Tovosaurus Vertebrae - Stand Included

**Tovosaurus: The Fierce Predator of the Late Jurassic**

Tovosaurus, a lesser-known but formidable theropod dinosaur, stalked the landscapes of western North America during the Late Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago. This carnivorous dinosaur, though not as massive as Allosaurus, was a nimble and deadly predator. Fossil evidence suggests Tovosaurus measured roughly 15 to 20 feet in length, with a lean build, sharp teeth, and powerful hind limbs adapted for fast pursuit and agile movement. Unlike the towering sauropods of its time, Tovosaurus was built for speed and precision, using its jaws and clawed forelimbs to seize smaller dinosaurs, reptiles, and possibly scavenged meals. Its place within the theropod family is still being studied, but it shares anatomical features with other megalosaurid or basal tetanuran dinosaurs.

The bones of Tovosaurus have been recovered primarily from the Morrison Formation—a fossil-rich geological unit spanning Colorado, Utah, and other parts of the western United States. Although remains are relatively fragmentary, they have shed light on the diversity of predatory dinosaurs that lived alongside giant herbivores like Camarasaurus and Diplodocus. Tovosaurus added to the complex and dynamic picture of the  Jurassic ecosystems, representing a smaller yet essential carnivorous role in the prehistoric food chain.