Every exotic Dinosaur has piqued the imaginations of scientists, archeologists, scholars, and sci-fi enthusiasts since its first discovery and its extinction about 66 million years ago. 

The legacy of these lizard-like creatures has been filled with fascinating evidence about these prehistoric animals’ conduct, habitat, and anatomy. 

The dinosaur was named after a Greek word that meant “terrible lizards.” The predators, who inhabited the Earth millions of years ago, had brutalized other feeble life forms with their exceptional attributes and traits. 

Even though dinosaurs are well-known for their ferocity, some sub-species are thought to be more dangerous than others. 

The ten most dangerous dinosaur species that have ever existed on the home planet in a non-specific sequence are listed below.

Table of Contents

1. Tyrannosaurus

Tyrannosaurus
The most recognized dinosaur in the world | Image Credit – How stuff works

From the Old Greek term “tyrannos” meaning tyrant, and “sauros” meaning lizard, Tyrannosaurus is from the coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur genus. 

It had the single most potent jaw strength compared to any dinosaur and other animals on earth, with a bite force of up to 12,800 pounds. 

T-rex was formerly assumed to be the biggest terrestrial meat eater in origins, standing over five meters tall and measuring an astounding seven tons. 

Still, successive discoveries of other giants Carcharodontosaurus, Giganotosaurus, and Spinosaurus questioned the assumptions.

It could move as quickly as a pro footballer and wander on two prominent rear legs. Tyrannosaurus Rex was far more intelligent and dangerous than any of its rivals. To put the weight into perspective, it measured twice the weight of an Asian elephant. 

It possessed an 18,000-pounds-per-square-inch chomp that destroyed all its rivals, including Spinosaurus. 

A harmful bacteria in its secretions would annihilate any defenseless prey that miraculously survived the first bite. T. Rex was neither the largest, quickest, toughest, nor wisest, but the utmost all-arounder.

2. Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus | Picture Credit – Wikimedia

This massive beast was unearthed on July 25, 1993, in deposits of Patagonia by a beginner fossil expert named Ruben Dario Carolini. 

The sub-species have lived in Argentina throughout the late Cretaceous era of the carcharodontosaurid dinosaur genus. 

This tall bloke had a cranium almost as long as a T- Rex’s. These were ruthless hunters, and paired with extreme aggressiveness; they were capable of impossible hunting expeditions. Giganotosaurus was larger than Carcharodontosaurus, although not as massive as Spinosaurus.

3. Mosasaurus

Mosasaurus
Footage of a Mosasaurus from Jurassic Park Game | Picture Credit – Aroged

One possible explanation that the Mosasaurus was not the ruler of the classical civilizations is that it liked to spend all of its leisure time in the calm ocean. However, that wouldn’t be a competition if this had been a terrestrial creature. 

With no need for a reason to suspect, Mossasaurus is among the most horrific and destructive dinosaurs the film series “Jurassic Park” has ever featured, surpassing even the legendary “Jaws” for the deep ocean predator title. 

The Mosasaurus is enormous, and its assassin mandibles can make a well-done shepherd’s pie of even larger animals like elephants.

What is genuinely terrifying is the revelation that one doesn’t require to chew and can gulp down its prey entirely. 

It is unlikely that living beings would have been around if any of those life forms had advanced arms and legs and decided to make it onto the soil.

4. Troodon

Troodon
Troodon sculpted by David Krentz and painted by Vitali Klatt | Picture Credit – Flickr

The destructive potential isn’t necessarily determined by the size and bite power. Troodon is a devious organism that stood only 1.3 meters high and weighed 40 kilograms, made up for its complete absence of brute strength with a mountain of intelligence. 

It possessed the maximum brain-to-body-weight proportion as seen on dinosaurs discovered by science. 

Nevertheless, central nervous system representations have disclosed early signs of compression, where more neurological cells are crammed into the same region for more efficacious neural activity. And that indeed makes it the most neurologically developed piece of work as well.

The state of the perfectly preserved skull indicates that it had massive orb-like eye sockets that offered it an outstanding vision, including the capacity to see in low-lighting settings and kill and eat at night. And to add to that, its tiny body made it incredibly agile. 

Although many of the powerhouses on this roster overshadow their appearance, a group of efficient and adaptive Troodons could effortlessly have toppled much larger prey.

5. Ankylosaurus

 Ankylosaurus
Rendered Image of Ankylosaurus | Image Credits – Pinterest

Ankylosaurus is a species of dinosaur blanket. The fossils have been found in Western North American rock formations dating 68–66 million years ago, almost at the late Cretaceous era. The only specimen discovered in the genus is Barnum Brown, labeled in 1908.  

Experts named these giants in terms of their deduced appearance. The genus name implies “fused lizard,” and the species name suggests “big stomach.” 

Many skeletal remains have been unearthed to date, but no comprehensive bones have been encountered.

The biggest recorded Ankylosaurus was projected to be within 6 and 8 meters in length and measured between 5 and 8 tons. 

