Cretaceous
Albertosaurus
Albertosaurus sarcophagus
The catalogue presents Albertosaurus as a carnivore member of Tyrannosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 73.0–68.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 8.0–9.0 m in length and 1.7–2.5 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Albertosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Osborn (1905).
The PBDB places it in Albertosaurinae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Tyrannosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Tyrannosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Santonian to the Maastrichtian.
The PBDB catalogues 17 occurrences, with material from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (15), from the Scollard Formation (1) and from the Oldman Formation (1). Provenance: Canada.
The catalogue records the holotype as CMN 5600 and the type locality as “Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada”.
- CMN 5600
- Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada
The catalogue's reference measurements are 8.0–9.0 m in length and 1.7–2.5 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 8.0-9.0 m
- 1.7-2.5 tons
The record gathers 98 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 8.0–9.0 m
- Weight
- 1.7–2.5 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 73.0–68.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1884
- Described by
- Joseph Burr Tyrrell
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Tyrannosauridae
- Genus
- Albertosaurus
- Species
- A. sarcophagus
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- CMN 5600
- Type locality
- Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada