T. Rex Cousin Found in East China

Chinese scientists have found a new species of giant theropod dinosaur in Shandong Province, and describe it as a close relative of Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex). Paleontologists examining the skull dug up in the city of Zhucheng say it is distinguished by its unique upper jawbones. Estimated to be about 11 meters long, four meters tall and close to six tons in weight, it has been named Zhuchengtyrannus magnus.

The bones are a few centimeters smaller than similar bones belonging to the largest T. Rex specimen known, so there was no doubt that Zhuchengtyrannus was a huge tyrannosaur. Zhuchengtyrannus magnus is considered to belong to a specialized group of big lizards called tyrannosaurines which existed in North America and eastern Asia during the Late Cretaceous Period, 65 to 99 million years ago.

All tyrannosaurs were carnivores and bipedal animals that generally had small arms and large skulls, but the tyrannosaurines were the largest. Characterized by having just two fingers on each hand and large powerful jaws that delivered a bone crushing bite, they were likely both predators and scavengers.

The fossil quarry in Zhucheng contains one of the largest concentrations of dinosaur bones in the world. At least 10 dinosaur species have been found in three rounds of excavations since the 1960s, including Tyrannosaurus and Hadrosaurs.