Allosaurus fraqilis 'strange reptile'
39 feet long, carnivore, late Jurassic. 44 fossils have been found from adult too juvenile. Ranging from 39 feet to 10 feet long.
Head had the longest skull of any carnivore from Triassic to Jurassic. Skulls are 24-36 inches long. Has long curved serrated teeth. Large spaces to lighten the skull. Large jaw muscles. Had a rough ridge above eye, may have been a slat gland or other distinctive feature. Vertebrae- 1.Neck vertebrae allowed its head to move freely. 2. Shoulder vertebrae had large muscles, with more muscle attachment that were probably used in the catching and holding of prey. 3. Hip area shows large amounts of muscle scar attachment. Which would mean that it was an active animal through hunting or running. Body- Large pillars like legs. Neck was short and curved so head was above the shoulders. Forelimbs end in 3 curved claws. Allosaurus was a predatory animal that killed its prey easily. Their prey was most likely 'sauropods' or 'orinithischians'. It is also probable that Allosaurus probably also a scavenged once in a while, like other carnivores did and do.
Go to Tyrannosaurs Or back to Theropod page.