Nanotyrannus Characteristics

Nanotyrannus measured around 16 feet (5 metres) in length and weighed 1 ton. This small tyrannosaurid had a large head with forward facing eyes which gave it excellent binocular vision and depth perception which made it able to spot prey at a distance. Nanotyrannus had long legs with 3 toed feet and short arms with 2 clawed fingers on each hand. It had a thick neck and large powerful jaws equipped with razor sharp teeth.

Nanotyrannus was a slim built dinosaur with narrow hips and was a very fast, agile runner. Nanotyrannus was able to sprint as fast as 30 kilometres per hour and change direction very quickly. Prey would have found it quite difficult to escape as this fierce little carnivore would have lunged forward with its powerful legs and grab its victim with its strong jaws sinking its sharp teeth into the victims body.

Nanotyrannus was a dangerous dinosaur who may have hunted in packs. Teeth from multiple Nanotyrannus have been found in the bones of herbivorous dinosaurs.

Nanotyrannus is known from a single skull and jaw. The skull is now housed at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Some paleontologists believe that Nanotyrannus is a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, partly because some of the skull bones are not fused, indicating an immature animal.

Nanotyrannus was named by Bakker, Currie and Williams in 1988.