Largest known Tyrannosaurus Rex discovered in Canada.

[The Romulan Republic]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/26/world/bi ... index.html

(CNN)Paleontologists have discovered the biggest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil yet found, according to a new study. The fossil is also the largest dinosaur ever uncovered in Canada.

About 66 million years ago, the fossil -- nicknamed "Scotty" -- belonged to a 42-foot-long Tyrannosaurus roaming prehistoric Saskatchewan. When researchers studied the leg bones, they found that the dinosaur probably weighed in at about 9.7 tons. That makes this Tyrannosaurus bigger than any other carnivorous dinosaur.

The study was published last week in The Anatomical Record.

"This is the rex of rexes," Scott Persons, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Alberta's Department of Biological Sciences, said in a statement. "There is considerable size variability among Tyrannosaurus. Some individuals were lankier than others and some were more robust. Scotty exemplifies the robust. Take careful measurements of its legs, hips, and even shoulder, and Scotty comes out a bit heftier than other T. rex specimens."

Scotty has quite a history, and he wasn't dug out of the ground recently. Rather, the fossil was discovered in 1991, but his bones were locked in hard sandstone. It took more than a decade to remove the stone, fully assemble the fossil and study Scotty to realize how different he was from other T. rex fossils.

The nickname comes from the celebratory scotch that was imbibed on the night the fossil was discovered.

"Scotty is the oldest T. rex known," Persons said. "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."

T. rexes weren't known for living long. They were quick to grow and often died young. Scotty was in his early 30s when he died, and he carried the battle scars to show how hard he fought to live.

Researchers cataloged the injuries recorded on his bones and discovered an infected jaw, broken ribs and what looks to be a bite from a fellow T. rex on his tail.

"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."

If you want to see Scotty for yourself, the impressive fossil will be on display in a new exhibit at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum beginning in May.

"I think there will always be bigger discoveries to be made," Persons said. "But as of right now, this particular Tyrannosaurus is the largest terrestrial predator known to science."

Pretty impressive dinosaur. Of course, claims of the "largest dinosaur", etc. generally need to be taken with a grain of salt, but Rex has pretty effectively defended its title as the largest known terrestrial predatory over the last century-plus.

[mr friendly guy]

T-rex has been surpassed as the largest terrestial predator known to science for a while. Giganotosaurus springs to mind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giganotosaurus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Larg ... ropods.svg

[ray245]

T-rex has been surpassed as the largest terrestial predator known to science for a while. Giganotosaurus springs to mind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giganotosaurus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Larg ... ropods.svg

Recent research have suggest the T-Rex is even bigger.

[mr friendly guy]

T-rex has been surpassed as the largest terrestial predator known to science for a while. Giganotosaurus springs to mind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giganotosaurus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Larg ... ropods.svg

Recent research have suggest the T-Rex is even bigger.

If we take "Scotty" as the largest T-rex at 42 feet, its around the ballpark for giganotosaurus which estimates at 39 to 43 feet. However against Spinosaurus (another terrestial predator which has surpassed T rex in size) is pegged at 41 to 59 feet.

[LaCroix]

And none of these are based on complete specimen, and only estimations of size.
This one is a actual specimen, not an estimation, and in the uper range of the Gigantosauros estimation range.
Unless they find a complete one and prove it to be that large, the T.Rex has the title...

Spinosaurus is a differnet thing - that one could be significantly larger, mostly due to the (semi?)aquatic lifestyle.
But again - it's only estimations based on a few bones, and also a question if you would call it a terrestrial predator due to the unknown lifestyle, imho.

[The Romulan Republic]

T-rex has been surpassed as the largest terrestial predator known to science for a while. Giganotosaurus springs to mind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giganotosaurus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Larg ... ropods.svg

Recent research have suggest the T-Rex is even bigger.

If we take "Scotty" as the largest T-rex at 42 feet, its around the ballpark for giganotosaurus which estimates at 39 to 43 feet. However against Spinosaurus (another terrestial predator which has surpassed T rex in size) is pegged at 41 to 59 feet.

As I noted in the OP, there tend to be a lot of claims around which dinosaur is biggest that don't stand up very well. There have been multiple challengers to Rex's status as the largest predator, but last I heard, while some where of similar length, Rex is thought to edge them out in weight/bulk. Basically, full-grown Tyrannosaurs were really hefty beasts.

Largest confirmed plant eater (again, there have been multiple challengers based on very partial remains) is Argintinosaurus right now, IIRC.

[Solauren]

I think that's the big problem with alot of dinosaur size claims/estimates...

A lot of species do not have a complete/near complete skeleton to work with.

[The Romulan Republic]

Yeah. Rex has an advantage there, as IIRC Rex fossils are quite common, and some of them are nearly complete.

[Shroom Man 777]

Suck on that, Giganotosaurus! I... just really like Rex. It was the best Metal Gear.