It portrayed a four-way framework with a solid build. It possessed a sizeable low skull with two horns emerging from the nape of the neck pointed down and slightly back. 

Unlike the other Ankylosaurs, the specimen’s nostrils faced laterally instead of vertically. A beak protected the front of the lower jaw, and narrow stacks of leaf-shaped incisors encased the back.

6. Spinosaurus 

Spinosaurus 
Spinosaurus chasing another species | Image Credit – Pinterest

Most of the readers definitely waited for the giant nasty dinosaur throughout this list, right? So there you have it. A Spinosaurus, translated as “spine lizard,” was a gigantic carnivorous dinosaur. 

Spinosaurus is a theropod dinosaur genus that inhabited North Africa throughout the lower Albian to lower Cenomanian segments of the Cretaceous era, approximately 112 to 97 million years ago. 

It weighed the same as three school buses and was the biggest of all meat-eater dinosaurs. Spinosaurus was typically a fish-eater that occasionally consumed other animal flesh. It could measure up to 6.6 tonnes and stand up to 49 feet tall.

7. Allosaurus

Allosaurus VS T-Rex – Jurassic World Evolution | Video Credit – NoahDLC

Based exclusively on archeological remains, speculating how species occurred and co-existed in the past at any particular time about any given dinosaur genus can be far from perfect. 

But, if we accept that evocative breakthrough, Allosaurus was a far more dangerous and deadly carnivore than the very popular Tyrannosaurus rex. 

Although it wasn’t very clever, Allosaurus was as lethal as it could get. For instance, a herd of adults died in a single site in Utah, entrenched in thick sludge while lusting over a trapped and struggling food source.

8. Utahraptor

Utahraptor
The largest, most dangerous raptor that ever lived | Credits – ThoughtCo.

Utahraptor is from the well-famous theropod dinosaur genus with a single species, the most prominent recorded representative of the Dromaeosauridae family. 

With approximately 9 to 15-inch talons, the Utahraptor was highly deadly and violent. You’d be safer maintaining a great distance with these beasts!  

It had razor-sharp incisors, a mega movement pace, was 23 feet in length, and was amazingly clever. 

It terrorized other animals in packs and was highly agile. The Utahraptor was endowed with the ability to move its hind limbs. 

These magnificent beasts, who were said to live in Utah, didn’t accept the principle of good neighbors and co-existence. To be specific, they had a dislike for all other lifeforms.

They were not as massive as their rivals in terms of dimensions, but who cares right as long as you have strong feelings and a group of like-minded friends? 

The largest known Utahraptor was said to have been 7 meters tall and could have measured up to 680 kilograms.

9. Velociraptor

Velociraptor
Picture Credit – Wikimedia

The all-time favorite Jurassic Park popularized the Velociraptor as the celebrity of the horrifying events throughout the movie. 

Regardless of the small size, velociraptors often caused mass destruction with their sickle-shaped toe-claws. 

These notorious dinosaur species, whose name means “swift seizure,” were aware of the strength of unity while hunting.

Carnivorous predators by character, measuring around 15 kilos, merely benefited from cooperating with fellows. Velociraptors were exceptional predators that resembled birds in actual situations. 

The athleticism and smartness of velociraptors, combined with their non-reptilian looks and hook-like talons, made them the deadliest dinosaurs. 

And fun fact, they loved capturing escaping victims in groups and munching on the prey together!

10. Carcharodontosaurus

Carcharodontosaurus
Image source – Wikimedia

Carcharodontosaurus is always on the lineup of the most dangerous dinosaurs because of its fundamental attributes and its given name, which indicates “shark-toothed lizard.” 

Notwithstanding its relatively small arms, the giant’s mouth contained 20-cm-long serrated teeth that may well wedge through the skin just as samurai swords. 

With the help of its elaborate fangs, Carcharodontosaurus would prefer to scar, knock, and ultimately pull its bait apart. 

Carcharodontosaurus had a smaller brain than a human, despite having a skull as giant as a human. 

On the other hand, its powerful thighs allowed it to move 32 km/h. This pace was indeed sufficient to outsmart T-rex and other carnivores of the time.

To Conclude

Like a basic guideline, you don’t want to come into contact with any of the dinosaur fellows that inhabited the planet freely as Kings and Queens throughout the Mesozoic Era. 

However, now we know that some species were far more dangerous than others. And all thanks to mother nature, we never have to share the earth with such dangerous creatures. 

And in case you want to witness how these terrifying creatures might have looked and functioned, here’s something to feed your curiosity- Jurassic Park! 

You will discover most of the animals as mentioned above in the movie. And, we surely do not want to imagine what our world would look like in their presence.

And the most critical question is, would humans and other animals be alive at all? Well, I heavily doubt that!

(Last Updated on March 24, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)

Shradha Bhatta holds a Bachelors’s Degree in Social Work along with a Post-graduate degree in Project Management from Georgian College in Canada. Shradha enjoys writing on a variety of topics and takes pleasure in discovering new ideas. She likes traveling and spending time with nature. She is a very people-person who loves talking about climate change and alerting people to go green!