A new species of predatory dinosaur has been discovered that researchers believe was so big it would have terrorized early Tyrannosaurs.
The new species known as Siats Meekerorum, which is (logically) named after a mythical man eating monster, is believed to have grown to a huge 40 feet long, putting it in the top three of the biggest meat eating dinosaurs to have walked the Earth.
Roaming the planet approximately 98 million years ago, Siats Meekerorum would have been the apex predator of its time, and even dominating over the early Tyrannosaurs for millions of years. The new discovery suggests that contrary to popular belief, Tyrannosaurs were far from being the most fearsome predator for much of prehistoric history.
The legendary T-Rex however, which appeared 30 million years later, would have dwarfed the Siats Meekerorum and likely have weighed twice as much.
Dr Lindsay Zanno who is a paleontologist at North Carolina State University who led the study of the new fossils states:
“Contemporary tyrannosaurs would have been no more than a nuisance to Siats, like jackals at a lion kill.
“It wasn’t until carcharodontosaurs like this bowed out that the stage could be set for the evolution of T. rex.”
Check out the full article here at The Telegraph.
