Herrerasaurus is one of the oldest known meat-eating dinosaurs. This beast was among the first predators to stand on two legs, giving it more speed and agility than its four-legged competition. Living more than 100 million years before T-rex, herrerasaurus led the way for dinos to become the most dominant hunters on Earth.
Hang On: Herrerasaurus had a special hinge in its lower jaw that helped it stay clamped around a victim's neck. This dinosaur's sharp teeth pierced its prey's throat and the victim suffocated in a vice-like grip.
Grab It: Unlike many other two-legged predators that came later, this dinosaur had long arms and fingers tipped with hooked claws that it used to grab prey and slice meat from their bones.
Dominant Dino[]
Scientists pieced together this dino's fossils from a dig in Argentina.
Long legs and a long tail gave this dino speed and balance when it chased prey.
Herrerasaurus was one of the first dinosaurs to evolve into a fierce hunter. It shared its habitat with a wide range of other predators, but herrerasaurus became faster and more agile than the four-legged creatures of its time. The dinosaur was able to make more kills, leaving less food for the rest. As the populations of the other predators decreased, it cleared the way for dinosaurs to take over and begin their reign on land, which lasted more than 180 million years.
Stand Up Dino: This dinosaur was one of the first predators to stand up on two legs. This form worked so well for hunting that more beasts evolved with it, including T-rex about 135 million years later.
Ambusher: Some scientists believe that herrerasaurus was striped to help camouflage it in tall vegetation. The predator hid among trees and shrubs near drinking pools, then used its speed to ambush victims.
Big Bully[]
- After making a kill, a young herrerasaurus digs into its meal, ripping flesh from its victim's bones and swallowing the chunks whole. An older, bigger herrerasaurus sniffs out the carcass and bites the young dino on the back of the head to drive it away.
- The larger dinosaur's sharp teeth drive the point home. The younger member of the species slouches away, bleeding from its wound and leaving the meal to the aggressor. In a few years, the young herrerasaurus will be big enough to be the bully.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The herrerasaurus is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- It is first featured in Head in the Clouds on Monster Mania 32.
- It is later featured in Timeline Tracker on Monster Mania 52.