Welcome to the battle of the theropods! In one corner, we have Allosaurus, a speedy predator with strong arms and high speed but a weak bite force. And in the other, we have the feathered Yutyrannus, a close relative to the T-Rex with a powerful bite but slower, stubby legs. Who would come out on top in the Jurassic battle?
Table of Contents
Battle Facts about Allosaurus vs. Yutyrannus
| Name | Allosaurus (Allosaurus fragilis) “different lizard” | Yutyrannus (Yutyrannus huali) “feathered tyrant” |
| Size | 28 feet long, 5,500 pounds | 30 feet long, 3,100 pounds |
| Speed | 21 mph | N/A, short legs were not good for running |
| Offense | Very large and could run very fast | Traveled in groups and could thrive in cold temperatures |
| Defense | 7-inch claws on each hand, very heavy | Strong, powerful jaw |
| Endurance and Behavior | Very aggressive, quick, and agile | Pack hunters traveled in large groups |
Why was the Allosaurus called an “agile predator”?
The Allosaurus may have been large and bulky but surprisingly agile. The Allosaurus was also speedy: it had open spaces in its skull bones. Its lightweight skull with a host of razor-sharp teeth made this Jurassic North American dino a scary predator if you got in its path.
While the Allo was quick and agile, it had a surprisingly weak jaw, similar to a Spinosaurus. Despite its large size, it had a weaker bite force than a crocodile.
But even with a weaker jaw, it had powerful forelimbs that could hold sauropod dinosaurs, like Triceratops or Ankylosaurus, in place as it chowed down.
What could an Allosaurus Do that Yutyrannus could not?
Allosaurs had a weaker jaw, meaning their fighting style varied from the Yutyrannus. When fighting, the Allosaurus used its speed, powerful arms, and agility to cause its prey to bleed to death. Think of the head of the Allosaurus like an axe, swinging away at the flesh of its prey.
While other Tyrannosaurs and similar theropod dinosaurs used their teeth as weapons, the entire body of the Allosaurus was one gigantic weapon.
Additionally, the legs of the Yutyannus were quite small. Compared to other theropods like the T-Rex or Carnotaurus, this Tyrannosauroid had small back legs unsuitable for clocking in top speeds.
Would a Yutyrannus Beat an Allosaurus?
It would be a close fight because the fighting styles of Allosaurus and Yutyannus are very different. But the odds are, the Allosaurus would win. Even though Allo doesn’t have a strong bite force like Yuty, it didn’t need it.
Its quick speeds, ratch-like head, and quick speeds could outmaneuver the slower speeds and overall clunkiness of the feathered Yutyrannus.
What was the difference between an Allosaurus and a Yutyrannus?
It didn’t matter much in battle, but the biggest difference between the Allosaurus and the Yutyrannus was that Yuty was covered in feathers.
The Yutyrannus was one of the very first dinos discovered by paleontologists in the Morrison Formation with perfectly preserved feathers. Many paleontologists believed using feathers helped regulate body temperature in cooler climates.
What did the Yutyrannus Eat?
What’s interesting about the Yuttrannus is that while it could potentially take down larger theropods, it didn’t. Paleontologists believe this fierce predator dined on much smaller creatures, like rodents, lizards, and smaller dinos like the Psittacosaurus.
It may have had the ability to take down bigger prey, but fossil records indicate that the Yutyrannus chose an easier target. It’s also important to note that the Yutyrannus also traveled in packs, making fights with potential predators a little easier.
Were the Yutyrannus and Allosaurus Related?
The Yutyrannus and the Allosaurs may look similar, but they are different dinos that weren’t related. The Yutyrannus was a proceratosaurid tyrannosauroid more closely related to other late Jurassic carnivore dinos like the Tyrannosaurus rex.
The Allosaurus, on the other hand, was a carnosaurian theropod, closely related to dinosaurs like the Acrocanthosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, or Baryonyx in the Cretaceous period.
It’s also important to note that it was unlikely the Yutyrannus and the Allosaurus bumped into each other. The Allosaurus lived during the late Jurassic period almost 145 million years ago, while the Yutyrannus lived in the early Cretaceous period. Additionally, the Allosaurus lived in North America, while the Yutyrannus resided in China.