Book 5, Question 2
Tiny Arms, Huge Bite! Why Did T. Rex Have Tiny Arms?
Tyrannosaurus rex had arms that looked tiny next to its giant body, but they were short and very strong. Its most powerful tool was its enormous head with a mighty bite. Scientists have several ideas about what the arms were for, and fossils are still helping them investigate.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 5
More fun facts
- T. rex's arms were about 1 meter, or 39 inches, long.
- Its arms were small but still strong.
- T. rex's ancestors had longer arms that they used for grabbing.
- Some scientists think the short arms could slash at prey up close.
- Another big meat-eater, Meraxes gigas from Argentina, was about 36 feet long with a 4-foot skull, but its arms were only 2 feet long.
- Scientists found that giant meat-eaters with short arms tended to have huge, powerful heads.
Sources: Science News Explores, BBC, BBC
Questions kids ask
Could T. rex reach its mouth with its arms?
Probably not. For Meraxes, a cousin with tiny arms, scientists said the arms could not reach the mouth.