Tarbosaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Asia.
Facts[]
Tarbosaurus was a large predator, measuring up to 12 meters (33–40 feet) in length and weighed up to 7 tonnes. It lived in inner Asia (Mongolia and the neighboring countries like China) and belonged to the tyrannosaurid branch of the theropod family of dinosaurs; i.e., it was an Asian cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex, Albertosaurus, and Gorgosaurus. In fact, some scientists think it belongs in the genus Tyrannosaurus as the species Tyrannosaurus bataar instead of being its own genus.
However, skeletal differences between the two carnivores, especially in their skulls, imply that Tarbosaurus was a separate genus, and that it also had a slightly different hunting strategy compared to T. rex. Its skull was more slender and narrower than that of T. rex, and it appears to have fairly limited binocular vision due to its skull structure. Additionally, Tarbosaurus was slightly older and a bit smaller than T. rex, living around 70 million years ago; 2 million years before the oldest known occurrence of T. rex.
As the top predator of Mongolia in the end of the Cretaceous period, Tarbosaurus was armed with a large, sharp teeth, which it used to make devastating bites into prey and pull out chunks of flesh, and had a good sense of smell. It had a long tail, which was used to counterbalance its massive head and a pair of tiny arms, whose function still remains unclear.
In the Series[]
Chased by Dinosaurs[]
Trailer[]
A Tarbosaurus, along with a pack of Velociraptor, were seen chasing Nigel Marven.
The Giant Claw[]
Tarbosaurus is featured in the second episode The Giant Claw, where it was shown to be the top predator of the Gobi Desert. It hunted animals such as Mononykus, Protoceratops, Saurolophus, and Therizinosaurus. Yet Therizinosaurus could put up a sufficiently spirited defense to defeat even this alpha predator, as featured in the episode, when a Tarbosaurus is slapped across the face by a Therizinosaur's giant claws and leaves the scene defeated.
Sea Monsters[]
Tarbosaurus is briefly seen in the introduction, where it chased Nigel to the point he jumps into a nearby ocean.
Walking with Dinosaurs: Inside Their World[]
Tarbosaurus is one of the viewable dinosaurs in the app. In the Diet of Dinosaurs section, it is seen killing a Gallimimus. It is also seen in the Therizinosaurus page fighting the dinosaur.
Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs[]
Impenetrable Fortress[]
A Tarbosaurus named Thorn is the main antagonist in Chapter 4 of the game.
Gallery[]
Errors[]
- The head is slightly off.
- The hands couldn't be pronated.
Gorgosaurus • Tarbosaurus • Tyrannosaurus rex |