carnivore to hone its combat skills.
The Giganotosaurus, on the other hand, had to contend with sauropod dinosaurs.
While these were some of the largest dinosaurs to have ever lived, they weren’t particularly difficult to take down.
Most sauropods lacked body armor, and they were not very intelligent creatures.
Basically, the Giganotosaurus had it easier compared to the T-rex, and this may reflect on how they measure up against each other if they ever had to face off.
As an expert predator that hunted armored dinosaurs, the T-rex would know just where to attack and the perfect way to incapacitate a larger opponent like the Giganotosaurus.
The T-rex’s most formidable weapon was its powerful jaws, built to deliver a powerful bite.
The North American dinosaur would likely attempt to deliver bone-crushing bites to its opponent’s body, aiming for vulnerable areas like the neck or flanks.
If it succeeds in landing any of these blows successfully, the Giganotosaurus would clearly be in trouble.
The South American dinosaur, on the other hand, had sharp teeth and claws.
It would need to deliver precise and deep wounds, targeting sensitive spots like the jugular.
It might be able to use its agility to strike at the T-rex, causing loss of blood and weakness over time if the fight persists.
Who Would Reign Supreme?
A fight between the Tyrannosaurus and the Giganotosaurus is one of those battles whose outcome will be difficult to predict.
Both dinosaurs were roughly the same size, and they seemed to be equally matched in terms of their speed and agility.
What really sets them apart is their offensive capabilities and combat skills.
The Giganotosaurus would rely on precise bites to vulnerable body parts using its sharp teeth.
Although the dinosaur’s jaws were weaker compared to that of the T-rex, it could still inflict significant damage in the right circumstances.
The T-rex, on the other hand, was a killing machine with bone-crushing jaws.
It could deliver powerful bites that would incapacitate its opponent and bite off huge chunks of flesh in a single bite.
This battle could swing either way, depending on who’s able to deliver a fatal blow first.
We’ll say the T-rex has the upper hand since a direct bite to any part of its opponent’s body will definitely be devastating.
The Giganotosaurus would have to be precise and hit a sensitive part (like the jugular) to weaken the Tyrannosaurus. The Tyrannosaurus would likely win the majority of encounters between them, but the Giganotosaurus may be able to steal a few victories, too, in the right circumstances.
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