The terrors from Earth's long-distant past

Mark Mitchell captures some of Te Papa’s big stars

One of the most fearsome creatures to have walked the planet has arrived in Wellington, and it has brought the family.

An exhibition showing 100 million years of evolution of the tyrannosauridae family of dinosaurs, which culminated with the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, is on display at Te Papa museum in Wellington.

The exhibits range from 50cm-high early ancestors that lived roughly 160 million years ago, through to a replica skeleton of a 12m long T-Rex called "Scotty", which was uncovered in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1994.

"Most people aren't aware there's a whole evolutionary history behind Tyrannosaurus rex," said exhibition curator Alan Tennyson.

"The T-Rex was just the grand finale before all the large dinosaurs were wiped out 66 million years ago.

"If it wasn't for that event they may still be here today and we may not be."

A soundtrack of the T-Rex roar echoes around the exhibition hall, but Mr Tennyson said scientists had to guess what the beast sounded like.

"Maybe it just whistled?"

As well as real and replica skeletons - including the leg bone of a Triceratops pierced with tooth marks - there are interactive activities dotted throughout the display.

"The show is designed very much for families, but it's also got this really important scientific base."

The exhibition runs from tomorrow until February 8.

T-Rex facts

• Its Greek name means "king of the tyrant lizards"
• Adult T-Rexes grew between 4.6m and 6m tall and up to 12m long
• They weighed up to 9 tonnes
• It is thought they could run at speeds up to 24km/h
• The T-Rex's feet were about 1m long, but because it walked on its toes, it would leave footprints only 46cm long
• Its 1.2m-long jaw could crush bones and its serrated teeth were continually replaced.

- Source: Livescience.com