Gorgosaurus

Filed under Cretaceous dinosaurs · Types of Dinosaurs editorial team

Order: Saurischia · Suborder: Theropoda · Infraorder: Tyrannosauroidea · Family: Tyrannosauridae

Gorgosaurus, whose name means "fierce lizard," was a carnivorous tyrannosaurid that roamed western North America during the Late Cretaceous period. Measuring between 26 and 30 feet in length, this predator was built more lightly and compactly than the later and much larger Tyrannosaurus, traits that likely afforded it greater speed and agility. Closely related to Albertosaurus, Gorgosaurus occupied a similar ecological niche as a top predator of its time, hunting horned and duck-billed dinosaurs that shared its environment.

The fossil record has provided paleontologists with an unusually complete picture of Gorgosaurus. Numerous well-preserved skeletons rank it among the best-represented members of the Tyrannosauridae family. These specimens reveal the distinctive features that defined the species: a deep, powerful skull armed with sharp, serrated teeth designed for tearing flesh, and characteristically short, two-fingered arms. Beyond basic anatomy, some fossils preserve compelling evidence of injuries and diseases that afflicted these animals during their lifetimes, offering scientists rare windows into the health, behavior, and survival challenges these fierce predators faced in their ancient world.

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Reference background: Natural History Museum, London — Dinosaurs; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs; American Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs & Fossils. Figures are typical published ranges; taxonomy follows the source era and modern consensus is noted where it differs. See our sources & fact-check policy.

Related dinosaurs

Other dinosaurs from the Tyrannosauridae family.