What is the Closest Living Relative of T. Rex?

Question

I read on the internet that it was a chicken but hopefully an expert can add some clarification. Are chickens really the closest living relatives of T. Rex?

Answer 1

Well, the answer of a chicken is vaguely accurate, but also a joke.

Tyrannosaurus rex was a coelurosaur dinosaur of the tyrannosaur family.

Birds evolved from a different family of coelurosaur dinosaurs - the maniraptora. So T. rex is a distant relative of modern birds, and more of a relative of modern birds than many other dinosaurs (such as stegosaurs).

The closest living relatives of ALL dinosaurs today are birds IN GENERAL, but it is impossible to say that any specific bird, let alone a chicken, is the closest relative of modern birds. They are all equally diverged evolutionarily from their coelurosaur ancestors, so no one bird is the "closest relative".

However, the connection between birds and small coelurosaur dinosaurs is remarkable. If you look at the skeleton of a chicken next to that of a small-chicken sized dinosaur called a compsognathus the similarities are very, very obvious.

Answer 2

Although the chicken is related, it is not the closest living relative to the T-Rex. All birds are descendants of the 'bird-hipped' dinosaurs that first came about in the Mesozoic dinosaur era. These dinosaurs were much more agile and walked on two legs. The shape of the pelvis and hips meant their legs were underneath them, instead of to the side, meaning they became quicker and more agile. It also meant that running took up less energy, and hunting was more accurate, because only the legs were required to move, not the whole body, meaning it was easier to keep their eyes on the prey. To see what I mean, compare the 'lizard-hipped' crocodile's movement when sprinting on land to an ostrich's movement whilst running. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Chicken T Rex

Answer 4

I had also asked the same question 4 times, and haven't got a proper answer

Answer 5

As birds are the only surviving dinosaurs, of course one could argue that the domestic fowl is T. Rex's closest relative. But this would apply to any species of bird.

Answer 6

T o know that you would need T. Rex DNA. So the chicken is probably conjecture, though birds would be in the ball park.

Answer 7

Extremely good question, hope we get some good answers

Answer 8

A chicken is actually the closest living relative of a T-rex. It is kinda weird, but it is true

Answer 9

a chicken

Answer 10

Al E. Gator or Croc O'Dial