Tyrannosaurids

Tyrannosaurids (meaning "tyrant lizards") are coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs in the family Tyrannosauridae that comprises 2 subfamilies containing up to 15 genera, including the eponymous Tyrannosaurus. The exact number of genera is controversial, with some experts recognizing as few as 3. All of these animals lived near the end of the Cretaceous Period and their fossils have been found only in North America and Asia.

Although descended from smaller ancestors, tyrannosaurids were almost always the largest predators in their respective ecosystems, putting them at the apex of the food chain. The largest species was Tyrannosaurus rex, the most massive known terrestrial predator, which measured over 13 meters (43 feet) in length and according to most modern estimates up to 8.87 metric tons (9.78 short tons) in weight. Tyrannosaurids were bipedal carnivores with massive skulls filled with large teeth. Despite their large size, their legs were long and proportioned for fast movement. In contrast, their arms were very small, bearing only 2 functional digits.

Unlike most other groups of dinosaurs, very complete remains have been discovered for most known tyrannosaurids. This has allowed a variety of research into their biology. Scientific studies have focused on their ontogeny, biomechanics and ecology, among other subjects.

This category shows all the tyrannosaurids in the Jurassic Park franchise (including genetically-altered creatures containing tyrannosaurid DNA).