Sometime between 243 and 247 million years ago, according to best estimates by the anthropologic community, marked the initial appearance of prehistoric creatures (reptilian and avian in nature), known to us today as dinosaurs. Starting in the Triassic period, dinosaurs were the dominant vertebrates who roamed the terrestrial landscape through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Though they went extinct after a cataclysmic event about 66 million years ago, dinosaurs have remained a keen point of interest for academics, researchers, and historians. Keep reading till the end to discover the TOP 20 Deadliest Dinosaurs Ever in History.
Deadliest Dinosaurs Ever in History
Much like some contemporary animals, some dinosaurs’ diets were plant-based, and some were happy to eat anything they found. But others stalked prey and wreaked havoc in the dinosaur-filled world. Using multiple reliable sources we have compiled a list of 20 of the most dangerous and deadliest dinosaurs known to man through ages of careful research and evidence.
1. Spinosaurus
The Northern African Spinosaurus is generally recognized as the first aquatic dinosaur and also the planet’s largest carnivore. This massive predator used his crocodile-like jaws to retrieve fish from deep rivers. Its massive size had to be truly appreciated when it was compared to one and a half of London’s double-decker buses, with a staggering weight of 10 tons.
The danger of the Spinosaurus was not limited to the waters, as it often used its massive claws and a giant crocodile Sarcosuchus to terrorize small land animals as well. The creature’s vertebrae were more strong and 20 times larger than that of a T-Rex. Add that to the long spines protruding from its gigantic skin on its back, which made the Spinosaurus one of the most powerful and Deadliest dinosaurs in history.
2. Stegosaurus
While it had a small brain inside its small head, the Stegosaurus is regarded as one of the strongest and deadliest dinosaurs to ever exist. The Stegosaurus may have been a plant-eater, but its spiked tail, which is used to blunt and crush the skulls of enemies made it a vegetarian that other dinos would be wise to avoid messing with.
While the tail was used as a defensive mechanism, the creature was also equipped with long hind limbs, short front limbs, and upright plates which it utilized for temperature regulation. While not the smart dino on land, its small brain was counteracted by its brute force.
3. Velociraptor
Anyone who has seen the 1993 smash-hit Jurassic Park is familiar with the Velociraptors in the infamous kitchen scene. With a sickle-shaped toe claw on their foot, these Deadliest dinosaurs might have been comparatively smaller in stature than their giant counterparts, but they could wreak some serious havoc and do bigtime damage. While the film portrays them in a certain light, the velociraptors were extremely fast and were more akin to birds than to reptiles, an attribute many dinosaurs are often mistaken for.
Besides their hook-like claws and their non-reptilian appearance, these creatures were dangerous specifically due to their intelligence, agility, and hunting acumen. Since they were smaller than other dinosaurs, they recognized they needed numbers to take down prey. This made them pack hunters who would surround and chase a victim down, gripping them with their massive claws to prevent escape.
4. Utahraptor
The Utahraptor had all the makings of an extremely dangerous dinosaur. Pairing their large size with its sharp teeth, on top of massive 9-inch hindfoot claws, and endowed with fast sprinting speeds, this creature could chase prey down and tear it apart in seconds. Utahraptors bolstered their hunting prowess and maneuverability by hunting in packs.
The hindfoot claws were on the creature’s extremely strong legs, so once the prey was grounded, the Utahraptor could stomp on it repeatedly driving the claws into it with massive force. It’s safe to say that if other dinosaurs saw a Utahraptor approaching, they would be quick to run in another direction.
5. Carcharodontosaurus
The name Carcharodontosaurus means “shark-toothed lizard” which is as horrifying of a visual as one can imagine a creature, easily ranking this dinosaur on every scary dinosaur list. It is, in fact, the jaw full of 20 cm serrated teeth that helped make it also one of the deadliest, having the ability to slice through the skin of prey immediately, inflicting mortal wounds, then dragging, beating, and ultimately tearing the prey apart.
Sure, the creature had small arms, but who needs arms with a jawline like that? The Carcharodontosaurus’s legs were another large factor in its danger level. The powerful legs could carry it up to speeds of 32 km/hr, which is faster than most predators of its era, including the mighty T-Rex. Luckily for some creatures it hunted, it had a small brain, so it had to hunt on instincts rather than rely on intelligence.
6. Tyrannosaurus Rex
There is no dinosaur more well known than one of the most prolific carnivore hunters in history, the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex). It was a stellar hunter due to its speed, power, and intelligence. In fact, the name Tyrannosaurus Rex actually means “lizard king” which has cemented it as a dangerous and most intimidating dinosaur of all time.
