Few non-dinosaur creatures would stand a chance against one in a fight. However, the largest alligator ever is believed to have regularly hunted dinosaurs. Although its name translates to “terrible crocodile,” members of the genus Deinosuchus are closely related to modern-day alligators. How would one fare in a battle against one of the most terrifying predators to walk the planet? Today, we’re going to examine a fight between the largest alligator ever vs. T-Rex and show you how it would go down.
Comparing the Largest Alligator Ever and a T-Rex
| Largest Alligator Ever | T-Rex | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Weight: 5,500 to 11,000 pounds Height: about 3 to 3.3 feet long Length: between 26 and 39 feet long | Weight: between 11,000 pounds and 15,000 pounds Height: stood between 12 and 20 feet tall Length: grew about 40 feet including tail length |
| Overall Speed | – Modern alligators can move quickly over very short distances on land, over 12 mph – Modern alligators can swim at about 10 to 15 mph on average, up to 20 mph – The size of Deinosuchus probably limits their speed | – Could run at speeds of 17 mph using a bipedal striding motion |
| Defensive Capabilities | – Ability to hide in water and surrounding plants – Large body would make attacking this creature difficult – Scaly body and osteoderms make it difficult to puncture this creature’s body | – Had a large body and powerful head and neck, making it very difficult for others to attack this creature – Speed could help it gain distance from slow-moving carnivores – Had a great sense of smell that could help it locate danger |
| Offensive Powers | – Have a bite power between 20,000 and 23,000 PSI – Had thick, powerful teeth measuring 6-8 inches meant for grabbing prey and dragging them into the water – Could use the “death roll” to disorient and kill prey | – Had a bite force between 8,000-12,800 PSI – Had one of the strongest bites, if not the strongest, of any terrestrial creature – 12-inch teeth – 50-60 serrated teeth in its mouth – Had enough speed to chase down some herbivorous creatures |
| Predatory Style | – Most likely an opportunistic ambush predator that attacked from the water – Apex predator that was probably not hunted by other creatures | – Apex predator that stalked and hunted prey but also scavenged meals – T-Rex may have even hunted in packs |
The 3 Key Differences Between the Largest Alligator Ever and a T-Rex
was an ambush predator and could swim at speeds of up to 15mph
©Herschel Hoffmeyer/Shutterstock.com
The biggest differences between the largest alligator ever and the T-rex can be found in their size, speed, and predatory style. The T-Rex was taller, weighed more, and grew to a greater length than the largest alligator ever. T-Rex weighed between 11,000 and 15,000 pounds, stood about 12 to 20 feet tall, and grew about 40 feet long, including its tail, but the largest alligator ever weighed between 5,500 and 11,000 pounds, stood about 3 to 3.3 feet tall, and grew up to 39 feet long including its tail.
The T-Rex was faster on land, but the gator was faster in the water. The T-Rex could move at speeds of 17 mph, but the largest alligator ever could swim at speeds of perhaps 10 to 15 mph. Lastly, T-Rex was an opportunistic predator, while the largest alligator ever was an ambush predator.
These differences show the uniqueness of these creatures, and they will also be crucial in the outcome of the battle.
What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between the Largest Alligator Ever vs. T-Rex?
The key factors in the fight between the largest alligator ever and a T-rex will be their speed, size, offense, defense, and predation method. We will explore each of these elements and determine which of the reptiles has the advantage. We’ll combine all that data with a little bit of imagination to determine which animal has the greatest chance to win a fight against the other.
Largest Alligator Ever vs. T-Rex: Size
A T-Rex is bigger than the largest alligator ever in just about every measure. T-Rex weighed up to 15,000 pounds, stood between 12 and 20 feet tall, and grew about 40 feet long. Meanwhile, the largest alligator ever weighed up to 11,000 pounds, stood about 3 feet tall, and grew 39 feet long.
The T-Rex has a size advantage in this fight.
Largest Alligator Ever vs. T-Rex: Overall Speed
On land, the T-Rex could move faster than the largest alligator ever. T-Rex could stomp along at a speed of about 17 mph or more. A member of Deinosuchus may have been able to move over ten mph for short distances on land, such as when it was grabbing prey, but it would have thrived in water.
Modern alligators move at speeds between 10 and 20 mph in the water, but this extra-large gator may not reach those speeds due to its size. Still, it was faster than T-Rex in water.
The T-Rex has a speed advantage on land, but the largest alligator ever has the advantage in the water.
Largest Alligator Ever vs. T-Rex: Defensive Capabilities
The largest alligator ever had great defenses. Not only did it have scaly skin reinforced by bony deposits called osteoderms, but the creature could hide its bulky body in the water. Enemies can’t kill what they can’t see. Even if a predator saw this alligator out of the water, they’d want no part in fighting it.
Meanwhile, the T-Rex had its large size to keep it safe, along with a reasonable walking speed. They are believed to have had a powerful sense of smell that could help them detect other creatures long before encountering them. Lastly, T-Rex may have even hunted in packs, giving it extra protection from others.
