Source by: Google
Many of us had the misconception that dinosaurs used to be elephant-sized creatures. But that is not the case at all! Dinosaurs were gigantic ferocious creatures that no one would ever want to cross paths with.
Since their extinction, scientists, researchers, and paleontologists are all interested in discovering these curious creatures. If you are interested in knowing everything about these deadly creatures, read this article until the end. Here we will introduce you to the top 10 most fierce dinosaurs that lived in the Mesozoic era 66 million years ago.
So, let’s quench our thirst for exploring the top 10 most fierce dinosaurs.
1. Tyrannosaurus Rex – Deadliest Predator Ever
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We are sure there will be hardly a dino fan unaware of a Tyrannosaurus rex. T rex belonged to the coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur genus. It was an ultimate carnivore and a badass dinosaur. T rex was the largest terrestrial carnivore that lived in North America 83 to 66 million years ago.
Tyrannosaurus rex is a Greek word, and when translated into English, it means a tyrant lizard king. The dinosaur wasn’t among the biggest or fastest dinosaurs, but it was still an all-rounder due to its strong sense of smell. This helped the t rex to sniff its prey over long distances and to track dead carcasses.
2. Saurophaganax – World's Deadliest Dinosaurs
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Saurophaganax, known as the lord of lizard eaters, was one of the deadliest dinosaurs. It was the longest and largest terrestrial carnivore that walked on earth 151 million years ago. Fossil evidence suggests that this dinosaur used to feed on armed dinosaurs and large sauropods due to its huge stature.
Additionally, Saurophaganax was scary enough to hunt any dinosaur nearby; as a result, it gave tough competition to other predatory dinosaurs. Even a t rex would have a tough time competing with this beast regarding catching prey.
3. Velociraptor – Jurassic Park Star
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A velociraptor is a well-known character from Jurassic Park movies. If you have watched these movies, you might remember how this dinosaur appeared in the kitchen scene. The velociraptor ruled the earth 70 to 74 million years ago.
This dinosaur was not as fast or large in reality as portrayed in the movie. What made velociraptors the most dangerous dinosaur ever was their deadly curved toe claw which they used to clutch their prey. Additionally, their bite force would reach up to 1,000 PSI, making them fast and polished predators that hunted in packs.
4. Stegosaurus – Armored Dinosaur
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Characterized by a tiny head, spiked long body, and tail, Stegosaurus were plant-eating dinosaurs that lived on earth 159 to 144 million years ago. From its appearance, nobody could guess that this dinosaur would readily bash an Allosaurus using its spiked tail. Scientists believe that Stegosaurus did not have an efficient brain functioning due to its small head size.
Moreover, these dinosaurs had long hind feet and short forefeet. Their head used to be in a downward position that would help them eat shrubs, and their tail tipped with spikes used to be high in the air. The spikes on their body regulated the thermostasis while its tail tipped with spikes was used for defense.
5. Spinosaurus – Largest Carnivorous Dinosaur
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Northern African spinosaurus was the world’s first identified swimming dinosaur. It’s on the list of Titanosaurs: Top 15 Biggest dinosaurs of the world. And it was the largest carnivorous dinosaur that lived in Northern Africa. This gigantic predator spent most of its life along rivers, tackling fish with its crocodile-like jaws.
Spinosaurus used to surface water bodies much like a crocodile and would gulp any living body it came across. You can click the blog Top 8 Swimming & Water Dinosaurs to know more. And it weighed around 10 tons and was almost equal to a one-and-a-half double-decker bus in London. They used their huge stature and sharp claws to scare off small land-bound dinosaurs.
6. Carcharodontosaurus – Shark Toothed Lizard
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Carcharodontosaurus lived 100 to 93 million years ago. Even with smaller arms and legs, it was considered a deadlier predator than a t rex and other predatory dinosaurs due to its narrow blade-like teeth.
Therefore, these dinosaurs were called Carcharodontosaurus, which in Latin means shark-toothed lizard. Its 20 cm long serrated teeth would slice away its prey like a switchblade. These dinosaurs were not intelligent and used their legs to outrun their enemies.
7. Allosaurus – Struggling Prey
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Allosaurus used to live in what is now known as the western United States 155 to 145 million years ago. Being able to take down prey twice the size of t rex, Allosaurus is one of the deadliest dinosaurs of the Jurassic world.
Its sharp teeth used to scare away even the largest dinosaurs. However, fossil evidence suggests that Allosaurus was a struggling prey. Although it was a far deadlier predator than a t rex, it wasn’t smart due to its small brain size.
8. Mapusaurus – Largest Theropod Dinosaur
Source by: istock
Dating back to 97 to 93 million years, Mapusaurus hunted in packs and would pin down even the biggest dinosaurs that lived in their area. Just like his cousin Giganotosarus, Mapusaurus had narrow blade-like teeth which they used against their prey.
Fossil evidence suggests that their diet mainly consisted of any large land animal available nearby. To get over their prey, they would slice it and then tear it apart. Their coordination while hunting in packs made them some of the most lethal dinosaurs ever.
9. Giganotosaurus – Giant Southern Lizard
Source by: istock
In the late Cretaceous period, Giganotosaurus lived 99 million years ago in western North America. This giant southern lizard is a close cousin of the Carcharodontosaurus and was a rival of t rex in size. Furthermore, it was a bit taller than the t rex but at the same time smaller than Carcharodontosaurus, but it was still the fastest among all of them.
Despite having a huge skull, Giganotosaurus had a small brain, like the Carcharodontosaurus. However, just like t rex, they had a strong sense of smell, which was deadly when combined with their 8-ton weight. To capture their prey, they used their long serrated teeth to slice through their foe.
10. Acrocanthosaurus – Apex Predator
Source by: istock
Acrocanthosaurus was an apex predator that lived 116 to 110 million years ago. Its name comes from Greek origins that, when translated into English, means a high-spined lizard. They were characterized by a muscle compound over the neck, back, and hips and high neural spines on their vertebrae.
Because its forelimbs were short, Acrocanthosaurus would not swing them very far. For hunting purposes, they used their mouths. First, they would seize their prey using their jaw and then tear them open with their claws.
Bottom Line
The top 10 most fierce dinosaurs list doesn’t stop here. Hundreds of dinosaur fossils still need to be discovered to further help us understand these complex creatures.
Hopefully, we will have better and more detailed information about these curious animals in the future. If you have been searching for a realistic dino sculpture, try looking at this amazing dinosaur miniature statue by clicking here.
FAQs
Which Dinosaur was the Deadliest During the Late Jurassic Period?
Stegosaurus was one of the deadliest dinosaurs dating back to the late Jurassic world. This herbivorous dinosaur had spikes all over its back and tail. Their spiked tail would help them to defend themselves from other dinosaurs.
What is a Cannibal Dinosaur?
Majungasaurus was known as a cannibal dinosaur because of its incredibly sharp teeth. Its fossil suggests that this predator spent its life biting their prey and pinning them to death.
How was Troodon Characterized?
Troodon was known as one of the most fierce dinosaurs due to its bite force. With that, it also had an efficient brain functioning, which helped it stay ahead of other deadly dinosaurs.
Was Herbivore Ankylosaurus Deadly?
Herbivore ankylosaurus was considered deadly partly due to its huge slashing tail. It is believed that an ankylosaurus-massive tail could cause a huge blow to a t rex.
How was Utahraptor Characterized?
Utahraptors were characterized by their sharp claws and sheer killing abilities. They had sharp claws that, combined with serrated teeth, would slash open their prey.