As if all the other attributes were insufficient, the T-Rex’s saliva was rife with deadly bacteria which would be transmitted to its victims who thought they were lucky enough to escape. If the prey was not consumed right at the time of a T-Rex attack, it would get away only to succumb to bacteria-born illness and perish. The T-Rex would then lumber its massive body (with a weight double of two Asian elephants) after it and use its 18,000 pounds per square inch bite to devour their meal.
7. Mapusaurus
A cousin of the mighty Giganotosaurus, the Mapusaurus is thought to have been such a lethal predator, that scientists believe it may have hunted any and every dinosaur living during the time of its existence. Not only do scientific findings point to this gigantic monster being 30 feet long, but it is also even suggested that several Mapusauruses would hunt in packs.
Their teeth are blade-like and narrow, able to slice up the flesh of the prey before tearing it to pieces. In close proximity, they could launch powerful attacks. When in groups, this made them particularly prolific killers that hardly any other creature could hope to combat.
8. Majungasaurus
With a skull that differs from most other theropods, the Majungasaurus is believed to be one of the few breeds of Deadliest dinosaurs with cannibalistic tendencies. Its methods of killing were also quite gruesome as its preferred approach was to hold the prey on the ground while biting pieces of it until it succumbed to pain and injuries. The Majungasaurus was believed to roam the isle of Madagascar, due to its remains being found there.
Majungasaurus is considered one of the most bloodthirsty killers because when situations afforded it, it seemed to have no problem eating its own kind. The only thing scientist have not found evidence of is if they would actually hunt and kill their own family members, or just feed on their deceased corpses.
9. Allosaurus
The Jurassic era also hosted another deadly dinosaur. The Allosaurus was such a powerful hunter that it could bring down a beast the size of the mighty T-Rex, a creature twice its size. The Allosaurus seemingly had intimidation, ambition, and an extremely powerful jaw with lots of sharp, serrated teeth. It was not only a 3-ton behemoth, it had massive talon-curved claws that could tear prey apart in seconds. The one thing the Allosaurus did not have going for it is intelligence. Paleontologists found evidence in Utah of an Allosaurus that perished trying to get to struggling and already trapped prey.
10. Giganotosaurus
The South American cousin of the Charcharodontosaurus, the Giganotosaurus was bigger and fiercer than its relative and was comparatively sized and built like a T-Rex, save for the three-fingered power-claws on its feet. As its name implies, the Giganotosaurus was enormous, weighing between 8 to 10 tons, and was among the biggest and Deadliest dinosaurs on earth behind the Argentisaurus. Its strength and uncanny speed for a beast its size allowed it to take down even rival giants like the Titanosaur, never mind the fear it instilled as it sent smaller dinosaurs running for their lives.
11. Ankylosaurus
Even though the Ankylosaurus was a herbivore, it was deadly in other ways. Its armored shell and a hundred-pound tail could be used for attack and self-defense. The momentum of just one whip of this powerful armored dinosaur version of a mace was believed to be something that can even take down a T-Rex if landed with a well-aimed swing. It is believed that the strength of the blow was so significant that it could shatter bones on the first impact.
12. Saurophaganax
The “lord of lizard eaters” or Saurophaganax was not just the Jurassic age’s largest theropod, it is, to this day, the longest carnivore on the terrestrial planes of all time. A member of the Morrison Formation, the Saurophaganax measured a staggering 12 to 13 meters and was powerful enough to hunt any dinosaur wandering around its premises. This creature could consume a heavily armored Stegosaur and a large Sauropod alike. Its biggest problem was competition for food, needing to share it with the likes of Edmark, Ceratosaura, Acrocanthosaurus, and other prominent carnivores in the area.
13. Diplodocus
The long-necked, slow-moving, gentle-seeming Diplodocus is an herbivore that is mistaken by many to be a gentle giant, but the research of its presence in the Jurassic era points to some interesting and frightening abilities. Not only will a well-placed stomp from such a giant obliterate even large enemies into bags of bone powder, but its 20-foot-long tail could crack a presumed enemy at hyperspeed, knocking them out or dealing a fatal blow. That’s before even mentioning the 100-foot height reach, where the Diplodocus could reach enemies trying to use heights to hide.
14. Deinonychus
Due to their giant sizes and overbearing weights, dinosaurs have been considered languid and lumbering giants. But when the Deinonychus was discovered, that perception largely dissipated. The Deinonychus were built for speed hunting and hunting in packs to chase down their prey. While Velociraptors, which were twice as small, often had their tales weave as they ran, the Deinonychus had vertebrae that interlocked, permitting them to stiffen their tails for maximum balance during runs. Once it caught up with prey, it would disembowel it its hands, jaws, and retractable toe-claws. The enemy would be struck and chopped once caught until it was deceased making a meal for several Deinonychus to share.
