Mankind should feel fortunate to not share the same geologic timeline with dinosaurs. While it would be astounding to see these creatures in real life, it is difficult to rule out the fact that many of them were gigantic carnivores that would see us as food. Since the 1800s, geologists and paleontologists have unearthed a number of dinosaur fossils that have allowed scientists to reconstruct the physical structure of these prehistoric creatures, and understand just how massive and deadly they could be.
This article will present some of the most terrifying dinosaurs that once roamed the earth.
#1 Tyrannosaurus rex
Commonly referred to as ‘King of the Dinosaurs’ or simply as ‘T. rex’, the Tyrannosaurus rex was a large bipedal theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period. With an average height of 12 feet, 40 feet in length, and weighing between 11,000 to 19,000 pounds, the T. rex was one of the most ferocious dinosaurs with incredible size, strength, and biting power. Scientists believe the T. rex to have a bite force of around 8000 psi that could easily rip through the skin and crush the bones of prey.
#2 Velociraptor
The Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that first appeared 75 to 71 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period. While this particular predator is much tinier than other carnivorous dinosaurs, it has an incredible arsenal that makes it incredibly ferocious and deadly for its size. Contrary to its popular portrayal in movies, the Velociraptor is quite small. It has an average height of 1’ 7”, a length of 6’ 9”, and weighs between 33 to 45 lbs. Some of the most notable features of this species includes its elongated skull, upturned snout, short (but long) and feathery body, and, most strikingly, a large sickle-shaped claw on each hindfoot. You can find raptor claws for sale from fossil finders even today. It has a set of wide spaced and serrated teeth with a bite force of around 1000 psi which is extremely powerful for its size.
#3 Utahraptor
The Utahraptor is a dinosaur that could be easily identified by its long and narrow skull, thin, long and tapering tail, powerful hindlimbs, curved and sharp sickle-like claws. This infamous predator had an average height of 4’ 9” feet, a length ranging between 16 to 23 feet, and weighing between 1500 to 2000 pounds. I t was one of the largest raptors. The Utahraptor is believed to have tremendous speed and agility. These abilities combined with a bite force ranging between 600 to 950 psi, serrated teeth, and sharp claws that could easily rip through skin, this dinosaur was one of the most deadly predators in the Early Cretaceous Period.
#4 Giganotosaurus
As its name suggests, the Giganotosaurus was a gigantic theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period. First discovered in 1993 near the Candeleros Formation of Patagonia, this massive predator is considered to have been one of the biggest terrestrial carnivores to have roamed the earth. It has an average height of 16’ 6” to 18’ 3”, a length ranging between 39 to 43 feet, and weighs between 9,300 to 30,000 lbs, making it a truly terrifying dinosaur. Although fossil remains are rare, available evidence convinces scientists that the Giganotosaurus was well-muscled and had three sharp claws on each hand that could easily rip through skin. With a set of large serrated teeth, it is believed to have a bite force of over 8,000 psi.
Conclusion
While we can only see modern reconstruction of how dinosaurs looked from the little evidence available, there is no doubt that dinosaurs were incredible creatures. And though it would be amazing to see them alive in their natural habitat, if we had shared the same geologic timeline on earth, our existence could have been very challenging.
If you’re fascinated by dinosaurs and you like collecting their fossils, Buried Treasure Fossils has a varied collection of raptor claws for sale. Click the link here to check out our inventory.
