Torvosaurus ‭(‬Savage lizard‭)

Torvosaurus ‭(‬Savage lizard‭)
Phonetic

Tor-voe-sore-us

Named By

Peter Galton‭ & ‬James A.‭ ‬Jensen‭ ‬-‭ ‬1979

Diet

Carnivore

Size

Estimated 11 meters long

Type of Dinosaur

Large Theropod

Type Species

T.‭ ‬tanneri‭ (‬type‭), T. gurneyi

Found in

USA‭ ‬-‭ ‬Colorado‭ ‬-‭ ‬Morrison Formation.‭ Portugal – Lourinhă Formation

When it Lived

Late Jurassic, 153-148 million years ago

Torvosaurus Facts

Torvosaurus, meaning “savage lizard,” is a genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, around 153-148 million years ago. Its fossils have been found in what is now North America and Europe.

Torvosaurus was a large predator, measuring up to 36 feet (11 meters) in length and weighing around 1.5-2.5 tons. It had a long, narrow skull with sharp teeth and powerful jaws for biting and tearing flesh. Its arms were relatively short and had three-fingered hands with sharp claws.

One of the most distinctive features of Torvosaurus was its large, serrated teeth, which were specialized for slicing through tough flesh and bone. It likely hunted large herbivorous dinosaurs like sauropods, as well as smaller prey like other dinosaurs and mammals.

Torvosaurus is known from several well-preserved fossil specimens, including a nearly complete skeleton found in Portugal in 1979. This specimen is one of the most complete large theropod skeletons ever found, and has provided valuable insights into the anatomy and behavior of these fearsome predators.

While Torvosaurus is not as well-known as some other theropod dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus, it is an important part of the Late Jurassic ecosystem and helps us understand the diversity and evolution of carnivorous dinosaurs during this time period.

In conclusion, Torvosaurus was a large, carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period. It had a long, narrow skull with sharp teeth and powerful jaws for biting and tearing flesh, and its large, serrated teeth were specialized for slicing through tough flesh and bone. Torvosaurus likely hunted large herbivorous dinosaurs and other smaller prey, and is an important part of the Late Jurassic ecosystem. Its fossils have provided valuable insights into the anatomy and behavior of these fearsome predators.

 
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