Image of two T-Rex facing off

Courtesy of Mark P. Witton/University of Portsmouth

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Did T. rex Have Lips?

When you think of a Tyrannosaurus rex, you probably picture its razor-sharp teeth. In books and movies, the ferocious dinosaur’s long chompers are often shown poking out of its mouth even when it’s shut. 

But according to a recent study, that image may be wrong. A team of paleontologists think T. rex probably had thin, scaly lips that covered its teeth. 

No one knows exactly what the mouths of these prehistoric predators looked like. After all, dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago. Researchers have found fossils of T. rex’s bones and teeth, but the skin rotted away long ago. 

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Experts believe T. rex had between 50 and 60 teeth, each nearly as long as a banana. The dinosaur used its sharp teeth to pierce and grip the flesh of its prey.

Crocs vs. Dinos

For the study, scientists compared a tooth from a close relative of T. rex with teeth from modern-day crocodiles. They chose crocs because the reptiles’ teeth are visible when their jaws are closed. 

The scientists found that crocodile teeth are often worn down. That’s because the animals don’t have lips to cover and protect the teeth.

But the experts saw less damage on the dinosaur tooth. They concluded that T. rex had lips that covered its teeth, like today’s Komodo dragons and other giant lizards do.

Thomas Cullen was one of the authors of the study. He says the evidence is strong. But we won’t know for sure if dinosaurs actually had lips until someone finds the remains of a dino with its skin preserved.

“It is not impossible,” he told The New York Times. “It just hasn’t happened yet.”

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