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Paleontologists have discovered many fossils of dinosaurs over the years. Dinosaurs were immensely varied in size, some being a little bigger than a chicken while others were the size of several trucks. In the same vein, their general savagery ranged widely. While some were notably docile and others just domineering.
Of course, you wouldn't want to run across any dinosaurs accidentally, but some were unquestionably more lethal than others.
How Do Dinosaurs Qualify For This List?
For the sake of this investigative process, ranking the world's deadliest dinosaur species required a few simple parameters. While you may think that this list will only include carnivorous dinosaurs, you'll be surprised that there are plant-eating contenders as well.
On top of this foundational fact, remember that the dinosaurs below were chosen from all historical periods. Selecting only dinosaurs from one era would severely limit the pool from which to draw for this ranking.
The ultimate qualification for admission on this roster is the dinosaur's ability to cause significant injury or death to other creatures. We have compared each animal's defensive systems, bite power, and stature.
Even though potential gaps and inconsistencies can develop with each of these characteristics, we still think this criterion is the greatest way to determine the deadliest dinosaurs in the world.
The Top 10 Most Dangerous Dinosaurs To Ever Exist
10. Diplodocus — The Double Beam Dinosaur
You're probably thinking Diplodocus has no business being included among the world's deadliest dinosaurs. Who doesn't love Diplodocus, the benign, long-necked, and sometimes mispronounced plant eater?
In reality, this 100-foot-long sauropod had a slim, 20-foot-long tail that - according to some paleontologists' expert opinion - could lash like a whip at hypersonic speeds to ward off predators like Allosaurus.
Although Diplodocus (and their cousins Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus) could easily crush its adversaries flat on the ground with a well-timed stomp of its rear foot, this would be a considerably less theatrical situation.
In addition, herds of Diplodocus will undoubtedly stampede in the case of an Allosaurus raid, which might completely destroy your standard watering hole.
9. Velociraptor — The Speedy Thief
Velociraptors were not as large or fast in reality as depicted in Jurassic Park films. Mature specimens, on average, weighed 43.5 pounds and stood 1 foot and seven inches tall, putting them roughly the size of a big turkey.
However, they did have a massive hook-like talon on their second finger. This claw was the reason Velociraptors became renowned. According to recent studies, this huge nail was intended to prevent prey from fleeing their clutches.
The animal's biting force may reach 1,000 PSI (pounds per square inch), letting it swiftly immobilize and kill its prey. This is far more force than the contemporary grizzly bear, whose bite force clocks in at 975 PSI. When you put it all together, it's easy to see why the Velociraptor earned its reputation as one of the fiercest dinosaurs ever.
8. Mapusaurus — The Earth Lizard
Even though the Argentinosaurus and other big sauropods could withstand the attacks of many smaller dinosaurs, their size did not guarantee immunity from larger predators. We introduce you to Mapusaurus, a fearless predator capable of taking down Argentinosaurus and other similarly sized dinos.
The bones of this 40-foot-long predator were discovered in a bone bed in Argentina, and among them were those of several individuals, including a few juveniles. Although the bodies may have just been washed there by a periodic torrent, some researchers have hypothesized that this is the earliest indication of social activity among carnivorous dinosaurs.
It's not completely out of the question that Mapusaurus hunted in groups, given that taking down a behemoth like Argentinosaurus would have needed some coordination. When predators are found in large numbers, such as this one, it's likely because they were part of an organized hunting operation, as paleontologist and co-discoverer Phil Currie hypothesized.
7. Ankylosaurus — The Fused Lizard
Considering that it fed on plants, this dinosaur may not appear dangerous, but the Ankylosaurus, a tank-like dino combined with a wrecking ball, would likely disagree.
Ankylosaurus, the armored dinosaur, was a near cousin of Stegosaurus, and both creatures similarly defended against foes. Unlike Stegosaurus, whose tail ended in a spiky thagomizer, Ankylosaurus sported a gigantic tail club weighing an estimated one hundred pounds—the dinosaur version of a historical mace.
