Dino card No. 0064 of 2,027

Albertosaurus

Say it: al-BER-tuh-SORE-us

Name means: “Alberta lizard”1

Ate: MeatTyrannosaursLate Cretaceous

Albertosaurus was a fierce meat-eater that lived in Canada about 70 million years ago. It was smaller and faster than its famous cousin T. rex, but still one of the top predators of its time.1 2

Lived

86 to 66 million years ago4

Late Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Alberta, Canada, and possibly Montana and Wyoming, USA1 4

Food

Meat1 2

Length

9 to 10 m1 2

Weight

1.3 tonnes to 2.5 tonnes2

Height

3 to 3.5 m1

at the hips

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

How long was it?

How tall was it?

at the hips

How heavy was it?

as heavy as 1.5 cars

as long as 2 cars parked in a rowas long as 56 bananas end to endas heavy as 83 big dogsas heavy as 500 watermelonsas tall as 2 doors stacked up

How big was Albertosaurus compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

Albertosaurus had a short bony crest above its eyes that may have been brightly colored and used to attract a mate.1

Fossils of over 20 Albertosaurus were found together at one site, suggesting they may have hunted in packs.1

Albertosaurus could run up to 30 km/h (about 19 mph) when chasing prey.1

Its skull grew to about 1 metre (3.3 feet) long and held 34 to 38 teeth in the upper jaw and 28 to 32 in the lower jaw.2

The first Albertosaurus fossil was discovered by geologist Joseph Burr Tyrrell in 1884 while he was looking for coal.1 2

Albertosaurus lived in a warm, semi-tropical environment with ferns, conifers, and flowering plants.1 2

Unlike T. rex, Albertosaurus had a lighter build and longer legs, which may have made it a swifter predator.1 2

AI-made picture of Albertosaurus — An AI-made picture of how Albertosaurus might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Albertosaurus

?How big was Albertosaurus?

Albertosaurus grew up to 8 to 9 metres (26 to 30 ft) long and weighed between 1.7 and 3.0 metric tons (1.9 to 3.3 short tons).3

?Was Albertosaurus bigger than T. rex?

No, Albertosaurus was much smaller than Tyrannosaurus rex. T. rex was larger and heavier.3

?How fast could Albertosaurus run?

Albertosaurus could reach walking speeds of 14 to 21 km/h (8 to 13 mph), and may have been able to run up to 30 km/h (about 19 mph) when chasing prey.3 1

?Did Albertosaurus have feathers?

The sources do not mention feathers on Albertosaurus. It was a large tyrannosaurid, and while some relatives may have had feathers, there is no direct evidence for Albertosaurus.3

?What did Albertosaurus eat?

Albertosaurus was a meat-eater that likely hunted large dinosaurs like hadrosaurs and ceratopsians. It may have used a 'bite and slice' technique.1

?Did Albertosaurus live in packs?

Yes, fossils of over 20 Albertosaurus found together at one site suggest they may have hunted in packs.3 1

?When did Albertosaurus live?

Albertosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 71 million years ago.3

?Why did Albertosaurus have a crest?

Albertosaurus had a short bony crest above its eyes that may have been brightly colored and used to attract a mate.3 1

Ask Rex about Albertosaurus

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Myth buster

Myth: Some people think Albertosaurus was just a smaller version of T. rex.

Truth: Albertosaurus belonged to a different subfamily (Albertosaurinae) and had a shorter, lower skull, longer legs, and a bony crest above its eyes, unlike T. rex.1

For dino experts

Scientific name: Albertosaurus
Named by: Osborn 19054
Group: Tyrannosaurs
Family / clade: Tyrannosauridae4
Classification: Theropoda > Tyrannosauroidea > Tyrannosauridae4
Age of the rocks: 86 to 66 million years (Santonian / Maastrichtian)4
Rock formations: Horseshoe Canyon, Judith River, Corral de Enmedio4
Countries: Canada, USA, Mexico4
Fossil records: 32 in the Paleobiology Database4
Discovery: Albertosaurus was first discovered on June 9, 1884, by geologist Joseph Burr Tyrrell along the Red Deer River in Alberta, Canada. He found an incomplete skull with teeth while searching for coal. It was named Albertosaurus by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1905.1 2 4
Still debated: Scientists debate whether some fossils from Montana and Wyoming belong to Albertosaurus or to a different, unnamed species.1

Where the facts come from

Dinosaur - Albertosaurus sarcophagus - The Australian Museum (australian.museum)
Albertosaurus | The Canadian Encyclopedia (prod-front.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca)
Albertosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
Albertosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

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