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Allosaurus was a carnivorous "lizard-hipped" dinosaur
or theropod. It had a bony red crest above each eye, a strong
s-shaped neck. Its teeth were 5-10 cm long. Allosaurus' strong
back and neck aided its jaws in tearing off chunks of flesh. It
had quite short arms which ended in three long hook-like claws.
These were important for attacking and holding on to prey. Allosaurus
fed on sauropods and other large game.
Although not really built for speed, it had two sturdy legs and
a powerful tail. It was a fearsome predator of its time. The genus
Allosaurus is based on the virtually complete skeleton discovered
by M. P. Felch in 1883. More than 60 complete and partial Allosaurus
skeletons have been recovered from the Morrison Formation between
Wyoming and New Mexico, in the USA. It is the largest and most
common carnivore found in these widespread deposits.
At the Cleveland Lloyd Quarry in Utah, USA, Allosaurus is by far
the most numerous fossil type and is represented by at least 44
individuals. These ranged in size from adults to juveniles.
This robotic version of the Allosaurus has baffled the experts.
It may be a clue from one possible future.
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