Ankylosaurus probably used this club for fighting among the same species during mating season. Still, it was powerful enough to shatter the hind limb of a Tyrannosaurus rex or knock out some of its teeth with a well-placed swipe.
6. Allosaurus — The Different Lizard
Speculating on the population size of extinct species of dinosaurs from only their fossil remains can be dangerous at best.
However, if we make that leap in logic, Allosaurus was a considerably nastier carnivore than the (much later) Tyrannosaurus rex; countless examples of this aggressive, powerful, three-ton meat-eating machine have been unearthed across the western United States.
Despite its lethal nature, Allosaurus was not intelligent, owing to a brain the size of a twisted hotdog. One such party of adults died in a Utah quarry when they became trapped in tar while savoring the struggle of their next (and last) meal.
5. Majungasaurus — The Mahajanga Lizard
The Majungasaurus was a particularly menacing species, famous for its incredible force and strength compared to other dinosaurs. Despite being shorter and lighter than average, the creature was more effective in incapacitating enormous prey thanks to its well-muscled body frame.
An incredible biting force of almost 6,700 PSI was its primary weapon. According to fossil evidence, this creature frequently bit and held onto its prey, chomping at them until Majungasaurus could deliver a fatal blow.
Its bite marks have been discovered on the fossils of others of the same species, leading to the "cannibal dinosaur."
4. Spinosaurus — The Spined Lizard
Spinosaurus, a northern African dinosaur, was the first known aquatic dinosaur and weighed approximately the same amount as Giganotosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.
This 10-ton killer lurked within and around rivers, locking prey between its crocodile-like jaws and often emerging like a great white to terrify smaller, land-dwelling dinos. Spinosaurus may have clashed with the similarly enormous crocodile Sarcosuchus, often known as the "SuperCroc," occasionally. This would have been one of the middle Cretaceous period's most spectacular encounters.
The Spinosaurus, with its flexible tail it could use for slapping, formidable claws for gripping and clawing, and a deadly bite force of well over 4,200 PSI, was well-equipped to inflict lethal wounds to practically any creature that it came into contact with.
3. Tyrannosaurus Rex — The King Of Tyrant Lizards
The overall ferocity of Tyrannosaurus rex compared to other, less well-known theropod dinosaurs like Albertosaurus or Alioramus, or whether it primarily killed live prey or gorged on corpses, may forever remain a mystery.
Whatever the case may be, there is no doubt that the T. rex was a highly functional weapon of mass destruction when the situation called for it, with its five to eight-ton mass, keen vision, and gigantic skull studded with many sharp teeth.
People often say that the T-Rex had the strongest bite of any land animal ever. Researchers estimate their average biting force was greater than 12,800 pounds of pressure, easily ripping through flesh and pulverizing bone.
2. Utahraptor — Utah's Predator
Adult Utahraptors weighed over a ton, making them far more formidable than the more well-known Deinonychus and Velociraptor in lethality. This
The animal's extraordinary intelligence was among its most powerful qualities. Utahraptors were highly social creatures that hunted in groups; their tactical nature allowed them to gather and lay traps for their prey proactively. Their meal, if captured, would suffer from a lethal barrage of bites and slashes from several hungry Utahraptors.
The Utahraptor's distinctive sickle-shaped toe claws measured nine inches in length and were extremely sharp. In a strange twist of evolutionary fate, this massive raptor existed 50 million years before its better-known cousins, which were much smaller but undoubtedly quicker.
1. Giganotosaurus — The Giant Southern Lizard
South American dinosaurs of the Cretaceous epoch were often larger and more hostile than their international cousins. Giganotosaurus is one of the largest dinosaurs known to have lived; it weighed 8 and 10 tons, had three fingers, and was discovered near Argentinosaurus fossils.
The inevitable truth is that the Giganotosaurus was among the only theropods that could bring down a full-grown mature titanosaur. Or, at the very least, a more reasonable adolescent.
Giganotosaurus is famous for its long, slender tail that terminates at a pointed end. Experts interpreted this as evidence of the enormous predator's astonishing dexterity; it may have served as a stabilizer, allowing the lethal carnivore to make quick maneuvers and pursue its prey without losing its footing.
Cheers!
~GB
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