Name:
Eotyrannus (Greek for "dawn tyrant"); pronounced EE-oh-tih-RAN-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of Western Europe
Historical Period:
Early Cretaceous (125-120 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 15 feet long; weight unknown
Diet:
Meat
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Small size; relatively long arms with grasping hands
About Eotyrannus:
This tiny tyrannosaur lived about 50 million years before more famous relatives like T. Rex--and, following a common theme in evolution, it was much smaller than its giant ancestor (the same way the original, mouse-sized mammal was much smaller than the human beings and elephants that evolved from it). In fact, Eotyrannus was so slender and lithe, with relatively long arms, grasping hands and a bipedal stance, that to the untrained eye it looks more like a raptor (the giveaway is the lack of single, giant claws on each of its feet).
