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How to Identify a Tyrannosaurus Rex

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By eHow Contributing Writer
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You can recognize the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex if you know the distinguishing characteristics of these extinct kings of the dinosaur world. Follow these steps before your next visit to Jurassic Park.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Start at the bottom. The Tyrannosaurus Rex had enormous hind legs and could presumably run approximately 40 mph.

  2. Step 2

    Note the length of the Tyrannosaurus. Its average length was 40 to 50 feet, with the long tail acting as a counter-balance to the enormous, slightly forward-leaning body.

  3. Step 3

    Look at the arms, which are tiny in comparison to the rest of the body; the hands could not even reach the dinosaur's mouth. Paleontologists still cannot agree on what they were used for or if they were used at all. Various theories include the Tyrannosaurus using them to hold onto prey while it ate or providing help for the dinosaur to stand erect.

  4. Step 4

    Notice the size of the head. The jaws alone were 4 feet long, with 50 to 60 teeth which were a minimum of 9 inches long. It is believed that the size of the jaw and teeth enabled it to grab its prey, and then kill it with a single snap to the backbone.

  5. Step 5

    Take note of the forward facing eyes. This is a sign of a carnivorous animal because it allows focus to sight and track prey.

  6. Step 6

    Study the imprints left by the fossilized dinosaurs. They suggest that the skin had a pebbled appearance, although there are paleontologists who believe the creature was an ancestor to certain birds and may have had feathers.

  7. Step 7

    Consider the height (18 feet) and length (40 to 50 feet) and realize that the Tyrannosaurus Rex must have weighed at least 10,000 pounds.

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