The largest T. rex ever found: Canadian scientists reveal massive dinosaur dubbed ‘Scotty’ was 42 FEET LONG and weighed more than 19,000 lbs when it lived 66 million years ago
- Nicknamed ‘Scotty,’ the biggest T. Rex was verified by Canadian researchers
- The behemoth was also the world’s oldest T. Rex on record, they say
- Its skeleton will be displayed in May at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum
15
View
comments
A dinosaur skeleton nicknamed ‘Scotty’ is the mother of all dinosaurs according to researchers who say they’ve identified the biggest T. Rex in the books.
The skeleton, discovered nearly two decades ago in Saskatchewan Canada by paleontologists at University of Alberta, weighs more than 19,400 lbs and dates back 66 million years.
Its nickname, ‘Scotty,’ is derived from the celebratory bottle of scotch that scientists drank upon discovering the behemoth.
Scroll down for video
A dinosaur skeleton nicknamed ‘Scotty’ (shown) is the mother of all dinosaurs according to researchers who say they’ve identified the biggest T. Rex in the books. The massive skeleton presents clues as to how the dinosaur lived and died
SCOTTY, THE WORLD’S BIGGEST T. REX
‘Scotty,’ the world’s biggest identified T. Rex, weighs 19,400 lbs and is more than 42 feet long.
When alive, the skeleton was also identified as the oldest T. Rex on record, living into its 30’s.
The massive creature roamed ancient Saskatchewan 66 million years ago and took almost 30 years to excavate, assemble, and study.
Scientists say it was the ‘Rex of all Rexes.’
‘This is the Rex of Rexes,’ said Scott Persons, lead author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Alberta which studied the specimen.
‘There is considerable size variability among Tyrannosaurus.
‘Some individuals were lankier than others and some were more robust. Scotty exemplifies the robust.’
First discovered in 1991, the road to Scotty’s identification as the world’s biggest T. Rex was drawn out by a delicate process in which researchers excavated the bones from sandstone over a decade.
Once fully extracted from its surroundings, the skeleton was sent to Alberta where it was meticulously assembled only to recently be identified as the world’s largest this month.
The dinosaur’s size isn’t the only thing that set Scotty apart, say the researchers. The world’s biggest-ever T. Rex is also the world’s oldest.
-
Mother claims her son, one, suffers from ‘slum disease’ as a… Utah family terrorized by an extreme stalker who keeps… First picture of girl, 17, found dead outside hospital as… Hamas says ceasefire reached with Israel after rocket…
Share this article
‘Scotty is the oldest known,” Persons said in a statement.
‘By which I mean, it would have had the most candles on its last birthday cake. You can get an idea of how old a dinosaur is by cutting into its bones and studying its growth patterns. Scotty is all old growth.’
According to the study, Scotty was around 30-years-old when he died — an unusually long lifespan for a T. Rex.
‘Scotty’ was discovered almost 30 years ago but only recently named the record holder among T. Rexes
Clues found in the dinosaur’s skeleton also offered some incite into what may have been the cause of death, say researchers.
‘By Tyrannosaurus standards, it had an unusually long life. And it was a violent one,” Persons said. ‘Riddled across the skeleton are pathologies–spots where scarred bone records large injuries.’
Scotty’s ailment’s included broken ribs, an injected jaw, and what researchers think may be a bite from another T. Rex.
The massive skeleton is set to be unveiled in May 2019 at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
Source: Read Full Article