The Older Brother of T-Rex: The King of Gore

Latest discovery showed the dinosaur originating from Tyrannosaurus was the top predator at that time. Since we know from many Hollywood movies that T-Rex is a meat-eater and makes it as top predator at its era. However, the discovery also showed that the top predator is not merely a T-Rex, but also there was Lythronax which was known as the King.

Lythronax lived around 80 million years ago and they firstly stayed at the swamps in northern part of America. This species was the older brother of T-Rex because T-Rex was born around one and a half decades later after, about 13 million years. Lythronax had the same physical appearances with T-Rex with two legs, a carnivore, wide skull and their eyes is forward-facing. They had around 2.5 tons of weight and eight meter of length from the head to tail.

70 million years ago was a different world compared today. Currently we have five continents separated by the sea, but long ago the land was united and become one. So, at their time they lived in an island that stretch from the northern part to the southern part -- compared today it is from Alaska to Mexico -- with name of Laramidia.

This cousin of T-Rex was found from the fossil discovered by research team in southern Utah along with another brother of Tyrannosaur called Teratophoneus. The fossil consisted bones from head to tail, like pelvis. Throughout the calculation by using several methods they found that this fossil is 70-76 million years of age. And it reveals our thought before about T-Rex was the most dangerous predator. And even more, scientist had thought Tyrannosaurus evolved 70 million years ago but it turns out older than they had thought.

Interestingly, this discovery had led scientist in a different conclusion. Even though the Lythronax had similar appearances but the shape of the skull and the teeth are different. Lythronax had a well preserved skull which is short, narrow and had wide aspect on the back. Therefore, this characteristics of skull helped Lythronax to allow perceive depth and they can make an overlapping vision. While the anatomy of the teeth showed their big teeth was used not only for eating meat but also crushing the preys' bones. This unique anatomy of their body made them to become an effective hunter at its time.

So, based on the fact of the physical characteristic that scientists never realized that there are differences between Lythronax and T-Rex. They looked same, but their part is different and overcame certain functions. Many scientists thought the difference only happened to herbivores such as triceratops, turtles and hadrosaurs because of different vegetation between the northern and southern side Laramidia. But, for carnivore? It actually existed from the pattern they had found after analyzing the bones of Lythronax. So, it is not only about the "food" but also about the effect which was caused by the separation of Laramidia. Maybe the King of Gore must go being tyrant.