Alioramus by Moondawg

About This File

Alioramus ( meaning 'different branch') is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of Asia.

The type and only species, A. remotus, is known from a partial skull and three metatarsals recovered from Mongolian sediments which were

deposited in a humid floodplain between 70 to 65 million years ago. These remains were

named and described by Russian paleontologist Sergei Kurzanov in 1976. Its relationships

to other tyrannosaurid genera are unknown, but some experts believe Alioramus is closely

related to the contemporaneous Tarbosaurus, or is a juvenile of that genus.

While very little skeletal material is known, Alioramus was probably bipedal like most

theropods, and its sharp teeth indicate that it was a carnivore. It was smaller than

tyrannosaurids like Tarbosaurus and Tyrannosaurus, but its adult size is difficult to

estimate since it is known mainly from a skull, which may belong to a juvenile. Alioramus

is characterized by the row of five bony crests along the top of its snout, and also has

more teeth than any other tyrannosaurid. Its skull is lower than those of other

tyrannosaurids, but this might be a juvenile feature.

Alioramus was estimated at between 5 and 6 meters (16.5 to 20 ft) in length when

originally described by Sergei Kurzanov in 1976. Kurzanov, however, did not correct for

lengthening of the skull by deformation during fossilization, which may indicate a shorter

overall body length for this individual. If this specimen is a juvenile, then adult

Alioramus would have reached greater lengths, but no confirmed adult specimens are known.

Inspired by the Zoo Tek Brains Trust