Appalachiosaurus

Appalachiosaurus was a small tyrannosaurid that lived during the Late Cretaceous in North America. Its name means "Appalachian lizard". Appalachiosaurus was a lightweight predator and had many same features with much famous T-rex such as massive jaws and small, tiny arms.

Applachiosaurus is known from the skeleton that is 7 meters long and 600 kg, but scientists believe that it is only juvenile size. So this dinosaur could have been even larger. Initially, Appalachiosaurus montgomeriensis was identified by its hind limb and foot bones an as an unknown species of the small tyrannosaurid called Albertosaurus, based on comparison with the type specimen of Albertosaurus at the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. The relationship between Appalachiosaurus montgomeriensis and other similar species in the tyrannosaurid group of dinosaurs is presently unknown.

he type specimen on which the name was based was found by Auburn University geologist David King in Montgomery County, Alabama, in July 1982. The bones of Appalachiosaurus montgomeriensis were discovered in a small hill adjacent to a county road in southeastern Montgomery County. During the first excavation, King and a group of Auburn University personnel recovered fragments of skull, limbs, a hind foot, and pelvic elements. A second excavation, conducted by personnel from the Red Mountain Museum of Birmingham (now the McWane Center), uncovered additional bones. In all, the skeleton is about 40 percent complete.