| Allosaurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Time period | Late Jurassic Period (155-145 Ma; Kimmeridgian and Tithonian Stages) |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Type | Theropod dinosaur |
| Length | Up to 12 metres (average of 9-10 metres) |
| Height | Up to and over 3 metres |
| Weight | 2.5-3 tonnes |
| Prey | Diplodocus, Apatosaurus, Dryosaurus, carrion |
| Appearances | Walking With Dinosaurs The Ballad of Big Al Walking with Monsters The Lost World Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular |
Allosaurus was one of the largest Late Jurassic predators.
It was of a more primitive line of Theropods than the later Tyrannosaurs for example, and this group declined with their rise. It was 10 metres on average, 4.5 metres high, and weighing 1.5-2 tonnes.
It's max size (not counting Epanterias amplexus) is 12 metres long and a max weight of 2.5 tonnes. One relative of Allosaurus, Saurophaganax maximus, could grow to over 13 metres long, 4 metres tall, and weigh up to 4 tonnes, making it one of the largest known theropods. Allosaurus' name translates to 'Strange Lizard' or 'Other Lizard'.
Nevertheless, for its day, it was top of the line in a general context, and a deadly carnivore rivalled by few other Theropods on Earth in the Late Jurassic Period, outclassing the more primitive Ceratosaurs and Coelophysoideans. In short, the Allosaurus were strong carnivores that probably endured just into the Early Cretaceous (the Berriasian Stage, it seems likely because a finger bone was found from this time) They were after all, the 'Lions of the Jurassic'.
Allosaurus gave its family their name, and the Allosaurs lasted for tens of millions of years, only being replaced in importance during the Cretaceous. Torvosaurus (a late surviving Megalosaurid, long past the time when the Megalosaurids were the "Allosauroideans of their time" in a way, occupying a similarly dominant predatory lineage, earlier in the Mid Jurassic; Torvosaurus being a formidable late example of a Megalosaurid, big and fierce enough to hold it's own against Allosaurids. though less numerous) may have been a rival one could speculate, as it was just as fearsome. Allosaurus was one of the most successful predators of its day.
Walking With Dinosaurs[]
Allosaurus is featured in the second episode of Walking with Dinosaurs - Time of the Titans. They were first seen when a pair of them were attracted by the smell of prey, a Stegosaurus and some baby Diplodocus. The Diplodocus ran, but an Allosaurus takes one of the Diplodocus down. The other Allosaurus goes after the Stegosaurus, but is intimidated by its plate display.
Allosaurus in Time of the Titans
Their second appearance was when the Diplodocus joined the herd and an Allosaurus pair was watching them from under a shady tree.
It later attacks the main character, a female Diplodocus (now an adolescent). It inflicts a deep wound on her side, but is then knocked down by an adult of the herd. After that, the Allosaurus retreats to fight another day.
Allosaurus also appeared in the different version of the intro of Chased by Dinosaurs. The scene was reused from the Ballad of Big Al where a female Allosaurus tries to keep Big Al away.
Specials[]
The Ballad of Big Al[]
Allosaurus plays the starring role in The Ballad of Big Al, in which Big Al (Allosaurus jimmadseni) is the main character. Al lives for 6 1/2 years, before sadly dying from a wound (an infection on his middle toe caused when he stubbed it), and the drought.
Big Al and a companion
He has bad luck on many of his hunts, and ends up with many injuries (he eventually heals from all his wounds except for the toe wound).
There are many babies that hatch with him, and their mother looks after them at first. When the mother leaves them at a river to hunt, a juvenile Allosaurus comes and kills a hatchling. Later on, Al hunts Diplodocus with some companions (shown right) which may be his siblings or different ones.
His final fatal mistake was when he was chasing some Dryosaurus, and he tripped on a log. His toe was swollen, and he couldn't walk properly. This and the drought finally finished him off.
Chased by Sea Monsters: A Walking with Dinosaurs Trilogy[]
Allosaurus also happens to very briefly be glimpsed on Nigel Marven's Time chart scroll in the Sea Monsters series.
The Lost World[]
In The Lost World (2001 BBC Drama), it is possible that a cousin of Allosaurus was shown; Epanterias (though there is debate amongst scientists as to whether or not Epanterias amplexus is simply a large individual of Allosaurus fragilis or a similar relative; in the context of when it was made around 2001, Allosaurus fragilis would be the most likely option the producers and director were basing it on)
The Lost World natives fighting an Allosaurs
Playing the role which usually Tyrannosaurus Rex would in most other media, Allosaurus was the big star of this old novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As the primary/potentially secondary antagonistic presence in the backdrop, the big brutish carnivore chased the protagonists around and tried to eat them on more than one occasion, coming very close at least once.
An Allosaurus was briefly seen where Agnes used her binoculars and looked over the valley. There, she saw a herd of Brachiosaurus walking pass an Allosaurus that was feasting on a carcass.
It must be noted that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the book and driving force behind the 1925 silent film of the same name, had always cast Allosaurus, as the beast from hell. Bear in mind, that he wrote The Lost World a long while before Tyrannosaurus Rex was discovered.
Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular[]
An Allosaurus appeared in the Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular. The role played by the Allosaurus in the stage show remained fairly true to the original episode Time of the Titans.
Trivia[]
- The Allosaurus in the Lost World have a different version than their Walking with Dinosaurs version. This may not be Allosaurus, since the Allosaurus that was feasting on a carcass had the same model used from the Ballad of Big Al, unlike Pteranodon (which also had a different version)
- It's version, however, looks similar to Euparkeria's Allosaurus from from Walking With Monsters, though this may have been an accident or coincidence when the original Allosaurus model appeared in the next shot.
- When the marauding Allosaurus died from being impaled by the spikes, it's pupils were expanding, since the eyes weren't capturing anymore light.
- In July 15, 1990 a new Allosaurus specimen was discovered in Utah, Nearly 30 years later as of 2020, the newest Allosaurus species within the genus, has been identified; named Allosaurus jimmadseni.
- The specimens for "Big Al" and "Big Al Two" were reclassified under the new species name of the Allosaurus genus.
Picture Gallery[]
Video Gallery[]
Walking with Dinosaurs Fact File - Allosaurus
Diplodocus Vs Allosaurus