English: A life restoration of the theropod dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex.

• The proportions are based on a Tyrannosaurus skeletal reconstruction by Scott Hartman [1]

• It's not clear whether derived tyrannosaurs would have been covered in scales, feathers, or a combanation of both. A few small skin impressions have been described for Tyrannosaurus which show small pebbled skin; close relatives, Tarbosaurus and Gorgosaurus are known to have similar pebbled skin.^{[1] [2]} Skin impressions from the closley related Gorgosaurus are reported to show both smooth, naked skin and scales.^{[3] [4]} A 2017 study looked at a variety of tyranosaurid skin impressions and came to the conclusion that derived tyrannosaurs were probably scaly over most their body. ^[2]

What complicates the issue is that most coelurosaur fossils show feathers covering thier bodies and inference would suggest the same for tyrannosaurs. The smaller basal tyrannosauriod Dilong and the larger tyrannosauroid Yutyrannus also preserve feather impressions. This raises the probability that, derived tyrannosaurs had a mix of feathers and scales on different parts of the body or that feathers were lost as individuals reach maturity ^{[5] [6]}

A study published in 2017 looked at the texture of a tyrannosaurs skull bones and suggested that there may have been large, flat Crocodile-like skin cracks/scales on the front of the snout of tyrannosaurids. ^[7] The details on the head in this restoration are based on an similar interpetration of bone texture by Mark Witton in which he suggests that certain areas of the head were covered in a cornified sheath as well as scales. [2]

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References