The largest alligator ever has a defensive advantage over an individual T-Rex.
Largest Alligator Ever vs. T-Rex: Offensive Powers
The T-rex was a huge, powerful predator but surprisingly agile.
©Herschel Hoffmeyer/Shutterstock.com
The largest alligator ever may have had one of the most powerful bites ever. It’s believed that they could bite with a force between 20,000 and 23,000 PSI, much stronger than the T-Rex’s 12,800 PSI.
The alligator’s teeth were made for grabbing prey and tearing it apart rather than piercing. They would grab their prey, drag it into the water, and use a death roll to tear it apart.
T-Rex had an incredibly powerful bite for a terrestrial creature, and it also had 12-inch-long teeth. Each of them was serrated and made for tearing flesh away from the body. They also had enough speed, agility, and intelligence to take down large, potentially dangerous prey.
The T-Rex has an offensive advantage over the largest alligator ever.
Largest Alligator Ever vs. T-Rex: Predatory Style
The T-Rex was an opportunistic predator that used some facets of ambush predation before ultimately charging after and tearing its prey apart. T-Rex is also believed to have scavenged for some of its meals. They may have also hunted in packs. Their diverse predatory styles are interesting but not necessarily powerful on their own.
Meanwhile, the largest alligator ever was probably an ambush predator. Like its modern family members, this creature would wait for something to get close to the water’s edge and then take them. The gator would grab the creature, pull it into the water, and tear it apart.
Both the T-Rex and the alligator were apex predators.
The largest alligator ever has a predatory style advantage over the T-Rex.
Who Would Win in a Fight Between the Largest Alligator Ever and a T-Rex?
The T-Rex would win a fight against the largest alligator ever. However, it’s not always an easy victory for the T-Rex. In fact, it may be a pyrrhic victory in some cases. The fight comes down to where it begins.
If the T-Rex was drinking out of a river and a member of the Deinosuchus genus grabbed it by the neck or head, T-Rex would be in serious trouble. Still, that would probably be the only way that it would certainly kill the large dinosaur.
If the gator grabbed a leg, it might be able to bring down the T-Rex and start tearing it apart. Yet, the T-Rex isn’t going to sit there and just let itself get killed. It would bite back, and since the gator is clamped down on the leg, it’s going to take some serious, probably fatal damage in that case. The alligator’s teeth aren’t that sharp, but they are eight inches long. If they sink that deep in the leg, the T-Rex could win the fight and die in the aftermatch.
So, the largest alligator ever basically has to bite the T-Rex on the head or neck to ensure a kill. Anywhere else, and the T-Rex kills it.
If the fight begins with both creatures on land, the largest alligator ever is going to die. The T-Rex has speed and maneuverability on land. The gator cannot turn quickly, and it cannot get the first strike on the dinosaur. The T-Rex could flip the gator over using its head and tear it open, bite straight down on the gator’s head without a counterattack, deliver a bite on the gator’s hindquarters without worry, or simply step on the gator’s tail to stop it and then bite it.
In short, the T-Rex has some chance to win in the water but is basically assured of a victory on land.
Could Anyone Beat the T-Rex in Battle?
Yes, there are a few dinosaurs that would have been able to defeat a T-Rex in battle. These dinosaurs include Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, and Spinosaurus. Allosaurus was slightly larger than the T-Rex and had an impressive set of sharp teeth which could easily slice through its skin. Ceratosaurus also had strong jaws that could inflict serious damage on the T-Rex during a fight.
Finally, we come to the Spinosaurus, the largest known carnivorous dinosaur species of all time. It measured up to 59 feet in length and weighed as much as 20 tons. Thus it would have been able to overpower T-Rex due to its sheer size and strength advantage. Not only did it have bigger muscles, but it also had sharp claws that could inflict serious damage on any animal or predator unfortunate enough to get in its way. Its long tail may have even helped with balance when battling other creatures for food or territory. Even though T-Rex was significantly smaller than Spinosaurus, this doesn’t mean it didn’t put up a fight, at least some of the time!
Up Next:
- Triceratops vs T-Rex: What Are the Differences?
- Therizinosaurus vs T-Rex: Who Would Win in a Fight
- T-Rex vs Ankylosaurus: What Are the Differences?
- T-Rex vs Spinosaurus: Who Would Win in a Fight?
The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/para827
Sources
- Science Daily, Available here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170717115657.htm
- Smithsonian Magazine, Available here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-fossils-suggest-tyrannosaurs-may-have-hunted-packs-180977568/#:~:text=Paleontologists%20studying%20a%20group%20of,Eppolito%20for%20the%20Associated%20Press.
- Western Australia Museum, Available here: https://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/dinosaur-discovery/deinosuchus
- American Museum of Natural History, Available here: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/dinosaurs-ancient-fossils/theropod-biomechanics/the-problem-of-size#:~:text=The%20most%20famous%20of%20the,flesh%20on%20its%20huge%20bones.
How to Add Us to Google News
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
