Gorgosaurus — artistic reconstruction

Cretaceous

Gorgosaurus

Gorgosaurus libratus

The catalogue presents Gorgosaurus as a carnivore member of Tyrannosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 76.6–75.1 Ma. Its estimated range is 8.0–9.0 m in length and 2.0–2.5 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.

Carnivore76.6–75.1 MaTyrannosauridae

Evidence-backed summary

For Gorgosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Lambe (1914).

The PBDB places it in Albertosaurinae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Tyrannosauridae.

In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Campanian to the Maastrichtian.

The PBDB catalogues 15 occurrences, with material from the Dinosaur Park Formation (12), from the Judith River Formation (2) and from the Oldman Formation (1). Provenance: Canada and United States.

The catalogue records the holotype as NMC 2120 and the type locality as “Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada”.

  • NMC 2120
  • Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada

The catalogue's reference measurements are 8.0–9.0 m in length and 2.0–2.5 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.

  • 8.0-9.0 m
  • 2.0-2.5 tons

The record gathers 63 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.

Records compiled on 2026-08-08

Where it lived

Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.

Present-day map15 PBDB
Dinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkJudith RiverOldmanDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkJudith RiverDinosaur Park
PBDB occurrences
Map at the time · ~80 Ma15 PBDB
Dinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkJudith RiverOldmanDinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkJudith RiverDinosaur Park
PBDB occurrences
Present mean latitude50.3° N
Reconstructed mean latitude60.4° N

Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.

Paleobiology Database · GPlates · CC BY 4.0

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
2.0–2.5 t
Period
Cretaceous
Time range
76.6–75.1 Ma

Discovery Information

First Discovery
1913
Described by
Lawrence Lambe

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Saurischia
Family
Tyrannosauridae
Genus
Gorgosaurus
Species
G. libratus

Paleobiology Database · txn:53193

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
NMC 2120
Type locality
Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada