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sharp-clawed runner
Allosaurus
Say it like this: “AL-o-SAWR-us”
Allosaurus fragilis
Allosaurus ate meat and walked on two legs. It lived in the Late Jurassic. Bones have been found in the United States.
- When
- Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian) · roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago
- Named in
- 1877 · Marsh, O. C.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 8.5 m · 28 ft
- Weight
- 6 tonnes
- Found in
- the United States · Morrison
- Food and walking
- Carnivore · Two legs
- Kind
- sharp-clawed runner · Theropod
- Family branch
- Allosauridae
The story in short
In 1877, O. C. Marsh published the name Allosaurus. The name means “different lizard.”
It lived in the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian), roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago. Finds come from the United States, including the Morrison Formation. It was a carnivore and walked on two legs.
Published estimates put Allosaurus at a length near 8.5 m and a body mass around 6 tonnes.
On the family tree it sits in Allosauridae, among the theropod dinosaurs.
This entry is the whole genus. The type species is Allosaurus fragilis. Other named species include Allosaurus jimmadseni.
Other species with this name
- Allosaurus fragilis
- Allosaurus jimmadseni