Tyrannosaurus rex, the so-called ‘king of the tyrant lizards’, is probably the most famous dinosaur of all time. At up to 40 ft long, it remains one of the largest known meat-eating dinosaurs. However, recent discoveries of feathered dinosaurs are changing our understanding of the life appearance of this popular species.
History
This infamous predator was named in 1905 and was the first tyrannosaur ever discovered. Scrappy material pertaining to this giant carnivore was found in the late 1890s, but more substantial remains were discovered during a 1902 expedition to Montana led by the American Museum of Natural History. Tyrannosaurus fossils have since been unearthed across the western North American states of Alberta, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, and Utah. Several fossil specimens, including four complete skulls, two complete bodies, and other incomplete skeletons representing over 30 individuals, mean that Tyrannosaurus is one of the best understood theropod dinosaurs.
Specimens of earlier, smaller tyrannosaurs from China, Dilong and Yutyrannus, have been found with feathers preserved. This evidence suggests that Tyrannosaurus also had feathers because these species are so closely related.