Tyrannosaurus explained to kids

Tyrannosaurus is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex, is one of the most well-represented of the large theropods. Tyrannosaurus lived throughout what is now western North America, as well as on the island of Laramidia. Fossils are found in a variety of rock formations dating to the Maastrichtian age of the upper Cretaceous period, 68 to 66 million years ago. It was the last known member of the tyrannosaurids, and among the last non-avian dinosaurs to exist before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. Like other tyrannosaurids, Tyrannosaurus was a bipedal carnivore with a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail. Relative to the large and powerful hindlimbs, Tyrannosaurus arms were small, though unusually long and strongly built for their size and proportions. Although other theropods rivaled or exceeded Tyrannosaurus rex in size, it was the largest known tyrannosaurid and one of the largest known land predators, measuring up to 12.8 m (42 ft) in length, up to 6.8 m (22 ft) in height at the hips, and up to 4 tonnes (3.9 long tons; 4.4 short tons) in weight. By far the largest carnivore in its environment, Tyrannosaurus rex was most likely an apex predator, preying upon hadrosaurs, ceratopsians, and other dinosaurs. The feeding habits of Tyrannosaurus rex are a matter of some debate. It is accepted that Tyrannosaurus rex was primarily a terrestrial predator, although evidence exists that it was also capable of living in water like its close relative Spinosaurus.