The Rajasaurus was an Indian dinosaur found in the Lameta Formation. In 1981, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) unearthed several fossils. Dinosaurs like Abelisaurs and Titanosaur sauropods have all been found in this limestone formation. Scientists are still excavating this area of India and have even found hundreds of dinosaur eggs.
Table of Contents
Some Quick Facts about the Rajasaurus
| Name | Rajasaurus (meaning “Princely Lizard”) |
| Type of dinosaur | Abelisaurid (Dinosauria Theropoda) |
| Territory | Tropical area with plenty of forest and humidity, Gujarat, Western India in the Narmada River Valley |
| Size | The largest of its kind, 8 feet tall and 22-36 feet long |
| Color | Brownish, with hard skin |
| Interesting Characteristics | Super small front limbs with four fingers. A head crest that ended in a low horn. |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Major Threats | The Indosaurus and Natural Disasters |
The Rajasaurus was a vicious hunter that preyed on smaller dinos, including other Theropods. In fact, paleontologists believe it’s possible that the Rajasaurus was an occasional cannibal (like Coelophysis) who ate smaller Rajasaurs.
Even though the Rajasaurus was smaller than a Tyrannosaurus rex, the Rajasaurus had a much stronger bite than a T. rex because of its jaw structure.
Was the Rajasaurus King of the Dinosaurs?
The Rajasaurus was pretty typical among the Cretaceous dinosaurs that roamed the Earth. But the fancy ornamentation on its head gave it a regal look. This is why it was named Rajasaurus, which means “Princely Lizard” or “King Lizard.” Based on the name alone, you could call Rajasaurus the King of Dinos.
Rajasaurus’ head crest is still a topic of discussion amongst scientists today. The unusual head crest protrudes from the dino’s braincase, forming a small horn. Paleontologists believe that this head crest was used during mating displays.
Not only was the head crest attractive, but two males fighting over a single female could show their might by crashing into each other headfirst, much like horned animals do today.
Did The Rajasaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex Live Together?
The Rajasaurus and T. rex lived in the same time period, but T. Rex lived in North America and Rajasaurus lived in India. Lucky for T. rex, since Rajasaurus had a much stronger bite and was known to eat other theropods! But there were plenty of other ferocious carnivores and massive herbivores that lived with Rajasaurus.
The Lameta Formation in Central India is a hotbed of new dinosaur discoveries. The Isisaurus, Indosaurus, Lametasaurus, and Titanosaurus all lived in Central India at the same time as Rajasaurus. Of these dinos, only the Indosaurus was a threat to Rajasaurus.
Indosaurs and Rajasaurs were about the same lengths, but Indosaurs were about four times taller than Rajasaurs!
Was Rajasaurus stronger than T Rex?
If Rajasaurus and T. rex had the chance to meet one another, they would have a tough fight. Rajasaurus was more ferocious and a bit larger, but T. rex was stronger and could bite with more force. T. rex was also faster and smarter, so chances are T. rex would win this fight.
Rajasaurus speed: how fast was Rajasaurus?
Some estimate Rajasaurus was as fast as the polar bear. This means that Rajasaurus could run at about 25 mph.
What Are the Latest Discoveries Connected to Rajasaurus?
Since the Rajasaurus was first discovered by Suresh Srivastava between 1982 and 1984, paleontologists have learned quite a lot about Rajasaurus and other Abelisaurid dinos.
Not only have paleontologists found around 90 dinosaur nesting sites in India, but they’ve also found over 250 egg fossils!
The Rajasaurus also has connections to dinos outside of India, leading to exciting findings. Madagascar’s Majungasaurus is closely related to Rajasaurus, which prompted the creation of the subfamily Majungasaurinae.
This finding along with the discovery of similar species in Morocco has led paleontologists to believe that India and Madagascar are remaining parts of a connected Gondwanan landmass from millions of years ago.
The South American Carnotaurus is also closely related to Rajasaurs and Majungasaurs. The connection between these three species has changed what we know about the separation of landmasses over time.
Paleontologists Paul Sereno (University of Chicago) and Jeffrey Wilson (University of Michigan) theorize that this proves the landmass separation happened in the late Cretaceous period or later, not in the early Cretaceous period.