Allosaurus

Allosaurus fragilis

Allosaurus was the apex predator of the Late Jurassic, the lion of its age. It had a large skull with horn-like ridges above its eyes. Evidence suggests it may have hunted sauropods in packs.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Human Scale
Comprimento	9.7 m	roughly the length of a large SUV
Height	3.5 m	—
Peso	2.3 t	comparable to 2.3 small cars

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Allosaurus was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Allosaurus lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161,5 to 145,0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.

Discovery & Naming

Nomeado por	Othniel Charles Marsh
Ano de descoberta	1877
Local de descoberta	Garden Park, Colorado, USA

Classificação

Dinosauria → Saurischia → Theropoda → Allosaurus

Beast feet

Bipedal, mostly carnivorous dinosaurs that include the largest land predators ever to live. Theropods gave rise to modern birds. Ranges from tiny Compsognathus to massive Tyrannosaurus rex.

Size Comparison

At 9,7 meters long and 2300,0 kg, Allosaurus was roughly the length of a large SUV and comparable to 2.3 small cars.

Other dinosaurs from the same period:

Caihong juji Ambopteryx longibrachium Amphicoelias altus Maraapunisaurus fragillimus Giraffatitan brancai Marshosaurus

Quick Facts

Classificação	Theropoda
Período geológico	Jurassic Late
Dieta	Carnivore
Tamanho	9.7m long, 3.5m tall, 2.3t

Dinossauros relacionados

Carcharodontosaurus Cretaceous Early

Anchiornis Jurassic Late

Coelophysis Triassic Late

Compsognathus Jurassic Late

Dilophosaurus Jurassic Early

Giganotosaurus Cretaceous Late

Carnotaurus Cretaceous Late

Therizinosaurus Cretaceous Late

Perguntas frequentes

When did Allosaurus live?

Allosaurus lived during the Jurassic Late period (Mesozoic Era, 161.5–145.0 million years ago).

What did Allosaurus eat?

Allosaurus was a carnivore.

How big was Allosaurus?

Allosaurus was approximately 9.7 meters long, 3.5 meters tall, weighed around 2.3 tonnes.

When was Allosaurus discovered?

Allosaurus was first described in 1877 by Othniel Charles Marsh, with fossils found in Garden Park, Colorado, USA.

What type of dinosaur was Allosaurus?

Allosaurus belonged to the Theropoda group, which is part of the larger Saurischia clade.

Where were Allosaurus fossils found?

Fossils of Allosaurus were found in Garden Park, Colorado, USA.

What is the scientific name of Allosaurus?

The scientific name of Allosaurus is Allosaurus fragilis.

Compare with Similar Dinosaurs

Allosaurus vs Carcharodontosaurus Allosaurus vs Anchiornis Allosaurus vs Coelophysis

Explore More

All dinosaurs from this period

All dinosaurs in this clade

Browse all carnivores

Explore the Natural World

Discover more across the Nature FYI family

SpeciesFYI Species & Taxonomy BirdFYI 11,000+ Bird Species FishFYI Fish & Marine Life PlantFYI 379,000+ Plants