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Lythronax

Say it: LYE-thro-nax

Name means: “gore king”1 2

Ate: MeatTyrannosaursLate Cretaceous

Lythronax was an early relative of T. rex that lived about 80 million years ago. It was a fierce predator with a short, deep snout and eyes that faced forward, giving it excellent depth perception for hunting.1 2

Lived

84 to 72 million years ago4

Late Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Utah, USA4 1

Food

Meat4 1

Length

7 to 8 m1

estimate based on partial skeleton

Weight

1.5 tonnes to 2.5 tonnes1

Height

2 m3

at the hips

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

How long was it?

How tall was it?

at the hips

How heavy was it?

as heavy as 1.5 cars

as long as 8 dogs nose to tailas long as 44 bananas end to endas heavy as 83 big dogsas heavy as 500 watermelonsabout as tall as a door

How big was Lythronax compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

Lythronax is the oldest known tyrannosaurid dinosaur, living about 80 million years ago.2

Its skull was wide at the back, which gave it forward-facing eyes like T. rex, but it lived millions of years earlier.1 2

The only known specimen was discovered in 2009 in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah.1

Lythronax lived on a landmass called Laramidia, which was isolated by a huge inland sea.1 2

Its name means 'gore king', referring to its bloody lifestyle as a predator.1 2

Lythronax had 11 teeth in its upper jaw, fewer than some later tyrannosaurs.2

AI-made picture of Lythronax — An AI-made picture of how Lythronax might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Lythronax

?How big was Lythronax?

Lythronax was about 5 to 8 metres (16 to 26 feet) long and weighed between 0.5 and 2.5 tonnes (1,100 and 5,500 pounds).1

?When did Lythronax live?

Lythronax lived around 81.9 to 81.5 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period.1

?Where was Lythronax found?

The only known Lythronax fossil was discovered in 2009 in the Grand Staircase, Escalante National Monument in Utah, USA.1

?What does the name Lythronax mean?

Lythronax means 'gore king', referring to its lifestyle as a predator.1

?Was Lythronax bigger than T. rex?

No, Lythronax was much smaller than T. rex. It was about 5 to 8 metres long, while T. rex could be over 12 metres long.1

?Did Lythronax have feathers?

Scientists are not sure. Earlier small tyrannosaurs had protofeathers, but it is unknown if Lythronax had them.1

?What did Lythronax eat?

Lythronax was a carnivore that ate other dinosaurs. Its forward-facing eyes gave it good depth perception for hunting.1

?How many teeth did Lythronax have?

Lythronax had 11 tooth sockets in each upper jaw bone, fewer than most later tyrannosaurs. Its front teeth were the largest, up to 13 cm (5 inches) long.1

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Myth buster

Myth: Lythronax is often thought to be a small dinosaur because it is an early relative of T. rex.

Truth: Lythronax was actually about 7 to 8 meters long, similar in size to a large alligator, and was a top predator in its ecosystem.1

For dino experts

Scientific name: Lythronax
Named by: Loewen et al. 20134
Group: Tyrannosaurs
Family / clade: Tyrannosauridae4
Classification: Theropoda > Tyrannosauroidea > Tyrannosauridae4
Age of the rocks: 84 to 72 million years (Campanian)4
Rock formations: Wahweap4
Countries: USA4
Fossil records: 1 in the Paleobiology Database4
Discovery: Lythronax was named in 2013 by paleontologist Mark Loewen and his team. The only fossil was found in Utah in 2009 and includes parts of the skull, hips, and legs.1 2
Still debated: Scientists are not sure exactly how Lythronax is related to other tyrannosaurs, because its skeleton is incomplete.1

Where the facts come from

Lythronax (en.wikipedia.org)
Tyrant Dinosaur Evolution Tracks the Rise and Fall of Late Cretaceous Oceans (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Lythronax argestes: a new tyrant and the spread of the tyrannosaurs | Dinosaurs | The Guardian (theguardian.com)
Lythronax in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are dino fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

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