Scientists discover the largest T-Rex so far, nearly double the size of previous record holder

To build a model of the largest T-Rex possible, they also considered population sizes and average life spans. They also took into account sexual dimorphism, or differences in size between animals of the same species, when analyzing variations in body size.

"We wound up building two models — one exhibiting zero dimorphisms and one with strong dimorphism," Mallon told LiveScience.

"If T-Rex was dimorphic, we estimate that it would have weighed up to 53,000 pounds (24,000 kg), but we rejected that model because if it were true, we would have found even larger individuals by now."

"This is simply a thought experiment with some numbers behind it. It's something that's fun to think about," Mallon also added.

More about T-Rex

A big theropod dinosaur genus is called Tyrannosaurus. One of the most well-known theropod species is Tyrannosaurus rex, also known as T. rex or T-Rex. On the ancient island continent of Laramidia, which is now western North America, Tyrannosaurus lived.

Other tyrannosaurids' ranges were substantially less than that of Tyrannosaurus. Numerous rock formations from the Maastrichtian age of the Upper Cretaceous period, which lasted from 68 to 66 million years ago, contain fossils. It was one of the final non-avian dinosaurs to exist before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction.

At the end of the Late Cretaceous, during the Lancian faunal stage (Maastrichtian age), Tyrannosaurus lived. From Canada in the north to at least New Mexico in the south of Laramidia, Tyrannosaurus roamed. Triceratops was the dominant herbivore in the northern part of its habitat at this period, whereas Alamosaurus, a titanosaurian sauropod, "ruled" the southern part. Remains of Tyrannosaurus have been found in a variety of environments, including inland and coastal subtropical plains and semiarid areas.