Allosaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived 155 to 145 million years ago, in the late Jurassic period. A large bipedal predator, it averaged 8.5 meters (28 ft) in length, possibly reaching over 12 meters (39 ft). Relative to the large and powerful hindlimbs, its three-fingered forelimbs were small; the body was balanced by a long, heavy tail. Allosaurus was at the top of the food chain; potential prey included ornithopods, stegosaurids, and sauropods. Some paleontologists believe Allosaurus had cooperative social behavior and hunted in packs, while others think they worked individually. It may have attacked large prey by ambush, using its upper jaws like a hatchet. As one of the first well-known theropod dinosaurs, it has long attracted attention outside paleontological circles, and has been a lead dinosaur in several films and documentaries. (more...)
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