The Largest Creatures To Roam The Earth

It can be hard to believe that dinosaurs once roamed our planet. The thought of meeting a T-Rex in real life is just downright terrifying! But although that's likely the first dinosaur to pop into mind, not all of them were as vicious as this apex predator. Today, let's take a look at many different species, categorizing these dinosaurs into "scary" vs "friendly". Of course, we use the word "friendly" rather loosely here - who knows how these creatures actually acted?

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1. Tyrannosaurus Rex

Arguably what comes to mind when you think of "dinosaurs," there's no species more iconic yet terrifying than the Tyrannosaurus Rex. While you might laugh at their little stubby arms, if you were face to face with one, we're sure you might faint from fear. These ruthless carnivores were definitely one of the kings of that era. 

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2. Velociraptor

Made popular thanks to the iconic Jurassic Park films, most people know that Velociraptors may be small but still pack a punch. These dromaeosaurids are aggressive carnivores with massive sickle-shaped claws and long, deadly tails. One interesting fact is, despite how they're portrayed in film, Velociraptors were actually feathered beasts!

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3. Allosaurus

When translated, Allosaurus means "strange reptile." We're pretty sure "terrifying reptile" would've been more fitting for this dangerous carnivore that existed during the Late Jurassic period. Running on its hind-legs just like the T-Rex, the scariest thing about this dinosaur was definitely its set of razor-sharp teeth that could bite through anything instantly. 

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4. Utahraptor

Though this dinosaur's name kind of hilariously means "Utah's predator," the actual beast is nothing to laugh at. Known for being an aggressive hunter, scientists suggest that they were ambush predators that strategically used the element of surprise to catch their prey. As if we needed these terrifying creatures to be intelligent too! 

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5. Spinosaurus

The most scary aspect of the Spinosaurus is, you guessed it, their unique spiky-looking spine that formed a hump on their backs. And while that already creates a terrifying image, when you factor in their incredibly sharp teeth, huge claws on their three-fingered hands, and long tail, it all comes together to make this dinosaur even scarier. Some scientists even believe they could swim, meaning you wouldn't be safe on land or in water. 

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6. Carnotaurus

As another dinosaur featured in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, we're guessing you likely know how scary this beast is already. And with a name that translates into "meat-eating bull," its name already tells the whole story. Living during the Late Cretaceous period, the standout feature of this dinosaur is its unique horns above its head. Some believe they used them in fights, pushing, shoving, and ramming each other with these horns. 

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7. Majungasaurus

Said to have lived in Madagascar during the end of the Cretaceous period, the Majungasaurus was the apex predator in its ecosystem. In other words, they were at the top of the food chain and could roam around fearlessly. With more teeth than others of its kind, rough skin, and thick bones, this beast was born to be a hunter. 

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8. Giganotosaurus

The name of this dinosaur already gives away one of its greatest features: its size. The Giganotosaurus, which means "giant southern lizard," is one of the largest carnivores studied in history. That alone tells you a lot! While some scientists believe they were about the same size as the T-Rex, some argue the Giganotosaurus was even bigger. 

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9. Therizinosaurus

While only a few bones have been uncovered for this dinosaur, it's enough to tell us that the Therizinosaurus had incredibly large claw bones that reached 50cm in length. As far as the others on this list, there's just something stangely unsettling about its body that scares us, despite this creature being a herbivore. 

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10. Ceratosaurus

As a creature being described as having "long, blade-like teeth," we already have enough information to know we should fear Ceratosauruses. While they're not the largest carnivores and are often described as "medium-sized," they make up for it with their ferocious mouth. They certainly had no trouble finding food. 

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1. Camptosaurus

This plant-loving herbivorous dinosaur has a name that translates to "flexible lizard." And while all of these massive creatures were wild, we'd definitely choose to meet one of these over a T-Rex. With a beak-life structure at the very front of their skull, scientists believe it was used for nipping at plants and vegetation. 

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2. Stegosaurus

Everyone's favorite friendly dinosaur, the Stegosaurus has a reputation for being one of the gentlest beasts during the Mesozoic era. This herbivore is characterized by its unique scaled back, four stubby legs, and spiked tail. And if that wasn't enough to convince you they were "friendly," they're also said to be very slow-moving. 

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3. Maiasaura

Sitting at about 9 meters long, the Maiasaura, which translates to good mother, was a large and herbivorous dinosaur during the Upper Cretaceous Period. The most unique feature of this creature was their "duck-billed" mouth which contained hundreds of teeth. They also had a strange bump between their eyes which scientists guess was used to compete with others of their kind. 

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4. Iguanodon

Supposedly a relative to the Camptosaurus, the Iguanodon is another large herbivore that measured up to between 9-11 meters. And weighing in at approximately 4.5 metric tons, it just puts their size into perspective. With spiky thumbs that were likely used for protection against predators and prehensile fingers for grabbing vegetation, the summary is, as long as you don't cross their boundaries, this territorial dinosaur will be happier eating its plants than you. 

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5. Pachycephalosaurus

The Pachycephalosaurus (now that's a mouthful) is known for one main thing: it's incredibly thick domed skull. Their name literally translates to "thick-headed lizard"! But despite its terrifying appearance, these dinosaurs were in fact herbivores and would rather enjoy some vegetation compared to you. Though some believed they were pretty docile for the most part, those powerful heads aren't just for looks - they'll use them in aggressive or defensive ways if necessary (especially during breeding times)!

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6. Chaoyangsaurus

Found in China during the Late Jurassic Period, the Chaoyangsaurus is likely one of the smallest dinosaurs on this list. Sitting at a mere 1 meter and weighing 6 kilograms, this beast definitely seems a little less intimidating in your mind. 

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7. Diplodocuses

Proving that size doesn't equal mean, Diplodocuses were not carnivorous. Thanks to the amazing length of their neck, they were able to reach vegetation that only few other dinosaurs could get; it was perfect for getting the best parts of trees! But because of their massive size, they had to eat all day long if they wanted to survive off of leaves and other means. 

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8. Brachiosaurus

Another sauropod, the Brachiosaurus is one of the most recognized dinosaurs. Just like the Diplodocuses, these dinosaurs had very long necks (think giraffe but bigger!) that were ideal for eating from tall trees. Their necks are said to be around 9 meters long! But the most important fact here, most scientists say they were relatively peaceful.

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9. Psittacosaurus

As a very small, herbivorous dinosaur, the Psittacorsaurus was definitely more prey than predator. Many aspects of their body make it seem like they were built for foraging, not fighting. For instance, their curved beak helped open seeds and cones while its shorter forelegs made it easier to grab vegetation.

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10. Triceratops

Very recognizable thanks to their uniquely-shaped skull, Triceratops have a rough and bony looking frill combined with massive horns on their head. Their tough skin and pointy horns worked great as defense against predators. As herbivores, you wouldn't have to worry about these creatures looking to dig their teeth into you. 

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