15. Troodon
If one was to only judge a predator’s deadliness by its appearance, doing so with the Troodon would be a huge error in judgment. The Troodon was just 40 kg, only standing 1.3 meters tall, and had a notable lack of brawn. But what it lacked in muscle prowess it made up for in brain to body weight ratio. The nascent brain folds would show that the Troodon had enhanced brain functions and was more neurologically advanced.
Its smaller stature allowed the Troodon to be more agile and much faster than others. Its orb-like eyes permitted it to see in low-lit conditions and nocturnal surroundings, giving it the edge on enemies. When several Troodons banded together, their wits, agility, and superior vision could bring down a far more powerful animal than all of them combined.
16. Coelophysis
In another example of brains over brawn, the Coelophysis was far more effective than its appearance led on. At only 44 pounds, the Coelophysis was quick and agile. Their blade-like teeth didn’t hurt their prowess either, being able to slash and cut their prey into pieces quickly. These intelligent animals also utilized pack-hunting with a coordinated planning effort to bring down prey. Their size allowed them to remain unseen by prey in smaller areas, and strike enemies at an opportune time.
17. Carnotaurus
The Carnotaurus had the look of a T-Rex and is commonly regarded as the famous lizard’s less famous cousin. It had two horns on its head and smaller arms. The horns were not large by they served as weapons that could be used to mame or kill smaller prey, as well as to combat each other during conflicts, with the horns absorbing a portion of the shock delivered to the heads.
Its power allowed it to combat and bring down far larger prey, and though it had underdeveloped sight and hearing, the Carnotaurus had an incredible olfactory prowess and muscles that allowed it to engage in balanced runs.
18. Tarbosaurus
Of all the land predators in the late Jurassic era, the Tarbosaurus is considered to have been one of the most powerful and dangerous. As the second-largest member of the same family as the T-Rex belongs to, the Tarbosaurus has a mouth of 60 massive teeth and small forelimbs. Nevertheless, it was able to handily combat Utahraptors and Velociraptors.
The lower jaw of the Tarbosaurus allowed the animal to grasp their prey and run quickly. Add to that the fact that they had great night vision and could engage in either pre-dawn or nocturnal hunting, and you could easily justify the Tarbosaurus as one of history’s deadliest dinosaurs.
19. Megaraptor
The 26-foot-long Megaraptor weighed about 200 pounds and had enough hunting ability and prowess to take down even the mighty dilophasaurus. With a sickle-shaped 30 cm foot claw and unusually elongated hands, the Megaraptor was a prolific predator and a very successful hunter. The claws would be used to attack and capture prey, while its body’s unique structure allowed it to have defensive advantages over those Deadliest dinosaurs who considered it a potential victim for a meal.
20. Acrocanthosaurus
The Acrocanthosaurus, as the name implies, describes a lizard with a high neural spine with ridges of muscles supporting its neck, back, and hip vertebrae. With an average length of 11.5, it’s a safe bet that there weren’t too many creatures making this dinosaur a part of their regular diet. Therefore the Acrocanthosaurus hunted more than it got hunted, making it an apex predator.
Its forelimbs weren’t made for drastic swings, but its mouth was used for hunting prey. It would seize its victim in its jaws, then retract its muscly forelimbs to prevent potential escape. It would then tear and gash the prey with its claws until it was nothing but pieces ready for consumption.
Deadliest Dinosaurs Ever in History: Final Thoughts
The Earth belonged to dinosaurs for hundred of millions of years, so their fossils have left a rich history to allow scientists and anthropologists to study many interesting facts about these fascinating creatures and their behaviors.
We hope you enjoyed our list of 20 of the deadliest dinosaurs of a bygone age. One can only wonder what it would be been like if humans ever shared the world with these deadly hunters. We bet we would not have been at the top of the food chain for long.
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Frequently Asked Question:
what was the deadliest dinosaur?
It is difficult to determine the single deadliest dinosaur as it depends on various factors such as habitat, prey availability, and competition from other predators. However, the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex) is often considered one of the deadliest dinosaurs due to its large size, powerful jaws, and sharp teeth.
is Spinosaurus the deadliest dinosaur?
Spinosaurus is often considered one of the deadliest dinosaurs due to its large size, powerful jaws, and sharp teeth. However, it is difficult to determine the single deadliest dinosaur as it depends on various factors such as habitat, prey availability, and competition from other predators. Some scientists believe that Spinosaurus was primarily a fish-eater and may not have been as deadly as other dinosaurs such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex or Velociraptor.
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