It's the battle of the massive Tyrannosaurs! As the lizard king, finding a dinosaur that could match the size, speed, and overall scariness of the brutal Tyrannosaurus Rex is difficult. However, if there was one dino that could send the T-Rex running for the hills, it's the equally scary, less-known Tarbosaurus.
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Battle Facts about Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Tarbosaurus
| Name | Tyrannosaurus Rex, T-Rex, “lizard king,” “tyrant lizard” | Tarbosaurus, Tarbosaurus bataar, T. bataar, Tyrannosaurus bataar, “alarming lizard” |
| Size | 40 feet long, 20 feet tall, 16,000 pounds | 33 feet long, 10 feet tall, 11,000 pounds |
| Speed | 30 mph | 25 mph |
| Offense | Massive size, thick skin, sharp teeth | Razor-sharp teeth, agile |
| Defense | Massive size, giant mouth with razor-sharp teeth | Quick and agile, smaller skull for fast movements |
| Endurance and Behavior | Aggressive and fast, larger size hinders its overall endurance | Had aggressive behavior, and hunted alone |
The T-Rex and the Tarbosaurus were two massive dinosaurs that lived during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods on different continents.
While the Tyrannosaurus Rex was much larger, the Tarbosaurus had more teeth and a stronger bite force. So, who would win in an epic battle to the death? Is anyone a match for the Lizard King?
Did the Tarbosaurs and the T-Rex Live Together?
No, the Tarbosaurs and the T-Rex were not neighbors. Luckily for Tarbo, the T-Rex and Tarbosaurus lived on different continents and lived a few million years apart. The Mongolian Tarbosaurus lived in Asia and dined on other Asian dinos like the Velociraptor.
The T-Rex was a North American dinosaur (evolved from the Tarbosaurus) that dined on theropods and sauropods like the Ankylosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Saurolophus, and other North American dinosaurs in places like Wyoming and Montana.
Paleontology also believed these large dinosaurs were carnivore scavengers that ate dead dinosaurs.
How are T-rex and Tarbosaurus Similar?
T-rex and Tarbosaurus are both Theropod dinosaurs. Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Giganotosaurus, and Velociraptor are also Theropod dinosaurs like T-rex and Tarbosaurus. All of these dinos were apex predators in their time.
T-rex and Tarbosaurus were good hunters, but they were also scavengers. Fossil records show bite patterns consistent with scavenging from both dinosaur species. Many of the dinos we imagine were terrifying hunters fed on dead or dying dinos more often than first thought.
What was the Difference Between the T-Rex and the Tarbosaurus?
The most notable difference between the T-Rex and the Tarbosaurus was their size. The T-Rex was bigger than the Tarbosaurus, but only by a little bit. The T-Rex was 40 feet long, while the Tarbosaurus was 33 feet long.
Additionally, the T-Rex was heavier. It weighed around 16,000 pounds, while the Tarbosaurus weight 11,000 pounds.
What makes the Tarbosaurus a little different from the T-Rex is its smaller, sleeker head, perfect for hunting. It’s a bit less bulky than the T-Rex, which made it a little more agile, which is a bonus when fighting to the death.
In a study conducted in 2013, paleontologists found that the T-Rex is the descendant of the Tarbosaurus. When the Tarbosaurus migrated from Mongolia to North America, the improved climates and access to better food sources made these dinos grow even more.
Did the T-Rex Evolve from the Tarbosaurus?
Some paleontologists believe the T-rex evolved from the Tarbosaurus, but others aren’t sure. The Tarbosaurus first appeared on earth 4 million years before the T-rex. The Tarbosaurus lived 72-68 million years ago, and the T-rex lived 68-66 million years ago.
The T-rex was discovered before the Tarbosaurus in 1902. The Tarbosaurus wasn’t discovered until 1946 and was originally called Tyrannosaurus bataar. After paleontologists examined the fossil records of both species, they realized that the Tarbosaurus was a completely different dinosaur species and changed the name to Tarbosaurus bataar.
Most paleontologists believe that the T-rex is a direct descendant of a Daspletosaurus. This North American Tyrannosaurid lived 85-66 million years ago and was almost identical to the T-rex. The Daspletosaurus was heavier and had longer arms and teeth.
How strong was a Tarbosaurus?
The T-Rex and the Tarbosaurus were both members of Tyrannosauroidea, but the Tarbosaurus was slightly stronger. The Tarbosaurus had a smaller skull than the T-Rex, but its bite was just as brutal.
Some paleontologists believe that the bite force of the Tarbosaurus was worse than the larger Tyrannosaurus Rex! The Tarbosaurus had a bite force between 8,000-10,000 pounds. It was strong enough to crush the bones of other theropoda or sauropods in its massive jaws.
How Strong Was the Tyrannosaurus Rex?
If you were a local Spinosaurus or Triceratops, you did not want to find yourself in the grips of a T-Rex’s jaw. It had a bite force of about 8,000 pounds.
To understand just how massive its bite force was, you could place three cars in the grips of the T-Rex’s jaw, and it could chomp down on the vehicles until its teeth met.
Its aggressive nature and powerful bite force made it an invasive species in North America that struck fear into late Cretaceous dinosaurs.
Who was bigger: T-Rex or the Tarbosaurus?
Unsurprisingly, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka the Lizard King, was larger than the Tarbosaurus. These apex predators were among some of the largest creatures to walk the earth, and it was the largest tyrannosaurid ever to live. However, the Tarbosaurus comes in at a close second.
The T-Rex measured 40 feet long and stood 20 feet tall. It weighed in at a massive 16,000 pounds, about as much as an adult elephant. The Tarbosaurus was slightly smaller, 33 feet long, and weighing around 11,000 pounds.
Compared to other large carnivorous dinosaurs of the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous period, like the Albertosaurus or Carnotaurus, the Tarbosaurus was much larger.
Who would win: Tarbosaurus vs. Tyrannosaurus Rex?
The simplest answer is that the T-rex would beat the Tarbosaurus in a dino battle. The T-rex and the Tarbosaurus had similar adaptations, so the fight would come down to size and strength. Since the T-rex was bigger and stronger, it would usually win.
The T-rex wasn’t unbeatable, either. The Triceratops would often knock over the T-rex, leaving the King of Dinos struggling to get up with its tiny forelimbs. If the Triceratops could beat the mighty T-rex, then the Tarbosaurus had a chance of winning sometimes, too!
T-rex had a lot of advantages when it came to a battle with Tarbosaurus. Larger, stronger, and heavier, the T-rex would win most fights. But the Tarbosaurus was used to hunting very large prey and could run faster than the T-rex. With a bit of luck, the Tarbosaurus could get away from the T-rex and live to fight another day.