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Torvosaurus (name meaning "savage lizard") is a genus of megalosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in North America and Europe, and possibly Africa and South America, during the Late Jurassic period. There are two known species of Torvosaurus: T. tanneri and T. gurneyi, with the latter being featured as the main antagonist of second episode of Dinosaur Revolution, The Watering Hole.

Physical Characteristics[]

Torvosaurus was a very large predator, with an estimated maximum body length of 10 metres (33 ft) and mass of 4–5 tonnes (3.9–4.9 long tons; 4.4–5.5 short tons) for both T. tanneri and T. gurneyi, making Torvosaurus among the largest carnivores of the Jurassic. Claims have been made indicating even larger sizes. The synonymous Edmarka rex was named thus because it was assumed to rival Tyrannosaurus rex in length. Likewise "Brontoraptor" may be an individual Torvosaurus tanneri of gigantic size. The T. gurneyi specimens from Portugal initially prompted larger size estimates to be made. In 2006 a lower end of a thighbone, specimen ML 632, was referred to Torvosaurus sp. and later to T. gurneyi. This specimen was initially stated to indicate a length of 10.9 m (36 ft). Applying the extrapolation method of J.F. Anderson, correlating mammal weights to their femur circumference, resulted in a weight of 1930 kilogrammes. However, revised estimates performed in 2014 suggested a slightly smaller total body size for this specimen, of about 10 m (33 ft). Among the differentiating features between T. gurneyi and T. tanneri are the number of teeth and size and shape of mouth. While the upper jaw of T. tanneri has more than 11 teeth, that of T. gurneyi has less.

Torvosaurus had an elongated, square-shaped narrow snout, with a kink in its profile just above the large nostrils. The frontmost snout bone, the praemaxilla, bore three rather flat teeth oriented somewhat outwards with the front edge of the teeth crown overlapping the outer side of the rear edge of the preceding crown. The maxilla was tall and bore at least eleven rather long teeth. The antorbital fenestra was relatively short. The lacrimal bone had a distinctive lacrimal horn on top; its lower end was broad in side view. This “crest” is not as prominent as in Allosaurus. The eye socket was tall with a pointed lower end. The jugal was long and transversely thin. The lower front side of the quadrate bone was hollowed out by a tear-shaped depression, the contact surface with the quadratojugal. Both the neck vertebrae and the front dorsal vertebrae had relatively flexible ball-in-socket joints. The balls, on the front side of the vertebral centra, had a wide rim, a condition by Britt likened to a Derby hat. The tail base was stiffened in the vertical plane by high and in side view wide neural spines. The upper arm was robust; the lower arm robust but short. Whether the thumb claw was especially enlarged, is uncertain. In the pelvis, the ilium resembled that of Megalosaurus and had a tall, short, front blade and a longer pointed rear blade. The pelvis as a whole was massively built, with the bone skirts between the pubic bones and the ischia contacting each other and forming a vaulted closed underside.

In Dinosaur Revolution[]

The Watering Hole[]

In Dinosaur Revolution, the Torvosaurus is seen stepping on the neck of a dying Miragaia, and then snaps its neck with its foot.

It appears again, sleeping as the Rhamphorhynchus is once again chased by the Ornitholestes, inevitably waking it up. They are then scared away by the Torvosaurus. Broken Jaw the Allosaurus sees it and gets scared.

It is seen again, attacking a family of Miragaia, grabbing a youngster and throwing it onto the ground, killing it on impact. Broken Jaw, who is watching the event along with the other dinosaurs, is impressed, but doesn't take the Torvosaurus seriously, and instead thinks it's just another creature he can take out, still watching it as it walks back into the underbrush with it's kill.

After Broken Jaw is done drinking, it appears again, resting on his spot. After Broken Jaw gets the Torvosaurus's attention with a warning display, he nudges it, and the enraged megalosaur attacks Broken Jaw, swiping him to the ground with its hand claws, and biting his pelvis. But as it tries to disembowel Broken Jaw, it is distracted by the Ornitholestes attacking the Rhamphorhynchus. In the Torvosaurus' distraction, Broken Jaw escapes. The Torvosaurus lets him go, but still takes his spot.

It wakes up and goes to the watering hole, trying to attack a wounded and young Dinheirosaurus. It tries to go for it, but Woodstock protects the youngster as it walks away. It accidentally almost steps on a baby Miragaia, and one of the angry adults hits it hard in the leg with its tail spikes. It gets annoyed and knocks Woodstock to the ground. It goes after the baby sauropod and swipes it to the ground, biting its injured leg, but the baby manages to fend it off. Broken Jaw has recovered, and bites down on the Torvosaurus neck in an effort to regain his territory, but the Torvosaurus shakes him off and tries to disembowel Broken Jaw again, but Woodstock charges at the megalosaur and rears up and crushes the Torvosaurus, killing it instantly. As Woodstock leads the young Dinheirosaurus back to the herd, Broken Jaw feasts on his dead competitor.

Gallery[]

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