About Alioramus
| Scientific Name (Genus) | Alioramus |
| Meaning of Name | Different branch alius (different) [Latin] - rāmus (branch) [Latin] |
| Classification | Saurischia, Theropoda, Tyrannosauridae |
| Total Length | Approx. 5-6m |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous (approx. 70 million years ago) |
| Species Name | Alioramus remotus Alioramus altai |
| Year of Paper Publication | 1976 |
| Genus Name Publication | Kurzanov, S. M. (1976). A new carnosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Nogon-Tsav, Mongolia. The Joint Soviet-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition Transactions, 3, 93-104. |
The Outlier of the Tyrannosaur Family
Alioramus was a tyrannosaurid dinosaur that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous. Its name means "different branch" in Latin, derived from its unique features that set it apart from other tyrannosaurids.
Its most striking feature is its long, slender head and a row of five or more bony bumps along its snout. These bumps are thought to have been too fragile to be used as weapons, leading to the prevailing theory that they served as a means of individual recognition or as a display to attract mates during the breeding season.
Additionally, its jaw bones were delicate, and it had a high number of teeth (about 76-78, more than other tyrannosaurids). These skeletal features suggest that it was a specialized hunter that targeted smaller, more agile prey, rather than crushing the bones of large animals.
During the time Alioramus lived, the larger and more robust tyrannosaurid Tarbosaurus also inhabited Mongolia. Alioramus may have evolved its distinctive features to adapt to a different ecological niche, thereby avoiding direct competition for prey with Tarbosaurus.
New Species Discovery and the Enigmatic Adult
Source: Brusatte, S. L. et al. (2009). A long-snouted, multihorned tyrannosaurid from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. PNAS, 106(41).
When the first species, *Alioramus remotus*, was described by a Russian paleontologist in 1976, the fossil was fragmentary, leading some researchers to believe it might be a juvenile Tarbosaurus. However, in 2009, a more complete skeleton was discovered in Mongolia and described as a new species, *Alioramus altai*. This specimen clearly showed features unique to Alioramus, such as more horns and numerous air pockets within the skull, confirming it as a distinct genus.
Interestingly, all Alioramus fossils discovered so far are believed to be from young individuals (juveniles to sub-adults). Therefore, what a fully mature adult Alioramus looked like remains a mystery. For example, did the nasal horns become larger and more elaborate with age? Did the body become more robust? Many questions remain, awaiting future discoveries.
Alioramus Fossil Gallery
