Fearsome dinosaur remained a pipsqueak most of its life
April 06,2017
A fearsome carnivorous dinosaur known for eating its own kind wasn't that large — it weighed only about as much as a hefty crocodile. But the creature, Majungasaurus crenatissimus, took more than 20 years to reach its full size, making it one of the slowest growing dinosaurs of its kind on record, a new study finds.
The finding suggests that M. crenatissimus was a real pipsqueak for most of its life, at least compared with its fast-growing, enormous relatives Tyrannosaurus rex and Albertosaurus, said study lead researcher Michael D'Emic, an assistant professor of biology at Adelphi University in Long Island, New York. [Image Gallery: Tiny-Armed Dinosaurs]